Columnist Kate Maddox: Gray production in the red

Kate Maddox

Friday, June 8, 2001 | 8:51 a.m.

Kate Maddox's column appears Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays. Reach her at 259-2309 or kmaddox@lasvegassun.com.

There might be a little planetary re-alignment in the works at "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus." The musical, based on the self-help best seller by John Gray, is reportedly on its last legs at the Flamingo Las Vegas and producers are drastically cutting costs.

Earlier this week cast and crew were summoned for an emotional meeting behind closed doors. More than two hours later subdued cast members, some in tears, walked out despondent.

"It was a rough meeting," said one insider. "(The show's) days are definitely numbered."

During the lengthy discussion, producer Billy Cohen reportedly asked the cast to take substantial paycuts in order to ease some of the production's financial troubles, which stem from poor ticket sales. The show has apparently been averaging 100-150 customers per performance -- a dismal showing, even for the slow summer season.

What's worse, "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" "four-walls" the 750-seat Flamingo showroom -- so, essentially, if the show doesn't make money from ticket sales, the producers may have trouble paying rent to the hotel.

A spokesperson for the Flamingo Las Vegas could not be reached for comment.

Tonya Harding's "people" (yes, she has people) were reportedly bolstered by the attention the skater received following Sunday's item in this column. Harding's publicity machine, which consists of a publicist and a manager (and the occasional brush with the law), have been in talks to bring a topless ice-skating revue to the Strip, just in time for the 2002 Winter Olympics. But Harding herself had apparently begun to feel that her hopes for a Vegas-style comeback were slipping away.

Well, not anymore.

On Wednesday her L.A.-based publicist, Phil Lobell, insisted Harding is now more than ready to resume her status as spotlight-stealer. She's even reportedly hinting that other noteworthy female skaters will go topless and join her on the ice.

Last week Siegfried & Roy opened their home to the cast of "Traumschiff," the German version of "Love Boat." The ever-gracious magicians brought out the big cats, moved furniture, suffered under hot lights, tiptoed around TV cables in the living room and even goaded Gildah, their elephant, into doing a scene. And they did it all for nothing.

S & R donated the payment they received for their appearance on the program to charity. The money will be split between the Romanian children's orphanage run by Sirgfried's sister and the Cincinnati Zoological Society, which seven of their White Lions call home.

Danny Gans and his manager, Chip Lightman, are taking on a new client. Gans was so impressed by the Beatles' tribute band, the Fab Four, that he and Lightman are looking to land the guys a permanent Vegas venue.

Gans and Lightman will produce the show and premiere the final product (which will include a few changes to the Fab's current incarnation) in January.

Gans was taken with the Beatles' look-alikes when he saw their show a couple of weeks ago at the NightClub at the Las Vegas Hilton. The Fab concluded a three-week, packed-house gig there on June 3.