SUNY Oswego’s spring musical “All Shook Up” will open on April 16, running two weekends and showcasing the hard work of student actors, singers, dancers and designers.

Presented by SUNY Oswego’s Theatre and Music Departments, the 2005 jukebox musical features some of Elvis Presley’s biggest hits and tells the story of a young man who inspires a strict Midwest town to let loose. 

Steven Mazzoccone, the director of “All Shook Up” and theatre faculty member at SUNY Oswego, is excited to bring the show to Oswego’s campus and community. A SUNY Oswego alum, Mazzoccone recognized the remarkable nature of its theater program. 

“I think our department has a long history of excellence. We have a lot of amazing capabilities here,” said Mazzoccone.

Mazzoccone noted the most challenging part of this production is the large amount of music the cast has to learn. “There are about 25 musical numbers in the show. The students, whether they’re in the ensemble or whether they’re one of the leads, had a lot of music to learn,” he said.

Student assistant costume designer Cadence Vanderstouw has been hard at work on the show since fall. 

“Starting last semester, I began my work painting renderings of costumes,” Vanderstouw said. “The design team agreed upon final rendering designs after weeks of research and concept sketches.”

Vanderstouw and the team have done more than just sketch designs; they’ve been in constant communication, bringing the characters in the rock’n’roll fantasy into reality. 

“Our design team has worked hard to organize paperwork, search through costume stock, shop for materials and communicate our construction goals each week,” Vanderstouw said. “It’s very gratifying to see our designs come to life physically.” 

Playing the lead role of Chad, Aiden O’Brien has performed in Oswego theater productions including “The Laramie Project” and “The Grown-Ups.” He said that being a student at Oswego has taught him about theater in many different ways. 

“Oswego has exposed me to the other aspects of theatre that I wasn’t exposed to before,” O’Brien said. “I’m learning about all aspects that make theatre possible, which in turn is making me appreciate it even more.”

In O’Brien’s words, Chad is a “great-looking, forward-thinking, motorcycle-riding roustabout from out of town. He brings music, dancing, romance and rebellion, and upturns the town's strict rules.” 

The rehearsals have been both entertaining and enjoyable, O’Brien said.

“We started by learning the music and dance –- both very important aspects of the show -– before moving on to staging,” O’Brien explained. “We are now in the fine-tuning process and are starting to include tech elements. It has been an incredible experience to work with this dedicated cast and production team.” 

“All Shook Up” will have curtains at 7:30 p.m. on April 16, 17 and 25, with 2 p.m. matinees on April 18 and 26, in Tyler Hall’s Waterman Theatre.

Tickets are free for SUNY Oswego students, $15 for all others, available at the SUNY Oswego Box Office or online at tickets.oswego.edu.

-- Written by Nina Ottesen of the Class of 2026