For the Real Critics Blog
Performance Riverside continues its tradition of producing some of the best musical theatre in the IE with "All Shook Up," the initial offering of its 2009-10 season.
Joe DiPietro (of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" fame) authors this fun, thoroughly entertaining musical inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley: think "Mamma Mia," with the King instead of ABBA.
Warming into the tunes as the show progressed, Rob Thompson (Chad) plays well the Elvis caricature: the young, leather-clad "roustabout" riding into a nowhere conservative town to miraculously fix their jukebox (conveniently filled with outlawed tunes), and enlighten unto them the philosophies of pop/rock/"devil" music, bright-colored garb, dirty dancing and love that leaps the chasms of race, social mores and moralistic oppression.
The Priscilla-esque role is a demanding one, accentuated by DiPietro's inclusion of a Shakespearen cross-dressing, two-person-three-persona love triangle, ably played by Alyssa Marie (Natalie) as she bounces between lovelorn tomboy mechanic and suede-shoed motorcycling playboy.
With strong voices all around, the production is at its best when the twenty-person cast busts out pitch-perfect choruses during elaborate dance numbers by director/choreographer John Vaughan.
As far as the acting -- one-third of the triple threat quota -- goes, the production's most naturalistic moments come from Vonetta Mixson (Sylvia) and Melodie Slaughter (Lorraine), who between wonderfully soulful renderings of King hits and roar-inducing punchlines, deliver truthful moments as they struggle through life and love as the town's only ethnic characters.
Despite the simple, predictable storyline -- which slumps a bit during the second half with Elvis's lesser known melancholy ballads and at the end dissolves into a bit of judge-not preachiness -- "All Shook Up" is sure to leave you smiling as you sing the King's enduring verses all the way home.
For more information visit www.performanceriverside.org
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