I'm currently directing a new theatrical cabaret piece titled Bassey & Me, written and starring the fab Niki Scalera (Broadway's Tarzan, Hairspray) with music direction and additional writing by Keith Thompson.
The show explores the life, career and inspiration of the one and only Dame Shirley Bassey, and her impact on Scalera.
I'm a huge fan of Bassey, and while I knew most of the songs in the show, "The Living Tree" is a theatrical powerhouse that's new to me somehow. Check out the Dame performing the song during the Glastonbury Festival in 2007, at the age of 70!
Bassey & Me will have two performances at The Smith Center here in Las Vegas on January 14 (7PM) and January 22 (2:30PM).
Nate Hackmann (center) leads the cast of IDAHO!
(click pics to enlarge - all photos by Erik Kabik)
For those readers in Las Vegas this weekend, I heartily encourage you to run to The Smith Center where Idaho! The Comedy Musical is killing audiences with tons of laughs and titular tunes.
The new musical, lyrics and book by Buddy Sheffield with co-composer credit to Keith Thompson, is a mashed up/parody version of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical canon with an emphasis on sending up their classic tuner, Oklahoma!. Think applying a healthy dose of double entendre Mel Brooks' The Producers humor, plus hysterical irreverence like that currently trodding the Broadway boards in hits like Book of Mormon and Something Rotten! and you get an idea of what's in store.
Sheffield and Thompson's score is clever and tuneful with plenty of musical inside jokes for the most learned of musical theater fans. Along the way you also get nods to Les Miserables, Fiddler on the Roof and many, many more.
The project got it's initial exposure at the New York Musical Theater Festival back in 2008 when it was honored with "Best of Fest." I mention that to note that this is how long it takes to develop a real, honest-to-goodness Broadway musical. Eight years later the show is finally getting a major production here in Las Vegas.
The fruit of that extended developmental period of time is on full display here. The book is tight, the lyrics smart, and the creative team seems open to honest reassessment. Sources report that between the first preview and opening night the second act was tightened by 5 minutes. This is a team that demonstrates a strong sense of clarity in what they want to deliver to an audience.
The official synopsis goes thusly:
Idaho! The Comedy Musical brings a hilarious new love story to life as Cassie Purdy, a mail-order bride from Ohio, arrives to Idaho to marry the notorious Jed Strunk, a real toad gagger who’s got the personality of a festered wart and enough money to buy every last spud in town. Upon her arrival, Cassie encounters the handsome Whip Masters, falling in love to Strunk’s dismay and setting in motion a whirlwind of events that end in three couples either discovering or re-discovering the loves of their lives.
The handsome "Whip Masters" is played to perfection by handsome, gorgeous voiced Nate Hackmann (recently seen in the Broadway revival of Les Miserables) who is worth the price of admission all on his own. A big, huge, golden voice, and comedy chops to match, Hackmann let's us know up front that, “Heck, it’s a helluva day!” because, after all, “I’m the leading man.”
Jessica Fontana (Broadway's Cinderella)is the object of his affection, and for good reason. Fontana plays "Cassie" with much sass and a winning soprano.
Also featured in the cast are Matt Loehr (Book of Mormon, The Producers) as "Slim Johnson" (careful of the double entendre there) and Alex Ellis (Catch Me If You Can, On A Clear Day) as "Ida Dunham" (another pun there). Think Oklahoma!'s "Will Parker" and "Ado Annie" but with a lot more good, clean sexual punning going on.
Carmen Ruby Floyd, Jen Perry and Jay Rogers all join in to farm the fun and frivolity.
Director Matt Lenz has a firm grasp of the very specific kind of humor he working with here, and he delivers keeping the pace turned up high and the humor constantly center stage.
Choreographer Michelle Lynch continually finds terpsichorean creativity throughout including heaping helpings of humor with her "Twister Ballet" and the "Everything's Up To Date In Kansas City" stand-in "Boise’s Jist as Noisy as Kin Be" led by Loehr.
The audience was clearly happy to take this hay ride as the laughs were constant throughout. This is spud-busting, tater-tickling, home-grown humor here, and the audience was definitely down for the fun.
