Kenny Ortega’s day in Vegas: Catching up with Steve Wynn, singing with Matt Goss

By John Katsilometes

Saturday, May 1, 2010 | 9:52 a.m.

The man in the grey suit jacket and white dress shirt clambered onstage to sing with the star of the show. If you didn't know who he was you might well have wondered, "Who is this guy? Is this an open-mic sort of show? A hybrid concert and karaoke experience, like what Tommy Rocker offers at his cantina?"

He seemed more suited for being in a board meeting than on a Las Vegas nightclub stage, but this guy soon showed he was at home at the Gossy Room at Cleopatra's Barge at Caesars Palace on Friday night. The man who waded through the crowd who was dancing to the show-ending chorus, "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" was producer, choreographer and director Kenny Ortega. This is the same Kenny Ortega who directed Michael Jackson's "This Is It" stage show and the rehearsal documentary film released after Jackson's death. He also directed the "High School Musical" series and was the choreographer for the films "Dirty Dancing," "Xanadu" (the fanciful Gene Kelley-Olivia Newton-John roller-skating odyssey), and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (the wild "Danke Schoen"/"Twist & Shout" street scene) among many other quite-famous projects — including Jackson's "Dangerous" and "HIStory" tours.

Ortega sat in the VIP section with friends and also with Goss' business partner and Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin, dancing in and out of his seat during the 90-minute performance. He even high-fived Antin a couple of times, a universal indication of fun-having.

Afterward, a grinning and sweating Ortega was asked why he was in town and why he was at the weekly GossFest.

"I had a couple meetings earlier today," he offered.

Oh? With whom?

"I met with Mr. Wynn," he continued. "We have a history together, as you know." Ortega is artistic director for the Lake of Dreams at Wynn Las Vegas, co-produced the grand openings of that hotel and Encore, along with Bellagio and Wynn Macau. He was also the original choreographer of the water show at Bellagio Fountains.

Reports of Ortega meeting with Wynn at Wynn Las Vegas a few years ago led to speculation (unfounded, as it turned out) that a Jackson show was being planned for one of Wynn's hotels. Wynn, of course, has made news over the past week with his stated plans to move his company headquarters to Macau.

Ortega offered no specifics on his discussions with the reliably news-making resort mogul, but said, "Steve Wynn likes to talk and dream, and so do I." (Asked this morning of the meeting among the two longtime friends, Wynn spokeswoman Jennifer Dunne said the two most likely were just catching up informally and knew of no artistic or business reason for them to meet.)

Of the show he just witnessed, Ortega said, "I loved it. I've not seen anyone take command of the stage like that since (Bruce) Springsteen. I've wanted to see Matt for some time. This is a big, big performance. I really enjoyed it."

Ortega is off to see "Viva Elvis" tonight. He offered nothing in the way of insight or even opinion as to where the Cirque du Soleil Jackson production would be staged in Vegas at the end of 2011 (he has no artistic involvement in the project). "These are two artists who have had a tremendous influence on pop culture. I've known the Cirque people, Guy (Laliberte) and Gilles (St. Croix) for a very long time, and I think whatever they do will be mind-blowing. But as to what, and where, I have no idea."

Ortega turned 60 on April 18, but as he posed for photos and talked loudly with the friends and fans surrounding him, he seemed hardly that age.

"Sixty! That's right, I am 60!" he shouted. "But tonight, I feel 30!" Then he was off, beating the clock — barely — to midnight.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.