The dark stage suddenly lights up with every spotlight and every glowing face watching with delightful expectation as the audience holds their breath. Suddenly, the band strikes up a familiar tune. A sequined jumpsuit comes into view and the stage becomes a time machine, taking the audience back to eras of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll.

A sneak peak for the 2013 national touring show, “The King: Eras of a Legend” starring well-known performer Kraig Parker, will debut at Memorial Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15.

Elvis Presley’s former Tour Producer Charles Stone and Wichita Theatre owner Dwayne Jackson have teamed up with Parker to create this national touring show that they hope to someday make a permanent presence in Vegas. According to Stone, for all those who worked with Elvis when he was alive, Parker is the only one of all the many impersonators today who receives their support.

“He has the respect of the Elvis people in the Elvis world,” Stone said. “I would never get involved with anybody unless [their impersonation] was quality and respectful.”

Both Stone and Jackson agree that what sets Parker apart from all the other Elvis impersonators in the world is the fact that he is himself on stage. He can really sing and doesn’t think that he is Elvis, but instead brings honor to Elvis.

“I try to put my own take on it, my own style and charisma,” Parker said. “There’s a part of me that comes across as Elvis, but I think a bigger part comes across as myself. What you get with the Kraig Parker show is you get Kraig Parker, singing Elvis songs, in an Elvis costume. I wanted to be my own original musician. I just had his similarities, but I don’t have to act. I just be myself.”

In effort to fully recreate the feeling of Elvis on the stage, Parker, Stone and Jackson have worked to create a show that goes through all the eras of Elvis, from the career-launching 50’s style to the full band, production heavy Vegas style that Elvis is most known for.

“You’re going to get an unveiling as the show progresses into big, bigger, and biggest,” Jackson said. “It’s always been important to me to give the show as big a ‘Vegas’ feel as possible. We’re going to try to keep the nostalgic while also giving some modern day production value that you might normally expect in a Vegas show today.”

TIckets are on sale now for $10 and $20 at the Kay Yeager box office. Stone said that Jackson asked for these cheaper ticket prices because the original Elvis Presley and the Colonel always kept their prices low so everybody who wanted to would be able to attend. Also, they want to fill the auditorium because they will be taping the show to use to promote the tour.

“You always wonder, ‘How long can this go on?'” Jackson said. “At some point you’d think he is going to really die. But Elvis never dies.”