‘Girls, Guy’ gives maximum bang for buck

Friday, Dec. 26, 2003 | 8:46 a.m.

What: "Two Girls & a Guy."

When: 5 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays.

Where: Fitzgeralds Showroom.

Tickets: One drink minimum.

Information: (702) 388-2400.

Rating (out of 5 stars): *** 1/2

"Two Girls & A Guy" may be too big of a crowd for the tiny stage in the 150-seat showroom at Fitzgeralds, where for the price of a drink you can be entertained almost any night for an hour.

The only exception to the one-drink rule is "Bobby Ruffin's Tribute to the Drifters," which costs $12.95 (7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

"Two Girls et al" is the latest in a series of low-budget, and for the most part better-than-average, productions that have been in the spotlight at the former lounge on the second floor of the downtown hotel.

Entertainment Director Gene Sagas continues to tweak the venue that has been his baby since he remodeled the lounge last year.

Since January he has pulled the plug on four shows, including magician Arian Black, impressionist Larry G. Jones, Elvis tribute artist Craig Newell and "Diva-Licious," a short-lived effort to capitalize on the adult-oriented entertainment craze.

The lineup now includes the Drifters tribute; Elvis impressionist Steve Connolly (7 p.m. Thursday through Monday), blue-toned comedian Wild Billy Tucker (9:15 p.m. Thursday through Monday), vocalist Paull Casas (5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday) and "Two Girls ..."

Connolly is a friendly, likeable Elvis who doesn't take himself too seriously. He fills the room most nights.

Tucker is a former dancer who traded in his dancing shoes for comedy, much of which can't be printed in a family paper.

Casas capitalizes on his pleasant personality to win over audiences as he sings the songs of Wayne Newton, Elvis, Tom Jones and a dozen or so others. He isn't an impressionist, but rather a singer whose goal is to entertain rather than to impress with how much he can resemble another performer.

The Denver native may have the only hourlong show in town that includes an opening act -- his boyhood chum, Dan Rodriguez.

The pair made a vow when they were teenagers that they would help each other in their careers if the opportunity arose. Rodriguez now produces his friend's show and (as "The Great Golfini") warms up audiences with a seven-minute magic and comedy routine.

"Two Girls & A Guy," the final show on the roster, is a lot of entertainment to try to pack into an hour.

The show features husband-wife magicians/comedians Scott and Jenny Alexander and sultry songstress Sarafina, a one-name performer who out-vamps Vampira.

Any one of the three probably could keep an audience entertained for at least an hour. Their three-in-one show is almost too much of a good thing -- one would like to see a little more of each, but there isn't time.

Scott is a superior sleight-of-hand artist. His magic is so good that his comedy catches you off-guard.

Scott bounds onstage, eats a little fire and jokes with fans.

"I do a little bit of magic and a little bit of comedy," he said. "If something isn't funny, that's the magic."

Another quick trick (catching a ping-pong ball on his nose) and he leaves to make room for Sarafina, who, three years ago, was one of the "naked angels" in the Plaza production "Pete Barbutti and his Naked Angels."

Sarafina steams up the room as she slinks through the audience, flaunting her assets as she sings medleys of Cher songs and other numbers before introducing Jenny Alexander.

Jenny intrigues the audience with the classic Chinese linking rings trick and then amuses everyone by seemingly using her tongue to put a string and eight double-edged razors together in her mouth.

She then turns the stage back over to her husband.

Scott is the main attraction -- sneezing a cane out of his nose; correctly naming the card a volunteer chose from an invisible deck; producing a dozen bottles out of a couple of tubes and much more.

If "Two Girls & A Guy" is at Fitzgeralds very long (and it should be), the act will have to change its name to "Two Girls, A Guy and A Baby."

The Alexanders are expecting a child on April 15.com