It’s always hard to improve a great thing, right? Some jukebox musicals seek to do just that, or so it seems. In the case of All Shook Up, the “thing” is Elvis, and Joe DiPietro (Book), Stephen Oremus (Musical Arrangements) and a slew of other song and music writers did the opposite: instead of attempting to improve Elvis’ music, they glorified it. They wrote a plot reflecting that of Twelfth Night, where everyone falls in love through a web of conversations and deceit. Runaway Stage Productions just closed their production of All Shook Up, and after seeing their final Saturday performance, I left the 24th Street Theater with plenty of burnin’ love to make me want more.
When a roustabout, Chad, comes into a small town where dancing, public necking, and other forms of PDA are forbidden by the town’s ultra-conservative mayor, Matilda, he casts himself in the role of rebel with a cause: to make the town emote! Local mechanic, Natalie, instantly falls for Chad, gyrating hips and all, and is determined to win his heart. With the unintentional advice of her best friend, Dennis, she decides becoming Ed is the best bet, because friends first always works, even if one has to change their gender to accomplish it, right? However, Ed is mistaken for a poetic genius by new Museum owner in town, Miss Sandra. Dennis pursues Natalie/Ed with his whole heart, while the others chase the others. The adults aren’t to be forgotten. Three-year widow, Jim (Natalie’s father) is the apple of local diner owner Sylvia’s eye. However, Jim, too, falls for the beautiful, intelligent Miss Sandra. The only reciprocated love is between Sylvia’s daughter, Lorraine, and the Mayor’s son, Dean. Their love acts as the central example of what all the others are longing for: a love that knows no race and no rules. Confused yet? Well, that’s sort of the hilarity of the plot.
Austin Daly (Chad) and Isabella Fay (Natalie) were fine leading performers that carried the majority of solos and duets. Daly’s voice mostly matched that of Elvis’s iconic crooning timbre, with moments of legit musical theatre power, especially in “C’mon Everybody,” “If I Can Dream,” and in a rockin’ finale, “Burning Love.” Fay utilized her soft, tender vocals in a beautiful “Fools Fall in Love,” and a fun “Blue Suede Shoes.” The chemistry between the two unconventional love birds played well whether Fay was Ed or Natalie. Daly’s revealing soliloquy, “I Don’t Want To,” was performed with perfect coyness, a fine dose of embarrassment, and a sweet balance of earnestness amidst confusion. Playing everyone’s favorite sidekick was a fantastic Gabe Moitoza (Dennis). Every note, every line, every look was comedic gold for Moitoza, making him a standout performer. Moitoza shined in his part of the “Hound Dog/Teddy Bear” quartet, and stopped the show in the glorious Act Two lament “It Hurts Me.”
Brian McCann (Jim) performed his paternal role with every bit of charm and loving warmth one would want from a father. His duet with Daly, “Don’t Be Cruel,” made for a humorous highlight among the somber turns the role sits in for most of the show. Brenda Marchetti (Matilda) brought a wonderful energy to the stage in her various scenes, but her performance was burdened with an awkward arrangement of her breakout solo, “Devil in Disguise.” Having seen this show three times prior, including the national tour, this under-tempo, alternate-ending to the riotous battle between good and evil took a turn for the worse after the guitar solo; not even clever choreography, top-notch lighting, and Marchetti’s fabulous vocals could save it.
Among the strong performances were three absolutely phenomenal women who were showcased extremely well in acting and in song. Dominique Dates (Sylvia), Chantel Aldana (Lorraine), and Eimi Taormina (Miss Sandra) were by and far in a league of their own. Dates nailed her Act Two lament, “There’s Always Me,” after a stellar Act One belt-off with Aldana in “That’s All Right.” Aldana held her own in her duet of loving desperation opposite an adorably militant Tom Moore (Dean) in “It’s Now or Never,” and especially in the trio with Moore and Daly in “If I Can Dream.” Taormina is the first Miss Sandra (yes, including the one I saw on tour) to make me love her Act One solo, “Let Yourself Go.” Her vocal prowess showed no ceiling, and her tenacious sexuality opposite Fay’s Ed was in perfect sync with the flirtatious one-liners DiPietro has written for Miss Sandra.
Director Bob Baxter helmed this show with a great eye for the comedy, and a tender ear for the romance. His and choreographer Ana Hansen’s use of the ensemble were excellent, helping set the tone for the small town feel and the comradery as everyone unites under Chad’s message of burning love. Norman Hernandez’s functional set was given vibrant life under Andrew Fiffick’s energetic lighting design. As is always the case, Glenn Disney’s baton conducted a wonderful orchestra, performing these arrangements with a swelling sound and infectious energy. Deann Golz’s vocal direction was executed brilliantly all night long, as was shown by the gorgeous wall of sound the company delivered in “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” and “Burning Love.”
All Shook Up is my favorite jukebox musical because in no way does it attempt to better Elvis’ music, but simply makes it accessible for a musical theatre audience in the context of a wacky but heartfelt plot. Baxter and company did a remarkable job bringing out all the funny and all the love in their production, making it one of my favorite musicals I have seen from Runaway.
