‘Elvis has left the buidling’ to take the stage

Don’t get caught up in the title.

Even though Crest Area Theatre’s performance this summer is about the king of rock ‘n’ roll music, there is one little detail.

Elvis Presley isn’t in the show. He’s not even in the building. Really.

Because of unforeseen issues with the cast, the performance has been rescheduled to 7 p.m., Thursday, July 14; Saturday, July 16 and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 17, at Southwestern Community College’s Performing Arts Theater. The show was originally planned this weekend.

The plot is not entirely fiction.

“It will mostly focus on Col. Tom Parker (Elvis’ manager) played by Jerry Mullin,” said Julia Weishaar-Mullin, who is contributing to the production. “Elvis was missing for a couple of days and why Parker needed to find him so badly.”

The plot is based on actual, and imagined, events in December 1970. Play director Jerry Huffman expects the audience to increase its attention after the characters are introduced.

“Once you learn the characters, that’s when things start happening and things are funny,” he said. “This is what I call historical fiction. Everything in the show happened, or came close. The colonel has a gambling problem. Who knows what that manifested in real life.”

The “Colonel,” will be played by Bill Mullin. Trudy, the Colonel’s German secretary, is Ahdri Evans. Roscoe, the office boy, is Jacob Rutz. Candy, a friend of the Colonel, is Brendan Millslagle. Jill Tanner, an ace newspaper reporter, will be played by Marie Mullin. Huffman is assisted by stage manager Kordy Taylor.

Huffman said the comedy is beyond the script as there are moments of physical comedy.

Although Elvis died 45 years ago, Huffman said the production is family friendly and will probably connect more with those listened to him 50 to 60 years ago. He remembers a popular Elvis during his childhood and had older sisters who were also fans.

“Who isn’t familiar with Elvis,” he said. “To this day, the youngest of the youngest don’t know him, but but people in older generations will probably like it better,” he said.

This summer, the big screen also has a movie about Elvis featuring Parker played by Tom Hanks.

This play marks 48 years that CAT has been involving the community in the production of theatre for Creston and surrounding areas. All seats are general admission with tickets available for purchase at the door.

For more information, follow the CAT Facebook page or go to crestareatheatre.wordpress.com.