By Kellen Olshefski
Staff Writer
Dave “Elvis” Ehlert is strapping on his blue suede shoes and preparing to swivel his way into the hearts of area residents as he gears up for two one-of-a-kind performances July 27 at Elkhorn’s Sprague Theatre.
Ehlert, who has been performing as an Elvis impersonator since 1967, ten years before Elvis Presley’s death, will be performing his nationally touring show “Elvis and the Superstars,” as well as his portrayal of Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln.
Featured on the Oprah Winfrey show and performing in Las Vegas, he was the first inductee to the Elvis Presley Impersonators International Association.
According to Ehlert, it was nearly 25 years into performing before he began to view it as a career opportunity.
“Before that I just did it because I liked it,” he said. “I never dreamed in 1967 that I’d be doing this in the 21st century, that’s for sure.”
Ehlert, who is originally from the Waukegan, Gurnee, Ill., area, said he began performing with Chicago and Milwaukee being his hub before he took over Branson’s historic Owen’s Theatre in 1993.
Ehlert still performs at the theatre once a month, however he said this year he’ll normally be on the road.
Ehlert has been in the theatre business for the “better part of 20 years” in Branson, Mo. Taking his shows around the country, Ehlert has performed in 42 states so far.
The first of the shows, a matinee performance at 3 p.m., will be based on a civil war theme, with Ehlert performing as Lincoln, telling the story of the civil war through the former president’s perspective.
Then after a quick costume change, Ehlert will be returning to the stage as the well-known American author, Mark Twain.
Ehlert said the show, coupled with a multi-media presentation including photos and music from the civil war era, might surprise attendees.
“Mark Twain was a very funny guy and Abe Lincoln could tell very funny stories and always told them for a reason to illustrate a point he was trying to make to political foes, the general public or one of his uncooperative generals,” he said.
Something to look for in Ehlert’s matinee show is how he goes from Abraham Lincoln’s height of 6 foot 3 inches to the 5-foot-7-inch Mark Twain all in the same show.
“That’s special effects,” he said.
As for Ehlert’s evening show beginning at 7:30 p.m., the show will consist of a series of tribute shows, beginning with the Dean Martin Las Vegas Revue, featuring the very different musical stylings and vocal ranges of Dean Martin and Roy Orbison.
From there, the show will flow directly into Ehlert’s “Elvis and the Superstars,” a series of tribute acts encompassing impersonations of artists such as Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Hank Williams, Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole and others.
Incredibly, Ehlert portrays each and every one of them, changing costumes and truly singing the songs, not lip-syncing.
Ehlert said when he began in the ten years before Elvis’s death, he was only performing as Elvis.
However, he said as time has gone on, more Elvis impersonators have taken the stage, many that are not that good, and he has had to get by that to even get people to come to an Elvis show.
“People who have been to my show know that if they want to hear what Elvis sounded like and hear his songs the way he sang them, then they won’t be disappointed,” he said.
He added that coupling his Elvis impersonation with the impersonation of other music superstars has helped to boost interest in the public.
Tickets for the 3 p.m. matinee showing centered around Lincoln and Twain cost $10 in advance and $12 at the door. As for the evening show, tickets cost $15 in advance and $18 at the door.
The show will be held at the Sprague Theatre, 15 Walworth St., Elkhorn, also known as the Walworth County Performing Arts Center.
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time by calling (800) 358-4795.
