Las Vegas » When Logan's Garrett Eugene Case, Jr., signed on to play the role of Elvis Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker in a new Vegas show, at first he thought he had landed a small part.

As originally written, it was a small part, and he was sharing it with other actors. Still, the Odyssey Dance Theatre alum was happy to be cast in the new Cirque du Soleil production, "Viva Elvis," which opens Feb. 19 at the just-opened Aria Resort and Casino.

But then the part developed into something more prominent. Case plays Parker, who serves as a narrator connecting the show's musical, visual and acrobatic elements. "We are using Colonel Parker as the narrative through line to the show and also as a witness to Elvis' life," said Armand Thomas, director of creation for the production, noting how Parker managed the singer's career from 1956 until his death in 1977. "He is the raconteur, the privileged witness to Elvis life. We have created monologues in which the Colonel dips back in his memories in time and shares anecdotes that really enlighten us to who Elvis really was."

Produced in partnership with Elvis Presley Enterprises, the show incorporates historical footage of the singer and his recordings, plus cover versions of his songs performed live. It's billed as a fusion of dance, acrobatics and live music, blending "nostalgia, modernity and raw emotion" to pay tribute to Presley's voice and the sheer energy of his songs.

The white-suited, cigar-chomping character of Colonel Parker guides a cast of 76, which includes 30 dancers, 26 acrobats, a live nine-piece band and four female singers, performing in a state-of-the-art, 1,800-seat theater built for the production.

As Parker, Case takes part in some of the show's most spectacular special effects. In one scene, he's lowered on a filmstrip eight stories from the top of the stage to the floor. In another scene, he flies across the stage while images of Elvis are playing.

In a newer scene, just recently added, the actor drives a three-wheeled car similar to the one the real Elvis gave to the real Colonel Parker.

"There are so many dancers and acrobats who tell the story in their own right," Case said. "It is beautiful to watch them perform. My role sets up the past and narrates it. I try to give insight information as to who Elvis was."

One scene tells the story of Elvis's twin brother, who died at birth. His memory is portrayed through an acrobatic duet, performed through the props of a white piano and a huge silver guitar.

Case doesn't sing in the show, and the 38-year-old performer relies on the magic of makeup to age through the years. Then there's the matter of the fake cigars he chomps on, props made in China, which had to be modified, because the power tasted "nasty. "We had to fix them so I don't have to inhale that stuff," he says.

One of the performer's challenges in preparing for the Feb. 19 opening, after a month and a half of preview shows, is how the script has evolved. "With my role, it has been finding the script, and finding the right words that work with what the narrative needs to be and where it goes," he said. "I have been memorizing, then memorizing something else, and trying to forget. It's been a fun challenge to put myself through as an actor to step up to the next level."

The "Elvis" tribute, opening in the 75th anniversary year of the singer's birth, is different than the other Cirque shows playing on the Vegas strip. It's even markedly different than the other big-name music show, "The Beatles Love," playing at The Mirage. "Love" incorporates original Beatles songs that were redigitalized for the show, utilizing characters from the songs. In contrast, a live band and singers are on stage for most of the "Viva Elvis."

"With the Las Vegas shows, we are in this diversification mode that no two shows should replicate the other, especially in such close proximity," Thomas said. "We have to create new art every time."

Thomas and the rest of Cirque's producers focused on the cultural history embedded in the singer's life and music. "Elvis is the star of this show," Thomas said. "We had to capture him in many ways, through visuals, his voice, storytelling, the atmosphere, our choice of colors and our choice of sets. We had master tapes where we could listen to Elvis in a studio doing 14 different takes on "Hound Dog"and everything that goes in between each take. All of that allowed us to really be almost eavesdroppers on his life."

wharton@sltrib.com