Was it a musical? A romance? Or a comedy?

Auburn's Merry-Go-Round Playhouse's unbelievably-enjoyable production “All Shook Up” was all of the above. Elvis Presley should have been alive this June to see producing director Ed Sayle's first production for the MGR's 2008 summer. The infectious smiles in the audience confirm this MGR production was, shall I say, simply “hunka' burnin' fun!”

Who knows how many of the cast members were even out of their diapers when Elvis Presley (and his swiveling hips!) indeed shook up the music world. In 1956, you could not have your car radio on very long without hearing Elvis' “Heartbreak Hotel,” or “Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog”! But the limber (and some appropriately nerdy!) cast members all knew their parts in this musical/romance/comedy were also takeoffs from Shakespeare's “Twelfth Night” and “As You Like It.”

The unbelievably-talented MGR cast somehow knew the walk and talked the talk of that Elvis era - blue jeans (with cuffs), corny haircuts, rock-and-roll music, a motorcycle on stage and of course those blue-suede shoes which Presley wore and sung about!

It would be unfair to cite a single member of the cast. They were all oh-so-1950s. Not only did the “All Shook Up” cast make the moves, talk the talk, walk the walk and sang Elvis' memorable songs from the summer of 1955 to earn them a standing ovation. I couldn't begin to count the audience members who said they were back at the MGR Playhouse to see this same show a second and a third time. How can a production get any better than that?

Sue Hemingway

Auburn