All Shook Up tour in Ft. Lauderdale!

Enjoy the show and report back on how it is!

I just got a last minute pair of orchestra seats for Saturday night. I really enjoyed the show in New York, so I'm hoping the touring company is just as great.

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So far, my dad has reported (from the pit) that Susan Anton is not good at all. I still can't wait to see it!

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Saw both the matinee and the night show today.

The show is much smoother than when I saw it in Boston, people are more comfortable with their roles and the show flows nicely.

Susan Anton was the only major difference, she now had emotion in her lines, at times a bit too giddy but much better than before! (and she had a different wig)

Joe, Jenny, Dennis, Natasha, Valisia, Beth, Wally, all just great! Voices sounded awesome, very solid acting, overall a fantastic job. Looking forward to going back on Sunday!

Updated On: 11/23/06 at 01:27 AM

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Updated On: 11/23/06 at 02:35 AM

The understudy was Buddy Hammonds, he was on as Dean Hyde.

And that noise was a rotating light that got caught, it was ridiculously loud. The actors literally had to scream for those few minutes it was on, and when it finally went off during Dennis' line, he said thank you and the audience applauded.

Some of the changes (like the stripping in All Shook Up) are horrible.

Others, like Love Me Tender and seeing Natalie change to Ed on stage, I think are good.

The extra dancing in many of the songs (It's Alright, Blue Suede Shoes, All Shook Up, Let Yourself Go, etc) aren't necessary but fun to watch.

The new dialogue- I guess it is easier to understand the story and it is more smooth, but since I knew it from Broadway, it just sounds strange. But it's not a big deal.

The heart of the show is still there, the revelation scene is unchanged and it got a huge audience response yesterday.

Anyone else see it yet? I am going again tomorrow!

As will I. I'll post a review up here when I get back!

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I just got back from tonight's performance. I will preface this by saying I saw the show in New York the week after it opened, and the original cast are very tough for anyone to compare to.

I really enjoyed the touring production. Most of the cast were just as great as those on Broadway. The standouts: Natasha Yvette Williams as Sylvia. What a voice!! Great stage presence, wonderful comedic timing.. the highlight of the evening; Jenny Fellner as Natalie. Fellner was just adorable. A very powerful voice and wonderful acting. I think she was even better than Jenn Gambatese; and Valisia Lekae Little as Lorraine. She was just great. Very spunky and cute, and delivered a very funny curtain call speech for BC/EFA.

There were three people, however, that I had problems with. I never really got into Joe Mandragona as Chad. I felt like he was trying to do a poor Elvis impersonation, and he had this annoying habit of singing with his mouth shut that just got to me. Beth Glover (as Matilda Hyde) was just a bore. Alix Korey was able to make that role completely hysterical, and I didn't feel Glover did much with it at all. Susan Anton was.. interesting as Miss Sandra. She had a spectacular voice, but her acting was very 'one note' and wooden. She also seemed to have the same facial expression the entire show, which read as a bit odd.

The changes they made were (for the most part) fine. I really liked "Jailhouse Rock" as the opener, and most of the additional choreography was great fun to watch. I felt the stripping in "All Shook Up" wasn't needed, and I didn't really like the revamp of "Devil in Disguise," but most of the things that were different worked.

Other than a few minor problems, I thought the show (as a whole) was absolutely terrific. With a great ensemble and mostly fantastic principle cast, it's deffinetly something I'd reccomend to anyone looking for a fun night of theater.

EDIT: Buddy Hammonds was on as Dean Hyde again tonight.

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Updated On: 11/26/06 at 10:55 PM

Nick, where did you sit? I was in Orchestra P.

I hadn't ever seen the show before, so my opinions probably come out of left field, but here we go anyway:The music is very fun (who doesn't love Elvis songs?!) and the cast looked like they were having a blast. Hokay, so!

The cast:
Susan Anton as Miss Sandra. Gag me. The woman is freakishly tall. Her voice wasn't horrible, but all she really did was prance around the stage very awkwardly. She just didn't do anything for me.

Joe Mandragona was a very cute Chad. He's no Cheyenne--but hey, who is? He was still nice to look at, haha.

Jenny Fellner was alright as Natalie...nothing too WOW.

The people that stood out to me were Natasha Yvette Williams as Sylvia and Dennis Moench as Dennis. Natasha had a GORGEOUS voice. It was so powerful and then when she sang softly, it was perfect. Dennis was so endearing and had a great voice.

As far as the numbers, "Jailhouse Rock" was great. It was the opener and just got you in the mood. "Don't Be Cruel" was very funny. Wally Dunn was good as Jim. "That's All Right" just kicked ass. The pipes on those girls, MAN! I just said "Damn!" a lot of times, haha.

A fun side note: earlier today, my dad went to lunch with all the musicians. It turned out to be a kind of wedding shower for the conductor, David Pepin and his fiancee Erin Greiner. Erin was in the RENT tour for about 3 years and played Mrs. Cohen. The two of them met on that tour, and they're getting married next week! So congrats to them!

So overall, it was a blasty blast and I'm glad I got to see it!

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It was great wasn't it? I was so happy. My side of the row in front of me was EMPTY, so it was even better. = ]

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Ok, so as a suprise for my friend, we got her tickets to see All Shook Up in Late December (The 20th I think). So, Me, friend A, and the friend that we are suprising are going, but me and friend A have no idea what it's about. (I heard that its to the tune of Elvis music and that Cheyene JAckson was in it-hott) Can I get perharps a synopisis....please!

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