Candlelight production is a lively holiday jam session led by strong vocals and spirited musicianship.

For those hungry for a cheerful, nostalgia-soaked throwback this holiday season, Candlelight Dinner Theatre in Johnstown is serving it warm and crowd-pleasing with Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, running through January 11. This festive riff on the original Million Dollar Quartet musical imagines Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins reuniting in a tinsel-draped Sun Records studio to banter and perform nonstop Christmas hits.

Where the original show builds toward that famous 1956 photograph of the four legends at Sun Records, the holiday version begins with the iconic image and gleefully abandons historical realism in favor of seasonal revelry. The stakes are feather-light, the script even lighter and the dramatic beats are familiar to anyone who’s seen MDQ.

But director and music director Christopher Wren understands exactly what audiences come for, so he keeps the energy high, the pace brisk and the stage filled with live musicians who can burn through a jukebox of rock ’n’ roll and holiday classics without breaking a sweat. The result is less a musical and more a holiday revue that’s polished, playful and popping with energy.

A warm studio vibe

Candlelight’s production lives and dies by its performers’ musical chops, and this cast — whose members play all instruments live onstage — delivers. The standout of the night is Mason Blaine’s electric Elvis Presley. Blaine doesn’t just nail the velvety vocals; he captures the hip-shaking swagger and full-bodied stage presence that make his numbers sizzle. Whether crooning “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” or whipping the audience into a frenzy with rock ’n’ roll staples, he commands the room with charismatic ease.

Just as crucial to the evening’s momentum is Charlotte Campbell as Dyanne, Elvis’s date and the show’s loose narrator. Campbell, who also designed the production’s costumes, brings energetic reactions, sharp comic timing and bright vocals to songs like “O Christmas Tree” and “Santa Baby.” Whether fronting a number or working a tambourine in the back, she sells the shared joy of this imagined jam session.

Steven Lasiter’s Johnny Cash is another highlight. He wields his guitar like an extension of his body — at one point using it like a gun — and his low, gravelly vocals anchor the evening with the right “Man in Black” gravitas. His Act I closer, “Ring of Fire,” is one of the production’s most impactful musical moments.

By contrast, Wyatt Andrew Brownell’s Jerry Lee Lewis and Benjamin Nurthen’s Carl Perkins make gentler impressions. Brownell, a seasoned performer who has played the role over 100 times, brings strong musicianship, but Jerry Lee’s wild, chaotic physicality is mostly contained until late in the evening during “Jingle Bells.”

Nurthen, though a technically skilled guitarist and singer, is given the least to distinguish Perkins in the show’s loose narrative, leaving his character feeling more like a pleasant ensemble presence than a fully realized personality.

Chas Lederer does fine work grounding the evening as Sam Phillips, the ever-sentimental Sun Records founder revisiting a past he knows is slipping away. His scenes hint at the emotional threads of the original Million Dollar Quartet, with Phillips losing Elvis, boosting Jerry Lee and attempting to keep his boys together, even if the holiday backdrop prevents the show from delving deeply into those themes.

Rounding out the ensemble are Brandon Paine (Fluke) on drums and Kyle Wells Lahr (Brother Jay) on upright bass, both superb musicians who each get moments to shine and help give the evening its tight, punchy sound.

A homey, low stakes treat

Adding to the production’s charm are its uniformly strong technical elements. Campbell’s costumes are instantly believable, crafting crisp period silhouettes and festive details that distinguish each performer visually. Brian Watson’s rich, immersive set transforms the stage into a Christmas-decked Sun Records studio, complete with a piano off to the side, a section in the back for the studio musicians and a recording booth lined with spinning tape reels.

Vance Mackenzie’s lighting design leans into the season with cheerful holiday colors, sharp spot isolates and bursts of rock-concert flair during the show’s biggest numbers. The live band sounds warm, clear and well-balanced under Patrick Middlebrook’s sound design and mix, which is no small feat for a show that moves so quickly.

The result is a production environment that supports the performers while giving the entire evening a polished, lived-in appearance. And at Candlelight, the experience includes the meal, which on opening night was a delightful surprise.

Candlelight’s food has been hit-or-miss for me, but this menu was a big hit. I chose the “Home for Christmas” turkey dinner, which was hearty and well-balanced, with tender smoked turkey, cranberry sauce and fire-roasted corn. In addition to the tasty meal, service (as usual) was also excellent, with attentive staff keeping the evening running smoothly.

Million Dollar Quartet Christmas isn’t reinventing the wheel. Its script is featherweight, the dramatic arcs barely sketched and the show’s primary purpose is to deliver beloved holiday tunes played by excellent musicians. But like a warm cup of hot cocoa on a cold day, it’s familiar, comforting and really hits the spot.

The show is an ideal match for anyone craving holiday nostalgia and the thrill of live musicians bringing rock ’n’ roll legends back to life. Sure, the show’s book plays it safe, but the good spirits, strong performances and toe-tapping tunes make it a truly enjoyable seasonal outing worth the drive to Johnstown.