Broadway To Vegas
SHOW REVIEWS CELEBRITY INTERVIEWS GOSSIP NEWS
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Copyright March 15, 1999
By: Laura Deni
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SHOWEST SHOWS OFF
The 25th annual ShoWest convention, which is the largest trade show for theater owners and
operators, wrapped up in Las Vegas on Thursday.
Between Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise steaming up the screen with naked caresses in Eyes
Wide Shut, and the latest Star Wars flick being released early - the 3,000 participants in
ShoWest, could barely cope.
Nicole Kidman
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Erotic Nudity In "Eyes Wide Shut"
The buzz about Kidman and Cruise exploring their sexual obsessions in the movie, which has a
July release, stopped the show. The movie moguls, mostly men dressed in black suits, sat in
stunned silence, followed by the noise of their collective mouths shutting.
After their breathing
settled down to a more normal level, the big wigs burst into applause.
All that fuss over Kidman
in Broadway's The Blue Room became laughable. The steamy clip, backed by the
pulsating sound track of Chris Isaak's Baby Did a Bad Thing, is big time erotica.
Following interest in sex, Star Trek commanded the attention.
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, has customers so anxious that director
George Lucas will release the film to between 3,800 and 4,000 screens nationwide - three
days early, on May 19. Fox officials warned the audience not to attempt to film or record the
trailer. Security searched handbags before anyone was allowed inside the hall.
The film, a prequel to the Star Wars trilogy, goes back in time to explain how Luke
Skywalker's father, Anakin Skywalker, became the evil Darth Vader.
Worldwide all three Star Wars films - including the re-releases - have garnered
$1,766,453,695, according to Fox.
Lucas, who has always been technically on the cutting edge, announced that he intends to film all
of Episode II with digital cameras.
Almost forgotten were the powerfully serious opening remarks by Fox Films Entertainment
Chairman Bill Mechanic. While between 3,000-4,000 attended the Eyes Wide Shut event,
about 600 listened as Mechanic cautioned that the gravy ride may be over for the mega bucks
stars.
"The days of the $20 million (salary) with 20 percent against the gross may be coming to an end,"
he warned. He emphasized that Titanic, which was the most expensive movie in
Hollywood history, was an aberration with production costs exceeding $200 million. "We ended
up making Titanic for an ungodly amount," he told the gathering. "But since then we
haven't produced a single film for more than $70 million."
The convention, which closed last Thursday, featured a bevy of stars who came to promote their
new releases, schmooze with the theater moguls who determine if their chain will show a picture
and receive awards. The celebrities arrived in Las Vegas in a mood to party while promoting.
GWYNETH PALTROW: Announced That Prostitution Is Legal In
Nevada.
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Gwyneth Paltrow presented John Madden, who directed her movie Shakespeare In Love
with his Best Directing Award. The beautiful star was tongue in cheek when she announced she
had come to Las Vegas to "get lost in the underbelly of Vegas. I'm going straight to the strip
bars." Then with a glint in her eye she playfully announced, "Did you know that prostitution is
legal in Nevada?"
George Clooney confirmed that he will returned to ER next season. Several guest star
episodes are being written for him -as he put it - "right now."
Sean Connery, who is one of the producers of the Broadway smash Art, made light of
his Lifetime Achievement Award.
"It's like one foot in the grave. It says you're well down the line. It's more a tribute to
longevity," quipped the actor who discovered he had been declared dead in 1995.
The bogus bit of info was announced in Japan, picked up by a South African newspaper, wired to
Europe where a French radio station broadcast it to the continent. Connery, who once competed
in the Mr. Universe contest, was out playing golf.
The seasoned Scottish actor, who exudes charm, wit, and sex appeal, never made it through high
school. At 16 he joined the Royal Navy, but was discharged after three years of a 12-year hitch,
because of bleeding ulcers.
SEAN CONNERY Reports Of His Death Were Premature
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Next up for Connery is the heist thriller Entrapment, in which he co-stars with the
gorgeous Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays an international art thief in tandem with Connery.
She
was named Supporting Actress of the Year for her role in The Mask of Zorro and
appeared delighted to be working with Connery, who after seeing her in Zorro asked to
work with her.
"I like older men, actually," she remarked.
"So do I," shot back Connery.
William H. Macy, who carted home a Best Supporting Actor Award, is mighty happy with his
movie success, but his first love is the theater. It's also where he met his wife, actress Felicity
Huffman, who currently stars in the ABC hit sitcom Sports Night.
