Broadway To Vegas
SHOW REVIEWS CELEBRITY INTERVIEWS GOSSIP NEWS
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Copyright: January 18, 1999
By: Laura Deni
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PAMELA ANDERSON DOES
VEGAS
The former Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson spent last week in Las Vegas filming
the final episode of her new series VIP. Pamela stars as Vallery Irons, the head of an elite
body guard agency - thus the title which stands for Vallery Irons Protection.The final episode of
the show's first season has raper/actor Ice-T as the guest star.
PAMELA ANDERSON
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Pamela also serves as executive producer, which means people must listen to what she says,
rather than just gape at her body.
Pamela is relishing that new power image. "It's exciting, and it's great that I have all this
creative input. It's just funny, because now when I walk into a room --I go into Columbia
Tristar -- with all these big-wig guys - everyone looks to me for what I want to do and I'm not
used to that," she said referring to production company meetings.
"Usually I walk in there and there are people talking over me. Now I go: - I think everyone should
wear pink in the next episode. - And they go: - That's a great idea, Pamela. That's brilliant!"
For the Las Vegas shoot several hundred non paid extras were sought. Everyone participating had
to be over 21, wear casual clothing and sign waiver forms.
Some of the locations used in the shoot were the Hard Rock Cafe, Club Paradise, and the Forum
Shops at Caesars Palace.
The buxom beauty is no stranger to Las Vegas. The Hard Rock was the setting for a public fight
between Pamela and her then husband rocker Tommy Lee. That took place last February at a
party after the Rolling Stones' concert. A week later Pamela charged Lee with spousal and child
abuse.
BANDERAS FREEZES HIS BOLERO
OFF
ANTONIO BANDERAS
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About once every ten to 15
years Las Vegas experiences a snowfall that doesn't melt before it hits the ground. Antonio
Banderas recently picked that day to film White River Kid.
Antonio is pictured
with Kim
Barranco (at bottom) a real show girl from the Riviera's Hotel's Crazy Girl's revue and
two unidentified models, who were cast as showgirls.
They almost froze their tail
feathers.
Despite the unusual Las Vegas cold snap the shoot was a success. Antonio then bundled up his
wife, Melanie Griffin, and their kids and whisked them off to Spain's warmer climate.
TITANIC SINKS IN LOS ANGELES
The Broadway musical Titanic which docked a 1997 Tony Award as Best Musical sailed
into Los Angeles and found the Los Angeles Times - the city's most powerful paper - had
used a pen as a missile to demolish the production.
The stately newspaper found little to like about the show. I saw the production twice on
Broadway. The first time there were technical problems and the ship didn't sink. The second
time I viewed the performance I enjoyed the show. I even spent my hard earned money on the
CD.
It should be noted that the Los Angeles production is not the Broadway cast. Depending upon the
stars and venue there is always the possibility that a touring or bus and truck show won't equal the
Broadway version. The Titanic road show is a massive undertaking. Scenes include: the
ship splitting horizontally to reveal both the instrumented captain's bridge and the in-the-sea
depths boiler room; a crow's nest that descends: and sinking scenes in which floors tilt, furniture
slides and crockery crashes. However -- there isn't any way the stage show Titanic could
compete with the visual effects of that mega movie.
Titanic has been selected to launch the Buell Theatre Denver Center Attractions' 1999
season, slated to reach the Denver port in March. The huge production, which did sail away with
5 Tony Awards in 1997, uses vignettes to recount the story of the passengers and crew on the
1912 maiden voyage of the "unsinkable" Titanic. When the ship hit an iceberg and sank 1,500
people died.
NOT ABOUT NIGHTINGALES
Tennessee Williams' recently discovered early play Not About Nightingales will premiere
on Broadway beginning Feb. 13 at the Circle-In-The-Square Theatre.
Based on an actual inmate uprising, Not About Nightingales is set in a large American
prison in 1938. It is the story of Jim (Finbar Lynch), a young prisoner who works in the Warden's
office. Attracted to Eva (Sherri Parker Lee), the Warden's newly-hired secretary, Jim attempts to
distance himself from the rebellious fellow inmates. But when the ruthless Warden (Corin
Redgrave) punishes the ring-leader of a prison hunger strike, Jim is inexorably drawn into the
conflict. Jame Black plays Butch O'Fallon, the leader of the rebellious inmates.
This play was discovered when stage and film star Vanessa Redgrave was preparing for her role in
Williams' Orpheus Descending. She came across a reference by the playwright to his early,
unknown work. "I have never written anything since then," wrote Williams about Not About
Nightingales, "that could compete with it in violence and horror, for it was based on
something that actually occurred about this time."
Not About Nightingales was written in 1938 and submitted to a playwriting contest by a
26-year-old playwright named Thomas Williams. Since the contest's cut off age for its contestants
was 25, Thomas changed his name to Tennessee, to hide his identity and true age and submitted
his play. His didn't win the contest and the play was never produced.
