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Copyright: March 28, 1999
By: Laura Deni
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PHYLLIS MCGUIRE
ARRESTED
Las Vegas police slapped handcuffs on singer Phyllis McGuire after the entertainer who
"appeared to be very intoxicated, slurring her words and smelling strongly of an unknown
alcohol-based beverage," got out of her limo which had been stopped by police "yelling and
cursing at officers and also began yelling at her driver, telling him he was fired for cooperating
with us (the police.)
PHYLLIS
MCGUIRE
A CORRECTIONS OFFICER HAD TO HOLD HER HEAD UP.
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According to the police arrest report, written by police officer Shannon McHale, getting out of
her limo the singer was screaming and failing her arms about.
"While waving her arms around,
McGuire struck me in the right shoulder. I repeatedly asked McGuire to settle down and at one
point McGuire began to quiet down, and then (McGuire) suddenly lunged backwards, striking
me in the cheek with her head. I informed McGuire that she was under arrest for battery on a
police officer."
The report continues that while she was being placed in the police vehicle she began kicking him
and other police officers. Upon arriving at the Clark County Detention Center the singer refused
to
get out of the patrol car.
"Assisting corrections officers removed McGuire from my vehicle and McGuire struggled with
them all the way into the booking area. Inside the booking area McGuire again became violent
and was restrained," continued the official report.
The former paramour of Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana, was booked on one count of
obstruction of a police officer and one count of battery on a police officer.
Only a few weeks ago the McGuire Sisters, whose hits include Sugartime and
Sincerely, performed at the inaugural ball of Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn. She and her
sisters regularly perform in Nevada. Most recently Phyllis has been romantically linked with
flamboyant casino owner Bob Stupak.
McGuire, 68, is represented by attorney John Moran, Jr., who maintains that "Miss McGuire is a
completely innocent victim of an irrational and irresponsible police action."
REBA HIRED OWN
IMPERSONATOR
Reba McEntire's limo driver opened the door so that the singer could be whisked away
from her concert. When the entertainer walked right past the car door the driver became upset,
worried that he had done something wrong or worse, that something terrible had happened to
Reba. The star didn't recognize her own limo and driver!
DAVID
LOWMAN
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THE REAL REBA
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"Reba just loves to tell that story," divulged David Lowman, the man that Reba hired to
impersonate her.
Lowman spent a year and a half as part of Reba's show, before moving to Las Vegas to
impersonate Reba in La Cage at the Riviera Hotel.
The 35-year-old female impersonator, a native of Huntington, West Virginia, told me; "I started
doing Reba as a joke. Somebody put a red wig on me and said that I looked like Reba
McEntire."
Suddenly the Marshal University graduate with a degree in business, who spent 12 years working
for a telephone company, found himself being hired as a Reba impersonator. He moved to
Nashville and that is where Reba's people caught his act. Impressed, they insisted Reba see his
show.
"She hired me," he exclaimed. I traveled with her as her concert double. She taught me how to
really impersonate her. She taught me how to move my hands like she does and
impersonate her on stage. I had the best trainer in the world - Reba herself!"
It was David - not the real McCoy- that opened Reba's concerts. "I kicked off the number
Fancy, to open her concert. Then there was the equivalent of a magic trick - a fiery
explosion on stage - and I would disappear and Reba appeared. To this day many of the concert
goers still don't believe that wasn't Reba opening her own show.
"We had a ball. Reba is the nicest person. She had all of her costumes copied for me. I had an
identical Reba wardrobe! We traveled everywhere together and she is great!
When David received the opportunity to star as Reba in La Cage it was an offer he
couldn't refuse and one which has Reba's blessing. Many of her band members have already been
to the Riviera to see David perform and Reba intends to catch his act the next time she's in Las
Vegas.
With performances twice a night, with a third show on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the routine
becomes more frenetic than performing in a Reba McEntire concert.
"It takes me 45 minutes to do the make-up," he explained. "I've got a very hairy chest, which I
don't shave. It's all foam rubber, make-up and fabric."
