"All Shook the Musical"
Basic Facts
Book by Joe DiPietro
Director: Christopher Ashley
Choreographer: Jodi Moccia
Orchestration by Michael Gibson & Stepen Oremus
Music Arrangements by Stephen Oremus
Inspired and Featured songs of Elvis Presley
Running time appr. 1 hour and 50 minutes
Full Length Musical in english
2 Acts, 19 Scenes
Setting and Time period: A small town somewhere in the midwest in a 24 hour period, during the summer of 1955.
Bio of Joe Dipietro- About the Author : Joe DiPietro was born in 1961 he is an American playwright and author. Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, grew up in Oradell. Son of the Banker Lou, and Jean DiPietro. He attended Oradell Public School and River Dell junior and senior high schools. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers University in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in English. Wrote the book and lyrics for the long running off-Broadway show I Love You. You,You're Perfect, Now Change. His awards include: 2000 Edgar Award: Best Mystery Play - The Art of Murder at the William Inge Theater Festival New Voices In American Theater Award. O'Neill National Playwright's Conference MacArthur Award for comic writing.
Cast BreakDown
5 women & 5 men and extra's from the ensemble
Characters
Natalie Haller- A young woman and an excellent mechanic. She's much more at home in greasy overalls than a dress.
Chad- A great lookin', motorcyclin', guitar-playin', leather-jacketed roustabout.
Jim Haller- Natalie's widowed father. Middle-aged and messy, he still longs for his wife.
Sylvia- The no-nonsense, African American owner of Sylvia's Honky- Tonk.
Lorraine- Sylvia's teenage daughter. Pretty, smart and a total romantic.
Dennis- An ackward young man. He aspired to be a dentist.
Miss Sandra- The beautiful, intellectual caretaker of the town's museum.
Mayor Matilda Hyde- The town's very conservative mayor.
Dean Hyde- Matilda's teenage son. He has spent his youth at military boarding schools ans he has never disobeyed his mother.
Sheriff Earl- The law in town and man of not many words. He loyally follows the Mayor wherever she goes.
Male & Female Ensemble play an assortment of townspeople.
Genre
The music is a Jukebox Musical featuring the music of the classic rock star Elvis Presley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_roll
Show Plot (extra)
The story is based on William Shakespeare eighteenth Sonnet
"A new musical comedy set in 1955, All Shook Up is not an autobiographical revue," according to the announcement. "Somewhere in middle America, one girl's wish and a surprise visit from a mysterious leather jacketed, guitar-playing stranger will lead a small town to discover the magic of romance and the power of rock 'n' roll."
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/85441-Casting_Announced_for_Goodspeed%27s_All_Shook_Up_Musical_With_Songs_Elvis_Made_Famous
Publisher's Info
The musical had a developmental staging at the Goodspeed Musicals May 13-June 6, 2004, with most of the Broadway cast, except for Manley Pope in the lead role of Chad. Christopher Ashley directed, with choreography by Jody Moccia. The musical then had a tryout in Chicago from December 19, 2004, through January 23, 2005. After the tryout, changes were made to the finale and to add "a more specific instrumental and vocal voice" for Chad. [1] The musical opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on March 24, 2005 and closed on September 25, 2005 after 213 performances and 33 previews. Directed by Christopher Ashley, with choreography by Ken Roberson, the original Broadway cast included Cheyenne Jackson (Chad), Jenn Gambatese (Natalie Haller/"Ed"), and Jonathan Hadary (Jim Haller).
Exegesis
"Our mayor, she recently passed the Mamie Eisenhower Decency Act.
The act was designed to protect the young people from the negative effects of the bebop culture. By prohibiting loud music, tight pants, and public necking, they were trying to keep the community peaceful and decent for everyone.Bans all public display of effection.
No Public Necking-
1.to caress your clothed partner on and above the neck.
2.The term old people (over 40) use to describe the art of making out. mostly because they are still caught in the olden days and they are not all up with the new trends.
3.to kiss and pet.
