By Harold Reutter
harold.reutter@theindependent.com

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As its title implies, the production features the music of Elvis Presley. But the musical does not have Elvis Presley, nor is it in any way connected to the life of Elvis Presley.

Instead, "All Shook Up," set in the 1950s, tells the story of a roustabout named Chad, who is just released from prison, and promptly rides into town on his motorcycle.

He stirs up all the women in the midwestern town with the music he plays on his guitar and sings.

Chad also shakes things up by getting a broken jukebox to play music, much to the consternation of Mayor Maltilda, who has a strict rule of no loud music or indecent behavior.

None of the town's women is stirred up by Chad more than Natalie, a mechanic. Chad needs a mechanic for his bike and Natalie is smitten with him.

However, Natalie is unaware that her best friend, Dennis, has a crush on her.

Chad, meanwhile, believes he has found "hard-core love" with Sandra, the glamorous owner of the town museum.

That is only one of several romantic entanglements that ensue.

Sam Schneider plays Chad; Megan Pattison is Natalie; Devon Webben is Dennis, the hometown boy who has a secret crush on Natalie and who becomes the sidekick who tries his best to help Chad; Brenda Kay is Sylvia, the owner of the local honky tonk; and Lindsey Roetzel is Maltilda, the mayor who tries to keep her town in line.

Northwest Music Director David Sackchewsky said this has been a "very low stress" musical for him because of the students.

"The talent level has increased," said Sackchewsky, who noted that has allowed him and the cast to focus in on the musical fine points of the performance much sooner than usual.

Two cast members are returnees from last year's musical, "Thoroughly Modern Millie:" Webben, who played one of the Chinese characters and Roetzel, who posed as a Chinese woman to run a white slavery ring.

Webben plays Dennis, who at first does not like newcomer Chad, but "eventually warms up to him." Under Chad's influence, Webben said, "Dennis becomes more out there" and he "gets to show off his wild side."

Roetzel said her Mayor Maltilda "has had a pretty rough past. That makes her uptight and pompous an creates a need to be perfect."

That makes her the foil for Chad.

"I bring it on," said Roetzel of her role as Mayor Maltilda and her battles with the newcomer. "She doesn't like Chad coming and bringing indecency to her town. People can't neck in public and show emotion."

Pattison said her character of Natalie is a tomboy who is seen as the "girl-next-door. I'm always looking for love."

She becomes smitten with Chad, but has trouble attracting his attention. So Natalie ends up disguising herself as a man to try to become a friend and get close to Chad.

Schneider said his character, Chad, helps show the townspeople that "they need a little bit more fun in their lives."

Schneider knows the music of Elvis Presley really appeals to a generation of music fans older than the students at Northwest High School. But he said it grew on him as well as he sang to the music and listened to it.

"I started listening to the music and it's pretty good," he said. He said it's easy to see why Presley's songs can be easily placed into a stage musical. "It's a lot of fun music."

Choreographer Katie DiCicto said "All Shook Up" may feature the music of Elvis Presley, but plot wise, the musical has echoes of "Footloose" and "Grease."

She praised not only the acting talent in the show, but the musical talent. DiCicto said the musical voices of several performers give "very mature portrayals of the characters."

Sackchewsky said he always has a great orchestra, but he noted this year's orchestra is graced with "three new guitar players who were just made to play this genre of music."