Jackson tribute a different show
August 16, 2009
Performances in greater demand after singer’s death
By Richard Duckett TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Where were you the day the music died?
“I was 15, having dinner with my parents in Montpelier, Ohio. The news came on …,” recalled Doug Church. “It wasn’t really much of a shock to me. We knew he was in bad health, but it is one of those kinds of things that you will never forget where you were.”
No, Church wasn’t recalling this past June 25, the day some might say pop music died with the tragic passing of Michael Jackson. Rather, Church was casting his mind back to 32 years ago today — Aug. 16, 1977 — when Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll,” died.
“I remember the day. I was on my way to a friend’s house,” said Kenny Wizz. But he was talking about June 25 and Michael Jackson.
“Someone sent me a text message. It said ‘Michael Jackson has passed,’ and it had a question mark on it.” Wizz went home, watched the news on television for a short while, then “turned it off, turned the phone off. I wasn’t willing to give myself an opportunity to deal with it right away. I don’t know if I still believe it.”
Church and Wizz have unique perspectives on the dates. They are, respectively, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson tribute artists. They will be on stage this Friday at the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester, as part of a show titled “The Kings of Rock and the King of Pop Together.” Also performing will be Elvis artist Leo Days, and Lance Lipinsky, who will play a live (in more than one sense of the word) Jerry Lee Lewis.
Since Jackson’s death, there has been an exponential explosion of demand for Jackson tribute artists, and show promoters have been involved in intense efforts to put the best ones on the stage. When Friday’s show was first announced several weeks before June 25, it was billed as “The King and the Killer” — Presley and Lewis, but no Jackson.
“Before the death of MJ, the demand was not anywhere near what it is now,” said Kristy Lee Royle of Royal Talent, who represents all the artists in Friday’s show. “I am getting requests from all over the world.”
Wizz has made a good living as Jackson for 25 years and was in a “Legends”-type show called “Splash” for 11 years in Las Vegas, where he still lives. He had teamed up with Royle before Jackson’s death, he said, but the passing led to another reason to turn his phone off — it was ringing off the hook. “To this day, it’s still shut down,” he said.
Friday’s show will be one of the first anywhere to have a Jackson artist on stage since the pop icon’s death — not to mention a bill with a Jackson, two Presleys, and a Lewis. It will also be one of the first times Wizz has performed as Jackson before a large audience since June 25.
“As far as an actual show it’ll be a whole different ball game. Obviously, it’s gonna be a bit emotional for people,” Wizz said. “If I see people start getting teary eyes — I’ve never seen that happen in my show so that will be something new. It’s something I’ll have to see how it goes and see what changes I have to make at that point. It’s a very psychological deal at both ends. In general, I believe that as a performer I’m in control. Now I’m not so much in control of how people react. I get people yelling, screaming and clapping because they’re having a good time. But a lot of people, for the lack of a better term, will be in a shock process, a grieving process.”
Still, Wizz is well aware that he will be giving a performance.
“I like his music. I can’t consider myself a fan because it’s more of a job for me and something I have to study,” Wizz said. “There’s a separation that has to be there. You have to be an actor. You have to be a dancer. You have to carry the costume. You try to actually deliver that person. You have to have people believe your actions are that person, but they don’t realize that someone has to deliver it.”
In a way, Jackson and Presley could be soul mates. Both died relatively young, both seemed to bask but also suffer in the limelight. And then there were the drugs. There is also the fact that Jackson was once married to Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.
And as a performer, Wizz sees other similarities. “A lot of people don’t realize how much they had in common,” he said. For example, a dance move Presley used in his famous 1973 “Aloha from Hawaii” TV satellite performance found its way into Jackson’s dance repertoire, Wizz said. “When he (Jackson) goes up on his toes, he got that from Elvis.”
Jackson studied Elvis, Wizz studies Jackson, and Doug Church and Leo Days study Elvis — all intensely.
“I would say authenticity, attention to detail, knowing your craft,” Church said when asked what makes a good Elvis tribute performer. “But looks and moves will only get you so far. Vocals, in my opinion, are the most important.” Church, by the way, has been called “The Voice of Elvis.”
“I’ve been studying anything I can get my hands on since I was 3,” said Days. At the age of 3, he watched a 10th anniversary broadcast of “Aloha from Hawaii.”
“I thought this was the coolest thing.”
Days sang Elvis songs in the basement of his family home growing up, and his mother was so impressed she had him sing at a local club. “People were going crazy. It just sort of snowballed from there.”
Church became an Elvis fan about a year before Presley’s death. While serving in the U.S. Air Force, he entered a talent competition being held on base. He said he had no serious expectations of winning. He sang “Love Me” as Elvis and won first place. He’s been a full-time Elvis since 1990.
The Elvis phenomenon shows that in music and show business there is a form of life after death.
“Kenny Wizz and myself have been working hard to make his show be one of the best tribute shows to MJ out there,” Royle said.
The Kings of Rock and the King of Pop Together
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester
How much: $20-$47.50; (877) 571-7469 or www.thehanovertheatre.org
By Richard Duckett TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Where were you the day the music died?
“I was 15, having dinner with my parents in Montpelier, Ohio. The news came on …,” recalled Doug Church. “It wasn’t really much of a shock to me. We knew he was in bad health, but it is one of those kinds of things that you will never forget where you were.”
No, Church wasn’t recalling this past June 25, the day some might say pop music died with the tragic passing of Michael Jackson. Rather, Church was casting his mind back to 32 years ago today — Aug. 16, 1977 — when Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll,” died.
