A New Rock and Roll Play about Sun Records, Death and Redemption

Do you find yourself pondering the intersection point between Elvis Presley, Sun Studios, a Roy Orbison opera, the Moon Landing, Harper Valley PTA and Johnny Rotten? If so, you are one strange person who needs to see this new rock and roll play: “Sons of Sun – Elvis and the ‘77 Comeback Special”.

In the mid 1950's, Sam Phillips' discovery of Elvis and the subsequent invention of rock and roll made Sun Records the most famous record label in the world. The Australian play, “Sons of Sun - Elvis, Jerry-Lee, Johnny and Me” tracked that journey and the glory of the music created at that studio. Much like the famous label itself, the first “Sons of Sun” play rose from humble beginnings at the Sydney Fringe Festival in 2012 to go on to great success with multiple seasons at the Sydney Opera House.

Sons of Sun – Elvis and the ‘77 Comeback Special picks up where the first show left off……it is 1977 and with the death of Elvis, Sam Phillips reflects on the music that came out of his little studio in Memphis, and the career highs and lows of Elvis, Roy Orbison, Jerry-Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins after their golden era at Sun Records. Sam is pressed to re-assess the value of the Sun Records legacy when he's challenged by Julie, a young but already jaded British new music writer, sent from punk-era London to do a feature story on the death of rock and roll.

Sydney musician John Kennedy, a co-creator and lead musician in the original Sons of Sun play, has teamed with playwright Michael O'Brien to create this new show.

The pivotal role of the middle aged Sam Phillips is played by Australian film and theatre legend Terry Serio. Terry's long list of credits include playing Bob Hawke and John Howard in Keating!, Keith Richards in A Riff on Keef and his AFI nominated role as Johnny O'Keefe in Shout!

Multi-talented Sally Williams follows on from her role in Zhou Yi’s award winning “A Deal” plays the abrasive British music writer Julie. Sydney theatre mainstay Bill Jordan inhabits the variety of characters from Jerry Lee Lewis to Johnny Rotten that crowded Phillips’ thoughts in 1977. After his critically acclaimed La Mama sell out season of “The Giraffes Uncle”, director Ron Hadley returns to the Sydney stage to seamlessly blend the life, loves and regrets of Sam Phillips and 22 brilliant songs from Elvis and the other famous Sons of Sun.

With the sparks flying between Sam and Julie, Sons of Sun – Elvis and the ‘77 Comeback Special charts the death of Elvis and the rebirth of Sam Phillips' determination to create a legacy for the musical revolution that he kicked off with the Sun Records Class of '55

The premiere run of Sons of Sun – Elvis and the ‘77 Comeback Special happens for 3 nights from Friday 27 September to Sunday 29 September at the Off Broadway (actually Off Parramatta Road) venue, The Newsagency, 74-76 Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Annandale.

Tickets $40

Doors at 7pm

Show at 8:30pm Friday/Saturday, and at 7:30pm Sunday.