Columnist Jerry Fink: Molasky’s talent far from shallow

Friday, Sept. 23, 2005 | 9:36 a.m.

Jerry Fink's showroom column appears on Fridays. Reach him at jerry@lasvegassun.com at (702) 259-4058.

Sarah Molasky's career has taken a dive since graduating from San Jose State University in 2003.

To be exact, a 60-foot dive.

The 23-year-old gymnast is one of the highlights of "Le Reve," the water-based production by Franco Dragone at Wynn Las Vegas.

If her name is familiar it is because she is the daughter of Las Vegas businessman Andrew Molasky and the granddaughter of Las Vegas developer and philanthropist Irwin Molasky.

Her father has attended 10 performances since she and the production made their debut April 28. Her grandfather, so far, has only been able to attend one performance, on opening night.

Fate seems to have drawn Sarah Molasky to the Cirque du Soleil-like production, which takes place in a million-gallon tank of water 21-feet deep.

The native of Los Angeles recalls seeing a Cirque show when she was a child growing up in Santa Monica, Calif., and being a fan ever since. She developed a lifelong interest in gymnastics and attended San Jose State on an athletic scholarship.

Molasky majored in public relations and television/radio/film. She was on the Division I Women's Gymnastics Team, which won the National Association of Collegiate Gym Coaches/Women's Scholastic All-American Team in 2003.

In June 2001, while still a student, she won a drawing in which the prize was two days at Cirque du Soleil headquarters in Montreal. While there, she was allowed to use their equipment and she became infatuated with the organization.

After returning home she sent them an audition tape in hopes of being hired for one of the many Cirque productions.

However, because she was still in college, NCAA regulations would not allow her to audition until after she graduated.

After she graduated her gymnastics coach, Wayne Wright, heard about plans for "Le Reve." He was aware of his student's interest in performing and began lobbying on her behalf.

The person Wright contacted was Dragone's assistant, Peter Wagg.

Wagg and Andrew Molasky had become friends in London in the '80s, when Molasky was working there for Lorimar Productions and Wagg was busy creating the offbeat '80s TV series "Max Headroom."

Wright mentioned to Wagg that Sarah was the daughter of his friend.

"I was polite and put him in touch with our casting director and I made sure that Sarah's audition tape got to the right place," Wagg said. "That was all I had to do with it."

Although the audition period had ended, the casting director was impressed enough with Molasky's tape to hire her.

That was in early 2004.

She began taking French lessons, swimming lessons, diving lessons and kick boxing in preparation for joining the production.

The diving coach for "Le Reve" suggested she try the high dive.

She agreed and began working up to the 60-foot drop, adding a few feet each time she made a free-fall dive.

"Eventually it became easier," Molasky said. "I learned to relax and free-fall."

As do most of the 75 cast members, Molasky has several roles in the show.

But it is the high dive that is one of the most thrilling of the evening.

She says her heart no longer pounds when she is preparing to making the six-story drop.

"But it's still exciting," she said.

As long as she lands correctly, feet first, there aren't any problems.

"A couple of times my feet have been a little too far in front of me and I have gotten a real bad wedgy," Molasky said.

Delisco back

The winner of E! Entertainment Network's reality series competition "The Entertainer" claimed one of his prizes Tuesday when he began a 17-week gig at the Las Vegas Hilton's Shimmer Cabaret.

Delisco had already received another prize, appearing in June with entertainer Wayne Newton in the Hilton's 1,200-seat showroom.

A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Delisco says he's happy with his engagement in the smaller theater, which seats about 400.

"I'm very happy with it," he said. "It's tough being in the showroom when you first start out."

Delisco will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays through Nov. 29.

How have things changed since he made the big time?

"I have people who work for me now," he said. "And I'm learning a lot about the business and about myself."

Although Delisco has performed on Broadway, in "Ragtime" and in "Smokey Joe's Cafe," he says his goal is to be a recording artist.

He's working on his first album.

"The album is going to be original," Delisco said.

When his engagement at the Hilton ends he says he will take off a couple of weeks and then tour for a couple of months.

"After that, we'll see," Delisco said.

He says his musical influences include a wide range of entertainers, including Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, Bob Marley and Ray Charles.

"I have been exposed to a lot of different styles of music, from the '20s all the way up to today," Delisco said.

He describes his music as a combination of R&B, gospel, rock 'n' roll and ragtime.

Delisco says he has always set goals for himself, from appearing on Broadway to a recording career.

"I've done Broadway," he said. "Now I'm looking at becoming a successful recording artist."

Opening for Delisco will be comedian Dave Russo, who was among his competitors for the title of "Entertainer."

"We became buddies during the taping," Delisco said.

The show, which will feature a nine-piece orchestra and two backup singers, will cover the past 100 years of music, in honor of Vegas' 100th anniversary.

Art exhibition

Singer, actress, dancer, former Tropicana showgirl and now accomplished artist Poupee Boccaccio will exhibit her latest artwork for 30 days beginning Wednesday at the Manpower Professional Center, 231 S. Third St.