Admonishing herself
1. To reprove gently but earnestly.
2. To counsel (another) against something to be avoided; caution.
3. To remind of something forgotten or disregarded, as an obligation or a responsibility.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/admonishing
Our love would be a forbidden love. But that's okay-forbidden love is the best.
1. to command (a person) not to do something, have something, etc., or not to enter some place: to forbid him entry to the house.
2. to prohibit (something); make a rule or law against: to forbid the use of lipstick; to forbid smoking.
3. to hinder or prevent; make impossible.
4. to exclude; bar: Burlesque is forbidden in many cities.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/forbidden%20
Its the roustabout!
1. A laborer employed for temporary or unskilled jobs, as in an oil field.
2. A circus laborer.
3. A deck or wharf laborer, especially on the Mississippi River.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/roustabout
Wait, i can't! Oh Lorraine, my mother's shipping me back to the barracks on the bus.
1. A building or group of buildings used to house military personnel. Often used in the plural.
2. A large, unadorned building used for temporary occupancy. Often used in the plural.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/barracks
Actually, it's Shakespeare's eighteenth sonnet.
One of the difficulties teachers face when they teach Shakespeare is language accessibility. Twenty-first century students simply have difficulty understanding the words, and so they miss the meaning of his plays and sonnets. This is no small loss. Thus, it is a teacher's responsibility to help students not only understand the language but also to empower them, so that when faced with difficult texts they feel as if they can, with a little effort, appreciate what Shakespeare is saying.
Sonnet #18
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer's lease hath all too short a date:Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,And often is his gold complexion dimmed,And every fair from fair sometime declines,By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed: But thy eternal summer shall not fade,Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/educators/language/lessonplan.html
Oh, Dean, I'm sending you to the Stonewall Jackson Military Academy.
Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was a prominent Confederate general during the American Civil War. His nickname was coined during the First Battle of Bull Run, at which he was described as standing like a "stone wall."
http://www.mahalo.com/stonewall-jackson
Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson1824 - 1863
Oh, Dean, an agitator has come to this town-
One who agitates; one who stirs up or excites others; as, political reformers and agitators.
An implement for shaking or mixing.
One of a body of men appointed by the army, in Cromwell's time, to look after their interests; called also adjutators.http://agitator.askdefine.com/
Natalie pushes Dennis out. She picks up a can of oil and smears it on her face, creating a Faux beard
1. Artificial; fake
2. Not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article; "it isn't fake anything; it's real synthetic fur"; "faux pearls"; "false teeth"; "decorated with imitation palm leaves"; "a purse of simulated alligator hide"(synonym) fake, false, imitation, simulated(similar) artificial, unreal
http://dictionary.babylon.com/FAUX
You! You're the deviant!
Deviance describes actions or behaviors that violate cultural norms including formally-enacted rules (e.g., crime) as well as informal violations of social norms (e.g., nose-picking). ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deviant_Behavior
Deviant Behavior is an interdisciplinary journal which focuses on social deviance, including criminal, sexual, and narcotic behaviors.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deviant_Behavior_(journal)
Non-traditional cast versus traditional
The musical "All Shook Up" could be non- traditionally cast or it may not be. Well the setting takes place in an unknown small place somewhere in the midwest, in summer of 1955. In the 50's there were certain laws that were not passed yet at the time as far as interracial dating, there was segregation and etc. So, i believe that it would matter as to who the director would cast as certain characters in the show. Like the Sylvia’s character to me has to be a black women because of the language that’s used for her, and toward her, her character is very aggressive and dominating, not saying that only African American women act this way but the language in the play just defines a black women to me for example, “Love?! He ain’t in love! Im not shouting! Now get back to work. Love? Ha!Jim would never fall in love with with a hoity-toity female like that… I am not! Oh, the lip on that girl. I can’t believe she thinks I’m talking to myself. Kids got no respect nowdays, no re-…Dammit, I’m talkin’ to myself.” The mood of this character Silvia describes the attitude of a black women. I can only say that because I have family member’s that responds and talk the same exact way. Not saying that a Caucasian women couldn’t play this role because I’ve seen this show cast previously with a white women playing this character and a white girl playing Lorraine’s role, which also with the name Lorraine to me that’s a black name. Throughout the script there is a lot of racial barriers and songs that describe the time and setting of the law’s back then. There is a song called, “That Aint all Right”, in the song it describes how the mother knows that it isn’t all right for her daughter Lorraine to be with this guy Dean not only because she is trying to protect her daughter from being hurt behind love but because of his race and the fear of breaking the law then. In the song “If I Can Dream” this song definitely reflects the controversial issues of race and interracial dating and trying to enforce change in the 50’s for blacks and whites to date without it being a problem to society. In continuance of the story, Mathilda, the mayor of this rundown town, forbids her son to marry or to even kiss a “colored girl” confesses at the end of the play, when she decides to Mary Earl, her personal sheriff, that her son Dean is actually bi-racial mix. She explains, “You see, he was a musician… not only was he a musician, he was also- colored”. With that information presented in the play, it would have been more of a change in the script and casting if the cast wasn’t traditional. So that’s my opinion as far as the non- traditional casting for this musical and how much of a change it would be to the script.
