Curtain to go down on “At the Copa” at Rio in January

Friday, Dec. 1, 2000 | 10:31 a.m.

David Cassidy's "At the Copa" will close at the Rio in January, less than a year after the show's debut.

Cassidy, who co-starred in the production with Sheena Easton, will play off the second year of his contract with Harrah's Entertainment Inc. performing concerts at other Harrah's properties.

Cassidy will perform at least 30 dates for the company's 21 casinos next year.

The current show, produced by Cassidy, will close in the Copacabana showroom Jan. 21. The singer will return to the Rio next Thanksgiving weekend for concerts in the Samba Theatre.

Cassidy said he wanted to spend more time with his family and pursue pending offers for both a major-label recording contract and a low-budget movie.

The future of the 10-month-old "At the Copa," a Broadway-styled musical in which Cassidy and Easton portray nightclub singers, was uncertain after it became apparent last month that Easton would leave the show.

Cassidy addressed news reports of a fallout with the Scottish pop singer by telling reporters at a news conference Thursday there was "never a problem with any of my work mates" and that he "never yelled and screamed at them."

He did, however, serve notice to the "Copa" cast - which includes three principal roles, five dancer-singers and an 18-piece band - after Wednesday's show.

Cassidy recently performed concerts at Harrah's properties in Laughlin and Atlantic City, N.J.

The 50-year-old former teen idol and "Partridge Family" star moved to Las Vegas in 1996 to star in "EFX" at the MGM Grand. He also co-produces "The Rat Pack is Back" at the Sahara.