Columnist Kate Maddox: Vegas a ‘Chicago’ kind of town

Kate Maddox

Friday, June 15, 2001 | 4:34 a.m.

The only shake-ups at the Showroom at the Venetian will be the addition of "Chicago." Sources say the Broadway hit will indeed end up back on the Strip, as has been the rumor for the past several months. As for the Nederlander family (famous for producing Broadway shows) planning a lease buyout from H&H of Nevada, Showroom General Manager Scott Iwamoto says it isn't going to happen.

"I don't know what (the Nederlanders) want," Iwamoto said. "But they haven't talked to me or Richard (Heftel, Iwamoto's Showroom partner) about (a buyout)."

Iwamoto says H&H will hang on to its current lease deal with the Venetian as long as it can make money. That means that selling its agreement to outsiders isn't an option until the cash starts to run out -- and Iwamoto is confident that won't happen anytime soon.

"We have several new shows lined up to come in," he said. " 'Chicago' just might be one of them."

And how long would "Chicago," which enjoyed a yearlong run Mandalay Bay ending in February 2000, stay in town this time around?

"Productions pay us up front, so how much money they pay is how long they stay," Iwamoto said.

"Chicago" would be a four-wall deal at the Showroom and insiders speculate it could open as early as September.

As for the Nederlanders, Iwamoto said there was a representative from the family involved in this week's "Chicago" discussions, but the meeting did not include any talk of a family buyout.

Iwamoto stayed mum on the other question surrounding Showroom entertainment: Will impressionist Andre-Philippe Gagnon stay, or will he go?

Gagnon's two-month summer hiatus begins at the end of June and Robert Goulet takes over his slot from July 2 through Sept. 2.

Iwamoto said he "wasn't sure" whether Gagnon would return in the fall and he "doesn't know how it will turn out," adding cryptically, "I'm sure (Gagnon) doesn't know either."

I still think the Crazy Horse "rules" are creepy, but the show is, well, the show is pretty magnifique.

The nudity in "La Femme" is tasteful (though I still can't figure out how the dancers all seem to have the exact same natural physiques. And I looked. I was in the front row -- talk about up close and personal. But, I digress ...)

The showroom is intimate, the dancing impressive and Thursday's opening-night crowd gave the ladies a semi-standing ovation. They celebrated on Friday with new pals Siegfried & Roy. Apparently a silent stroll through S&R's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat falls within the rule book.

Sheena Easton is getting married ... again. The singer has announced that she will make her fourth trip down the aisle, this time with the Beverly Hills plastic surgeon she has been dating for the past two years.

The usually private Easton appears to have loosened up in other areas of her life as well. In a recent interview with the Sun, Easton had a decidedly "bygones" attitude toward her former Rio co-star, David Cassidy.

"There were certain problems," Easton said. "And there were definitely moments of tension ... But, we're never going to be great friends and we're never going to be enemies."

She has also apparently developed a sense of humor about gaining weight, which was reportedly an issue behind the scenes during "At the Copa's" run.

"It is true," Easton deadpanned. "I have definitely ballooned up from a size 2 to a size 4. I'm a hugely obese size 4." The 42-year-old singer continued with a laugh, "Well, I definitely don't have the (derriere) I had when I was 20, but I don't have the brain I had then either -- thank God."