Columnist Joe Delaney: Little brings ‘The Presidents’ to Paris Las Vegas

Joe Delaney

Thursday, April 25, 2002 | 8:17 a.m.

Rich Little, the first full-time impressionist to make it as a successful Las Vegas showroom headliner three decades ago, is appearing in Paris Las Vegas' Le Theatre Des Arts tonight through Saturday ... "The Presidents" stars Little as nine presidents, from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush, covering the last four decades.

"The Presidents," a two-act, five-actor production, was conceived by Little and written by Ron Nessen and Loren Paul Caplin ... Nessen was Gerald Ford's press secretary and a former NBC News correspondent ... Caplin is a playwright and screenwriter ... Bill Castellano is the director.

Little will be joined onstage by various first ladies, all portrayed by actress Elaine Bromka ... Actors will depict the presidents' men ... Little will also be heard doing impressions of Henry Kissinger, Jimmy Stewart, David Brinkley, Walter Cronkite and Frank Sinatra and other Rat Pack members.

In addition to the 8 p.m. performances, there will also be a 2 p.m. matinee Saturday ... All performances will be filmed ... "The Presidents" will be featured as part of PBS' national fall fund-raiser, coinciding with the start of a road tour that is scheduled to open on Broadway in 2003.

This is the realization of an ambition first expressed by Little when we served as associate producer and idea man on his "Great Pretender" specials for HBO, filmed at Bally's and the LV Hilton in the 1980s ... We wish all concerned every possible success.

Last Thursday we joined our University of Nevada, Las Vegas Hotel Entertainment class for the Penn & Teller performance in The Rio's Samba Theatre ... The two are constantly evolving, adding new and updating classic segments; always surprising, always fresh, always funny.

In January 2001 the column suggested that the Samba Theatre would be an ideal home base for Penn & Teller ... They close on May 5, then return in June for most of the balance of this year ... Don't be surprised if the deal is extended into 2003 and beyond.

For years this column has been preaching the virtues of recognition -- artists or productions, with specific hotels ... Harrah's, parent company of The Rio, has had success with Clint Holmes and magician Mac King, both scheduled to perform at Harrah's until 2006 ... "O" (Bellagio), "Mystere" (Treasure Island) and Siegfried & Roy and Danny Gans (separately at The Mirage) are other examples.

"Viva Las Vegas" (Stratosphere) recently celebrated its 12th anniversary ... Rita Rudner, a success at MGM Grand, now at New York-New York, celebrates her first anniversary there Friday ... These are a few examples ... Next I would like to see showrooms, especially star-policy rooms, operating seven days a week ... It can and should be done.

Star-policy rundown

It's Gladys Knight (Flamingo Las Vegas); Amazing Johnathan (Golden Nugget); Clint Holmes (Harrah's); Sheena Easton and The Commodores in separate rooms (LV Hilton); Blue Man Group (Luxor); Tom Jones, plus Rick Springfield starring in "EFX Alive," and Robin Williams, Saturday only in the Grand Garden Arena (MGM Grand).

There's more: Comedian Robert Schimmel is in for Lance Burton Friday and Saturday (Monte Carlo); Rudner (New York-New York); Frankie Valli (Orleans); Little (Paris Las Vegas); Marlene Ricci (Riviera); Steve Wyrick (Sahara); Al Jardine's Good Vibrations Band, Friday only; Wayne Newton resumes on Saturday (Stardust); and Christopher Cross (Suncoast).

And still more: Rick Thomas (Tropicana); and Melinda, First Lady of Magic (Venetian) ... Charo is on tour prior to opening May 6 in "Bravo" at Sahara, replacing "The Rat Pack is Back" ... "Rent" through Sunday (Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts) is a viable alternative choice this week.

The Moscow Grigorovich Ballet performs Friday at 8 p.m. in UNLV's Artemus Ham Hall, the final event of this 26th season for the prestigious Charles Vanda Master Series ... The highly acclaimed company of 85 dancers will perform "Spartacus" and feature the choreography of Yuri Grigorovich.

Community College of Southern Nevada presents the Kevin Lyon Jazz Trio tonight at 7:30 in the campus' Recital Hall ... This is the final weekend for "Pippin" in CCSN's Nicholas J. Horn Theatre ... There will be UNLV Dance Department Concerts in the Black Box Theatre at 8 p.m. Friday and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday ... The Asylum Theatre presents "Dear Digby," 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, (Winchester Community Center).

Retired Gen. Barney Rawlings hits the Big 8-0 Saturday ... For many years every important local event started with Rawlings singing the national anthem ... Happy, healthy and many more, Barney ... Goodwill of Southern Nevada celebrated 100 years of Goodwill Wednesday at the Samba Theatre with a Penn & Teller reception and performance ... See you Friday.