About Elvis
We want to pay tribute to the great Elvis Presley with a production filled with humour but with a serious touch, featuring glimpses into the artistīs own life, a spot of fiction, and generous helpings of rock `nī roll. Our play charts the fortunes of the young man who took on the world with a rhythmic shake of the hips, beginning at Humes High School where an unknown nineteen-year-old recorded his debut record "Thatīs All Right (mama)" on the Sun Records label, leading to his major breakthrough as a recording artist.
Growing up in a small southern community, there was always something a little different about Elvis. He found inspiration away from more established artists, and through his daring originality succeeded in changing the world of music forever. In many ways, the story of the Glada Hudik Theatre ensemble is much like that of the young Elvis growing up in 1950s Memphis. Both have been outsiders, struggling to achieve recognition.
Our production portrays Elvis Presleyīs remarkable transformation from awkward high-school student to world-renowned artist.
The production - humble beginnings
Elvis Aaron Presley, who as a teenager attended Humes High School in Memphis, cut a curiously odd figure. Itīs not hard to imagine that underneath the confident exterior was a fiercely insecure young man.
In those days, times were tough for the Presleys. Vernon, Elvisī father, had earlier served a jail term for changing a three to an eight on a bankerīs cheque. The family was always on the move, more often than not because Vernon had lost yet another job, and when we meet Elvis for the first time in the play, his parents are seen applying to the local welfare office just to make ends meet. Eventually, the Presleys were assigned a home for the poor by the Social Services.
When Elvis was eleven, he was given his first guitar by his parents. He sang in the choir during school time, heard gospel when he went to church, and listened endlessly to music by black artists. Later, he would seek out bars and dance clubs playing blues music, which became something of a worry to his mother and schoolteacher.
Presley grew up in an age where radio was king, and music was all around: on street-corners, in bars, clubs, and even at church. By this time Memphis had become a focal point for a diversity of musical genres, including gospel, blues, hillbilly, country, boogie, and western swing.
The young Elvis was driven by a longing for recognition and appreciation, and saw his chance to achieve this through his gift for song. He began giving performances at school concerts and was always well-received, often being asked to perform encores at the end of his set.
One day, Elvis went in to the local Sun Records studio after hearing you could record your own record for just four dollars, singing to his own guitar compositions, "My Happiness" and "Thatīs When Your Heartaches Begin". The recording may have been intended as a birthday present for his mother, or was it Dixie who was in the singerīs thoughts!? Nevertheless, Sun Recordsī receptionist Marion happened to overhear the recording, liked what she heard, and immediately made a copy of the tape for label director Sam Phillips.
Eight months later, Sam invited Elvis to come in for an audition, and together with guitarist Scotty Moore and bass-player Bill Black, the young artist performed song after song. Phillips, however, was unimpressed by what he heard.
On the point of giving up, Presley began singing a track by one of his favourite artists, Arthur Crudup: "Thatīs All Right (mama)." Scotty and Bill followed his lead, and suddenly out of nowhere the trio began to produce a totally convincing sound, mixing deep black-blues with traditional white-country. The tape kept rolling, and Elvis had his first hit record. The rest, as they say, is rock `nī roll history...
By Anders Åbom
