Las Vegas Weekly

September 9, 2008 · 1 PM

Exclusive interview and behind-the scenes of Donny & Marie’s show opening tonight

By Robin Leach

Donny and Marie Osmond.

Photo: Harrah's

For the first time in almost three decades Donny and Marie Osmond have reunited to kick off a six-month run of headliner shows together -- and it all starts tonight center-strip in the Flamingo. Donny, now 50, says the opening marks a 10-year dream of performing together again coming true.

Although they did, admittedly, host the summertime Miss USA beauty pageant network TV special at the nearby Planet Hollywood resort and they did have a one-week-long, scheduled-in-advance fill-in week at MGM, it is the first time in 29 years the dynamic duo have paired for an extended Vegas residency. But tonight is the birth of a brand new variety show -- and it includes a tribute to 48-year-old Marie’s stint on Dancing with the Stars last fall including "the fainting spell."

I’m reliably told that advance ticket sales are "amazing" and their first month is very close to posting "sold out" notices every night. It's so successful that talks are already underway to pick up the initial option of a second six-month run for a total of 265 shows over the first year and possibly another second full year of shows. Strip superstar entertainer Danny Gans and his manager, Chip Lightman, teamed up with the Osmonds to stage the 90-minute extravaganza, which showcases Donny and Marie’s greatest hits in a multimedia spectacular -- all on a custom-designed stage with multiple video screens complete with a sensational 11 piece band and a troupe of 10 high-energy dancers.

Wearing his producer hat, Danny Gans says: “Vegas has been missing a true variety show -- and this conveys the real essence of America and the country’s love of homegrown talent. When you couple that with the current entertainment landscape on the Strip, we felt Donny and Marie provided the perfect combination and entertainment nobody else could. It’s a little bit country. It’s a little bit rock and roll." Back in 1976 with their Donny & Marie Variety Show they became the youngest primetime hosts on television. You’ll hear all their timeless hits, including "Paper Roses," "Make the World go Away," "Puppy Love," and "Soldier of Love."

I chatted exclusively with Flamingo president Don Marrandino about the gamble he’s taken on giving them the main showroom starring spot. He told me: "In the last year, the Osmonds have become everywhere all over again. Donny is on Entertainment Tonight, Marie wound up in third place on Dancing with the Stars, her Nutrisystem campaign, the QVC sales appearances and a lot of other things. They got hot again. I think once the ticket sales went through the roof, any cynic turned into a raving fan. Pre-sales are off the hook! They were on Larry King, they were on Good Morning America. Now after watching hours of their rehearsals I can safely say this is not just a brand new show but this is the show Vegas doesn’t have. They have a killer 11-piece band and the big sound of a four-piece horn section. They have strings, piano, drummers -- great local musicians with some Nashville guys mixed in. Donny is a highly skilled techno geek. He is producing video, he mixes, he is a computer genius. He is all over the show, it is his thing, he loves it. He’s got it so the band moves around on stage and they perform under three moving LED screens and 150 moving lights. It is a stadium stage set, so if we walked on Bruce Springsteen’s, Donny & Marie actually have more stuff than he does.

“There is no opening act. You get them together right at the beginning. Then Marie goes solo with her own songs, maybe a tasting of opera but definitely some rock and some Broadway. Then Donny does his solo thing and absolutely kills it. He does a Stevie Wonder tribute that is just incredible -- if you close your eyes you’d swear the voices were the same. Stevie is his idol. I never knew he had that extraordinary pitch and vocal range. I had never seen them sing live and the one thing that really got to me was their vocal range. They sing amazingly.

“They both go at the Dancing with the Stars vibe. She takes a guy out of the audience for the number -- and yes -- she faints like she did on the TV show as a spoof. Her partner Johnathan Roberts came in to stage the ballroom sequence. They can really be sassy with one another. Their back and forth banter is hysterical. Fans will love her wardrobe -- the gowns. She is glamorous and beautiful and she’ll remind everybody of the female stars of old that came to Vegas -- just like Ann-Margret used to wow them. They started dress rehearsals three days ago in our showroom so they will be ready tonight -- real polished and professional.

“They are real pros. They are so nice. They are both very happy about this experience. It's something they’ve wanted to do again together for many, many years. They don’t have to hop on planes to tour. Marie has moved to Vegas with her kids and she is very happy about being a Vegas local and at the same time reuniting working together with her brother again after a 29-year gap. Their banter together is like George Burns and Gracie Allen. You sit back and listen to them and some of it is sarcastic but very funny. If I said what they say to each other to you, you would be very mad at me but they have a great on-stage back and forth vibe and the chemistry is amazing. Its going to be ad-lib every night and I think how frisky they are with each other they will get more and more fun out of it as it goes along.

“They are running straight through now all of September, October and November and most of December. They look amazing, they sound amazing and they dance amazing. They are professional entertainers. It is such a variety kind of show that Vegas has not seen anything like it. Danny Gans has been working with them on the show.

“Although we open tonight we’re going to have our grand gala celebration on September 25th with the full court red carpet celebrity party. This gives us three weeks of running it to iron out any unexpected hiccups. I never wanted an opening night to sit there and say 'I hope things work.' I know they will deliver the best from the get-go so we can celebrate it properly later in the month. Plus, in today’s economy you want to service all those ticket sales -- and not have to give away complimentary seats on an opening!

“I have a great entertainment director here so she coordinated the grand move-in of their set without any complications for magician Nathan Burton and late-night comedian George Wallace, who are already performing here. Donny & Marie’s producer is a Nathan magic fan so everyone is playing well in the same sandbox. In fact, take a look at our front door -- when you walk in there is a picture of Nathan, George, Donny and Marie.”

Don concluded: “There’s also talk of Marie hosting her own daily TV talk show. It's in process. She was going to do it from Los Angeles but now we are all figuring out a way for her to do it here and not have the commute. We would be happy to host it at one of our properties.”

Incidentally, just before tonight’s opening, Don Marrandino took Donny to the Vegas off-shoot in Caesars Palace of the famous Rao’s in New York.

They enjoyed an authentic Italian dinner of time-honored Rao’s dishes, including the famous meatballs, lemon chicken and shrimp umido, and a little Rao’s Cabernet wine – and then played a game of bocce there on the patio court overlooking the pool to see who would lose to pay for the dinner check. The singer won the game and so the president picked up the check! “This time around,” laughed Don.

Luxe Life wishes Donny & newly-single Marie good fortune and much success as they join the band of permanent Strip headliners -- and we’ll bring you photos of their show the moment time permits!

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