The illusion is shocking. You'd
swear it really was Reba. Even though David is taller than Reba, the illusion is so exact that the
height difference disappears. The illusion works. In real life Reba and David have more than her
career in common. They were both born on March 28th! "We exchange cards,"
he said. Happy Birthday to Reba and "Reba."
ANNETTE BENING BRILLIANT IN
GABLER
ANNETTE BENING
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She's beautiful, talented and married to Warren Beatty. Annette Bening has it all - including rave
reviews for her starring role in Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler at the Geffen Theater in Los
Angeles.
The Kansas born mother of three has returned to the stage after an absence of ten years.
Those
who eagerly anticipated her return were well rewarded.
Written in 1890, this adaptation by Jon
Robin Baitz, working from a literal translation by Anne-Charlotte Hanes Harvey, is directed by
Daniel Sullivan.
Byron Jennings co-stars with Bening.
Other cast members include; Paul Guilfoyle, Patrick
O'Connell,
Carolyn McCormick, Rosemary Murphy, and Marjorie Lovett.
Following this production
Linda Lavin stars in Collected Stories, which opens at the Geffen Theater on May 19.
EXACTLY LIKE YOU
Four couples in a highly comic plot mixing jurors and lawyers, plaintiffs and mothers-in-law is the
plot of Exactly Like You a musical comedy by Cy Coleman (music and lyrics) and A.E.
Hotchner (book and lyrics). Performances begin Wednesday at the New York Theatre Company.
CY COLEMAN
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Coleman's legendary career includes three Tony Awards, for On the Twentieth Century,
City of Angels, and The Will Rogers Follies, as well as such musicals as Sweet
Charity, Little Me, and The Life.
This production marks the first of his musicals to premiere Off-Broadway.
Hotchner's writings include the plays The White House, and A Short Happy Life,
as well as several novels and best selling biographies of Ernest Hemingway, Doris Day and Sophia
Loren.
Exactly Like You was seen last season in a workshop production at the Goodspeed Opera
House's Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Ct.
Direction and choreography are by four time Tony Award nominee Patricia Birch. The 12
member cast
includes Robert Bartley, Frank Graves, Tony Hastings, Doug Katsaros, Donny Kelly, Donya
Lane, Kate Levering, Susan Mansur, Edward Staudenmayer, Blair Ross, and Lauren Ward.
FASCINATING RHYTHM
George Gershwin
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A new Broadway musical with words and music by George and Ira Gershwin, conceived by Mark
Lamos and Mel Marvin, The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm begins previews this Friday,
April, 2, 1999 at the Longacre Theater.
This non-stop, 90 minute new musical will feature everyone's favorite songs sung in a brand new
way. Among the highlights are sensuous and innovative versions of Fascinating Rhythm,
I've Got A Crush On You, Lady Be Good, The Man I Love, Our Love
Is Here To Stay, I Got Rhythm, Embraceable You, Someone To Watch
Over Me, They Can't Take That Away From Me, among others.
The Broadway production is a culmination of a year-long series of events celebrating the
centenary of George Gershwin's birth and the extraordinary collaboration between George and his
brother, Ira.
George Gershwin (1898-1937) was America's premiere composer by the mid-thirties sweeping
the country with songs that were instant hits and are now classics. His first full musical score was
La, La, Lucille, and then went on to write Rhapsody in Blue, A Second
Rhapsody, Concerto in F, and An American in Paris. His last work was for the
film Shall We Dance? starring Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
Ira Gershwin (1996-1983) teamed up with his brother to write lyrics for some of the most
successful musical comedies George composed including; Lady Be Good, Oh
Kay!, Funny Face, Roselie, Strike Up The Band, and Of Thee I
Sing.
Their musical collaboration climaxed with Porgy and Bess. Ira continued to write songs
for Hollywood including; A Star Is Born, The Country Girl, Kiss Me
Stupid, and published Lyrics On Several Occasions, an anthology of all the lyrics he
wrote in his career.
Fascinating Rhythm recently played a sold out engagement at the Arizona Theater
Company from December to January, 1999 breaking all box office records in the Company's 32
year history. The musical was originally developed at the Hartford Stage Company in 1997.
