A Liverpool Hope University professor and composer is set to undertake a major creative research journey across the United States as part of the development of an ambitious new music theatre work exploring the spiritual life of Elvis Presley.
Professor Stephen Davismoon, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Creative Arts and Humanities, will depart for the USA in May, ahead of a 2,000-mile road journey retracing the route Presley frequently travelled during the 1960s between Hollywood and Memphis, before continuing onward to Nashville.
The journey forms part of the creative development process for The Path to Love, a new 90-minute music theatre work examining Presley’s lifelong spiritual search for love, faith, identity, and self-realisation. Planned for world premiere in 2027 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Presley’s death, the production seeks to move beyond celebrity mythology to reveal a human portrait of one of America’s most iconic cultural figures.
Throughout the journey, Professor Davismoon will make extensive audio field recordings of the landscapes, roads, environments, and atmospheres encountered across the American South and Southwest. These recordings will become an integral part of the theatrical and sonic architecture of The Path to Love.
Professor Davismoon said: “This journey is about more than retracing miles on a map. It is an attempt to encounter the physical spaces, emotional distances, and landscapes that shaped Elvis Presley’s inner world. The sounds gathered along the road will help underpin the drama at the centre of The Path to Love.”
Blending contemporary classical composition with gospel, blues, country, rock, electronic sound, and immersive multimedia design, the production will combine music theatre with audio-visual storytelling techniques to create an experiential work exploring belief, longing, and artistic responsibility.
The project is being developed collaboratively between Professor Stephen Davismoon in Manchester, UK, and acclaimed theatre designer Scott Boyd in Nashville, USA. A pilot development phase is planned for late 2026.
The Path to Love aims to connect music theatre audiences, Elvis enthusiasts, and those interested in stories of self-discovery. The creative team is currently seeking development and production support for composition, workshops, design development, staging, and touring.
For more information contact: Stephen Davismoon davisms@hope.ac.uk