Twenty-six "all time Elvis hits" will have the toes of Wakatipu residents tapping next year when Showbiz Queenstown performs All Shook Up, inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley.
From the pen of Joe DiPietro, the award-winning creator of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, All Shook Up is set in 1950 in a small Midwest town in the United States, mired in ethnic and class distinction.
Into the divided and somewhat jaded atmosphere rides a motorcycling, leather-clad, guitar-playing roustabout.
The musical comedy, riddled with tongue-in-cheek humour, features classic songs such as Jailhouse Rock, Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog and It's Now or Never.
Hilary Finnie, of Showbiz Queenstown, said the cast of 10 characters was an even mix of male and female, across an age range of 15 to 65, and some "great" dance numbers were planned.
Auditions for the show, which would run from May 19 to 28, 2011, would be held on February 19 and 20.
Mrs Finnie said Showbiz Queenstown was "delighted" to announce Bryan Aitken was returning to the town to direct the show.
A former associate director and original company member of the Court Theatre, Christchurch, Mr Aitken has worked as an actor or director for most of New Zealand's major theatre companies.
His last show for Showbiz was Encore 2000 (in 2000), and before that he directed Cabaret in 1993.
He continued to freelance out of the Court as a tour manager, director and tutor, with work as diverse as Les Miserables and The Mourning After.
He was recently appointed an associate of the Court, an honorary position recognising his length of service, and is its core tutor for TheatreWorks, a young adults' theatre skills programme.
His recent productions include Grease, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Blood Brothers, My Fair Lady and Cabaret.
