Tracking a Slippery ‘Elvis’ Show

Elvisologists used to limit their debate to speculations on the possible whereabouts of the late Elvis Presley. Now it seems that Presley scholars--in California and Nevada, at least--have a new topic for dissertations: the exact location of “Elvis: An American Musical.”

The Performing Arts Center, as part of its important work in bringing significant cultural events to Orange County, proudly announced last month that “Elvis” would be featured in its 1988-89 Broadway Series of musical theater.

Before talk in the county’s cafe circles had yet settled on that announcement, however, the Las Vegas Hilton, where “Elvis: An American Musical” premiered July 1, brought forth an announcement of its own that may well have stunned local Presleyists.

In a quarter-page advertisement in Monday’s Times, the hotel warned potential theatergoers that “Elvis is leaving the (Hilton) building.” It told Southern California Elvisians to book passage to Las Vegas now, because the show would close in the Hilton’s showroom Sunday and--ominously--”there will be no California tour.”

When The Times mobilized its worldwide news-gathering resources to confirm that announcement, Hilton officials responded cautiously. The hotel did not dispute that the Orange County Performing Arts Center was in California, publicity director Denise Tuller said Tuesday.

But as far as the assertion that “there will be no California tour,” Tuller said mysteriously: “I’m not saying it’s wrong and I’m not saying it’s right. It depends on how you look at it.”

Adding to the intrigue was an unannounced name switch: The show scheduled for Costa Mesa had been announced as “Elvis: A Musical Celebration.” Cryptically, the Las Vegas production was given a different title, that of “Elvis: An American Musical.”

“It’s the exact same show,” Tuller said. The producers “changed the name a while ago, but they chose not to announce it,” she said, without elaboration.

When Hilton officials devised the ad, Tuller continued, they had not realized that “Elvis: An American Musical” would play Segerstrom Hall. By the time they actually placed it, she said, they did know about the Costa Mesa date--but decided to run the ad anyway because “we are informed now that it is being sold as part of a subscription series and that the history of that (Orange County) theater is that it always sells out.

“This is the understanding that I was under and that’s why we went ahead with it,” she explained.

On Tuesday, Center officials continued to assert that “Elvis: A Musical Celebration” would appear in Segerstrom Hall as previously announced. Communications and marketing director Richard Bryant stated emphatically that “ ‘Elvis’ will be at the Orange County Performing Arts Center from March 28 to April 2, 1989.”

The original press materials, however, had claimed that “Elvis” would appear in Costa Mesa from May 30 to June 4, 1989. Center spokesman Shawn Fraser later conceded during an interview with The Times that all “Elvis” dates, were, in fact, “tentative.”

Presley could not be reached for comment.