Becoming Elvis
Actor James Snyder channels the young King in ‘Million Dollar Quartet’
He sounds like Elvis and moves like Elvis. And soon James Snyder’s flowing brown hair would be cut short and dyed black, so he will look the part, too.
The actor tapped to play Elvis Presley in Pittsburgh CLO’s “Million Dollar Quartet” has been prepping for this moment for a long time — even as a child he dressed as the King of Rock ’n’ Roll for Halloween.
Mr. Snyder also starred in the rockabilly musical “CryBaby,” based on John Waters’ homage to Elvis’ movies. Back home in California, he once sang a satiric version of “That’s Alright Mama” for a troupe that would mix a contemporary song with a classic. “I did ‘Oedipus the King, Mama,’ ” Mr. Snyder recalls, and starts to sing, “That’s not right mama …” — the wrong lyrics but with the right sound, Elvis’ sound.