Macy taught acting in
New York and Huffman was one of his students. It is Macy along with his former acting
teacher, David Mamet, who founded New York's Atlantic Theater Company.
Adam Sandler took home the Comedy Star of the Year award and gave credit to Rodney
Dangerfield, whom he called one of his biggest influences - specifically referring to the film
Caddyshack, in which he co-starred with Bill Murray.
Dangerfield, who stars through Wednesday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is known as a
mentor for bright new comedians. For 30 years the comedian has operated his Dangerfield
Comedy Club in New York City - a harbinger for new talent.
TOM HANKS
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At 17 Sandler did his first open mike gig at the Boston nightclub Stitches. He was wearing
retainers on his teeth and the crowd hated him. Despite complete rejection Sandler was hooked on
comedy. Even after mega bucks movie success he still performs his stand-up act.
Physically absent was Tom Hanks who received taped tributes from his celebrity friends which
were beamed into his hospital room.
The actor, received the Box Office Star of the Year award was felled by an infected blister.
The quips were funny, but when the cameras were turned off the comments were worrisome and
serious about the condition of the well loved Hanks.
His right knee became infected after a small
blister became infected resulting in painful swelling. Hanks was in Fiji filming his latest movie
Cast Away when he got the silly blister.
Between the tropical climate and filming in the
water, the blister became seriously infected, landing the Oscar winner in a hospital bed.
In addition to screening, awards and speeches ShoWest introduces that latest in
everything that pertains to theater owners; from more comfortable seats to; the latest in
the soft and filled pretzel war; the multi-million dollar candy concession business - I taste tested
Nestle's Tarzan - a banana flavored chocolate bar, which made me hanker for those orange
colored, banana flavored marshmallow circus peanuts - to doing away with the box office as we
know it today. Humans will be replaced.
I visited the TICKET booth, the European based company, International Software Trading GmbH
& Co. KG, with American offices in New York City, whose products include tic o mat. This
state-of-the art multimedia system shows trailers of today's and future movies, displays current
show times, and even presents animated information about movie related topics.
The customer selects and issues their own ticket. For venues with assigned seats, the customer
can even pick their favorite. The machine also functions as a will-call window. For seats
that have been booked in advance by phone or through the Internet, the tickets are available at the
machine for pick-up. Payments for all tickets can be made through credit cards, bank cards or
smart cards.
One or more tic o mats can be located inside or outside the movie theater, helping to reduce the
queues at the box office without increasing the payroll.
The company stresses that tic o mats can be located almost anywhere; in shopping malls, banks,
grocery stores - or any other high traffic area. Remote locations are connected to the local area
networks in one or more movie theaters through leased phone lines or dial up connections via
modems or ISDN.
1999 AWARD HONOREES
TOM HANKS
Box Office Star of the Decade
SEAN CONNERY
Lifetime Achievement Award
JERRY BRUCKHEIMER
Producer of the Year
JOHN MADDEN
Director of the Year
WILL SMITH
Actor of the Year
MEG RYAN
Actress of the Year
WILLIAM H. MACY
Supporting Actor of the Year
CATHERINE ZETA-JONES
Supporting Actress of the Year
GIOVANNI RIBISI
Male Star of Tomorrow
HEATHER GRAHAM
Female Star of Tomorrow
ADAM SANDLER
Comedy Star of the Year
PETER & BOBBY FARRELLY
Screenwriters of the Year
MICHAEL CAMPBELL
ShoWester of the Year
JEROME A. FORMAN
Silver Jubilee Award,
ENRIQUE RAMIREZ VILLALON
International Exhibitor of the Year
JIM MURRAY
B. V. Sturdivant Award
MAUREEN ARTHUR
Ida Schreiber Award
CHARLES CRETORS
Bert Nathan Memorial Award
MEGA STAR ASCENDING
British teen-age singing sensation, Charlotte Church, whose album Voice of an Angel
sold
2 million just in the United Kingdom, made her American debut in Las Vegas. This 13-year-old
offers Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion serious competition.
Off stage she drinks Pepsi, cons music executives to give her piggy back rides,
enjoys playing in
her hometown park, where she feeds the ducks. She's an excellent student,
who loves to play
computer games and invite her friends to sleep over so they can watch The Simpsons.
