Jailhouse rock: Sarah Burke, Shaun Pirovano, Jonathan Guthrie-Jones and Chris Rogers will woo audiences in All Shook Up.
SHAKESPEARE and Elvis Presley aren't often spoken of in the same sentence but their unlikely partnership is set to get some feet tapping in All Shook Up.
The musical follows a small town in America's Midwest that's shaken up after the arrival of Chad, an Elvis-like character played by Jonathan Guthrie-Jones.
With echoes of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, his life takes an interesting turn when his love interest, Natalie, dresses up as a man to win his affections.
Cast member Shaun Pirovano, of Clayton, has been watching some Elvis movies in an effort to improve his own performance.
He says being part of the musical has given him a whole new appreciation of Elvis Presley. "Probably my favourite would be Viva Las Vegas because it has a lot of dancing in it. I could take a lot of that and use it in our dance ensemble numbers."
Pirovano is a triple threat — in addition to singing and acting, he's also been dancing since he was 12. "It's something that comes very easy to me and I have a lot of fun doing it. And in a musical like this, there's a lot of dance numbers so it keeps me happy."
In recent times his life has been a blur of rehearsals. In addition to completing a part-time musical theatre course during the day, he also works with the cast and crew of the show at night. "It's quite intense but I really would have it no other way."
He hopes to one day perform on Broadway in New York. "It's probably my top goal. I'd love to try and make it. I mean, why not?"
He encouraged people to come along and see the production. "You've got amazing singers, great energy. It'll be a fun show."
All Shook Up is playing at the National Theatre in St Kilda until October 20. Cost: $45, concessions available. Bookings essential. Details: cloc.org.au or 1300 362 547.