By Shanice Glover
The King: Eras of a Legend, a show based on the life and career of Elvis Presley, will tour in Wichita Falls Nov. 15.
Wayne Jackson, the music technician, said they plan on giving it a “Vegas Feel” with a lot of multimedia, lights and graphics.
“We are going to try to keep the nostalgia, while also giving some modern-day production value,” he said.
Charles Stone, a former tour producer for Elvis, is one of the masterminds behind the show.
Stone states that after Elvis died, he had no involvement with any Elvis-related material for 20 to 25 years.
“I had no interest in it,” Stone said.
This all changed when Stone was invited to be a judge at The Hard Rock Café’s Elvis impersonation contest.
He said the auditions that day were not that great, but he was encouraged to stay for the main attraction.
Reluctantly, he decided to be polite and stay through the end of the show.
That was when he met Kraig Parker, a professional Elvis impersonator.
“I said whoa! This guy is good!” Stone said.
Stone’s wife encouraged him to go talk to Parker after the show, and he admits that it has been a ride in heaven ever since.
Stone and Parker have collaborated to make this a memorable show for all who attend.
“It’s a brand new show and it’s going to rock the world,” Stone said.
Part of the success of the show depends on the believability of Parker’s Elvis impersonation.
Parker said that he has tried singing in nightclubs and recording his own music but they just weren’t his fit.
He believes the reason he sells out arenas and has had such good luck doing this is how well his impersonation of Elvis is, claiming that he’s very similar to The King in real life.
“There is a part of me that comes across as Elvis,” Parker said.
Along with his impersonation skills, the respect that Parker and Stone have received from Elvis’ massive amount of fans has also aided the shows success.
“We are the only production that has the respect from the Elvis fans in the world,” Stone said.
Staying true to who Elvis was, Stone and Parker are going to make tickets affordable for everyone.
Tickets are on sale and prices range from $15 to $20.
“We want everybody to come and be able to see the show,” Parker said.