Columnist Joe Delaney: Holmes and Co. bring Broadway to Las Vegas

Joe Delaney

Friday, Dec. 8, 2000 | 10:28 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com.

Harrah's headliner Clint Holmes joins Broadway legend John Raitt and Paige O'Hara in a program of Broadway hit songs and holiday favorites entitled "A Vegas Broadway Christmas," 2 p.m. Sunday in UNLV's Artemus Ham Hall ... The performance, produced by Myron Martin, will benefit Golden Rainbow and the UNLV Performing Arts Center.

Martin heads the UNLV Performing Arts Center and has been responsible for the excellent programs under the banner of the Charles Vanda Master Series, Best of the New York Stage Series and the World Stage Series.

Golden Rainbow is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable housing and other basic needs to people living with HIV and AIDS in Southern Nevada ... Golden Rainbow's annual "Ribbon of Life" productions have helped to raise more than $1 million dollars since it was founded in 1986.

More performers

Holmes, Raitt and O'Hara will be joined by the cast of "Forever Plaid"; the Nevada Ballet Theatre; the UNLV Choir; plus Jimmy Hopper; Anthony Rapp from the original cast of "Rent"; Roz Ryan, best known for her portrayal of Mama in "Chicago"; Dana Benedict, Lothair Eaton, Bruce Ewing, Theresa Goudeau, Dana Rogers Martin and Tina Walsh from various Las Vegas productions and 12 dancers from Bally's "Jubilee."

Raitt has delighted Broadway audiences for more than five decades ... Rogers and Hammerstein cast him in the lead role of Billy Bigelow in "Carousel" in 1946 ... He was also on Broadway in "Oklahoma" and "Pajama Game." Today he is also known as the father of singer Bonnie Raitt.

O'Hara starred in "The Great Radio City Spectacular," formerly at the Flamingo Las Vegas, and was the voice of Belle in Disney's animated film "Beauty and the Beast." She will perform with husband Michael Piontak, who has copious Broadway stage credits.

Anent Clint Holmes

Holmes, star of "Takin' It Uptown," is one of the most musicianly pop-jazz singer-performers in show business ... He comes by his talent naturally with a jazz-bassist father and an opera-singer mother ... Prior to moving to the Strip, Holmes performed at the Golden Nugget, formerly owned by Steve Wynn.

Wynn confided to me some months ago that one of his few regrets while building his Mirage Resorts empire was that Holmes did not become a superstar while with him ... He remains a fan and a booster ... Holmes has had several shots at the target in the past ... Harrah's has proven to be his best outing in Las Vegas to date ... We believe the best is yet to come for Holmes.

An integral part of his performance is the 12-piece band that Holmes and his musical director, Bill Fayne, have assembled, including saxophonist Phil Wigfall and guitarist Jerry Lopez.

Weekend wrap-up

"Forever Plaid," with five years of full houses in the Flamingo Las Vegas' Bugsy's Celebrity Theatre, is one of the most satisfying shows on the Strip ... The cast members are always active, making appearances for various good causes in the community ... The show is closing early next year; let's hope it can continue elsewhere in Las Vegas.

Oops ... In Thursday's column listing, we inadvertently omitted Norm MacDonald, Jon Lovitt and Victoria Jackson, "Stars of Saturday Night Live," tonight and Saturday in the Rio's Samba Theatre ... Enjoy ... See you next Thursday.