Las Vegas Weekly

August 9, 2010 · 4:52 PM

Photos: Weekly $100,000 bet to prove that The Strip isn’t all Cirque

By Robin Leach

Vegas! The Show's opening night at Saxe Theater in Planet Hollywood on Aug. 5, 2010.

Photo: Justin M. Bowen

It’s the most ambitious production David Saxe has taken on in 23 years since he began co-producing his sister Melinda’s magic show while he was still in high school at age 17. He has a cast and crew of more than 70, including 11 musicians, for his new Vegas! The Show at his Saxe Theater in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile. The Las Vegas-born producer signed the lease of the former Steve Wyrick Theater on April 1, and it’s no joke.

“Up until that point, the show existed only in my head. I always saw it as a big production, and I decided to go all in, even though it’s a $100,000 gamble every week. We had over $1 million risked before our gala opening.

“I have a real respect for what’s known as Old Vegas. I miss those kind of variety shows. I wanted this to be the anchor for the new theater, and we managed to pull it off in just over 2 months. Our first preview was June 26, and during the rehearsals and previews, we were getting standing ovations from the audience.”

David recently had his official opening, and the reviews from first-nighters were glowing. “I am thrilled with the response,” he told me. Mayor Oscar Goodman, George Wallace, Nathan Burton, Louis Prima Jr. and his sister Melinda, the First Lady of Magic, were among the attendees. Melinda is likely be onstage at the theater later in a separate show.

I fell in love all over again with dance queen Tara Palsha. She simply KO’d the audience with her “Lady Luck” routine. The applause was extraordinary, and there’s no doubt that she’s taken the mantle once held by Cyd Charisse. Tara dazzled and should be on Dancing With the Stars -- she’s that incredible!

Her movements were electrifying, and the audience was breathless watching the former Peepshow and Fantasy dancer -- and then from the stunned silence they broke into wild applause. Tara was sensational with her explosive routine.

I loved the band and the staging of the show. I loved the way the band is broken up to play in groupings all over the stage.

The 12 gorgeous dancers -- including another Peepshow veteran, Carolyn Pace -- simply thrilled with their high-kick line, which brought back happy memories of The Rockettes in New York City. Their precision was perfect! I haven’t seen a dance troupe this phenomenal in the 11 years I’ve now been in Las Vegas.

Twin tap dancers Sean and John Scott also had the audience mesmerized with magical combinations of today’s hip-hop with yesteryear’s traditions.

Additionally, there are three lovely ladies of song and three solid male vocalists, along with five other entertainers. Close your eyes and think of Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle and Anita Baker, and you’ve got the absolute image of the three super songstresses: Reva Rice, Trina Johnson-Finn and Jamie Preston.

Congratulations to director/choreographer Tiger Martina, musical director Pat Caddick and bandleader Jerry Lopez, who deserved to be singled out for their contributions to a solid winner. Tiger’s staging is genius and the music dynamite.

There’s no high diving. There’s no aerial acrobatics. There are no clowns. In fact, there was nothing to remind you of the rival Cirque du Soleil shows. Call Vegas! The Show the anti-Cirque. This production takes the best songs, dances and variety talent to show a little loving history to our city and those who put it on the map from the 1930s through the ’80s. You don’t need their names because you know who they were and the songs they sang and danced.

David told me: “I really felt a big, slick, musical-powered production show was missing from The Strip. When people think of Vegas today, it’s simply not what it was like in the old days. I think we’ve had enough Cirque. We need to get back to pure entertainment with talented entertainers. I’m getting more nostalgic these days, and to my knowledge, there’s never been a show that took the best of Vegas from the beginning of time.

“I grew up around my dad Richard, who was the bandleader for The Rat Pack. I grew up behind the scenes at MGM for eight years and watched rehearsals. I was at the Tropicana because my mother Bonnie danced with Folies Bergere. This was the era of real glamour, real talent, real entertainment in Vegas. I missed it all and felt so must everybody else. It was a void that had to be filled.

“It was the right time to bring it back. Great music and songs, fabulous costumes, brilliant dancing. The costs add up each week to be a fortune, and it’s costing me a lot of money. But it was all or nothing for this, and I’m confident we’ll eventually succeed with it. Audiences have been growing every week since we started the early previews, and the word of mouth is so positive, it grows better every day.”

Thanks to Richard Corey for posting his video of the premiere on YouTube.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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