Columnist Jerry Fink: MGM unveils esoteric ‘Ka’

Friday, Nov. 26, 2004 | 8:26 a.m.

Cirque du Soleil's latest child, "Ka," will be born at 8 tonight at the MGM Grand.

The parents are anxious.

They've invested $165 million in this baby -- $135 million in the eye-popping, jaw-dropping theater and $30 million in what is being described as an "epic saga."

Through Feb. 2 the baby will be learning to walk. Producers are calling the first couple of months of performances "preview shows," meaning you should be tolerant because you might see the infant stumble here and there.

The official premiere will be Feb. 3. Tickets, for both the preview shows and those thereafter, range from $99 to $150.

Cirque du Soleil is famous for (among other things) not putting its best foot forward when one of its productions debuts. The company likes to get it in front of the public and tweak it.

"There are still a few things that are going to evolve," production manager Stephane Mongeau said. "We're too close to it now. We need to get back, to see it with an audience. See how people are going to react, let it breathe, and then go back to the table and say, 'OK, here's something we have missed. Can we do something with it?' "

Creator and director Robert Lepage said it is a tale about twins, a boy and a girl, who "are separated by fate and embark on a perilous journey to fulfill their linked destinies."

"We wanted it to be an epic story told not with the use of words, but with the universal language of body movement and music."

Epics can be unwieldy. This one is designed to be 90 minutes long. Mongeau said the first run-through on Oct. 11 took nine hours.

"We stopped a few times," he said.

But by Oct. 24 they were bringing it in at just under three hours. The Nov. 5 run-through lasted two hours.

"Last week, we did it in one hour and 45 minutes without stops," Mongeau said. "With time, it will get shorter. Transitions are getting smoother.

"The audience will make a difference."

There is a cast of 75. One of the stars of the stage production is the stage itself.

Cirque spent almost $12 million on a unique mechanical stage that operates in a void, at times becoming a mountain, at times a platform.

Why not a standard stage as a base for the acrobats, dancers and puppeteers who move the story along?

"Robert wanted to do a show about gravity, to change the perspective of the people," Mongeau said. "At one point they felt the seats could go back and the audience could look up in the air."

That idea was rejected.

"But he always wanted to change the perspective of the audience," Mongeau said.

Mongeau, whose job is to keep the operation running as smoothly as possible during the start-up phase, has been with the production almost from the conception.

"I've been there from day one," he said. "I was one of the first to start, and I will be one of the last to leave when the show is up and running."

It has been an enormous project from the beginning, involving more than 500 people -- from technicians to artists and craftsmen.

One of the earliest issues was which would come first, the production or the theater. They ended up working on them simultaneously.

Besides the unusual stage and the creation of a customized theater that seats almost 2,000, Mongeau said it was difficult working with so many people from all over the world, each with their own cultural and artistic perspectives.

"But we have always found a way to achieve our goals as a team," Mongeau said.

He will leave the show in April, after tying up all the loose ends.

Mongeau says he has not given any thought to trying to top "Ka."

"You don't look for it," he said. "We've done it. Now I go for something more simple. I'm not looking for the next biggest project. I was excited to start this, but it is almost done."

"Ka" will be the fourth member of Cirque's Las Vegas family, which also includes "Zumanity" at New York-New York, "O" at Bellagio and "Mystere" at Treasure Island.

It is expecting its fifth Vegas child in May 2006, a show at the Mirage with a Beatles theme.

Mongeau is talking with Cirque about future projects.

"I don't know what I'm doing after this, but I'm not going to the Mirage," he said. "The first thing I will do is take a long break."

He deserves it.

Birthing babies is not an easy task, even for a family as large as Cirque du Soleil.

A Stirling show

Kelly Clinton's debut as entertainment director at Turnberry Place's Stirling Club and host of a Friday and Saturday night show at the venue couldn't have been more exciting.

On Nov. 19 actor James Caan played the piano and sang.

On Nov. 20 the club was literally standing room only as many of Clinton's show business friends joined her for "Vintage Vegas."

Clint Holmes, Frankie Scinta and his sister Chris, Nelson Sardelli, Bill Fayne, Frankie Randall, Sheena Easton and others were on hand for the excitement.

Skate of the union

A new outdoor skating rink at Caesars Palace's Roman Plaza has something for almost everyone interested in skating.

Beginning Saturday and continuing through Jan. 15, the 60-foot-by-90-foot rink will feature recreational skating, lessons and entertainment by a rotating cast of performers.

Gala Entertainment, of Long Beach, Calif., created the rink and is presenting "The Stars Are Out Tonight," a $3 million production.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $25 for general, $50 for reserved box seats.

For information, call 474-4000 or 866-1600.

Two-time U.S. Olympian and veteran skating coach Gary Visconti will manage the rink, and national competitor and veteran skating coach Bonnie Jo Parker will run a skating school offering lessons to the public and a chance to skate with the stars.

Parker says the stars who will put in appearances on the ice will include Rudy Galindo, Elvis Stojko, Paul Wylie, Dan Hollander, Irina Grigorian (known for her hula hoop routine performed while skating) and Cirque du Soleil skater Karl Baumann.