Charlotte lives in Llandaff, Wales with her parents, James a supervisor for a firm that installs
security devices, and Maria a former government housing official, who gave up her career to
travel with her daughter as chaperone.
On stage, she been heralded as having "the voice of an angel." She's listed
in the Guinness Book
of World Records as the youngest artist ever to hit No. 1 on the U.K. charts.
Sony has signed her
to a five year deal.
She's performed before the Pope at the Vatican and at Prince Charles' 50th
birthday party. In Las Vegas she received a thundering ovation when she astounded and
captivated the crowd of over 3,000 attending the National Association of Recording
Merchandiser's Convention, with her rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Pie
Jesu.
She left Las Vegas for New York where - to coincide with the release of her album in America -
she'll guest on the Rosie O'Donnell and David Letterman shows. She's a mega star ascending
RIVERDANCE ROLLS ALONG
Our roving reporter Trudy Knight-Peek caught up with Riverdance at the 2,100 seat
Peace Center in Greenville, South Carolina.
"It a classy venue, like an opera hall. The Cottage
Cuisine at The Peace Center is open for dinner whenever there is a show in the Concert Hall.
There are also devices for the hearing impaired," she reported. Knight-Peek had previously been
anxious to cover Lord of the Dance and was both disappointed and furious. See Broadway
To Vegas column of December 7, 1998.
It was with a "they'd better be good" attitude that Knight-Peek traipsed towards
Riverdance, where ducats went for $35, $50 and $65.
The first thing she discovered were that the stars Michael Patrick Gallagher and Niamh Roddy
weren't going to appear- to be replaced by their understudies, Kevin McCormick and Clara
Kennedy. "They didn't say why - they just handed us a piece of paper and said the stars were to
be replaced," fumed Knight-Peek.
It took just a downbeat to win Knight-Peek over. "It was just breathtaking - and very surreal.You
had the feeling of being with them thru every scene. I find it totally amazing that this phenomenon
began as a seven minute performance," she said referring to the production's evolution.
"They had real musicians," chortled Knight-Peek, who is still smarting that she wasted her
time seeing Lord of the Dance, which utilizes only canned music.
As for the performing substitutions - it didn't matter. "McCormick won his first World Dancing
Championship at age 11, going on to win an additional nine world individual titles, as well as All
Ireland, Great Britain and North American championships. He was a dancer in the original
seven minute version. The dance captain, McCormick has toured with Riverdance in the
United States, Canada, Britain and Australia," reported Knight-Peek.
"Clara Kennedy is from Manchester, England. As an Irish dancer, she won numerous
championships including the All Ireland and World Championships," continued Knight-Peek.
She's toured with Riverdance since l996."
Knight-Peek stressed that "all 34 dancers in this Irish Dance Troupe are equally as talented and
should be given just as much credit."
FIREDANCE/ANDALUCIA SEGMENT OF RIVERDANCE
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The Flamingo/Spanish dancing seqment features Marta Jimenez Luis and, a product of the
Escuela del Ballet National de Espana and Arantxa Jurado who has her own dance company, Casa
Patas. Knight-Peek categorized them both as "extremely strong dancers."
The show effectively utilizes ten Riverdance Singers.While Knight-Peek thought their "voices
blended well," she did spotlight two of the singers. Raphael Darrell Sligh "a local from Columbia,
South Carolina, is a senior music major at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a bass
soloist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and has understudied the bass lead in Onyx Opera
Atlanta's production of Coleridge's Dream Lovers. Recently he was featured soloist for
Atlanta's City Choir's production of Cantamos."
Slip Into Spring/Home and the Heartland performed by fiddle player Niamh Ni Charra was
also singled out by Knight-Peek. "She is the All-Ireland champion on both fiddle and
concertina," reported Knight-Peek. "She also was the supporting act for The Chieftains and Noel
Hill, getting that under her belt before she even reached her teens."
"Van The Man Porter, Martin Dumas III, and Dexter Jones are known as Trading Taps and they
are just fabulous," exclaimed Knight-Peek. "Porter was a featured dancer in the Broadway
production of Black and Blue and was in the movie Tap with Gregory Hines.
Jones also make his Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning show Black and Blue
Soap opera lovers will recognize him from his appearances on All My Children, and
One Life to Live.
Dumas has spent the last two years as a member of the funk-tap trio Stepping Out. These
guys were terrific and they really added to the show."
