The Illusion of Elvis lived up to its name with Libby Elvis fans

The Illusion of Elvis at the Memorial Center in Libby last weekend was a hit with both the clients and staff from Achievements Inc. and Libby Care Center, who were literally dancing in the aisles throughout the show.

The nightclub-like atmosphere, with a bar set up to serve Roy Roger and Shirley Temple drinks and guitar shaped ice cube stir sticks, had tables with bowls of peanuts and candy and plates of home-made cookies. The lights were dimmed and a neon-like billboard with the words Elvis lit up on stage as the show began.

From the opening number it was hard to remember that the King on stage was an impersonator. With Marsha "Ann Margaret" on stage, in a red sequin-covered shimmy dress and a beehive hairdo, fawning over "Elvis" and dancing like a rock and roll Whirling Dervish, the excitement grew with each of Vernon's renditions of Elvis hits.

Vernon, with a black shock of hair above his forehead, sideburns and a sound-a-like voice was a very convincing Elvis. He changed costumes for three decades of Elvis' career. The gold lame jacket he wore for the '50s music, including Blue Suede Shoes, of course, was put aside when he came on stage in tight leather pants and gyrated through Elvis' movie songs of the '60s. For Elvis's 1968 comeback special Vernon donned the high collared white jumpsuit with gold chains and a sequined cape.Mary Bradshaw, Vernon's aunt, was instrumental in bringing the show to Libby from Seattle as a fund-raiser for Achievements Inc., where she is employed.

Vernon placed first in the Penticton B.C.'s Elvis Festival of 2002, and first place in the "Weekend with the King" contest in Palm Springs in 2003, where he was judged by Elvis' old entourage and he was one of the top three in the Elvis Extravaganza world finals in Las Vegas in 2003.He left the stage several times and the audience swooned appropriately. Vernon was applauded for giving special attention to wheelchair and stretcher-bound people in the audience. Several people were in tears when Vernon closed his show with "How Great Thou Art" and the large audience came to their feet during that finale. The illusion continued as a long line of autograph seekers snaked through the Memorial Center after the show.