St. Joe to stage musical featuring songs by Elvis
Elvis’ music will come alive on the St. Joseph Catholic School stage this weekend when students perform the spring musical “All Shook Up” for a three-day run starting Friday.
Students have spent the past three months practicing lines, rehearsing songs, learning dances and building sets for the musical. The spring musical is the largest of two stage shows the Fine Arts Department stages every year.
“This is a fun show filled with classic music from the Elvis Presley songbook and a hilarious script that will have the audience laughing from the first note to the final bow,” said Leslie Ann Harkins, the theater teacher directing the musical. “Our student actors, crew members and musicians have a great show planned you definitely won’t want to miss it.”
“All Shook Up” is a jukebox musical featuring such Elvis classics as “Jailhouse Rock,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “That’s All Right,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and more. The story takes place in the 1950s in an unnamed town when a rowdy young man arrives.
The story is inspired in part by William Shakespeare’s classic play “Twelfth Night.”
The musical opens for a three-day, three-performance run at 7 p.m. Friday night in the Fine Arts theater. Other performances include 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets for “All Shook Up” are $12 with St. Joe students admitted free. Students from Sister Thea Bowman, St. Richard and St. Anthony Catholic schools also are admitted free if they wear their school shirt to the musical.
Tickets will be available at the box office the day of each performance.
St. Joseph Catholic School, founded in 1870 by the Sisters of Mercy, offers seventh- through 12th-grade students of all faith backgrounds a rigorous college prep curriculum grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church.
St. Joe, 308 New Mannsdale Road in Madison just west of the Interstate 55-Madison 463 interchange, is accredited by the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – the accrediting arm of Cognia.
“All Shook Up” originally played on Broadway in 2005 and then toured the United States in 2006-2007.
The St. Joe cast includes sophomore Jack Rosamond as Chad, a guitar-playing, motorcycle-riding roustabout and a character inspired by Elvis. St. Joe senior Campbell Miller plays Natalie, Chad’s love interest and a mechanic.
“I can’t wait to see this production with so much music that I love,” said Dr. Dena Kinsey, St. Joe principal.
“A talented St. Joe cast taking on Elvis’ songbook will make for a fun night. Our theater students stage the best musical productions. They work hard after school and on the weekends – and their efforts never disappoint. The combined effort of the St. Joe Fine Arts team of Mrs. Harkins, Ms. Canizaro and Mr. Bell will create something you won’t forget.”