"I can't leave out the nine musicians,"quickly added Knight-Peek. "It was beautiful music and it
surely does make a difference when the music is live and not canned as in The Lord of the
Dance. It was a wonderful performance and I would go see it again in a heartbeat. They
received a number of standing ovations. The scenery was awesome. Applause should go out to
composer Bill Whelan; producer Moya Doherty and director John McColgan."
Riverdance opens tomorrow, March 16, at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center,
running through March 28. Don't miss. You won't be disappointed.
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Thank you for your interest.
OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY
CIRCUS CIRCUS ENTERPRISES
the publicly traded corporation that just opened Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas is changing
it's corporate name and image. Although the new name won't be announced until the June
stockholder's meeting, the new image is already taking shape.
President and CFO Glenn Schaeffer
calls the new image committed to "hip, modern architecture of fun," with a commitment to "hip
and cool." Schaeffer also announced that a huge entertainment complex and a 1.5 million square
foot shopping center - which will be "a little village" - will be constructed between
the Circus
Circus owned Luxor Hotel and Mandalay Bay.
Schaeffer emphasized that Las Vegas is "on the
leading edge of entertainment center development."
SWEET CHARITY
THE NEW YORK POPS 16TH BIRTHDAY GALA
BeBe Neuwirth
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is going to be a swinging affair. The over-the-top musical extravaganza
will include performances by stage and screen stars BeBe Neuwirth, Lea DeLaria, Christine
Baranski, Brian Stokes Mitchell, David Campbell, and The New York Pops Allstars.
Journalist Liz Smith will host the evening and Walter Cronkite and Kevin Kline will guest
conduct.
Carnegie Hall is the place and Monday, May 17 is the date. Mark it on your calendar
now.
This black-tie fundraiser supports The New York Pops and its education programs.
Founded by Masetro Skitch Henderson in l983, The New York Pops is the largest independent
symphonic orchestra in the United States that specializes in time honored favorites of popular
American music.
Susan and John Jacobs chair the event with Paula Gabriele and Thomas E.
McInerney working hard as corporate chairs.
Prices for concert only tickets range from $35-$150.
Individual tickets for both the Concert and Dinner Dance range from $500-$1,500, while tables
and boxes go for $5,000-$15,000.
MATTHEW BRODERICK tries
hard but isn't believable in Night Must Fall Lyceum Theater, NYC.
BERNADETTE PETERS is an
absolute treasure of a talent.
BERNADETTE PETERS
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Whoever instructed her in dialect and delivery should go stand in a corner and act ashamed.
Bernadette needs to lose whatever accent that is she is trying to imitate and speed up
the delivery.
However, if that's the worst that can be said for Annie Get Your Gun the revival with
all
of those exquisite Irving Berlin songs, then that's not criticizing a lot.
Bernadette first appeared in
Las Vegas at the Riviera Hotel in June, 1978. She took command of the stage with her
versatility as a singer, dancer and comedian - all of which she demonstrates in Annie Get Your
Gun.
Co-star Tom Wopat impresses.
Marquis Theater NYC.
VIA DOLOROSA David Hare's
political and funny monologue about visiting Israel opens Thursday, March 28 at the Booth
Theatre, NYC.
M.M. - THE HARLOT is a musical
story about the most famous prostitute ever known ... Mary Magdalene.
Written and performed
by Maureen Tomson/Villante, M. M. the harlot tells the story of Mary Magdalene and
how she met and fell in love with Jesus.
Told on the evening of Good Friday after Christ had been
killed, a horrified Mary has witnessed the crucifixion and has returned to her brothel. While there
she recalls their tumultuous relationship with love, anger, humor and rage.
She remembers how
they first met ...No, you did not just see this on a Barbara Walters interview - although
the
author has performed before a president.
Tomson/Villante sang for President Nixon at the
Waldorf Astoria.
M. M. the harlot begins performances March 23 at Arci's Place.
DRALION is the name of the new
Cirque du Soleil touring show. The production takes it name from a legendary Chinese creature
than is half-dragon, half-lion. The world premiere takes place April 22 in Montreal. Following the
Montreal run Dralion will have a two year tour. The Montreal based circus has two
productions in Las Vegas - O at the Bellagio Hotel and Mystere at the
Mirage.
MANHUNT starring Premium Bob
began performances last Thursday at FourFront, NYC with the official opening night set for
March. 22.
WHO'S WHERE
ELTON JOHN AND TINA TURNER have inked a deal to ring in the millennium in Las Vegas.
