'Tupelo' reveals little about Elvis

CARRBORO -- Creating a new play takes a lot of fortitude these days, what with competition from myriad forms of entertainment, mostly directed to short attention spans. Playwright Paul Newell therefore deserves credit for devoting himself to a subject of some depth in "Tupelo: To Elvis and the Town He Left Behind," now in its premiere production at the ArtsCenter.

Newell's emotional connection to Elvis Presley's music and his fascination with its almost universal appeal led him to research the King's roots in his hometown, which became the play's setting. Based on the idea that music in 1950s Tupelo, Miss., was the great leveler across racial and social lines, the play follows the efforts of several present-day entrepreneurs to make Pressley's birthplace the true symbol of his musical influence and artistry, as opposed to Graceland's crass commercialism.

This lofty aim soon shows its cracks as the participants reveal their greed and self-delusion. Local laundry mogul Dewey (Rick Lonon) wants to redeem his criminal past by giving Elvis his due -- and taking the credit. County commissioner Bob (Phil Crone) professes civic pride in the project but wants his cut. Black banker Otis plays the good old boy but still holds a grudge against former racial injustices.

Marlene (Andrea Powell), Dewey's sometime girlfriend, wants to get beyond her poor education but finds it difficult to break through traditional perceptions. She falls for the enthusiastic young professor Tom (Adam Sampieri), brought in as a consultant on the project, but eventually finds that all is not as it seems, even with him.

Newell's intentions don't translate well to the stage. Instead of a clear theme, he attempts too many strands that don't get developed, the least of which is Elvis' leveling influence. He can't seem to make his mind up about the plot, its emphasis shifting and the climatic moment unforeshadowed. He wastes time with mundane dialogue, then overuses tired devices such as phone calls and letters to deliver great chunks of information and thematic material.

Newell also shifts the tone awkwardly, first asking the audience to laugh at the bumbling efforts of low-rent Southerners, then suddenly asking for empathy when they launch into serious, preachy monologues. He also gives the characters, especially Marlene, conflicting motivations and characteristics, depending on the scene.

Director Paul Ferguson, known for adapting and directing such works as "Good Ol' Girls" and "Killer Diller," does nothing to help the situation. Thursday's leaden pacing and fumbling for lines can be only partially attributed to opening-night jitters. These skilled and experienced actors have been seen to much greater advantage in the past, making Ferguson's direction all the more curiously unsubtle and lifeless.

In the end, "Tupelo" adds little to the understanding of Presley's appeal, nor does it shine any light on social and racial issues that aren't already well established.