“I remember the day. I was on my way to a friend’s house,” said Kenny Wizz. But he was talking about June 25 and Michael Jackson.
“Someone sent me a text message. It said ‘Michael Jackson has passed,’ and it had a question mark on it.” Wizz went home, watched the news on television for a short while, then “turned it off, turned the phone off. I wasn’t willing to give myself an opportunity to deal with it right away. I don’t know if I still believe it.”
Church and Wizz have unique perspectives on the dates. They are, respectively, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson tribute artists. They will be on stage this Friday at the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester, as part of a show titled “The Kings of Rock and the King of Pop Together.” Also performing will be Elvis artist Leo Days, and Lance Lipinsky, who will play a live (in more than one sense of the word) Jerry Lee Lewis.
Since Jackson’s death, there has been an exponential explosion of demand for Jackson tribute artists, and show promoters have been involved in intense efforts to put the best ones on the stage. When Friday’s show was first announced several weeks before June 25, it was billed as “The King and the Killer” — Presley and Lewis, but no Jackson.
“Before the death of MJ, the demand was not anywhere near what it is now,” said Kristy Lee Royle of Royal Talent, who represents all the artists in Friday’s show. “I am getting requests from all over the world.”
Wizz has made a good living as Jackson for 25 years and was in a “Legends”-type show called “Splash” for 11 years in Las Vegas, where he still lives. He had teamed up with Royle before Jackson’s death, he said, but the passing led to another reason to turn his phone off — it was ringing off the hook. “To this day, it’s still shut down,” he said.
Friday’s show will be one of the first anywhere to have a Jackson artist on stage since the pop icon’s death — not to mention a bill with a Jackson, two Presleys, and a Lewis. It will also be one of the first times Wizz has performed as Jackson before a large audience since June 25.
“As far as an actual show it’ll be a whole different ball game. Obviously, it’s gonna be a bit emotional for people,” Wizz said. “If I see people start getting teary eyes — I’ve never seen that happen in my show so that will be something new. It’s something I’ll have to see how it goes and see what changes I have to make at that point. It’s a very psychological deal at both ends. In general, I believe that as a performer I’m in control. Now I’m not so much in control of how people react. I get people yelling, screaming and clapping because they’re having a good time. But a lot of people, for the lack of a better term, will be in a shock process, a grieving process.”
Still, Wizz is well aware that he will be giving a performance.
“I like his music. I can’t consider myself a fan because it’s more of a job for me and something I have to study,” Wizz said. “There’s a separation that has to be there. You have to be an actor. You have to be a dancer. You have to carry the costume. You try to actually deliver that person. You have to have people believe your actions are that person, but they don’t realize that someone has to deliver it.”
In a way, Jackson and Presley could be soul mates. Both died relatively young, both seemed to bask but also suffer in the limelight. And then there were the drugs. There is also the fact that Jackson was once married to Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.
And as a performer, Wizz sees other similarities. “A lot of people don’t realize how much they had in common,” he said. For example, a dance move Presley used in his famous 1973 “Aloha from Hawaii” TV satellite performance found its way into Jackson’s dance repertoire, Wizz said. “When he (Jackson) goes up on his toes, he got that from Elvis.”
Jackson studied Elvis, Wizz studies Jackson, and Doug Church and Leo Days study Elvis — all intensely.
“I would say authenticity, attention to detail, knowing your craft,” Church said when asked what makes a good Elvis tribute performer. “But looks and moves will only get you so far. Vocals, in my opinion, are the most important.” Church, by the way, has been called “The Voice of Elvis.”
“I’ve been studying anything I can get my hands on since I was 3,” said Days. At the age of 3, he watched a 10th anniversary broadcast of “Aloha from Hawaii.”
“I thought this was the coolest thing.”
Days sang Elvis songs in the basement of his family home growing up, and his mother was so impressed she had him sing at a local club. “People were going crazy. It just sort of snowballed from there.”
Church became an Elvis fan about a year before Presley’s death. While serving in the U.S. Air Force, he entered a talent competition being held on base. He said he had no serious expectations of winning. He sang “Love Me” as Elvis and won first place. He’s been a full-time Elvis since 1990.
The Elvis phenomenon shows that in music and show business there is a form of life after death.
“Kenny Wizz and myself have been working hard to make his show be one of the best tribute shows to MJ out there,” Royle said.
The Kings of Rock and the King of Pop Together
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester
How much: $20-$47.50; (877) 571-7469 or www.thehanovertheatre.org
Learn more about what goes on behind the scenes by reading our blog.
Join Our Mailing List
Click below to sign up for our mailing list and you'll receive updates on bookings, ticket sale dates, and our E-Newsletter!
Subscribe and save $30-$60 on the best seats in the house!
Guarantee great seats and subscribe to an award-winning season in one of the top theatres in the world! Enjoy the best of Broadway with The Hanover Theatre's sixth season, including more performances, special discounts for kids and students, subscriber incentives (for those who subscribe by June 30, 2013) from cultural partners, restaurants and businesses throughout Worcester County.
Help Secure the Future of The Hanover Theatre
Support our Securing the Future capital campaign. Watch our video of Troy Siebels, the theatre's executive director, as he thanks our supporters and gives an overview of the theatres successes over that last five years. Learn about the importance of re-investing in our historic venue to maintain high standards and to protect this important cultural landmark for generations to come.