Fable with Plot summary
This Musical production “All Shook Up” is an astounding musical that is full of energy and fun. The music is by the Late Elvis Presley and play based on Shakespeare 18th sonnet . We have several lead characters that keep the show on point at all times.
One of those characters by the name of Chad, who is a motorcycling, leather- jacket wearing roustabout that brings his charm to a small town full of next to kin boring people that’s stuck in a state law full of rules made up by there towns mayor Matilitda, where there is no, interracial dating, no necking, no energy of anyone breaking the rules.
So Chad comes and he is introduced to a young lady named Natalie who is a mechanic tomboy who prefers to be covered in oil and grease from fixing cars then in a dress. Once she meets Chad her entire world changes, all of a sudden she’s in love she is singing and dancing and wearing dresses and dolling herself up to become this person that she is not just to make this guy fall in love with her. So, come to find out he is actually in love with another women who has no interest in him at all by the name of Mrs. Sandra. To go back in to details with other characters Natalie has a close friend by the name of Lorraine, who is an African American 16year old girl who is a hopeless romantic who is waiting for a change to happen in this boring world of hers, and she has a controlling mother by the name of Silvia who is a very dominating women who is over protective of her daughter and her town, she hasn’t been married in 6 years and claims to be happy when she really is miserable, and it causes her to be over protective of her daughter.
Once Chad comes to town the entire town falls stupid in love and can not seem to stop breaking the rules. So with that being said, Lorraine falls in love with the town mayor’s son Dean. Who has been raised in military school all his life so that his mom could protect him from breaking the rules and not falling in love, his father was a man of honor and strong solider. Any ways after he meet’s Lorraine he falls crazy in love with her beauty and breaks all of the rules they run away with each other. Back to other characters Mrs. Sandra I mention earlier in the paragraph she is the care taker of the museum and she loves Shakespeare. She tries to run away from Chad because he is all over her like a hound dog, and they brake out into a song called Teddy Bear, Hound Dog song by Elvis Presley. Also Natalie has a secret admirer by the name of Dennis he is desperately in love with her and becomes Chad’s sidekick, which is actually Natalie’s way of getting closer to Chad and the whole time Natalie never realizes how much Dennis really want to be with her. So Natalie realizes how she has to make a move on Chad by disguising herself to be like a boy named Ed that is Dennis’s cousin to be Chad’s sidekick and to be closer to him. Then later own in the story it just gets messier because Mrs. Sandra falls for Ed, and Chad falls for not only Sandra, but Ed also, and Silvia falls for Natalie’s father, and he is in love with Mrs. Sandra and the whole story becomes this love twister.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Shook_Up_(musical)
Plot Summary
Act One
Somewhere in the midwest in the 1950's, Chad, a hip-swiveling, guitar-playing roustabout, is being released from prison ("Jailhouse Rock"). The warden doesn't appreciate a guy like Chad ridin' into town, playin' his music and excitin' the local women. With a sneer, Chad rides off.
