WESTFIELD — The Westfield High School Drama Club presents “All Shook Up,” a new musical screenplay by Joe DiPietro, inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley on Thursday and Friday, May 8 and 9. Tickets, which are sold at the door, are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m.
The play is directed by Owen Snyder and choreographed by Hannah Bruno. Music directors are Korey Bruno and Patrick Kennedy, and costumes are by Gwen Newton.
New Drama Club director Owen Snyder, said the musical, which first appeared on Broadway in 2005 is a tribute to Elvis with a nod to William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
“The story is based in the 80s — a lonely town, depressed and sad. The Mayor outlaws tight pants and loud music. A new guy comes who is happy and plays the guitar. The mayor tries to stop him,” he said.
For Snyder in his first time directing a play, “All Shook Up” is so much more. He said when he was in high school in Lake George, New York, it was the first show he ever played as an actor. Now a theater arts graduate of Westfield State University and an actor and director, Snyder pledged that he would put this show on for his first directing job.
Snyder is also fresh off the role of Tony Delvecchio, owner of the floating casino in the Westfield Theatre Group’s “Disaster: A 70s Musical” and is also a board member at the Westfield Woman’s Club.
There are two main leads in “All Shook Up,” Chad, the Elvis character portrayed by Luke Bulan and Natalie/Ed, played by Amber Turner.
Turner described Chad as “a different kind of guy — a roustabout.” She said it is illegal in the town to play music or have fun, and Chad comes in to try to change that.
Turner’s character Natalie, a mechanic, falls in love with Chad who doesn’t reciprocate. While trying to get closer to him, she disguises herself as Ed (by wearing a hat.), but Chad falls in love with Miss Sandra at the museum, and a lot more romantic entanglements ensue. “I call it the love octagon,” Turner said about the play.
This is Turner’s second year at Westfield High School. She previously appeared in “Guys and Dolls” and in “The Lion King” before moving to Westfield, where she is also in the Show Choir along with several other performers in the play. She said there is a song in every scene. “I love it,” she said, adding, “I’ve always loved Elvis.”
Luke Bulan, who plays Chad, is no stranger to WHS audiences. He is also in the Show Choir, where he was named to the All-States Choir at the end of March, and he also had a part in the Westfield Theatre Group’s play, “Disaster.”
Bulan said as a sophomore, the Show Choir did a show based on Elvis songs, at the end of which, Director Korey Bruno surprised Bulan and another member with Elvis jumpsuits. He said there is some overlap of the songs in “All Shook Up,” but the versions are very different.
Previously for the WHS Drama Club, Bulan played Prince Eric in “The Little Mermaid” and was a member of the ensemble in “Shrek.”
Bulan said “All Shook Up” is great, especially having Riley as a first-time director, due to “his passion for the show and for directing. We can see how much he cares. His directing makes it so much more fun – he’s such a fun guy,” he said.
Bulan said he’s singing about 15 songs in the show. There are also five bigger dance numbers, choreographed by Hannah Bruno, Class of 2021, who is studying at WSU, and was just in the school’s production of “Into the Woods.” He said she juggled that show at the same time as choreographing “All Shook Up.”
Costume designer Gwen Newton said she has been designing costumes for the schools for 30 years, since 1996, when her children were in grammar school.
Other members of the cast include Maksim Dmiturk as Jim Haller, Sammantha Doiron as Sylvia, Lilly Bragg as Lorraine, Aaron Boyd as Dennis, Autumn Estee as Miss Sandra, Hugh Borges as Mayor Matilda Hyde, Chloe Fisher as Dean Hyde, Khalim Rosario-Daniel as Sheriff Earl, Aries Kluiko as Henrietta, Kaydin Smith as Prison Warden/Fella and Alexis Humason as Bus Driver.
Cast members in the ensemble include Angelee Barreto Valle, Katrine Burke, Alexis Humason, Aries Kluiko, Makenna Martelli, Marin Moynahan, Destiny Ruiz, Kaydın Smith and Ethan Holbrook.
Members of the crew are Lucy Alger, Zoey Alger, Angelee Barreto Valle, Rose Burgos, Sicily Elliot, Devon Fillion, Mackenzie Holmes, Destiny Ruiz and Naiya Hernendez.
