Exciting News!
I was very excited when I saw that Ted Torres Martin is set to star in Return to Grace at the grand OLG theatre in Niagara Falls, ON, in January 2025. Ted has been one of my favourite ETAs since he agreed to do an interview in 2017 based on faith alone. I had just started SIDEBURNS Magazine and the only way I was able to get interviews was to contact ETAs cold turkey. One of the best things about ETAs in the USA and internationally, they are always receptive to interviews, photos, and articles. Ted sent fantastic answers to my questions, and the photos he sent were stunning. It was such a pleasure posting Ted’s interview, even though I knew that the chance of me ever meeting him were slim at best.
Jump ahead to 2022 and the Niagara Falls Elvis Festival: Imagine my delight when I found out that Ted Torres Martin was one of the headliners! During the afternoon meet and greet, I was able to meet Ted. Ted was striking in his blue leather jacket and every bit as handsome as he was in the photos he sent. But the best part of our meeting for the first time is that he was so genuinely nice in person. I would also see Ted in 2024, again at the 2024 NFEF.
Recently I received a program listing the upcoming acts at the 5000 seat OLG Theatre in Niagara Falls, ON. I looked through the listings hoping to see “Return to Grace” listed. I have seen Steve Michaels many times in this production going back as far as 2015 when I first saw him at Fallsview Avalon Theatre. The show, that covers the three decades of Elvis’s life, is extremely popular, and the 1500 seat theatre was filled every day for the week run that included two performances on some days. I saw Steve at the new OLG Theatre last year, and it is obvious the show still draws in crowds, this time filling 5000 seats daily!
I will be very happy to see what Ted brings to the role. Ted has the look, voice, and stage presence that will add the same excitement to the show that he brings to his Elvis tribute. It will be interesting to see what changes the producers might make:: Will they hire the same actor who advances the story of Elvis’s career with his monologue(s)? Will they keep the same back-up dancers, one of whom was Steve’s wife, Ashley? We don’t see the band/orchestra, but each time they have had mostly the same back-up singers, who do a great job. Will they hire the same singers who kill the song “Sweet Inspirations” made famous by the 60’s girl group of the same name? The OLG stage is huge, but the scenery (which is minimal, except for the “If I Can Dream” set) was the same on the OLG Theatre as it was at the Avalon. What I didn’t like about the OLG Theatre is that it is very difficult to get down to the stage for a scarf—unless you are in the first few rows. Fortunately, in Steve’s own words, “She (me) has lots of scarves from me.” LOL What I don’t have, however, is a scarf from Ted. Maybe that will be rectified at the 2025 “Return to Grace.” ;)