Also, Dick Button, Jo Jo Starbuck and Kenney Shelley, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner and Scott Davis and Nicole Bobek are expected to appear.

Performances will include an original score by Tom Worrall, and costumes designed by Pieter Grove ("Lido-Paris"), Paul Lopez ("The Patriot" and "Ice-Capades") and Frank Taylor ("The Lion King").

The lighting and set design is by Bob Schultz ("Siegfried & Roy") and choreography and direction is by Randy Gardner ('79 world-champion skater).

Bob Turk is the producer.

Public skating is from 9 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

On Saturdays and Sundays public skating hours are from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and then 10:30 p.m. until midnight.

Tickets for skaters are $10, with free skate rental.

Admission to watch the public skating is free of charge.

For more information about public skating, call 866-1600.

Lessons will be offered by U.S. Figure Skating-certified instructors. the cost is $20 -- $10 for admission and $10 for a 30-minute group lesson.

Race day

Local journalist, public relations guy, artist and race car driver Norm Johnson has been named grand marshal of the Henderson's Terrible 300 Desert Race, to be held Dec. 4.

The race will take place from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the Eldorado Valley, between Henderson and Boulder City.

There will be two courses -- one for motorcycles and ATVs and one for cars and trucks -- running in a figure-eight style. The start-finish line will be off of Nevada Highway 95, near the Railroad Pass exit.

Johnson founded Las Vegas' legendary Mint 400 in 1968 when he was director of public relations for the now-defunct Mint Hotel. The race was considered one of the top off-road events in the world for more than 20 years.

The 1969 race attracted 188 entries, including Indy 500 champions Bob and Al Unser, television stars James Garner and Lee Majors and comedian Shecky Greene.

Johnson, 71, has been a racing enthusiast since age 15 and he is still racing, driving a 2000 Camaro in events around the state.

Deana Martin signs

Dean Martin's daughter Deana will sign copies of her recently released book, "Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes," from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at UNLV's Lied Library.

In addition to the book signing, the library will feature an exhibition of vintage photography and memorabilia from the Rat Pack era.

Forty Deuce opens

Forty Deuce, a hot nightspot in Los Angeles, opened a branch this week at Mandalay Bay.

The nightclub features a burlesque show at 11:30 p.m., 1 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

There's a cover charge of $25 Thursdays through Saturdays and $20 Sundays through Wednesdays.

VIP reserved seating is available. A $150 per person minimum is required.

AIDS benefit

Wednesday is World AIDS Day.

Krave, the new "omni-sexual" nightclub on the Strip, will host a one-night-only show for Golden Rainbow beginning at midnight and featuring the cast of "We Will Rock You" and special guests from "Mamma Mia!" and "A New Day ..."

Andrew Turtletaub, from "We Will Rock You," directs the production.

Organized in 1987, Golden Rainbow provides housing and direct financial assistance to the men, women, children and families living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada.

Doors open at 11 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

For information call 384-2899.

Village benefit

Opportunity Village's 13th annual Magical Forest festival opened Thanksgiving night.

The festival at 6300 W. Oakey Blvd. is the nonprofit Village's single-largest fundraising event, attended by more than 200,000 people each year.

The Food and Beverage Directors Association of Nevada (FBDAN) was to host Thanksgiving dinner for about 650 Opportunity Village workers and their families.

FBDAN will have its own booth at the Magical Forest, where members of the organization and their associates donate such items as hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, hot chocolate and soft drinks to be purchased throughout the five-week event.

The Magical Forest is open daily from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. through Dec. 31. Admission is $5 for children, $7 for adults and $10 to $12 for an all-inclusive Unlimited Rides Passport.

'Legends' dark

"Legends in Concert" at the Imperial Palace will be dark Dec. 13 through Dec. 18, resuming performances Dec. 20.

When it returns its new hours will be 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. It will be dark Sundays.

Diamond drummer

Neil Diamond's drummer/percussionist, King Errisson, joined Diamond tribute artist Jay White for White's performances at the Riviera's Le Bistro Theatre this week, Sunday through Thursday.

White has been performing as Diamond for more than 20 years. He has been at the Riviera for more than two years.

King has been with Diamond since 1974. He is rehearsing to join Diamond on his 2005 World Tour.

Da mayor

It wasn't exactly a solemn ceremony.

Mayor Oscar Goodman this week gave members of the cast of the dinner theater show "Ba-Da-Bing" a key to the city -- and the cast returned the favor.

Ben Morgan (Cousin Vinnie in the production) and his crew returned the mayor's car keys and wallet, which had been taken from him without his knowledge.

And they gave the mayor, noted for defending a number of mobsters during his career as a criminal attorney, a proclamation officially naming Goodman "Mr. Big."

Goodman also received a Tommy gun.

"Now you have the ammunition to fight City Hall," Morgan said.

"Ba-Da-Bing" shows nightly at 7:30 p.m. at the Stardust.

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