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Elvis: The Musical- a review by Lauren Avila

It would seem that the public has a renewed Burnin’ Love for Elvis Presley, without an end in sight. Between the recent Netflix premiere of “Agent Elvis,” Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-nominated film “Elvis,” and ongoing tourism at Graceland, there is an unquenchable thirst for the King of Rock n’ Roll. Now there is a new way to enjoy the legend and his music. Elvis: The Musical made its West Coast premiere this month and has enjoyed a completely sold out run! The bad news is that the curtain will come down in California very soon. However, this same version will be making its Australian debut later this year!

I managed to get a ticket to a daytime performance where, even in the middle of the day, people flocked to the East Sonora Theater to see Elvis in the building. This show tells the rise of the “kid that changed the world.” Playing the man, the myth, and the legend was Taylor Rodriguez. This was not the first time walking a mile in the blue suede shoes for this performer though. According to his credits, he “has had the honor of performing in many musical productions including the Million Dollar Quartet where he starred as Elvis Presley. In 2017 he was named One of the Top 5 Elvis Tribute Artist in the world. In June of 2019, he was crowned the 2019 Tupelo Elvis Festival Champion. Recently, Taylor Rodriguez was named The 2019 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Champion by Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE).” As you might expect from an introduction like that, Taylor really captures the voice and the moves of Elvis.

The story begins with a nervous Elvis, waiting to go onstage for his career-changing, 68’ Comeback Special. He faces his younger self, in the form of an adorable 11-year old actor named Asher Berg. Kid Elvis asks him, “What are you doing?” In the midst of this self-reflection, the audience embarks on a journey throughout the life of both young Elvis and Elvis, the icon. The show was comprised of a very strong supporting cast! Personally, I’ve seen Broadway shows, touring companies, regional productions, and community theater. I have found that many times the supporting cast can make or break a show. In this case, they truly contributed to an entertaining afternoon. Major standouts include Christopher Michael, Elizabeth Harlen, Olivia Marie Jones, Sage Spiker, Taylor Tveten, and Dedrick Weathersby. They had the kind of stage presence that made you pay attention to them. Perhaps it was a million watt smile, the passion of a southern Reverend, the excitement of a radio DJ in the 50’s, the corniness of a tv announcer in the 60’s, or even a lovestruck Priscilla.

The book comes from Sean Cercone and David Abbinanti who were wise enough to include all the major players in Elvis’ life, the hits you want to hear, and lines that make you think and feel. I really enjoyed the Jersey Boys-like template that many shows tend to follow these days. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? There were poignant moments of heartbreak, light-hearted points of humor that sparked genuine laughter, and even audience interaction that only an Elvis show could truly justify.

Spoiler warning: My favorite parts included the build up to “That’s Alright,” the interaction of Elvis with the front row during his appearance on The Frank Sinatra Show, the compilation of Elvis making his movies, and all the scenes of Kid Elvis and Adult Elvis.

Considering that this show was put on by a local theater company, I was impressed by the visuals. The set was a modest bi-level stage, encompassed by a Vegas-like semi-circle opening. Vinyl records were mounted to the walls on either side of the stage too. The stage’s projection screen added an immersive element, from spinning records to playing background for Elvis’s movies.The band was present onstage throughout, very convenient since they also doubled as Elvis’ actual bandmates. Unfortunately, power outage problems did occur several times but once again I must commend these professionals for not missing a beat. Strange things are, in fact, happening every day!

I must conclude by highlighting Taylor’s performance. Both his speaking and singing voice were very similar to the hip-swinging musician we all know and love. He accompanied himself on guitar. He pulled off all the moves that history has tied to Elvis. He convinced the audience enough of his character that the women were swooning over him by the time he was interacting with (and kissing) them.

All that said, I will say that the show itself may need to be shook up a bit before hitting the stage again. My biggest problem is that there were hardly any solutions for each storyline and character introduced. If you’re looking for trouble, you may find it in the structure of this show. I came out of it feeling like I was missing something. I believe though, with all the potential that Elvis: The Musical has, it can be a hit. Check out this preview below:

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