Myron Martin, president and CEO of The Smith Center who spearheaded the development of the Center as a haven for touring Broadway shows to call home here in Las Vegas, is now taking the Center to the next level hoping to actually create musicals that Las Vegas can send to Broadway.
Idaho! makes for a worthy first effort. Stay tuned to see if the tuner tumbles all the way to the Great White Way.
But in the meantime, head down to the Center's Reynolds Hall and enjoy Idaho!'s fully baked fun with all the fixings.
Idaho! The Comedy Musical performs now through Sunday, July 17. For ticket info, call 702-749-2000 or click over to at The Smith Center.
Graham Skipper (“Herbert West”) and Jesse Merlin (“Dr. Carl Hill”)
Re-Animator The Musical tells the bizarre story of Herbert West, a young medical student who has discovered a glowing green serum that can bring the dead back to life…with catastrophic results.
Emmy Award-nominee George Wendt, well-known for his role on the hit TV show “Cheers,” has been added to the cast for the two-week engagement at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Troesh Studio Theater, Jan. 6-18, 2015. The starring role reunites Wendt with members of the original production.
Based on the cult classic H.P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator, this award-winning horror comedy is helmed by Stuart Gordon (who also directed the film) and features a splash zone for those who enjoy a little splatter! Variety wrote “Not since Little Shop of Horrors has a screamfest tuner so deftly balanced seriousness and camp.”
Attending the opening night at The Smith Center, the audience had a great time - especially those who sat in the first few rows ("the splash zone") who enjoyed a rain of faux blood and more. It seems to be the "in" thing to be up front, but be warned - it gets pretty wet.
Wendt brings a grounding foundation to the shenanigans, while the entire cast buys into the fun and clever "Sondheim-ian" score.
The opening night had a couple of sound issues (hard to hear, missed sound cues) but I'm sure those were technical blips corrected since then.
With the ongoing popularity of zombies on TV and film, it's no wonder the award-winning musical is a hit with audiences.
For more info on the musical head over to the official website here.
Award-winning actor/singer/dancer Eric Jordan Young has been called “a one-man force of nature.”
Tonight, Young takes the stage at The Smith Center's Cabaret Jazz in Once In A Lifetime, his one-man show which puts all of his singing, dancing and story-telling gifts on display. Expect new versions of such standards as “Birth of the Blues,” “Where or When,” “That Old Black Magic" and “Candy Man.”
He is the recipient of the 2011 & 2012 Broadway World Award for Best Performance By a Lead Actor for his work in VEGAS! THE SHOW where he originated the role of “Ernie.”
Eric has appeared on Television (Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Ugly Betty), Broadway (RAGTIME ’09, CHICAGO, SEUSSICAL, LOOK OF LOVE, RAGTIME ’98), Off-Broadway (NYSF, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center), in National Tours and Regional Theatre, as well as Concerts, Commercials and Recordings.
Eric has appeared in concert with several Symphonies throughout the country including the NY Pops at Carnegie Hall.
His solo album, Once In A Lifetime, finds inspiration from the World’s Greatest Entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr.
The luminous Betty Buckley, direct from rave reviews for her star turn in the Off-Broadway world premiere of Horton Foote's The Old Friends, is bringing her critically acclaimed concert “The Other Woman: The Vixens of Broadway” to the Smith Center on October 25, 26 & 27.
The Theater Hall of Fame honoree's “The Vixens of Broadway” highlights some of the most memorable supporting female characters in Broadway’s most popular shows. Song selections include hits from Chicago, Evita, Company, Oklahoma and Into the Woods.
The Tony Award-winner will also incorporate songs from Jerry Herman’s Dear World in which she starred in the London Premiere earlier this year.
Described as "The Voice of Broadway," by New York Magazine, Betty Buckley has become the premiere leading lady of the American musical theatre via her show-stopping performances in Cats, Sunset Boulevard, Song and Dance, 1776, Pippin and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Ms. Buckley won a Tony Award for her performance in Cats, received a Tony Award nomination for Triumph of Love, and an Olivier Award nomination in London for her performance in Sunset Boulevard, which she reprised on Broadway to rave reviews.
