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| June 11, 2007 | NEWEST - PRIOR WEEK - ARCHIVES |
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| "It's The Norm" - Las Vegas Entertainment Events | |
CLINT HOLMES & JAM
As most of you readers out there know by now, I'm no youngster. I have had the good fortune of watching many a new show come and go in our little village, and elsewhere! I had the privilege last week of watching a new show that should have a long and healthy run here, and then to see a play that I feel will be a monster when it gets cut down to its final presentation... Of course I'm speaking about the Japanese show "Matsuri" now performing in the showroom at the Sahara Hotel. I can see why this show is rated Number One in Japan, as it has every element to make anyone excited and exhausted at the same time.
And the play? I mentioned it last week and promised a full report this week. I'm writing of course about "JAM" or "Just Another Man" presented by the Nevada Conservatory Theater and playing in the Judy Bayley Theater. This is a tremendous undertaking by a man, Clint Holmes, who came here a few years back on a short-term contract at the Golden Nugget, when Steve Wynn owned it (who produced a very unique shower scene commercial for Holmes), and which made him a household name. Clint was quickly gobbled up by the Harrah's organization and given his own self-named theater in Harrah's on the Strip, where he stayed for I believe six years. During his time on the Strip he endeared himself to our village, by participating in just about every benefit in town. There is no choice here who or what to write about first. Hands down it's the play!  It takes a great mix of personalities to make a musical work, and Clint Holmes, Larry Moss and Bill Fayne have accomplished it with "JAM." The star of the show is, of course, Mr. Holmes (as Rei Coles) along with stars: Reva Rice who plays his wife Roz.; Tina Walsh, as Rei and Lorraine's operatic mother, Audrey: Clint's sister, called Lorraine in the play, is portrayed by his real life sister, Gail Steele and Earl Turner as the somewhat troubled, but formidable father, Eddie. Tezz Yancey gets a chance to show his talent as an actor / singer / dancer, as the troubled son of Rei, Taylor Coles. |
This play is semi-autobiographical, sorta. One thing is certain, it tells the troubles of a marriage between a white lady and a black man during the '40's and later. Roz was a well known opera singer in Great Britain when she met Eddie Coles near the end of World War II. I need not tell you what they and their two children went through when they moved to a small town outside New York, which consisted of 496 whites and them, do I? From there, Rei tells of his climb up the entertainment ladder and its pitfalls - and the problems he faced in his personal life. Clint Holmes bares his soul in this play. He bleeds openly along with his sister. But one must remember this is a play and a musical. The music, written by Fayne and Holmes with lyrics by Holmes, is all original and dynamic. One of the most dramatic moments in the musical comes when Rei and his father get into another quarrel. Singing "I'm Easy to Take," Rei and Eddie seem to be at a total parting of the ways, when Rei does a vaudeville routine and blackens his face, confronting his dad. Another is right at the end of the show when Rei and Taylor nearly face off. Both sing a wonderfully written song, "If Not Now, When," (which is also the third song into the musical). This time, however, it is father and son going through exactly what Rei did when he was Taylor's age. Taylor has just gotten out of jail and resents his father, but in the end the two do a fantastic tap routine during this bit of soul searching. I recommend this musical to everyone. But please remember, that like many Broadway bound musicals / plays, this is a work in progress. Any play worth its salt has preview weeks out of town before going to Broadway. That's where changes are made and a show is tightened up for those tough Broadway reviewers. For many of us, this is history as we saw it, and of course the story of a man who lived it - Clint Holmes. "JAM" runs through June 24th with tickets priced at $20-35. Call (702) 895-2787 for tickets and showtimes. "Matsuri" opened in May at the Sahara, but we saw it originally last year when it did a brief summer run as an afternoon show at the Riviera Hotel. Matsuri consists of a lot of drumming, dancing, gymnastics and everything in between. Just after the opening number, I was exhausted (not really gang) from the energy the 28 performers from Japan were displaying. The athletes and dancers combine to show various elements of the Japanese culture within 18 acts, without a stop. It is full of dynamic music and some unbelievable gymnastics and dance numbers. It runs Monday through Saturday at 7 p.m. with tickets starting at $69.95. Children tickets are priced at $39.95. For further information call (702) 737-2515 THIS AND THAT QUICKLY: Former star of his own show for umpteen years on the Strip, "Boy-lesque," Kenny Kerr, is back (at least for a couple of weeks). Kerr, who has kept busy doing his thing in Palm Springs, will bring his quick draw verbal jokes to the Bootlegger, Saturdays, June 16th and 30th at 10 p.m. If you are new to our little village, Kenny is known nationally as a top female impersonator, as well as a song stylist and comic. His sequined gowns are, from what I've been told by my lady friends, to die for... Went to the Grand Opening of Café Rio Mexican Grill restaurant out of Utah, at 9002 W. Sahara, the other evening. Wow, what fantastic food. It's unlike most Mexican restaurants where you sit at a table and order. Here you sit at a table (yes, gang), but you join a production line where you order whatever. The servings are huge and the prices are right and the service fast. What more can you ask for? Steve and Patricia Stanley (they were on hand to greet us) founded the first one in St. George, Utah, in 1997. The Las Vegas extension is number seven with number eight underway in Green Valley. Well, gang, that's about it for another week. I'm outa here!
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