Among the cast members of Northgate High School's musical, "All Shook Up": (top) Lydia Glatz, James Kania, Leah Dunn, Colby Simpson; (middle) Bridgit Walters, Aaron Makatura, Taylor Reed, Kendra Anick, Sam Driscoll, Ayleah Whitehead; (front) Emily Sybo, Kim Senko, Casey Blackman.

By TOM STEINER

Blending Elvis Presley with William Shakespeare for a night of upbeat entertainment might seem like a rather daunting task, but the cast and crew of Northgate High School's musical has done just that in their production of "All Shook Up."

Director Karen Klicker said, "The plot of this new musical comedy is based on Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' and is filled with hilarious deceptions, mistaken identities, and confessions of true love. The story unfolds during a 24-hour period in the summer of 1955, when a rock'n roll lovin' roustabout rides his motorcycle into a racially segregated midwest town and everyone gets ‘all shook up’."

In its more modern form, the show takes some liberties with Shakespeare's comedy, one being the setting for much of the action. Klicker said, "Instead of the characters meeting up in a forest, the "All Shook Up" cast members meet in an abandoned fairground where they fall in and out of love, have three weddings and end segregation in a Midwestern town. It's a very intense musical!"

The show premiered on Broadway in March 2005 and features such Elvis standards as "Heartbreak Hotel," "Jailhouse Rock," "Don't Be Cruel," and "Blue Suede Shoes."

Performance dates, which are different from dates listed in the district calendar, begin with a free staff and senior citizen preview at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 1.

Additional shows are set for Saturday, April 2, Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9, with all performances beginning at 7:30 p.m., and with ticket prices $8 for adults and $5 for students.