In a nearby dreary little town, Natalie, a young mechanic, is dreaming of love and adventure. She yearns for one true love to take her away, but she doesn't realize that her best friend Dennis has a secret crush on her. Sitting in Sylvia's, the local honky tonk, the whole town sings the blues ("Heartbreak Hotel"). Natalie's widowed father Jim enters and joins in, until they're interrupted by the roar of a motorcycle: it is Chad, riding into town ("Roustabout"). Chad is in need of a mechanic and he's introduced to Natalie, who is instantly smitten ("One Night With You") and promises to fix his bike.
Chad asks about any excitement in town, but he's told that excitement is outlawed under the Mayor's strict rules: no loud music, no indecent behavior. Chad, incensed, promises to breathe some life into this sad, little town and he touches a broken-down jukebox, and it immediately comes to life ("C'mon Everybody"). As Chad and Natalie go off to fix his bike, Mayor Matilda enters with Earl, the sheriff, and her son, Dean. Matilda scolds the citizens for dancing and singing, then goes off to find the root of this newfound evil. As soon as she exits, Dean meets Lorraine, Sylvia's pretty African-American daughter, and the two share a nervous and flirtatious smile. Meanwhile, Natalie is working on Chad's motorcycle. She tells him of her dreams of the open road, and he tells her that she must follow her heart ("Follow That Dream").
After Chad exits, Natalie, in an attempt to look more girly, puts on the only dress she owns--a tattered old one she uses to clean car engines. Dennis runs into Natalie and he is about to tell her how he feels for her, when Chad enters and interrupts. Ignoring Natalie, Chad asks Dennis to become his sidekick and the overjoyed Dennis accepts. Suddenly, the beautiful and glamorous Sandra appears, and Chad is struck down with a case of hardcore love ("One Night With You"--reprise). Sandra is the owner of the local museum, and she bemoans the lack of culture in this depressing little town. Chad tries to smooth-talk her, but she resists ("Teddy Bear/Hound Dog").
Later that day, at Sylvia's Honky Tonk, Jim and Sylvia speak about the strange, lascivious behavior that seems to have befallen the town since Chad's arrival. Natalie enters in her greasy dress, and Lorraine has her change into one of her dresses--it is clean and cute and Natalie looks lovely. She rushes off in pursuit of Chad. Both Sylvia and Jim agree that at a certain point in life, it's better to be alone, when Sandra enters, and Jim instantly falls for her ("One Night With You"--reprise). Too nervous to speak to such a vision of beauty, he rushes out.
Dean enters to tell Lorraine that he thinks she's beautiful. Lorraine, thrilled, begins to teach him to dance ("That's All Right"). But Sylvia interrupts and insists that it's NOT all right for them to be together, and Dean rushes out. Dean meets Matilda at the bus stop, and she tells him that she's sending him back to military school on the next bus. Lorraine enters, and Dean tells her the terrible news--they're about to be separated. Hopelessly in love, Dean and Lorraine decide to run off together ("It's Now Or Never").
Both Jim and Chad follow Sandra, but she will have nothing to do with either of them. Dennis meets Natalie on the street and shows off his new hunting cap, which makes him feel like "one of the guys." Natalie has a sudden inspiration and she grabs Dennis' hunting cap. Alone in the garage, she dresses like a leather-jacketed male roustabout ("Love Me Tender").
As Chad bemoans Sandra's lack of attraction to him, Dennis comes up with an idea. He volunteers to take her a Shakespearean sonnet to her. Desperate, Chad agrees. But before Dennis leaves, a leather-jacked roustabout rides into town ("Blue Suede Shoes"). It is Natalie, dressed as a fellah named Ed. Chad is excited by Ed's coolness and manliness and he asks Ed to be his new sidekick. Heartbroken, Dennis exits. Chad instructs Ed that his first job as his new sidekick is to give the sonnet to Miss Sandra. Jim enters, and Ed grabs the sonnet and rushes off.