The creative team consists of Mark Lamos directing. In charge of choreography is David
Marques, with Michael Yeargan handling scenic design. Paul Tazewell costume design with
Peggy Risenhauser, lighting design. The orchestrator is Larry Hochman. The production is
produced by Columbia Artists Management and Manny Kladitis.
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L.A. DRAMA CRITICS BESTOW
AWARDS
The 30th Annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards were presented in ceremonies at the
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Noel Coward's Private Lives, staged by David Chambers at
South Coast Repertory walked off with six awards, the most for any single show. The Glendale
based classical theater company A Noise Within took home eight honors, the most for a single
theater company.
Critic Polly Warfield, 85, received a lifetime achievement award. Ms. Warfield writes for Back
Stage West/DramaLogue.
FAKE PIGEON POOP A CROWD
PLEASER
Lenin
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Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas lopped off the head of the statue of Lenin, which stands at the
entrance to the Red Square vodka bar, and fake pigeon poop has been sprinkled on top. It seems
that patrons weren't too thrilled to see a dignified statue of the guy who founded the Communist
Party in Russia. Lenin led the October Revolution of 1917 in which Communists seized power in
Russia. His goals were the destruction of free enterprise and the creation of a classless society.
The goals of the publicly traded Circus Circus Corporation, owners of Mandalay Bay, are
definitely free enterprise. Regarding that classless society silliness - Mandalay Bay is the joint that
houses the hoity-toity Four Seasons Hotel.
Patrons at Mandalay Bay were offended by the statue. Glenn Schaeffer, president of Circus Circus
Enterprises, cried - off with his head- and the deed was done.
Then
fake pigeon droppings were placed on the headless statue and scattered about.
"It (the statue)
was offensive to a few people, but now our Lenin looks like the Lenins that remain standing
in the
few places in the former Soviet bloc."
According to Schaeffer the fake pigeon poop gives the now bird-brained statue "that lived-on,
urban look."
The real Lenin died of a brain hemorrhage on Jan 21, 1924. The government preserved his body -
almost turning it into a statue like substance. Lenin's Tomb in Red Square in Moscow, is a
favorite tourist stop.
The headless Lenin with the phony bird excrement is also drawing quite a
crowd at Mandalay Bay.
OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY
OSCAR EQUALS DOLLARS for
the happy producers of David Hare's Amy's View. Dame Judi Dench winning the
Supporting Actress Oscar caused a ticket run for the play which opens April 15. Before the Oscar
win, box office sales were about $70,000 a day After the Oscar win, daily sales jumped to over
$100,000 - out grossing Nicole Kidman's appearance in another Hare creation, The Blue
Room.
GARTH BROOKS MEANS MONEY the country singer turned baseball player will be in Las Vegas when the San
Diego Padres, parent company of the Las Vegas Stars, arrive for Big League Week-End.
Stars
general manager Don Logan expects a 10-12 percent gate increase because of Brooks.
The
Padres play the Milwaukee Brewers on April 2 and the Chicago White Sox the following day.
Logan indicated that Brooks arrival in Vegas "will be a boost to us because the people who didn't
get a change to see him in spring training (in Arizona) will get a chance to see him."
The country
singer suits up as an outfielder, and is batting .071 (1-for-14). With Brooks accompanying the
team attendance is expected to increase, from an anticipated 6,500 for the first game to over
7,000,
with over 8,000 for the second game.
Reportedly the Padres were trying to decide what to do
with Brooks for the season.
GET WELL SOON TO...
EYDIE GORME
The marvelous singer, who along with her husband Steve Lawrence - also
a marvelous singer- had a full schedule
have been forced to cancel all dates.
Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme
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Poor Eydie has an acute respiratory infection, which has affected her ears. Her doctors have
ordered her not to fly.
First engagements affected by the grounded Gorme were last
week at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks, Nevada.
Ticket holders can call for a refund.
Steve and
Steve & Eydie will ring in the millennium by celebrating their 42nd wedding anniversary.
