Shakespeare in blue suede shoes
`All Shook Up' opens at CTC next week
Get ready to don those blue suede shoes and tap your toes to Elvis Presley's tunes during Chico Theater Company's upcoming production of “All Shook Up,” opening next week.
“All Shook Up” is a 2004 American jukebox musical with music from Elvis Presley. The show centers on a tiny town that gets all shook up by a motorcycle riding, blue suede shoe wearing roustabout named Chad, who influences the town to love, woo, pursue and follow their dreams. Taking inspiration from Shakespeare's “Twelfth Night,” see Natalie, Dennis, Chad and the townspeople fall in love, have silly encounters and dare to be dreamers.
Director Kasandra Partain was convinced she was going to marry Presley when she was little. Her family took her to Graceland, and she walked around the mansion saying, “That's going to be mine.” She had a rude awakening, though, when she arrived at Presley's grave and her parents explained Elvis was dead.
“Tourists were walking by and watching this 3-year-old have a meltdown,” Partain said.
Partain grew up listening to Elvis: “My grandparents were a big influence on me and loved Elvis,” she said. Partain had a particular vision for “All Shook Up.”
“I wanted to make sure we paid homage to Elvis through different elements of the show,” Partain said.
Partain directed “Twelfth Night” at the Birdcage Theater years ago. “All Shook Up” marks her first time directing a musical.
“It's comedic and has high energy from start to finish,” Partain said. “The actors do whatever needs to be done to get the show running. I got lucky with this cast and crew.
“I want the audience to leave with smiles on their faces,” she added. “It's a fun show, but there are a lot of relationships which are touching to watch.”
Leahana Mishelof plays Natalie Haller, a tomboy
who falls for Chad. “All Shook Up” marks Mishelof's third show at CTC. She took a break from acting, but returned when she got the role of Tzeitel in “Fiddler on the Roof” in 2023.
Mishelof loves theater in general but especially enjoys performing at CTC, calling it “a really healthy, loving and welcoming environment.”
Derek Anderson plays Chad. He started performing in theater when he was 6.
“I was in a lot of showcases, but I hadn't done a full show until I played Pepper in `Mamma Mia!' — which was a nice introduction to a full show,” Anderson said. “I develop the character when I start running scenes. It's really all about practice, practice,
practice.”
Anderson and Mishelof love working with Partain and the whole cast and crew.
“I respect Kasandra and her vision completely,” Mishelof said. “She directs in a very healthy and loving way, and you feel comfortable to express yourself.”
Mishelof said audiences will be surprised.
“If you have an idea of what the show will be, take that and throw it away,” Mishelof said. “When you watch the show you get tossed in different directions. You never get bored.”
Kelsey Campbell plays Lorraine in “All Shook Up” and also designed all of the hair and makeup for the show. She is a licensed cosmetologist who received a Bachelor of Arts in musical
theater at Chico State.
“I did research on the time period,” Campbell said. “There is a whole range of people from someone raised in a honky-tonk to mayor of the town.”
Campbell's mother “donated her” to the cast of “Music Man,” which her brother was doing when she was in fourth grade, and “fell in love” with theater. “Being under the stage lights and hearing the audience applaud brings life to my life,” Campbell said.
Alyssa Jade serves as assistant director. Kathy Edson provided costumes. Owen Hansen did set and light design. The musical director is Shayla Watson. Partain did choreography and Anderson served as choreography consultant. Kendall Young serves as stage manager.
“All Shook Up” begins Friday, April 19 and runs through May 12 at Chico Theater Company. CTC is located at 166 East Eaton Road, Suite # F, in Chico. The theater phone number is 530-894-3282. Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and there is a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets can be purchased by phone, at chicotheater.com or in person. The box office is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.