Ms. Redgrave was determined to find the work and finally was presented a script of the play by
Maria St. Just, the executrix of Williams' estate. Later, after hours of research at a library
collection of Williams' papers at the University of Texas in Austin, the actress discovered 13 large
folders containing drafts and redrafts of scenes from the drama.
CORIN REDGRAVE
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In 1996, when Miss Redgrave and her brother, Corin Redgrave, were performing Shakespeare in
Houston as a co-production between their own London-based Moving Theatre and the
Houston's Alley Theatre, she suggested Not About Nightingales.
Corin Redgrave is an acclaimed actor and director and is one of the nine Artistic Directors of The
Moving Theatre, which he co-founded with his sister. Not About Nightingales marks the
second collaboration between The Moving Theatre and the Alley Theatre, following their 1996
co-production of Antony and Cleopatra directed by Vanessa and Julius Caesars,
directed by Corin.
It was Ms. Redgrave who approached director Trevor Nunn. The multi-Tony award winner
jumped at the opportunity to be part of this production. He'll direct a cast of eighteen.
Trevor Nunn
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Nunn is the current Director of the Royal National Theatre (NT) which was founded in 1963,
with Laurence Olivier as Director. Nunn has also served as the Artistic Director of the Royal
Shakespeare Company from 1968 - when he became the Company's youngest ever Artistic
Director - to 1986.
Nunn's NT production of Ibsen's An Enemy of the People starring Ian McKellen played
Los Angeles earlier this year. Not About Nightingales marks Nunn's first NT production
to transfer to Broadway since he became director of the company.
TOMMY TUNE TAKES OVER
Tommy Tune
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Nine-time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune has promised to keep his tap shoes in Las Vegas for
a year. He's taken over the lead role in the MGM-Grand Hotel's EFX production show. Last
Friday Mayor Jan Jones officially proclaimed the day Tommy Tune Day.
The 59-year old hoofer replaced David Cassidy in the show, which opened with Michael
Crawford as the star. EFX was somewhat re-written to accommodate Cassidy's personality and
Partridge Family fan club following. The current version of the multi million dollar
production show has now been re-written to emphasize Tune's unique talents. Tune is the only
performer to ever win Tony Awards in four different categories: best featured actor in a musical,
best choreography, best director of a musical and best actor in a musical.
The almost six-foot six-inch performer, is the only renowned choreographer-director still
working, has signed a one-year contract to star in EFX. Ticket prices range from $51.50 to $72.
The production is one of the few in Vegas that has special prices for children. $37 for children
ages 5-12
PROLIFIC PLAYWRIGHT GEORGE
WALKER
George F. Walker has been called "the most prolific and celebrated English-language playwright
in Canadian history," by the Toronto Globe and Mail. The U.S. premiere of Walker's
The End of Civilization, will be presented by the Sightline Stage Co. beginning Friday,
with the official opening set for Monday, January 25.
The award winning playwright's latest effort takes place in the nether world of a run-down road-
side on the big city outskirts.The play is a hybrid creature: part comedy and part neo-noir thriller.
A collision between underworld characters and a displaced couple desperate to restore their social
standing. Desperation leads to moral quandaries and, perhaps, murder.
Born and raised in Toronto's East End, Walker uses his childhood haunts as the setting for many
of his plays.
The End of Civilization will be directed by Randy White. His cast includes: Sarah
Brockus, Jamie Heinlein, Bryan Johnson, and Mick Weber. Sets designed by Lauren Halpern,
costumes by Beth Lasley, the lighting by Tyler Micolean, and the sound by Susan Williams.
New York isn't the only place where Walker plays are in production. Better Living a
comedy by Walker has opened at the Hollywood Boulevard Theatre in Miami. Arland Russell
directs Sunny Reale, Sandra Ives, Sharon Kremen, Meredith Mursuli, M.J. Quinn and Joel
Kolker. Production runs through Jan. 24.
SENSATIONAL SEATTLE
Diahann Carroll starred in Sunset Blvd
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Seattle is a town that loves theater which is evident with the shows currently vying for audience
attention.
The lovely looking and beautiful voice of Diahann Carroll delighted fans who
saw her in Almost Like Being in Love: The Lerner and Loewe Songbook at the
Paramount Theatre
Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis
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Hit Me with a Hot Note: The Duke Ellington Songbook presented by the Seattle
Landmark Association, stars Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. One performance only, Feb. 23,
at the Paramount Theatre
Stomp hoofed it into town with shows through Jan 24 at The 5th Avenue Theatre.
The 20th anniversary production of Annie opens Jan. 26 at the Paramount singing about
that hard knock life through Feb. 7.
The world premiere of Sisters Matsumoto written by Kan Gotanda and directed by
Sharon Ott is at the Seattle Repertory Theatre through Feb. 13. The production is offering a
special promotion. Anyone who takes their theater stub to the Seattle Asian Art Museum receives
free admission to the Year of Japan: Flights of Fancy exhibit.
