Friday, Dec. 5, 2003 | 8:17 a.m.
It's difficult to argue with success, and sometimes to explain it.
Twenty years ago "Legends in Concert" debuted at Imperial Palace, booked for a six-week run.
Those who don't appreciate the artistry of imitation may have scoffed at the idea of a production that featured faux celebrities.
But producer John Stuart, head of On Stage Entertainment, struck a chord with a legion of fans when he created a show that paid tribute to some of the most popular entertainers in the country.
"Legends" still fills the room.
The first shows included only entertainers who were deceased, among them Janis Joplin, Buddy Holly, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon and Elvis Presley.
Eventually there was a crossover and the cast expanded to entertainers of the present.
Today, On Stage Entertainment employs dozens of tribute artists, everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Bobby Darin to the Righteous Brothers and Michael Jackson. They perform not only at the IP, but also in Branson, Mo., Atlantic City, N.J., and Myrtle Beach, S.C.
With a keen eye and ear, Stuart has amassed a stable of performers who are among the best in the world at capturing the essence of famous entertainers.
There is a certain formula to the production. Acts never stay long enough to become stale. Every few weeks the performers rotate to other venues. Each show includes about six acts.
The current "Legends" cast at the IP includes Marva Scott as disco queen Donna Summer, Garth Brooks impressionist Dean Simmons, Ann-Margret look-alike Lori Russo, Daryl Wagner as Liberace, the Four Tops as portrayed by the group Fair Play, and Matt Lewis as Elvis.
Scott is among the most recent additions to Stuart's company.
The Seattle native opens the show with three quick numbers that are among Summer's biggest hits -- "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls" and "Last Dance."
While Scott is perfectly cast as Summer, dynamic and fun to watch as she re-creates an era of music-lite, she flirts with farce.
Other acts (except for Liberace, who in real life was a caricature of himself) take themselves seriously. But Scott's moment in the spotlight is almost a spoof -- not her performance per se, but the dancers and the costumes that lean toward the outrageous.
Two white male hoofers sport large Afro wigs and wear polyester shirts open down the front; female dancers wear pink, green purple wigs and wear brightly colored clothes.
On second thought, maybe the whole disco era was a farce.
Simmons has Garth Brooks' mannerisms -- his sometimes exaggerated movements, his mugging for the audience -- down to a T. He generates a lot of electricity among the audience.
But while Brooks might have been one of the biggest names in the '90s, I'm not sure he deserves such a large chunk of the show -- Simmons performs "Thunder Rolls," "The Dance," "Friends in Low Places" and a medley that includes "Rodeo," "Two of a Kind" and "Ain't Going Down."
The same might be said of the Four Tops, performed admirably by Fair Play.
The Tops' songs include "Reach Out (I'll be There)," "Shake Me Wake Me," "Walk Away Rene," "Ain't No Woman Like the One I've Got," "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch," and medleys that included "It's the Same Old Song," "Standing in the Shadows of Love," "Bernadette," "Baby I need your Lovin' " and "There's Something About You Baby."
If some of the songs were cut, there would be time during the 90-minute production to squeeze in a couple of more tribute artists, perhaps two edgier performers who might spice up the evening.
The only negative comment I heard about the show was that it needed a Joplin or Hendrix to offset the middle-of-the-road performances of the other entertainers.
Wagner, as Liberace, was comic relief -- making his appearance flying onstage via a cable hooked to his back and wearing a rainbow-colored cape.
Wagner mugged his way through "Chop Sticks," "Johnson Rag" and "I'll be Seeing You," and for the finale of the production came out on roller skates and wearing hot pants.
Lori Russo looks so much like Ann-Margret that it's eerie. That, coupled with her dancing talents, made her a pleasure to watch -- especially when she performed a couple of duets with Matt Lewis in his Elvis persona.
Lewis was a highlight of the show. Not only does he look and sound like Elvis, but judging from the crowd's reaction he also has that intangible quality that has endeared Elvis to generations of fans.
It's the same mysterious quality that apparently continues to drive "Legends in Concert," making it one of Las Vegas' legendary productions.com
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