Clendening

Mr. Clendening, 28 years old, has expressed regret over not being cast in a touring production of "Million Dollar Quartet" that will go on the road in the fall, saying he's always felt most at home when not tied down—he didn't stick with formal music lessons, though he does still perform with the Blue Ribbon Boys.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011

"I think my performances have been better than they were in a while," Mr. Clendening said.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011

Eddie Clendening was taken with the sound and soul of the '50s from a young age.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011

Growing up, teachers sometimes called Mr. Clendening "Fonzie," which only contributed to his distaste for caricatures of that time period.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011

But with his strong ties to Elvis and his friendships with his cast mates, Mr. Clendening is struggling with how to follow up what is essentially the only role he's ever played.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011

But he may be an Elvis impersonator—something Mr. Clendening has told producers he has no desire to be.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011

Mr. Clendening believes the musical is better suited to the space at New World Stages, but even with the transfer, his comfort with the direction of the "Quartet" enterprise—four separate productions will be operating in the fall—has begun to wane.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011

On Broadway, Mr. Clendening, accustomed to engaging the crowd during sets with his band, often felt detached while playing for the Nederlander audience.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011

"What I like is that, I think for the guys, it got less gimmicky," Mr. Clendening said.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011

But the jukebox nature of "Quartet," which is in part a rock concert, turned out to be a perfect fit for Mr. Clendening, as well as for cast mates Lance Guest (Johnny Cash) and Robert Britton Lyons (Carl Perkins), who were also part of the original Broadway cast.

Elvis May Leave the Building Laura Hedli 2011