Donny & Dunn: How a country star has taken an Osmond’s advice
Ronnie Dunn was primed to receive some sage advice. That it arrived from Donny Osmond during the Las Vegas premiere of “Jason Bourne” at Caesars Palace was pure coincidence.
This was in July. Dunn was one of the celebs in the audience at the Colosseum for Matt Damon’s latest turn as the CIA-trained assassin. And Osmond took the seat in the row in front of Dunn.
The two gentlemen, well aware of what it’s like to represent half of a famous duo, began talking of their headlining gigs on the Strip. Enlightened by an eight-year run at the Flamingo — extended to nine years in 2017 — Osmond told Dunn to keep his expectations realistic.
“He was saying that the trap is getting into the mindset that you’ll go on forever and to avoid jinxing yourself,” Dunn said during a phone interview a day after the announcement that “Reba and Brooks &Dunn: Together in Vegas” at the Colosseum has added 12 dates next year. “He said he and Marie (Osmond) started with six weeks, and now it’ll be nine years, but they have just kept the same philosophy of taking every step along the way one at a time.”
Reba and Brooks & Dunn have added dates in June and July, and again in November and December, of 2017. They are already busy with shows in February and March, performing 18 dates next year and another during their current run.
Dunn says the pacing of the schedule keeps the trio (himself, Reba McEntire and his longtime performing partner Kix Brooks) fresh and energetic onstage. “Without the breaks between shows, burnout would be common,” Dunn says.
The “Together in Vegas” show is already being promoted as the longest-running country production ever at the Colosseum (though Shania Twain is the only other country star to perform a residency in the theater).
With a little prodding, Dunn does allow that the trio could play well beyond what any of the artists expected when debuting in June 2015.
“The way the dates are set up, there would be nothing to prevent us from continuing into the foreseeable future,” he says. “I can’t imagine a better environment, except maybe a little more humidity. The desert is a dry place.”
You get used to it, after a while. Donny &Marie will tell you that, too.
COWBOY OSCAR
In his role as chairman of the host committee for the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority, Oscar Goodman tours the National Finals Rodeo’s Cowboy Christmas shopping spectacle each year at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The former Las Vegas mayor characteristically grips a martini and wears a Resistol with his signature pin-striped suit.
The NFR crowd doesn’t always recognize Goodman (shocker) as he ambles around the 440,000-square-foot exhibit hall. This year word rippled around the complex that the one-time “mob attorney” was in fact, “The Cowboy Hugh Hefner.” Buzz around the center last year was that Goodman was, “The Richest Man in Texas.”
Texas Station, maybe … but being flanked by a pair of models dressed as showgirls can lead to such confusion, flattering or otherwise.
APRIL CLOSING FOR ‘PARAMOUR’
A surprising announcement this week out of New York is the April 17 closing of Cirque du Soleil’s first foray into a Broadway production, “Paramour” — exactly one year after the show opened at Manhattan’s Lyric Theatre. A statement from the show’s producers indicates plans for an international tour or residency, or even a move to a different Broadway theater.
“Paramour” co-stars Ruby Lewis, who became well-known in Las Vegas for her leading role as Daisy in the original version of “Baz” at Light at Mandalay Bay. “I’m actually really happy that we all get to finish it up together as a family. We all have 20 weeks to look for work and focus on enjoying the time we have left,” Lewis said.
BACKING BOCELLI
Andrea Bocelli is adding some local artistry to his show Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden. The Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society is providing choral accompaniment to the production, making it the eighth straight year Bocelli has recruited vocalists from the SNMAS troupe. The Los Angeles Festival Orchestra and SNMAS Chorus will be under the direction of maestro Eugene Kohn. And a wave of the wand to legendary SNMAS Music Director Dr. Doug Peterson, a sprightly 90 years old, for sharing that info.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.