‘Angels’ give Grand Ole Opry flavor to Gold Coast

Friday, Jan. 9, 2004 | 8:27 a.m.

"Honky Tonk Angels," after taking off the summer and fall months, has returned to the Gold Coast just in time for winter with a new show and new energy.

Well, the show isn't all that new -- the premise is the same: a country music revue featuring tributes to such legends as Patsy Cline, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton.

But it is a formula fans of the show clamor for, so despite bone-chilling weather, check out the somewhat-revamped "Honky Tonk Angels Opree" and you will find it a heart-warming experience if you're a country music buff.

"Honky Tonk" went on hiatus June 2 and returned New Year's Day. In the interim, "Serendipity" held down the showroom.

"Serendipity" paid tribute to pop music of the '60s, '70s and '80s, focusing on such artists as Bette Midler, Frankie Valli, Connie Francis and Stevie Wonder. It was an excellent production, one that could return to the Gold Coast in the spring, perhaps on a rotational basis.

Sharon Haynes produces both shows. In "Honky Tonk" she performs as Patsy Cline, a role she adopted in 1990 and brought to Vegas in 2000 (Haynes didn't appear in "Serendipity.")

Haynes' new version of "Honky Tonk" includes the same cast that has been with the show for the past three years -- herself as Cline, Corrie Sachs as McEntire and Lori Legacy as Parton.

Sachs and Legacy (who also were in the "Serendipity" cast) each perform as several other country stars.

Added to the cast for the month of January is guest star Vic Carroll as Alan Jackson. His spot in the show is rotational -- each month a different performer will be brought in to pay tribute to a different artist. Gene Simmons is expected to do his Garth Brooks routine in the next month or so.

Another addition to the cast is Ginjer Conway as the lead singer in a tribute to the Dixie Chicks.

Lollie Jones is a new member of the show's band, Cool Country Crew. She is a superb musician, a virtuoso on the fiddle, banjo, mandolin and guitar.

Of the three original cast members, Legacy is the most versatile.

A gifted ventriloquist, she opens the show with funny repartee with two puppets and closes the bit with an incredible feat, singing Leroy Van Dyke's speedy "The Auctioneer's Song." She's so good you think she's using a recording.

In addition to her comedy and puppetry, Legacy performs tributes to Parton and Tammy Wynette.

Sachs follows Legacy's comedic opening with a tribute to Faith Hill, performing Hill's hits "Let's Go to Vegas" and "This Kiss."

Legacy then returns as Wynette and belts out the country standards "Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad" and "Stand by Your Man."

Carroll's physical appearance is a ringer for Alan Jackson, but it takes him a few minutes to settle into the vocal similarities. When he finally does, he's one of the highlights of the evening, singing the Jackson favorites "Chattahoochie," "Drive" and "Where Were You?" (a 9-11 tribute song).

By the time Jackson's first set is finished, you feel as if you're at the Grand Ole Opry.

McEntire and Legacy are the backbone of the show, trading performances throughout the evening.

Sachs comes out in a blue leather outfit as McEntire and sings "Fancy" and "Take it Back" and then Legacy (with lots of padding) performs a number of Parton hits, including "9 to 5" and "Why'd you Come in Here Looking Like That?"

Then, Sachs is back as Martina McBride, singing "My Baby Loves Me" and "Broken Wing." Later, again as McBride, she performs a duet with Carroll -- "My Valentine," which was a duet by the real Jackson and McBride.

Even though Haynes is the star and the producer of "Honky Tonk," her only appearance is near the end of the 90-minute production, when she sings five of Cline's songs, among them "Faded Love," "Crazy" and "South of the Border."

The only speed bump in this fast-moving production is the Dixie Chicks tribute. The singers neither look nor sound like the trio and they seem out of place in this otherwise top-notch production.