They exchanged vows in
1957, two days before ringing in the new year of 1958. The singers were married in Las Vegas in
the home of Beldon Katleman, who was the owner of the El Rancho Hotel.
The performing duo
first got their act together on a Las Vegas stage at the Sahara Hotel in March, 1961.
The veteran singers first climbed up the gold record ladder in the 1960's. Steve in 1962 with Go Away
Little Girl and Eydie joined the million seller club in 1963 with Blame It On The Bosa
Nova.
JOHNNY CARSON from Heart
by-pass surgery. Carson first played Las Vegas when he made his major nightclub debut at the
age of 36. He was in his second year of
hosting The Tonight Show when he took to the Sahara Hotel stage in 1964. He was a hit -
his Deputy John character stealing the show. Carson's salary? $3,000 per week.
THE ICEMAN COMETH written
by Eugene O'Neill, directed by Howard Davies with Kevin Spacey as "Hickey," opens April 8 at
the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
The new Broadway cast features Tony Danza (Rocky), Ed Dixon
(Piet Wetjoen), Michael Emerson (Willie Oban), Katie Finneran (Cora), Paul Giamatti (Jimmy
Tomorrow), Patrick Godfrey (Cecil Lewis), James Hazeldine (Harry Hope), Catherine Kellner
(Margie), Robert Sean Leobard (Don Parritt), Clarke Peters (Joe Mott), Tim Pigott-Smith (Larry
Slade), Richard Richle (Pat McGloin), Steve Ryan (Moran), Stephen Singer (Hugo), Kevin
Spacey (Hickey), Dina Spybey (Pearl), Skipp Sudduth (Chuck Morello), Ned Van (Lieb) and
Jeff Weiss (Ed Mosher.)
TESLA'S LETTERS is Jeffrey
Stanley's new play about an American graduate student who goes to war-torn Yugoslavia in
1997, to research the life, letters, and inventions of the great scientist Nicola Tesla.
On her quest she is drawn into violence and intrigue. Tesla's Letters will be the centerpiece of The First
Light Festival at the Ensemble Studio Theatre.
Curt Dempster will direct.
The cast includes;
Keira Naughton, Victor Slezak, Judith Roberts and Grant James Varjas. Performances begin April
6.
ON THE MOVE Either everybody
wants him or this guy is running away from something.
Solo acoustical fingerstyle guitarist Nick
Thompson closed out an engagement at Kenny's Cataways last Saturday. He opens April l at
Downtown, the following night he performs at Eureka Joe's. On the 6th he's on stage at the Dark
Star Lounge and the next night he stars at The C Note. All in New York City.
PLAYING IN THEIR PLAYHOUSE
LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE has named
Anne Hamburger the new artistic director. For the last 13 years En Garde Arts, which Hamburger
founded, has commissioned and produced more than 25 new plays and musicals. En Garde Arts
won seven Village Voice Obie awards, two Drama Desk awards and a special Outer Critics Circle
award for its New York production.
En Garde Arts will disband when Hamburger, 45, takes
over at the La Jolla. Playhouse.
PHOENIX PLAYHOUSE a
Minneapolis performance venue used by many small theater groups, will add a second space in
April. The new 49-seat theater will be inaugurated with a JAFA Company production of
Christopher Durang's Baby With The Bathwater.
THIS AND THAT
NICE TOUCH Caesars Palace has
placed elegant paper cup holders in the restrooms, so that a person can
obtain a drink of water.
Traditionally Las Vegas casinos don't have public water fountains - or keep them well hidden -
the object being to force a parched patron to buy a drink.
With conventions making inroads into
high roller territory, the message is finally getting across that it's nice to be able to
get a drink of
water.
By the way, since this is a desert community, legally a thirsty person is entitled to
be given water. However, the free tap water provider is entitled to charge for the
container
or the time it takes to fill yours.
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
A reader has E-mailed us asking the following question. What are the names of the two
comedians whose first Broadway show was The Streets of Paris. ANSWER Abbott and Costello. The 1939
production The Streets of Paris propelled the comedians from burlesque to
Broadway.
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Next Column: April 5, 1999
Copyright: March 29 1999.
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