By LORNA CHEROT LITTLEWAY
IF YOU WANT to have rousing fun at the theater get over to the Mac-Haydn and see “All Shook Up” because the show is a blast.
The book by Joe DiPeitro is loosely based on William Shakespeare’s comedy of unrequited love, “Twelfth Night,” stitched together with Elvis Presley’s greatest hits. “All Shook Up” is a high-octane romp of desire and yearning.
Dennis longs for Natalie but she falls for Chad, a newcomer motorcycle riding “roving roustabout.” But Chad falls hard for Sandra, the town’s museum director. To get close to Chad, Natalie evolves into Ed, who then becomes the target of Sandra’s affections. Jim, Natalie’s Dad and a widower, too, falls for Sandra. This quintet’s love is first glance, full blown and very funnily cued by the song, “One Night With You.”
And there’s more love in the air! Sylvia, Jim’s good friend, harbors secret hankerings for the man while her daughter, Lorraine, goes gaga for Dean, the mayor’s son. He does reciprocate. But theirs is a forbidden interracial love by 1950s society.
Act I opens with “Jailhouse Rock.” Chad and fellow inmates celebrate his soon-to-be release for some minor offense. The action shifts to a small town smothering under the Mamie Eisenhower Decency Act, recently imposed by Mayor Matilda and enforced by her constant shadow Sheriff Earl. Here decency means no public necking, no tight pants and no public music. “Heartbreak Hotel” sums up the citizens’ mood – until Chad rolls into town on a red Honda.
He hears a “jiggly wiggly noise” from his bike, seeks a mechanic and scolds, “It’s time to make you people live!” Mayor Matilda laments, “Bee Bop has come to our town.” Natalie, the town’s mechanic, is instantly struck by the charmer. Her infatuation creates a real rival for Dennis, dubbed “Little Man” by Chad, makes him his sidekick.
But Chad’s braggadocio melts when he sees Sandra. “Hot women, hot art, I say hot diggity!” Rejection be damned, Natalie and Chad sing “Follow That Dream.” Natalie exchanges her mechanic suit for a dress. Chad serenades Sandra. Neither tactic works.
Other developments in Act I: Sylvia boasts she has not kissed a man in six years. At Dennis’ suggestion Natalie dons a leather jacket, facial hair and sunglasses to masquerade as Ed and becomes Chad’s new sidekick. Jim, smitten with Sandra, gets a lesson on being cool from Chad – song, “Don’t Be Cruel.” Dean returns home from the Stonewall Jackson Military Academy. He and Lorraine fall in love and plot to run away – song, “It’s Now or Never.” But Mayor Matilda thwarts them by sending Dean back to military school.
Act I fittingly ends with “Can’t Help Falling in Love” sung by the full company.
Act II opens with “All Shook Up” and is set in the town’s fairgrounds, where Chad has retreated for the night. He is visited by Dennis, Ed/Natalie, Sandra, Jim, a/k/a “Brother Man” and Sylvia – now in love with Jim. Each laments they are in pursuit of someone not in love with him or her. But wait, Chad does love Natalie only she’s Ed now! Chad, confused sings “I Don’t Want To Love You” and vows to join the Navy.
Mayor Matilda and the Ladies Church Council crash the goings-on and admonish Chad as the “Devil in Disguise.” Chad confronts Matilda proclaiming, “There is always someone like you bullying people.” Earl refuses Matilda’s command to arrest Chad. We subsequently learn that Earl is in love with the mayor – “That’s why I follow you around.” Matilda, champion of decency and morality, confesses her son is the product of a one-night liaison with a Black musician.
Chad declares that it’s all “too much and too fast” and that he’s “got to go.”
Dennis and Sandra discover their love over Shakespeare’s sonnet. Jim and Sylvia as well as Matilda and Earl, also, acknowledge their love. The result is a triple wedding. Though Natalie declines Chad’s marriage proposal, she agrees to test their future by riding off with him. The company finale ends with “Burning Love.”
All the principals are outstanding performers and the ensemble is solid. The company boasts several powerful voices especially Ashley Kelley (Sylvia), Gabe Belyeu (Jim), CeCe Morin (Lorraine) and Cydney Gleckner (Natalie/Ed). Comic timing is excellent especially Jacob Atkins (Dennis), Kelley and Belyeu. Spencer Stanley and Jake Koch radiate unbridled charm as Chad and Dean respectively. And Rachel Pantazis (Miss Sandra) is indeed a “hot woman.”
The songs are great with “Teddy Bear/Hound Dog,” “That’s Alright,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Burning Love” and “There’s Always Me” rising to the top. The latter, a solo by Kelley, tears at the heart.
Kudos to: David Alpert, director, for helming a masterful and tight production; Andrew Turteltaub, choreographer, for energetic dancing that had audience members moving in their seats; and to the rest of the creative team as a whole. The winged and haloed Ladies Church Council are a hoot.
“All Shook Up” closes August 11. Don’t miss this show. It will brighten your day and the next one too. For tickets go to machaydntheatre.org or call 518 392-9292.
