By Kristi Casey Sanders
Early on in her career, Susan Anton traded in her pageant crowns (Miss California 1969, second runner-up Miss America 1970) for a chance to shine as an actress/singer, appearing in films alongside actors such as John Malkovich (Making Mr. Right ) and Burt Reynolds (Cannonball Run II ), on Broadway in the original productions of Hurleyburly (replacing Candice Bergen) and The Will Rogers Follies , on tour with such legendary performers as Frank Sinatra, and on Las Vegas strip with the Great Radio City Music Hall Spectacular and numerous one-woman shows. This month, she appears at the Fox Theatre as Miss Sandra in the first national tour of All Shook Up .
Encore Atlanta: What is All Shook Up about?
Susan Anton: It takes place in 1955 in a fictional small town in the middle of nowhere where nothing ever happens. The lead character [Chad] is Elvis-like. They call him “the roustabout.” In this town, everyone has given up on life. Nothing good ever happens in this place. And then Chad comes, and bit-by-bit everyone comes to life again, and everyone starts to fall in love with everyone else and starts, literally, chasing them around the set. And, à la Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night , there’s some mistaken identity. But [characters] are not just singing Elvis songs for the sake of singing Elvis songs, they all help to propel the storyline. It’s great fun.
Who do you play?
I play Miss Sandra. She’s only been in town for one week, and she’s all about culture and art and poetry … Mayor Matilda Hyde, who’s the moral barometer for the town, hires Miss Sandra and she’s brought her there to run the museum. But men can only see how hot and sexy she is and are in pursuit of her just because of what they see. But Miss Sandra isn’t interested in that, she’s looking for a man with poetry in his soul.
So, you get chased around the set a lot?
Yes! (laughs) I get chased by the roustabout who says things like, “I want to be your teddy bear,” which is an Elvis song. And she’s like, “puh-leeze” — she wants Shakespeare. There is a widower who’s a gas station owner chasing me, but they’re all just chasing the vision. I relate it to the Arthur Miller-Marilyn Monroe relationship. Everyone wants her because of who they think she is, but she’s more interested in being recognized for her craft and art and intelligence rather than this sex symbol.
Is that something that resonates for you personally?
When I was younger, yeah. I was grateful that people would acknowledge that I was attractive — that’s definitely an asset in the business. At the same time, I wanted them to see I could do other things. I can sing; I can act. Now maturity has set in, so now I’m all about people telling me I’m pretty.
Were you an Elvis fan, growing up?
I wasn’t really. I was a teenager in the 1960s, so the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan … that was the music I connected with. At the same time, I did have the great pleasure of meeting Elvis in the early 1970s in Las Vegas. I found him to be so completely lovely, so sweet. So, I became a fan in retrospect, but not because of his popularity. He introduced rock and roll and opened the doors to all the music that came since then: Little Richard, James Brown …
Are you enjoying being back on the road after spending five years with the Great Radio City Music Hall Spectacular in Las Vegas?
It was great being in one place, being able to sleep in your own bed and having your own house down the street. I was very surprised I got the offer [to do All Shook Up ]. My husband and I had just bought a new house, and it was a big deal, something that we had really wanted, and we literally moved in and three days later, I was in New York rehearsing the show. I’ve been on the road for many, many years of my career and it’s not an easy process. But I’m enjoying this for a couple of reasons: The show is fun and I love my theater family, and I hadn’t had the opportunity to travel since the Radio City show tour, and a lot has happened in this country since 9/11.
What are some of the highlights so far?
One of the greatest highlights was [when] we were in a little town called Appleton, Wis. There’s not much going on there, so they just crowd that theater. They laughed and had a great time. The energy exchange was a surprise. Every city is wonderful and every audience is completely different. Nine out of 10 times, people are jumping to their feet giving us standing ovations at the end.
What do you think are they responding to?
I think they connect to the spirit of the show, the message. At one point, Chad says to Ed (who is really Jenny in disguise), “Love is never wrong, all you have to do is open your heart.” It’s about opening your heart, breaking down your prejudices, and letting love lead the way.
All Shook Up plays The Fabulous Fox Theatre from April 24-29.
