Columnist Joe Delaney: Rudner back where she belongs — in Big Apple

Joe Delaney

Friday, April 20, 2001 | 8:51 a.m.

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

Dainty, demure, petite, soft-spoken but a heavy hitter when it comes to her humor, Rita Rudner opens tonight in a new 425-seat Cabaret Theatre at New York-New York ... Most of last year was spent across the Strip at the MGM Grand doing capacity business ... New York-New York should be an even better locale for Rudner.

Born and raised in Florida, her mother was diagnosed with cancer when Rudner was 6, an illness that continued deteriorating for seven years until her death ... Lack of insurance devastated her father ... Rudner's refuge during this time was dancing ... She credits this with developing her determination to succeed in life.

In a 1999 phone interview she told me, "Adversity can bring out humor because you have to develop a means of dealing with it. People who are really funny are those who have struggled."

Her father was supportive, and after she graduated high school at age 15, Rudner moved to New York City on her own ... As a dancer during the next decade, she had parts in a half-dozen Broadway shows ... While appearing in "Annie" at 25, she wandered into a Manhattan comedy club and decided to try her luck ... That one outing was decisive.

In the next two decades Rudner had her own award-winning HBO specials, successful network appearances and equally rewarding stage, nightclub and film appearances. She decided early that role models were not for her: "I didn't want to be a female stand-up comedian. I just wanted to be me being funny."

Married 10 years to British writer-producer Martin Bregman, their film credits together include "Peter's Friends" with Kenneth Branagh and "A Weekend in the Country" with an all-star cast led by Jack Lemmon.

Her quiet demeanor is quite deceptive. She writes all of her own material ... She and her husband are much of her material ... Each line is carefully constructed, impeccably timed and delivered ... Sometimes the impact takes an extra beat or two before it detonates.

She's a lady, an attractive and very funny lady, a lovely touch of Manhattan where it belongs, at New York-New York.

Weekend wrap-up

"The Scintas" are off and running in the Rio's Copacabana showroom, and Earl Turner is back with an all-new show, with reserved seating in the hotel's Rio Bamba Lounge ... "Fame -- The Musical" is a high-energy retrospective of the 1980s, through Sunday (Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts) ... Maggie Winn-Jones stars in "Speaking Up -- The Voices of Julie Jensen," at 8 this evening only, directed by Davey Marlin-Jones (Winchester Center).

Multitalented Barbara Brennan directs "The Robber Bridegroom" this weekend and next (Community College of Southern Nevada's Performing Arts Center, Cheyenne campus); UNLV's University Theatre premieres two plays, "Judy Gray" and "Last Clown of Limerick," also this weekend and next in the Black Box Theatre ... "An Evening in Old Vienna" is both for dancing and listening, 7:30 p.m Saturday (Charleston Heights Arts Center).

Jazz notes: The Kevin Stout Quintet's "J.J. and Kai Revisited" takes place at 2 p.m. Sunday (Charleston Heights Arts Center) ... Also at 2 p.m. Sunday, it's the World's Smallest Jazz Band (Swede's Corner) ... There's a Swing-Dance, 6-9 p.m. Sunday, featuring Joe Darro, Jay Orlando and the Cousins (Club 1030 on East Flamingo Road) ... Don Menza's Big Band returns to the Riviera Lounge Monday.

More jazz: A Jazz Caravan is at Santa Fe Station 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays, then parks at Texas Station, same hours on Thursdays ... Also on Thursdays it's the Carl Lodico Big Band at Cuzzen's ... Friday, as always, the action is at Pogo's ... See you next Thursday.