“The Vixens of Broadway” debuted last fall at Feinstein’s in New York to rave reviews. Stephen Holden of the New York Times wrote, “You leave few evenings feeling exhilarated after peering into the souls of more than a dozen musical theater characters, all embodied by the same singer…the show is rich in musical theater lore and spicy autobiographical tidbits…the show is a master class in how a singer arrives at the right balance of self, the personality of a song and the character who sings it.”
A perfect fit at the comfortable and stylish Cabaret Jazz room, this appearance marks Buckley’s second run at the venue. Playing to packed houses last fall in her Smith Center debut, she dazzled Las Vegas audiences with her show, “Ah Men – The Boys of Broadway.”
Don’t miss this theatre legend as she brings powerful and new interpretations to some of Broadway’s greatest female roles.
You can listen to my interview with Betty for The Candi & Randy Show below, where she chats on her recent off-Broadway success in "The Old Friends." her concert "The Vixens of Broadway" and her creative approach to new material for stage and concerts. Really fascinating chat from a true legend.
Jim Caruso brought his fabulous open mic night "Cast Party" back to the Smith Center's Cabaret Jazz Room this week, and the return engagement proved once again - this is one of the best "shows" in Las Vegas.
Already running 10 years in NYC at Birdland, this marks the second time Caruso, along with partner in crime/music director Billy Stritch, have played the Cabaret Jazz room bringing together some of Las Vegas' best and brightest talents to drop by and perform. The format provides for a wide swath of talent, style and content. You never know what you're going to get with "Cast Party" - and this evening was packed with talent.
In addition to Caruso and Stritch, just a few of the local luminaries included Frankie Moreno, Jasmine Trias (American Idol), Mark Shunock (Rock of Ages), Reva Rice (Vegas the Show), Maren Wade (Vegas the Show), Skye Dee Miles, Pascale Elia, Philip Officer, Amanda Avila and many more. Check out the pics below. As always, click on the pic to enlarge.
And the next time "Cast Party" hits Las Vegas don't miss it.
Jim Caruso from NYC's "Cast Party" dropped by The Candi & Randy Show today to talk about bringing the best party in town to Las Vegas at the Smith Center's Cabaret Jazz.
Jim Caruso’s "Cast Party" is a wildly popular weekly soiree that brings a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to the legendary Birdland in New York City every Monday night since 2003.
"Cast Party" is a cool cabaret night-out enlivened by a hilariously impromptu variety show. Showbiz superstars hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, serving up jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle.
Jim guides the entire affair like a bubbly cruise director, musical director Billy Stritch holds court at the ivories and the audience is invited to participate in the festivities! Cast Party has been honored with two BroadwayWorld Awards, a MAC Award, Bistro Award and a Nightlife Award.
It’s the party that would happen if somehow David Letterman and Ed Sullivan threw a hip house party around a nine-foot concert grand piano!
The Smith Center for the Performing Arts has announced Tony® and Emmy® Award-winning sensation Kristin Chenoweth will perform a special New Year’s Eve concert inside Reynolds Hall beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The evening will feature Chenoweth performing an array of her most memorable songs and Broadway show tunes, including music from “Wicked,” “Promises, Promises” and “Glee.”
“I am so delighted to celebrate the New Year with a performance at The Smith Center,” said Chenoweth. “What better place for a New Year's Eve party than Las Vegas!”
Chenoweth, an LGBT ally and favorite, has had an extraordinarily diverse career including her Tony-winning performance in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” and originating the role of Glinda the Good Witch in the smash hit “Wicked,” which earned her a leading actress Tony Award Nomination.
Chenoweth’s critically acclaimed performance in the ABC series “Pushing Daisies” won her an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Her guest appearance on Fox’s comedy “Glee,” earned her two Emmy Award nominations and a People’s Choice Award for Favorite TV Guest Star. Kristin also starred as Annabeth Schott on the hit drama “The West Wing."
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve; Tuesday, Dec. 31.
Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 11 at 10 a.m. at The Smith Center Box Office, located at 361 Symphony Park Avenue, by phone at 702-749-2000 or 808-326-6868 (TTY) and online at TheSmithCenter.com.
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party, the wildly popular weekly soiree that brings a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to the legendary Birdland in New York City for ten years every Monday night, is coming back the Cabaret Jazz room at the Smith Center on October 9th.
In case you somehow missed the Cast Party debut last spring, this is a cool cabaret night out via a hilariously impromptu variety show. Showbiz superstars hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, serving up jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle. Cabaret super-star Ann Hampton Callaway says "Cast Party is come what 'mayhem!’”
The buoyant and sharp Jim Caruso guides the entire affair like a charming, witty cruise director; musical genius Billy Stritch holds court at the ivories; and the audience is invited to participate in the festivities. Says Caruso, "I can’t tell you how excited both Billy and I are at having a regular home at that incredible Smith Center. It is a party. And that's what I want everyone to know. It's a really fun party with people you know, some people you don't know, and some people you will never need to know in your life (laughs). What makes this whole thing work is the audience and how they take this whole experience in."
Some of the A-Listers seen at Cast Party include Liza Minnelli, Michael Feinstein, Clint Holmes, Donny Osmond, Martin Short, Melissa Manchester, Josh Groban, Frankie Moreno, Jon Bon Jovi, Dave Koz, Carol Channing, Stephen Schwartz and Tony Bennett!
Jim Caruso has been spreading the fun all across the country, celebrating local talent in Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Austin, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Orlando, the Hamptons, Provincetown, and on the high seas.
Somewhere between “There’s no business like show business” and “there’s no place like home,” you’ll find Cast Party - On The Road!
This past Wednesday saw the Smith Center debut of the uber-popular CAST PARTY.
Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch brought their NYC-based "open mic" house party to Cabaret Jazz and a packed house.
With a concept that encourages locals and Strip headliners to get up and sing (or anything really), the talent and fun included such Vegas names as Clint Holmes, Frankie Moreno, Tina Walsh, Mark Shunock, Maren Wade, Erich Bergen and more.
Las Vegas Sun has a gallery of pics from the night:
Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso open the show
The one and only Clint Holmes gets the party started
Erich Bergen, of JERSEY BOYS, laughs with Jim Caruso
The fabulous Frankie Moreno
Maren Wade, currently with FANTASY, laughs with Jim Caruso
Mark Shunock, of ROCK OF AGES, sings at Cast Party
Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso banter during Cast Party at Cabaret Jazz
Betty Buckley made her Smith Center debut Thursday in Las Vegas with her fabulous show Ah Men - the Boys of Broadway.
Singing songs originally sung by male characters in the Broadway canon, she proves that when it comes to singing men's songs - as the "tom boy" Annie Oakley would say - "anything you can do, I can do better."
Buckley doesn't pretend to BE men while performing these songs. She merely takes the songs and claims them for her own. And in doing so, she brings to bear the essence of the songs.
I'll preface this post by saying I've admired Betty Buckley's work for a long, long time. From CATS, to DROOD, to TRIUMPH OF LOVE, to SUNSET BOULEVARD, to GYPSY, to Carnegie Hall - I was there, and I appreciate the talent that is Betty Buckley.
Here are a few of my thoughts seeing this legend again live:
• With Buckley, you never get the sense that the song is there to be sung. It's there to be lived. A song is never a vocalise, it's a moment in time.
• Her magnificent voice is untouched by age, demonstrating the range and power that's been a hallmark of her career. At one point in performance, she pulls the microphone feet away from her mouth, filling the 300+ theater with her voice unaided by amplification. Few performers are equally famous for both the big and the intimate moments. Buckley is of that rare breed.
• Taking the stage with bright, almost athletic power, she launches into "I Can See It" from THE FANTASTICKS with enviable ease. By the middle of the song she's singing "I can hear it; sirens singing." And with that it's clear she is our siren and we, the audience, are spellbound.
• One of the evening's highlights (and this is a show with nothing but highlights), is her interpretation of "Hey There" from THE PAJAMA GAME. Set to a gorgeous, almost hypnotic rolling motif by music director Christian Jacob, Buckley at the same time questions & consoles her inner self in musical gorgeousness.
