Las Vegas duo making another run at Broadway
Richard Oberacker is diving back in and looking to make a splash and if you see a hint in this sentence for his new project, great.
Oberacker and writing partner Rob Taylor are swimming frantically toward another Broadway musical. The first reading of this hush-hush project was Saturday at Stinko’s Las Vegas, the ironically named entertainment space at the floral shop connected to Cockroach Theater.
About 80 folks turned out, not including the 20 singers onstage and the three-piece band headed up by Oberacker at the piano.
Oberacker, the music director at “Ka” at MGM Grand, has been teasing to this project in an unhurried sort of way over the past few months. A few songs have premiered at The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas at Myron’s Cabaret Jazz at the Smith Center. Oberacker and Taylor used the same sort of sampling-and-roll-out process to deliver “Bandstand” to Broadway.
The post-WWII musical ran from December 2016-September 2017 at Bernard B. Jacobs Theater in New York.
Saturday was the first reading, but Oberacker remains guarded about the show’s title and content — no public announcements of any of it, for the moment. I will say this original musical has, um … bite.
Everybody scream!
Two of the Strip’s EDM’s biggest name share the same birthday: Jan. 17. Tiesto turns 50 that day, celebrating with a party Saturday night at Omnia at Caesars Palace (he’s usually headlining at Hakkasan Nightclub at MGM Grand). Calvin Harris, the anchor of Omnia is 35. Both stars also headline Wet Republic at MGM Grand.
The ‘Sex Tips’ 500
“Sex Tips For a Straight Woman From a Gay Man” at Paris Theater has notched its 500th performance. That’s a lotta rolled up programs, folks.
The current cast of Mark Melton, Katie Kenner and Chris Hodgson caked it up after Saturday’s show. “Sex Tips” opened for previews in May 2017, with Kendra Wilkinson and Jai Rodriguez as co-leads. Scheana Shay (“Vanderpump Rules”) and Chester Lockhart (MTV’s “TODRICK”) also starred in the show in 2018.
We remind that the show is based on a real book written by the real author Dan Anderson, which has been published in more than 50 countries and translated into 17 languages. Bueno!
ShowBuzz!
“The Chippendales’ at the Rio is on the cusp — cusp, I tell you! — of announcing a new guest star. He’s said to be a first-time front man for the show … Word out of the Dec. 19 showcase of the retooled “Marilyn — A New Musical” is the show’s script is tighter and more focussed than its original. The “Norma Jean” alter-ego character has been ditched. Original star Ruby Lewis played the lead in the updated reading; no word if she has been signed to return to the next iteration of the show … Sands Showroom at Venetian is going positively mental(ist) with a new headliner that I’ve heard will be announced any moment. This act will toggle with showroom anchor Human Nature, same as when the short-lived “Puppet Up” performed in that room in 2016.
Cool Hang Alert
Brett Arthur Rigby & The B.A.R. Band kicks it up on at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill at Harrah’s. Keith’s bar is a always a great spot for a hoedown/throwdown. No cover charge for this crackin’ crew.
The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands operates The Venetian.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts.Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.