Special to The Kansan

            Elvis’ music ‘shakes up” New Theatre Restaurant

By ALAN HOSKINS

            Elvis wasn’t in the building but his music sure is.
            If you are any kind of fan of the “King” and his music, you should get a real hoot out of the New Theatre Restaurant’s summer musical, “All Shook Up.”
            You won’t get an Elvis look-alike although Todd DuBail as a motorcycle-riding roustabout who shakes up a small Kansas community with his long black hair, leather jacket and blue suede shoes surely takes one back to the hip-swiveling days of rock and roll in the 50’s and 60’s.
            What “All Shook Up” has most is the music made famous by Elvis Presley, at least a dozen of his greatest songs including the fast-moving “Jailhouse Rock,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “That’s All” and the title song to such ballads as “Love Me Tender,” “Burning Tree,” “It’s Now or Never” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
            It also has comedy, a bevy of fantastic sets, a touch of Shakespeare and takes an up front look at the social stigma of interracial romance.
            Given the challenge of writing a musical using Elvis music, Joe DiPietro borrowed from Shakespeare’s comedies because they were “bursting with love, romance, yearning, passion, marriage – all the good stuff that Elvis sang about.”
            Director Richard Carrothers brought in several New York actors for his annual mid-summer classic including DuBail (Chad), who also starred in the New Theatre’s performance of “Grease” in 2003; bar owner Deidra Brooks (Sylvia) of “The Color Purple” fame; and Erica Lorfler, who plays her daughter Lorraine. However, except for one show-stopping song by Brooks, most of the most memorable roles belong to New Theatre Restaurant favorites Dodie Brown, Jim Korinke, Jessalyn Kincaid and Jennifer Mays.
            Brown provides many of the best comical moments in her role as Mayor Matilda Hyde, who is committed to seeing the town has no loud music, dancing, public fraternization and certainly no interracial romance only to be challenged by her son Dean in a strong performance by Ben Britton. Her vocal rendition of “Devil in Disguise” with a chorus of angels in the sky is a classic.
            A Kansas City native, Kincaid is an absolute delight as Natalie, a grease monkey who is willing to try every possible means to get close to DuBail including dressing as a man. Korinke plays Natalie’s father, Jim Haller, a recent widower who finds himself suddenly in search of new romance while Mays is excellent in her role as Sandra, the sexy curator of a wax museum of famous Kansans.  
            Conveniently set in a small quiet Kansas town, the community is suddenly thrown into an uproar when Chad roars into town on his motorcycle and decides to stick around awhile, much to the delight of Natalie but much to the chagrin of Mayor Hyde.
            Romance blooms but in the most unconventional ways. Natalie falls for Chad but he’s not interested because he’s infatuated with Sandra. Widower Jim Haller also has a sudden “thing” for Sandra but she’s not interested in either of them because she’s been smitten by Natalie, who she believes to be a man.
            Meanwhile, Dennis, a nerd well played by Matthew Wilson, tries without success to express his long-time love for Natalie while Sylvia’s alleged happiness with being divorced is revealed as nothing but a sham when her love for Jim Haller becomes apparent.
            Only Sylvia’s daughter Lorraine and the Mayor’s son Dean are able to sustain a romantic relationship and even that must be kept hidden because she’s is black and he is white.
            We won’t tell you how it all plays out other than there’s plenty of surprises…as well as some terrific sets and staging that add greatly to the production. “All Shook Up” runs through Aug. 31 but don’t wait to order tickets (913-649-7469). They’ll go fast. Elvis may have left the building but his music will last forever.