• If you have to pick THE showstopper of the night, it is the one piece of "specialty" material written for the evening: “A Hymn to Her,” a clever rewrite by Eric Stern and Eric Kornfeld of “A Hymn to Him,” Henry Higgins’s from “My Fair Lady.” Invoking the voices of great male roles throughout Broadway, Buckley makes clear, in hysterical fashion, that men are put on notice - I. Can. Do. This. And she does.
• As she begins GUYS AND DOLLS's "Luck Be A Lady Tonight" she notes that it is a perfect song for Las Vegas. And it is.
• Buckley shares one song from her newest show, The Other Woman: The Vixens of Broadway. "Another Suitcase In Another Hall" was gorgeous in it's vulnerability and musicality.
• In a medley of three songs from “Sweeney Todd,” each written for a different male character, Buckley sang each in character. "Not While I'm Around" is delivered with earnest purity and truth; "Johanna" becomes an anthem of nearly unbridled desire; her chilling rendition of “My Friends,” in which Sweeney affectionately sings to his razors, makes it apparent that Buckley could easily be a most dangerous Sweeney Todd.
• While some artists retain the spotlight all evening, Buckley is generous to highlight her musical collaborators throughout the night. Ample credit is due to pianist, arranger & musical director Christian Jacob of the Tierney Sutton Band, drummer Matt Betton and bassist Peter Barshay, who provide superb support and sensitive musicianship throughout the evening.
• Many, many more great moments to speak of: "Come Back To Me" - love me some Burton Lane; WEST SIDE STORY's "Maria" - a master class in intimacy; "Corner of the Sky" from PIPPIN - brought the evening full circle with full voiced vocals and optimistic ideals.
If you don't have the opportunity to see Betty Buckley live, you can enjoy this suite of songs on her CD of the same name. Check it out on Amazon.
The Smith Center has hit another home run with the 6 week run of the national touring company of WICKED, now through October 7.
This production offers first class talent and extraordinary production values that make for a roller coaster ride of an evening in the theater. From laughs to touching moments of unlikely friendship to the soaring anthem of newly discovered inner courage - WICKED delivers.
The musical is based on the 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire, a book that cleverly imagines the back story leading up to a tornado that sends Dorothy on a trip from Kansas to Oz. During this election year, it is timely in that it is filled with truths about the nature of political power and mass manipulation.
Nicole Parker hits a home run as "Elphaba" — the Wicked Witch of the West. Having played the role on Broadway, Parker's experience shows in her soaring vocals which makes the Stephen Schwartz score sound almost easy to sing (it's not.) Her first big song - "Wizard and I" - immediately lets the audience know that the difficult vocals will be no problem for Parker. And her Act One roof raiser - "Defying Gravity" - is top-notch. Plus she is very comfortable with playing not only the dark side of the role but the humorous moments, too.
Patti Murin's "Glinda, the good witch" brings a lot of lightness and pop to the evening. She starts out the evening with an approach that is less showy than I've seen, but grows considerably by Act Two.
Also strong were Tom McGowan as the "Wonderful Wizard of Oz", and Demaree Hill as the Wicked Witch's sister "Nessarose," whose big scene in the second act was one of the best performances of the role I've seen.
My one small reservation was that there were moments when the performances by the ensemble cast felt a bit phoned in, as if they’ve been doing this for a quite a while. Physical energy was dropped while exiting, and some choreography wasn't as clean as it could have been.
With vividly imaginative scenic designs by Eugene Lee, Susan Hilferty's quirky costumes that blend high style and fantasy and gorgeous lighting by Kenneth Posner, the show is fantastic to look at. Supporting all the terrific stage architecture on display is a powerful story of peer pressure, prejudice and even hints of racism in an immediately recognizable story. Joe Mantello's resourceful and inventive direction brings the evening to life in a manner that still feels fresh. And Wayne Cilento adds creative and stylish musical staging to the production.
The audience at the performance I attended was clearly spellbound, and there was an instant standing ovation at the beginning of the bows. The magic had been made.
