It's one for the money, two for the show. "All Shook Up," the inevitable Elvis Presley musical, is heading for Broadway in spring 2005 with all the elements of a blockbuster: a crowd-pleasing (if critically dismissed) book writer, Joe DiPietro; heavy-hitter producers, including Clear Channel Entertainment and Miramax; and 20 beloved hits. With the John Lennon musical currently called "The Lennon Project" scheduled for the same season, the stage is set for a Broadway showdown between two of the most influential pop stars of the 20th century.
Commissioned by the Presley estate, the show, which is to play at Goodspeed Musicals' Norma Terris Theater in Chester, Conn., in May, is part of an emerging Broadway art form typified by shows like "Movin' Out" and "Taboo" that draws on the nostalgic appeal of old pop songs. Unlike many of these musicals, "All Shook Up" is neither a revue nor a bio-play. "Elvis is not a character," said Jonathan Pollard, one of the producers. "It's an original musical comedy about how a magical jukebox and a leather-jacketed stranger transform a loveless town."