Elvis Musical Entertains

"All Shook Up"
Meadow Brook Theatre
Rochester, Mich.
Through Feb. 1, 2026

It might not leave you “All Shook Up,” but Meadow Brook’s Elvis-themed musical of the same name will keep you entertained. The 2004 jukebox musical features about 25 hits from the King of Rock ‘n Roll, lightly strung together with a “Twelfth Night”-esque plot about mismatched couples and forbidden love.

Directed by Travis Walter in collaboration with Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance, Meadow Brook’s production features a large, talented cast of students and professionals alike.

Set in 1955, the show opens with the arrival of slick, greaser Chad – our unofficial Elvis – whose gyrating hips shake things up in the small, conservative town. Over the apparent course of 24 hours, we find ourselves in a complicated love hexagon: Dorky Dennis loves his best friend, auto mechanic Natalie, who loves Chad, who loves blond bombshell Sandra who loves a disguised Natalie as “Ed.” Single mother Sylvia loves Natalie’s widowed father Jim, who also loves Sandra. Sylvia’s daughter, Lorraine, and Dean, the son of the town’s conservative mayor Matilda, match up right away, but are an interracial couple in mid-century America and must keep their love hidden. They all come together with the ensemble at the end of Act I for a charming rendition of “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You.”

Act II offers a little more substance, as Chad’s budding feelings for “Ed” complicate his sense of sexual orientation, adding another layer of forbidden love to the mix. Spoiler alert – everyone sorts themselves out in the end with a triumphant celebration of love and some very fast weddings.

The entire cast is ripe with vocal, dance and acting talent that joined for some fun and funny renditions of Elvis favorites – complete with an increasing number of blue suede shoes. Milika Cherée as Sylvia gave an especially beautiful solo of “There’s Always Me” that showed off her vocal prowess. The grand ensemble performance of “C’Mon Everybody” was a fantastic dance number of twirling skirts and lifts. “Let Yourself Go,” was another dance favorite with statues that offered an extra element of surprise and delight.

As tough, conservative Mayor Matilda and her (mostly) silent enforcer Sheriff Earl, Amy Hillner Larsen and Kilty Reidy, respectively, were a charming pair of scene-stealers. Reidy’s quiet parroting of Larsen’s intense mannerisms was comedic gold that only got better as the show progressed.

All Shook Up is more song than story, which is often the case with jukebox musicals. If you like Elvis and want to escape life for a couple of hours, this is the show for you.