Jim tells Chad that he's in love with a woman who doesn't love him back. Chad looks over the slovenly Jim, and tells him that in order to win a girl, Jim must dress and act more like Chad. Chad gives Jim a much-needed lesson in coolness ("Don't Be Cruel"). Ed arrives at the museum and gives Sandra the sonnet. Sandra is so moved by the sonnet that she finds herself drawn to this strange-looking young man ("One Night With You"--reprise). Ed tries to leave, but Sandra is intent on seducing him ("Let Yourself Go").
As the sun goes down, Mayor Matilda is cracking down on the perceived immoral behavior that is now running rampant through the town. She comes upon a necking couple, and she's stunned to see that it's her precious Dean kissing Lorraine. Dean, for the first time, disobeys his mother and shows her that he can now dance. He and Lorraine run off into the night. Matilda promises to throw Chad in jail for what he has done, and she and Sheriff Earl drive after Dean. Ed tells Chad that in order to avoid jail, he should hide in the abandoned fairgrounds just outside of town. Chad runs off, and Ed runs off after him. Jim, now dressed like Chad, enters and asks Sylvia if she's seen Sandra. Sylvia tells Jim that he's crazy to fall for a woman like that, and Jim admonishes Sylvia for having grown cold and bitter. Jim gives Sylvia a very surprising kiss, and a stunned Sylvia suddenly falls for him. Soon, everyone in town find themselves escaping to the fairgrounds, searching for someone to love ("Can't Help Falling In Love").
Act Two
In the midst of the abandoned fairgrounds, the citizens of the town are restless and randy ("All Shook Up"). Dennis comes upon Natalie, who's still dressed at Ed, and Dennis reveals that he's upset about the way Chad treats her ("It Hurts Me"). But Natalie insists that Chad is the only guy for her.
In an attempt to win Chad, Natalie gets an idea--she convinces Chad to teach her (i.e. Ed) how to seduce a woman ("A Little Less Conversation") but in the process, Ed winds up kissing Chad. Chad is stunned and Ed runs off as Jim enters. Chad reaffirms his machismo ("Power Of My Love") when Jim and Chad suddenly realize they are both in love with the same woman. Sandra enters, lustfully looking for Ed. Jim confesses his love for Sandra, but she doesn't even remember meeting him. As the heartbroken Jim slinks off, Ed enters, and he insists that Sandra leave them alone. Sandra, still hot for Ed, relents and promises to find him later. Left alone, Chad is about to hit Ed, but he realizes that he can't. Ed gives Chad some "alone time", and Chad realizes that he has feelings for his new sidekick ("I Don't Want To").
In another part of the fairgrounds, Mayor Matilda enters, followed, as always, by the silent Sheriff Earl, and she vows to bring the roustabout down ("Devil In Disguise").
A heartbroken Jim wanders about and runs into Sylvia, who is wearing her best Sunday dress. He wonders what she's doing out there this time of night, and she confesses her newfound feelings for him ("There's Always Me"). But Jim can't handle this revelation, and he rushes off.
In another part of the grounds, Dean and Lorraine plan to catch the morning train out of town, but Chad convinces them to stay and fight for their love ("If I Can Dream").
In the center of the fairgrounds, Matilda gathers the townspeople together to form a pious posse to both find her son and arrest Chad. But Chad enters, as does Dean and Lorraine--and the final confrontation begins!
Natalie, sings of her of falling in love with Chad ("Fools Fall In Love"). Finally, Earl speaks and professes his love for Matilda, Dean and Lorraine are allowed to be together, Jim realizes its actually Sylvia that he's loved, Dennis and Sandra share a moment where they both realize a love for Shakespeare, and subsequently, a love for each other, and Chad accepts Natalie. The last scene is a triple wedding (Jim and Sylvia, Matilda and Earl, Dennis and Sandra), with flower girl/bridesmaid Lorraine, and Natalie riding off on her motorbike, with Chad on the back ("Burning Love").
The rights TRW
www.theatricalrights.com
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