Poway High prepares to stage ‘All Shook Up’

Elvis Presley’s music will be coming to life with Poway High School’s musical production “All Shook Up,” opening Friday at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts.

There will be five performances: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for children 5 and under, students, seniors (62 and up) and military. Tickets are available at the box office, 15498 Espola Road, by calling 858-748-0505 or online at www.powaycenter.com (a $5 convenience fee applies if purchasing online).

The production is directed by Matt Herman and Katie Wilson and choreographed by Paul and Amy Stine. The show’s musical director is Nancy Gray, PHS Director of Choral Activities. Sylvester Sybilski will conduct the pit band.

“All Shook Up” features 26 Elvis songs, though Elvis Presley doesn’t appear as a character in the show. It tells the story of a “roustabout” drifter named Chad, played by Trevor Haumschilt, who comes into a small, buttoned-up Midwest town in the 1950s and shakes things up. “Chad comes to town to spread lovin’ and bring music to the people,” said Haumschilt.

The town has a law called the Mamie Eisenhower Decency Act, that bans loud music, public necking and tight pants.

Though full of rock and roll music, the show has a surprising Shakespearean connection, as the story is based off of the comedy of mistaken identities, “Twelfth Night.”

Things start to get complicated when Natalie, played by Charity Monroe, falls in love with Chad, who doesn’t want her back. She then pretends to be a man to become his friend and convince him to love Natalie. This backfires when another woman in town falls in love with Natalie’s male persona. “It’s like a love pentagon,” said Monroe.

“The five male and five female principal (actors) all fall in love with someone,” said musical director Nancy Gray. “It’s all shook up.”

The show also features Rebecca Dhillon as Sylvia, Natalie Marriott as Lorraine, Emily Medile as Sandra, Emily Nunn as Matilda, Leif Proctor as Dennis, Noah Sims as Dean, and Austin Thatcher as Earl, as well as a large ensemble cast.

The focus of the show is on a prim and proper town, where an outsider comes in and changes things, said Gray. Though some productions show this using a racial divide, the Poway High version will use class differences within the town instead.

The show includes several locations, the town, the local honky tonk and the local library.

Many of Elvis Presley’s biggest hits are in the show, including “Jailhouse Rock,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Love Me Tender” and, of course, “All Shook Up.”

“It’s fun,” said Gray. “It’s upbeat and very fun. There’s tons of dancing. If you love Elvis, you must see this show.”