Out-of-this-world production needs boost from a big song

Joe Delaney

Friday, Sept. 29, 2000 | 10:48 a.m.

"Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" is "a musical revue about love -- the good, the bad and the funny," in the words of composer Rita Abrams and director-choreographer David Bell.

The new evening tenant in the Flamingo Las Vegas showroom is based on John Gray's best-selling book with that title and more than 8 million copies sold to date.

Gray's Mars Venus LLC and Sacramento International Productions are the co-producers. The staged version deals with five couples -- all friends -- ranging in age from their 20s to 50s and the day-to-day struggles each relationship goes through, depicted through a series of musical vignettes, backed by six excellent musicians led by Wayne Green.

Mandy (Janien Masse) and Nelson (Mark W. Smith) are the focal point as young singles who are brought together by the oldest couple, Bea (Alene Robertson), a natural matchmaker, and her husband, Harry (Gerry Burkhardt). Robertson and Burkhardt come close to stealing the show.

Frances (Wendy Talley) and Rex (Rick Pessagno); Sylvia (Jenny Giacomo) and Paul (Erick R. Walck); and Mitzi (Jennifer Mrozik) and Dupree (Kevin Sherrell) are the other couples. All 10 principals are first-class actors and singers who do justice to the excellent, clever and funny Abrams' lyrics and music. Pessagno is another standout.

The show caught ran 90 minutes (sans intermission); the production was still in its soft-opening or preview mode. Ticket holders and invited guests resulted in a nearly full house who seemed to appreciate the 15 scenes performed on an attractive, well-designed and innovative set.

Gray is a successful author and lecturer; Abrams has rooms filled with top awards, including three Emmys; and Bell could do likewise with his diverse theatrical background. What they need here is that one hit song, such as a "Hello, Dolly," or "Comedy Tonight" which gave "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" the lift it needed.

"Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" has all the right ingredients, in every respect, but it lacks that extra touch -- that knockout punch with either a song or a hilarious scene -- to be a hit.