Camelot, Lerner and Loewe's classic tale of magic, honor and romance spins its web Feb.
16 through March 7 at Seattle's historic 5th Avenue Theatre.
TALENT SEARCH
ONE-ACT PLAYWRITING CONTEST Maple Woods Community College, Kansas City speech and drama
department. Original plays 15-30 minutes long for possible performance by the college's drama
students are sought. The best plays will be presented in a public reading this spring; the audience
at that reading will choose plays to be performed in the fall. Entry deadline: Feb. 28.
KANSAS CITY FILM MAKERS JUBILEE Attn: Film makers! Submissions sought. Over $10,000 in prizes. Films must
have been produced since Jan. 1, 1996 and must be submitted in VHS format. Kansas City
Metropolitan Division: Narrative, Animation, Experimental, Documentary and Music video
categories. $15 submission fee per film. National Short Film Division: Narrative, Experimental
and Animation categories.$20 per film. Entry deadline Jan. 31. Festival dates April 14-18.
OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY
GARTH DRABINSKY
co-founder of the now bankrupt Livent, Inc and Myron Gottlieb, the former president, have been
indicted on conspiracy and securities fraud charges for allegedly masterminding a complicated
accounting scheme that cost U.S. investors $100 million. Both Drabinsky and Gottlieb deny the
charges. Just days before being indicted Drabinsky, 48, had accepted a month-to-month retainer
position from Canada's largest automobile parts maker, Magna International, Inc. He'll serve as a
consultant in developing a retail and entertainment complex in the Los Angeles area. Both
Drabinsky and Gottlieb remain in Canada and could face extradition. If convicted of the charges
they could face up to 10 years in prison and $1 million in fines on each count of the indictment.
MAX BAER, JR. who became
famous as Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies, is one step closer to building
Jethro's Beverly
Hillbillies Mansion. See Broadway To Vegas column of May 17, 1998
Last Tuesday the Reno, Nev. City Council,
on a 4-3 vote gave Baer final approval to build his hotel, which is based on The Beverly
Hillbillies television show. Subject of controversy was a 240-foot derrick that will shoot
flames 70-feet high. Baer, 61, said the oil derrick "is a three headed dog and people go to see
three headed dogs. It's something that is out of the norm. Even people who are driving through
Reno with no intention to stop will say: - My God, what the hell is that? - The whole idea is to
create an enormous display in the sky."
FOSSE opened last Thursday at
the
Broadhurst Theater. The production will be reviewed in next week's column.
CABARET EXPANDS thanks to
Marla Maples Trump and her partner Bobby Ochs. On Mondays, when most Broadway shows are
dark, they are going to open a new cabaret in their Peaches Restaurant, called Upstairs at
Peaches. Beginning Jan 25 top cabaret acts will perform. Slated in the near future are Christine
Noll and Rebecca Spencer of Jekyll & Hyde, Dana Meller and Angela De Cicco from
Les Miz, and Paige Price of Smokey Joe's Cafe.
GRETTY GOOD TIME a
new
play by John Belluso, directed by Susann Brinkley will begin performances on Wednesday at the
Ensemble Studio Theatre. Gretty Good Time is a darkly comic play set in 1955 that
mixes historical fact with poetic flights of fancy. Gretty is a young woman trapped by
circumstances and freed by her imagination. Paralyzed and living in a nursing home, Gretty is
visited in her dreams by Hideko, a young Japanese woman disfigured in the atomic bombing of
Hiroshima, and Mr. Ralph Edwards, host of TV's This Is Your Life. With Hideko as her
traveling companion, Gretty journeys on the "backwards wind of time." If she can confront the
pain of her past there may be hope for her future. The cast features; Fiona Gallagher, Anna Li,
Richard Paul and Dolores Sutton. Performances through February 7.
LERNER AND LOEWE: BRIEF SHINING MOMENT
produced by Mike Merrick will have it's world premiere Feb.
4 at the Judy Bayley Theatre in Las Vegas.
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THIS AND THAT
ON THE TOWN was run out of
town
yesterday, Sunday January 17. The revival, which featured such classics as New York New York
It's A Wonderful Town was plagued by production and financial problems (see column of Jan.
4, 1999) Some weeks losses were over $200,000.
BECK slated to play SRO last
Thursday at the Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas suddenly canceled. The stop would have been one
of
only two the 28-year-old singer/songwriter was making to promote his new album
Mutations.The other stop was Jan. 10 in New York at Town Hall. Ticket holders for the
cancelled Las Vegas gig will receive refunds.
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Remember to enter our free Valentine drawing for the piano telephone. Just E-mail us your
name and post office mailing address. One entry per person per week. See Jan. 11th column for
complete rules and regulations.
Next Column: January 25, 1999
Copyright: January 18, 1999. All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary,
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