When talking with All Shook Up director Kelly Robertson, she cleverly offers, “If you bring the wine and crackers, we’ll bring the cheese.” The show, a jukebox musical packed with Elvis songs and loosely based on Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, indeed stands as a high-energy, crowd pleaser with lots of corny jokes and a campy storyline.
Set in a small Midwestern town in the 1950s, All Shook Up, with music and lyrics by Elvis Presley and book by Joe DiPietro, is “a rockin’ tale of love, rebellion, and self-discovery.” Think Footloose meets Jailhouse Rock. If you’re a fan of Elvis’ music, then this show is for you. A lot of big hits are performed well with some shining vocals. If you’re a fan of mistaken identity, forbidden love and self-discovery, this show also has you covered.
The plot: guitar playing roustabout Chad (played with confident swagger by Brock Bordenkircher) rolls into town seeking a mechanic for his busted motorcycle. Within moments, he manages to awaken the weary, repressed townsfolk with his blue suede shoes and swiveling hips, his guitar emulating a Cupid’s bow and arrow. Topping the list of fawning fans is grease monkey Natalie (played with vulnerability and spunk by Madigan Sweeny), who decides the best way to get close to Chad is to start dressing like a lumberjack and become his new sidekick. This is to the chagrin of her real best friend who, of course, secretly loves her (a very nerdy, sweet JD Sonneborn as poetry aficionado Dennis).
Then everyone starts falling in love with everyone. Several find themselves tumbling for the new museum operator, Miss Sandra, (the cool and statuesque Evelyn Vinzant) who doesn’t want anything to do with her provincial neighbors. Natalie’s father, Jim, (played tenderly by John O’Connor) is still grieving his late wife and has yet to realize his feelings for long-time friend and café owner Sylvia (the enjoyable Angelica Ikejiaku), who has already discovered hers.
Two other couples teetering on the precipice of coupledom are Sylvia’s daughter Lorraine (Bri’Ara McKinnie), who has instantly fallen for a dreamy boy in uniform, Dean, (Hunter Pierce) and the puritanical Mayor Matilda (Kara Skorge) and Sheriff Earl (Darrin Burnett), who patiently waits for his chance to tell Matilda how he really feels. Eventually, everyone chucks the stringent Mamie Eisenhower Decency Act and plans a mass wedding.
The whole show is bursting with music, humor and silly charm. Choreography by Rachel Bridges is lively, vocals led by Judy McEvoy and Maryna Mitchell are solid, costumes by Daphne Southern really capture the era, and the 50s-inspired neon-accented sets by Alan Hymans are a treat. The entire cast seemed to really enjoy themselves and have fun, which was great to witness, especially after knowing some of the challenges they faced, including massive downpours and several tornado warnings during tech and the ongoing controversy surrounding the Muni.
When writing these reviews, I have two primary goals: to support the hard work being done on and off stage and to give readers enough information to decide for themselves whether to go see a show. Given my own volunteerism within the theater community, writing about a current Muni show added a new layer.
It’s nearly impossible to separate theater from the environment in which it is created, and the Springfield Muni Opera is facing a deeply necessary reckoning regarding actor safety and institutional accountability. A great deal of pain and turmoil has occurred within the local theater community. You can find detailed reporting about it on the Illinois Times website (“#MeToo at the Muni,” June 3, and “Muni president addresses controversy,” June 16).
As a result, several people involved in the summer season found themselves having to navigate this upheaval. Some performers made the difficult decision to step away from their productions and take a stand. Others vowed to bring about needed change from within. Steps are being taken, but for many that accountability and growth are frustratingly slow to emerge.
I know there are those committed to not only staging entertaining and powerful shows, but to protecting and supporting all who participate in local theater. Many front-line volunteers are leading a charge to drive positive change, which is encouraging. I, for one, shall remain cautiously optimistic and will keep doing what I can to support the arts and help create safer spaces.
As for All Shook Up, the result of their hard work and perseverance is a production that truly entertains.
All Shook Up continues its run at 8:30 p.m. June 24-27. Tickets can be purchased at the box office on show nights or at themuni.org/buy-tickets.