John and Turner
will kick off the Y2K festivities performing December 30 at the Thomas and Mack Center in a
performance presented by Caesars Palace.
The two pop icons's stop in Las Vegas is part of a tour
which begins in the fall. Tickets go on sale March 20 ranging in price from $100-$600,
plus $1.50
for parking.
John is also one of the first to have an album honored with the Recording Industry
Assoc. Of America's newest certification - the diamond award. Tomorrow, March 16 at New
York's Roseland Ballroom, John, Boston, Boyz II Men, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel and the Eagles
will be honored.
Other acts who have also qualified for the new Diamond Award are; Michael
Jackson, Alanis Morissette, Celine Dion, the Back Street Boys and Garth Brooks. The new
Diamond Award recognizes sales of 10 million units for an album or a single.
LINDA LAVIN AND SAMANTHA MATHIS set to star in Donald Margulies' Collected Stories May 19-June 13
at the Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles.
JEAN SMART stars in the
wonderful Jule Styne/ Comden & Green musical Bells Are Ringing which kicks off
Reprise Broadway's Best in Concert's third season at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, May 12-23
THIS AND THAT
ROYAL ROMPINGS
Prince Charles and Eddie Izzard
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While Prince
Edward, known as Edward Windsor, producer/write/narrator of marvelous documentaries, was in
New York dedicating a statue of Noel Coward, his big brother, Prince Charles doing his own
show biz thing.
The Prince of Wales last week proved His Royal Highness knows how to tango.
He demonstrated
his foot work with leggy Adriana Vasile, at a dinner in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during his
South
American tour.
Prince Charles was also at an SRO performance of comedian Eddie Izzard's
Dressed To Kill show, which benefited youth targeted through programs run by The
Prince's Trust.
Over 11,000 fans packed London's Wembley Arena. The Prince of Wales joked
with Izzard before he took to the stage and divulged that his son Prince Williams
is a fan who has
seen all of the comedian's videos.
Already in ink on Prince Charles' calendar is showing up at The Odeon, in Leicester Square, London, for the 1999 Royal Film Performance of Star Wars -
Episode I: The Phantom Menace, slated for July 14. That event aids the Cinema and
Television Benevolent Fund.
RIVIERA HOTEL doesn't intend to
be outdone by any of the new mega-resorts. The hotel, which prides itself on catering to adults,
unveils it's new convention area this Friday night with a gala bash.
MILLS LANE former prosecutor,
boxing referee,
real-bench-judge-turned-TV-judge got out of his television make up long enough to testify last
Tuesday before the Nevada Senate Judiciary Committee.
Lane was acting as a lobbyist for
Nevada's bail bond industry. Lane endorsed Sen. Bill-273l that would temporarily block release
of anyone with a history of violence or missing court appearances - many of whom were released
on their own recognizance.
"You shouldn't willy-nilly release people without some kind of
investigation," stated Mills, who hosts the syndicated Judge Mills Lane
Show.
LES MISERABLES celebrated it's
12th year on Broadway last Friday.
It's now the fourth longest running show of all time on
Broadway.
Cats holds the top spot followed by A Chorus Line, and Oh
Calcutta! is third.
The original cast featured Colin Wilkinson, as Valjean, the man who spends
19 years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread.
The production has been translated into 17 languages
with a Finnish speaking show slated to open in Helsinki and another production mounts in Japan
next year.
In the 12 years Les Miz has been on Broadway, it has played over 4,900
performances, seen by 7,100,000 people. During that same period, 339 shows opened on
Broadway, and 371 have closed.
Each performance uses 392 costumes, consisting of 1,782
items. Since its March 12, 1987 opening 4,940 loaves of bread stolen; 50,400 ounces of hairspray
used; 691,200 Wet Ones used to remove makeup; 508,032 Ricola cough drops consumed; and
312,000 Advil tablets swallowed.
Suffering no headaches are the backers. Les Miz cost
$4.5 million to mount. Before the curtain went up Les Miz had taken in over $11 million
in sales - at a time when the top ticket price was $45. On it's 12th anniversary the Tony Award
winning musical has grossed over $345 million.
MAUREEN O'HARA is queen of this year's St. Patrick's Day
Parade in New York City. It's a day when everyone is Irish, so enjoy.
Mention BROADWAY TO VEGAS for Special Consideration
Call (800) 942-9027
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Next Column: March 22, 1999
Copyright: March 15 1999. All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary, Original
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