Marriott’s ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ a rockin’ tribute to the King
“Heartbreak Hotel” — 2.5 stars
Best known as the title of Elvis Presley’s first million-selling record, “Heartbreak Hotel” is also the name of the 2017 jukebox musical by Sean Cercone and David Abbinanti, based on an idea by Floyd Mutrux (“Million Dollar Quartet”), and currently in a hip-shakin’, rock ’n’ rollin’ revival at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire.
The formulaic tuner chronicles the singer’s life from age 11, when he received his first guitar, to age 33, when he starred in the 1968 TV special that launched his comeback. With about 40 Top 10 Presley singles to choose from, Cercone and Abbinanti opted for the one with “heartbreak” in the title, reflecting the sorrow that accompanied Presley’s success.
We meet the rock ’n’ roll pioneer (played as an adult by Tyler Hanes, a charismatic triple threat who deftly mines the King’s psyche) battling self-doubt as he prepares to tape the 1968 special he hopes will restore his relevance. He encounters his younger selves: teen Elvis (Colton Sims) and young Elvis (Charles Adler Bischoff), who encourage him to remember the people who loved him and the music that inspired him.
“Look back to what got you here,” says Bischoff’s young Elvis, cueing the flashbacks that follow.
They begin with young Elvis’ introduction to the blues courtesy of the “Welcome to Beale St.” medley featuring standout supporting performers Melanie Brezill, Naiqui Macabroad, Elaine Watson and Frederick Webb Jr. Ivan Bracy Jr. joins them for the stirring gospel number “This Train is Bound for Glory.”
Elvis' beloved mother Gladys (Elizabeth Telford) and father Vernon (Karl Hamilton, ably providing comic relief in several other roles) appear in the first act along with high school sweetheart Dixie (Anna Louise Bramlett). She’s replaced in the second act by Ann-Margret (Alexandra Palkovic) and wife Priscilla (Amanda Walker). None of the female characters have much depth: Telford’s Gladys mostly offers supportive platitudes; Bramlett’s Dixie worries success will change Elvis (it does); Walker’s Priscilla resents Elvis’ absence; and Palkovic’s Ann-Margret is a cipher.
To its credit, “Heartbreak Hotel” emphasizes the role the oft-overlooked Marion Keisker (Leah Morrow) played in bringing teenage Elvis to the attention of Sun Records’ visionary producer Sam Phillips (Jackson Evans). Phillips ultimately loses Elvis to the opportunistic Colonel Tom Parker (a calculating, controlling Rob Lindley), who commodifies his client in part by prioritizing lucrative B-movie musicals over genuine musical growth.
Diedre Goodwin’s zesty staging and choreography and her perky cast keep things moving. And the show sounds good thanks to music director Ryan T. Nelson, whose vocally robust ensemble remained undeterred when some of their body mics intermittently cut out on opening night.
That’s significant because the show’s appeal rests with the music: the rousing “Blue Suede Shoes” that opens the second act; Sims, Bischoff and Telford’s lovely harmonies on “Peace in the Valley”; Hanes’ unadorned “Can’t Help Falling in Love”; and the finale, which concludes with the funky “Little Less Conversation” followed by a “Jailhouse Rock”/ “Suspicious Minds” coda.
Presley’s hits make up for the uneven script, whose flagging momentum results from excessive flashbacks and superfluous numbers. Turns out there is such a thing as too many medleys.
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Location: Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, (847) 634-0100, marriotttheatre.com
Showtimes: 1 and 7 p.m. Wednesday; 7 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 p.m. Friday; 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday through May 31. Also, 1 p.m. select Thursdays.
Tickets: Tickets start at $78; dinner/theater packages available
Running time: About 2 hours, 25 minutes, with intermission
Rating: For older teens and adults, includes mature language