Overall, it's a very strong production and Las Vegans should run see this show before it's six week run ends.
The Smith Center's offering of the national touring company of "La Cage Aux Folles" is definitely a must-see theater event for Las Vegas.
Starring George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber with a superb score by master Broadway composer/lyricist Jerry Herman, the opening night audience was treated to a terrific evening that ranged from touching to comic hysteria.
Georges, played by Hamilton, runs a slightly tattered St. Tropez nightclub that's a showcase for female impersonators. The 'star' of the showcase is his husband, Albin, the local star 'Zaza.'
Their domestic life is upset when Georges' son, Jean-Michel, arranges a meet-the-family dinner with his new fiancee and her parents, who are conservative, politically powerful and disapproving.
Hoping to re-write history and avoid embarrassment, Jean-Michel invites his long-absent biological mother to take the place of Albin who raised him, and ask that Albin demote to the role of "Uncle Albert." When Jean-Michel's mother fails to show at the last minute, Albin appears in female garb in an attempt to save the day for all. From there, hilarity and chaos becomes the order of the day.
George Hamilton performs the role of "Georges" with dignity and quiet strength as he tries to maintain balance in his family - his love for his son and his husband. His rendition of "Look Over There" is especially effective as he points out to Jean-Michel the sacrifices Albin has made over the years for his adopted son. While his primary skill may not be as a singer, he handles his songs with confidence and grace.
However, the evening belongs to Christopher Sieber, whose "Albin/Zaza" is a star-turn that keeps the entire evening spinning. His command of comedy is masterful, and his voice is powerhouse. He knows when to use all these strengths, and when to pull them back. During "The Best Of Times" he subtly but clearly communicates a message of living life "in the now." But it's his powerful and moving "I Am What I Am" that brings the house down at the end of Act One. Vocally and emotionally, he triumphantly makes a statement for himself and a community.
Praise must also be given to the fantastic men of the ensemble - "The Cagelles" - who deliver at every turn.
Director Terry Johnson and choreographer Lynne Page do an excellent job of bringing Harvey Fierstein's award-winning libretto to life.
It also bears mentioning that Jerry Herman's score is still as winning as the day it won the Tony Award in 1984. "La Cage" remains one of his best. On top of the artful story-telling he brings to the score, his songs leave a message true to a continuous thread of Herman's work: that life is meant to be lived. From "Before The Parade Passes By" from HELLO, DOLLY! to "It's Today" from MAME to "The Best Of Times" from LA CAGE, you leave the theater with a smile and a sense of looking forward.
And the show's message of love and "non-traditional family" resonates even moreso today, in this time of marriage equality acceptance, than it did in the early 1980s.
I give this show 4 stars (out of 4). Go see this show.
Some great live concerts coming to the gorgeous Smith Center here in Las Vegas. Check out these two amazing artists - a great way to spend an evening in the gorgeous Smith Center's Cabaret Jazz venue:
For Clint Holmes Sings the Modern American Songbook, audiences can look forward to hearing Holmes sing a variety of songs from those he considers the greatest contemporary songwriters—Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Stevie Wonder, among others.
A master entertainer, Clint never performs the same show twice. Instead, he features a constantly evolving kaleidoscope of music every single night, ranging from contemporary to jazz to Broadway. Showcasing the greatest songwriters from around the world, he creates a spellbinding evening of music that’s both Live and Alive.
Friday, August 3 - 8:30pm
Saturday, August 4 - 8:30pm
Sunday, August 5 - 2:00pm
Tickets: $35 - $45
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Barbara Cook in Concert - Barbara Cook’s silvery soprano, purity of tone, and warm presence have delighted audiences around the world for more than 50 years. Considered “Broadway’s favorite ingenue” during the heyday of the Broadway musical, Miss Cook has since then launched a successful second career as a concert and recording artist soaring from one professional peak to another.
Thursday, August 16 - 8:00pm
Friday, August 17 - 8:00pm
Saturday, August 18 - 8:00pm
Sunday, August 19 - 3:00pm
Tickets: $40 - $70
