“Shake, Rattle, Rock & Roll" at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse -- April 17.
Thursday, April 17, 7:15 p.m.
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, 1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL
With its gifted ensemble composed of members of the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse's performing wait staff the Bootleggers, castmates from the current Elvis Presley bio-musical Heartbreak Hotel, and a special star, the Rock Island venue will stage a one-night-only performance of the original revue Shake, Rattle, Rock & Roll, an April 17 concert event saluting iconic hits from yesteryear’s rock-and-roll era.
With the concert repertoire assembled and hosted by frequent Circa '21 performers and area favorites Brad Hauskins and Tristan Layne Tapscott, the first act of Shake, Rattle, Rock & Roll opens, appropriately, with the titular song made famous by Bill Haley & His Comets. More than a dozen additional singers and bands who delivered unforgettable hits in the '50s and '60s are subsequently celebrated, among them: The Beatles; Patsy Cline; Buddy Holly; Waylon Jennings, Peggy Lee; Jerry Lee Lewis; Roy Orbison; Johnny Rivers; Diana Ross; Nancy Sinatra; and Mary Wells. Audiences will be treated to such memorable numbers as “Pretty Woman,” “Can't Buy Me Love,” “My Guy,” “Secret Agent Man,” and “Walkin' After Midnight,” the act closing with a quartet of Buddy Holly classics.
Following intermission, Heartbreak Hotel star and Presley portrayer Corey McKinney will perform a medley of Elvis favorites, Shake, Rattle, Rock & Roll's other recognized Act II artists including: Chuck Berry; June Carter Cash; Otis Day & the Knights; Bo Diddley; the Everly Brothers; Tennessee Ernie Ford; Wanda Jackson; Etta James; Ben E. King; and Sonny & Cher. Beloved songs such as “Shout,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Stand by Me,” and “I Got You, Babe” will be performed, with the concert's entire company combing their talents for the finale.
Joining Hauskins, Tapscott, and McKinney are their Heartbreak Hotel co-stars Robert Brandon, Dwan Hayes, Ben Smallwood, Rachel Winter, Laura Wittenberger, and Tarik Zegeler. Featured Bootleggers include Bradley Heinrichs, Gillian McMahon, Nick Munson, Joseph Nguyen, and Kirsten Sindelar. And the theatre is delighted to welcome back former Bootleger, mainstage performer, and special guest star Sunshine Ramsey, who has headlined a number of showcases at both the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse and its sister venue the Circa '21 Speakeasy.
Shake, Rattle, Rock & Roll will be performed at the Rock Island dinner theatre on April 17, doors for the 7:15 p.m. performance open at 6 p.m., and beverages, sandwich baskets, appetizers, and desserts are all available for purchase. Admission is $25-30, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)786-7733 extension 2 and visiting Circa21.com.
