All Shook Up
The Crosby Hall was once again the venue for Rockwell's annual musical. Further refurbishments had been undertaken to the stage and a quality run of performances was on the cards. Commencing in early September, rehearsals for the show had begun, with Ms. O'Dwyer (musical instructor) throughout the course of the day, and Ms. Giada Orlandi (choreographer) in the evenings, bringing life, enthusiasm and angelic harmonies to this year’s production, with Ms. Cummins and Ms. O'Byrne (producers) working like Trojans behind the scenes to ensure another quality, colourful and well-produced show which has now become expected of Rockwell College.
The setting is 1950's Memphis, Tennessee, a time in which people mind their own business, and feelings of affection are kept bottles up until adult-hood; a time in which anything out of the norm is frowned upon and shunned by the quaint little community. That is, of course, until a roving roustabout named Chad (Micheál Butler) with music pumping through his veins cruises into town on his Harley-Davidson, and quickly becomes the heart-throb of the female mechanic Natalie Haller (Mandy O'Dwyer). Chad is not welcomed to the town and is quickly informed of the strict laws with regards to dress - particularly tight pants - and public romancing, as enforced by the iron fist that is Mayor Matilda Hyde (Jesse Barlow).
Though faced with immediate opposition, Chad soon takes on the jealous admirer and best friend to Natalie - Dennis (David Farah) to be his right-hand man. The usually stiff and nerdy dental prodigy soon dons a leather jacket and denim jeans. Matilda's son Dean (Odhrán McCarthy), a US Marine, falls in love with Lorraine (Sophie Sharpe), the daughter of widowed bar-owner Sylvia (Alison O'Connor) and the two engage in a private relationship. Natalie's father Jim (David Smyth) realizes his feelings toward Sylvia and is confused as he is still grieving the loss of his wife.
With everyone falling madly in love with each other, it isn't to everyone's liking. Natalie, desperate to have Chad's love, disguises herself as a man named Ed to get closer to Chad, which backfires in the most odd of fashions. Chad has eyes only for flirty museum worker Ms. Sandra (Ciara Cremmins) which disheartens Natalie majorly. Yet, Chad is torn between two hearts - Natalie, and Ed! His emotions get the better of him in the Elvis classic 'I Don't Want To', where he opens his heart and releases his frustration. Dennis on the other hand, is in love with Natalie who sees nothing more than friendship, and in an attempt to win Natalie, sings the Elvis ballad 'It Hurts Me'.
By now emotions are in full swing and the final two scenes of the show turn out to be the most compelling, in which the dormant Sheriff Earl (Jack Looby) of 15 years delivers some truly hilarious yet stern lines to Matilda and ends his rant with the sacred words, ''I'm in love with you!''. Ms. Sandra quickly gets over the Alias that was Ed, and realizes intellectual love with Dennis, a fellow Shakespearian devotee, and Jim proposes to Sylvia, to which she says ''Yes''. So off to the chapel they go! But Natalie is left not so comforted as Chad declines the invite to her heart, so she hits the open road on her motorcycle, only to eventually unite with Chad as they rove about together, and the show closes with the immortal song 'Burning Love'.
Congratulations to all those both onstage as the cast and offstage as the crew comprised of student body. Many thanks go to all involved in any possible way, but the particular efforts of Ms. Cummins, Ms. O'Dwyer, Ms. O'Byrne, Ms. Kilroy (stage and set design) and of course Ms. Giada Orlandi must be highlighted, without whom we would not have had such a spectacular and fun run of 'All Shook Up' in these tough times.