"Las Vegas Neon Icons" consists of neon sign photo collages, using a series of photographs taken by Boccaccio to create the artwork.

At 4 p.m. Boccaccio will present one of her works to Mayor Oscar Goodman and the city in commemoration of Las Vegas' 100th anniversary.

"This body of work was inspired by my love of drama and theater." Boccaccio said. "To me, the art of Las Vegas is in the neon imagery.

"My background is theatre and all of my art expresses that fact. My theatrical history and the history of these original iconic figures are linked togther."

Boccaccio, who has given up her other careers to focus on art, says she was greatly influenced by her sister, who is schizophrenic.

"The duality of the whole disease -- I am interested in the duality that these figures evoke," she said of her neon art work. "While they are visual eye candy, they inspire so many emotions and feelings. It is for the viewer to come away with an interpretation. That is, for me, what makes this work so fascinating."

Boccaccio says her work often deals with obsession, compulsion, manipulation.

Her work has been exhibited at hundreds of galleries and museums around the country, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the San Diego Museum of Art and the Armory Centre for the Arts in Pasadena, Calif.

She has received many favorable reviews, including those such publications as the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union.

Boccaccio was the headline singer in the "Folies Bergere" at the Tropicana in the mid-'70s. She has acted in such TV series as "Columbo," starring Peter Falk, and "Nichols," featuring James Garner.

She recently released her latest CD, "Fuego Latino."

Although art has been a lifelong interest of hers, she didn't begin pursuing it seriously until the '80s when she attended the Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design and the University of San Diego.

"When I would go on the road I would visit art museums and I would do water colors," she said. "Then I received my degree in fine arts."

After that, her passion was focused on her art work.

Presidential pianist

Caesars Palace pianist David Osborne will perform Sunday in Plains, Ga., for the birthday celebration of former President Jimmy Carter.

Carter will turn 81, but the celebration is being held in conjunction with the town's annual peanut festival.

Osborne has performed for Carter several times since meeting him by chance at a bookstore in Orlando, Fla., in 1988.

The biggest celebration was for Carter's 75th birthday. The McGuire Sisters and Pat Boone were among the entertainers who performed.

"The last two years have just been an informal thing," Osborne said

Osborne, who performs at Cafe Lago, has become known as the Pianist to the Presidents, having entertained Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton and Carter.

The Oklahoma native soon will release his 20th CD, a tribute to Nat King Cole.

Katrina benefit

Benefits to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina will be held at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday at Palace Station.

Komics Kare is part of a nationwide effort by comedians to raise money for the victims.

Comedian John Padon will head up a cast of local entertainers that includes Kathleen Dunbar, Russ Nagel, Pam Matteson and Scott Henry.

Tickets are $15.

For information call 547-5300.

"It should be a lot of fun," said Padon, who will headline at the Riviera Comedy Club for seven nights beginning Oct. 3. "We will do 20 minutes apiece -- our best 20 minutes."

Padon is well known locally, performing in such productions as "Midnight Fantasy" (now "Fantasy"), "X" and "Skintight."

Komics Kare is the brainchild of Pat Wilson, of Langley, Wash. Wilson is an agent of several comedians and has contacts with comedy clubs around the country.

"After watching the hurricane news on television for four days and listening to the poor people begging for help, I decided to call eight or nine friends of mine who own comedy clubs to see if we could help raise funds," said Wilson, who owns an apartment in the French Quarter of New Orleans and spends about 20 weeks a year there.

After she made the calls, she said the project mushroomed and now 29 clubs and more than 200 comedians are involved.

Most of them will host a Komics Kare fund raiser on the same day. Others will hold it on different days because of scheduling conflicts.

Wilson founded Komics Kare five years ago to raise money for abused and neglected children.

She said watching the children of the Gulf Coast suffering from a lack of food and water disturbed her.

"I live down there and I know what those people have or don't have," Wilson said.

She said her apartment, located on the east side of the French Quarter, was untouched.

"No looting or flooding," she said.

Wilson said she will try to go to New Orleans around the first of November.

She will take the money raised by Komics Kare and deliver it to several agencies, including the Houston Food Bank, the Baton Rouge Food Bank and others.

McGuire honored

The legendary Phyllis McGuire will be inducted into the UNLV Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame in a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Artemus Ham Hall.

McGuire has been a force in the entertainment world since 1952 when she and sisters Christine and Dorothy began appearing on "The Arthur Godfrey Show," a relationship that lasted for six years.

McGuire eventually began a solo career -- creating her own nightclub act, appearing in movies and summer stock and performing on Las Vegas with such entertainers as Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Danny Thomas, Milton Berle and Sammy Davis jr.

In 2000, McGuire helped launch the Celebrity Speaker Series at UNLV and assisted in bringing such artists as Tony Curtis, Matt Damon, Academy Award-winning director George Sidney, "CSI" creator and producer Anthony Zuiker, and others to campus to speak with students about their experiences in the entertainment industry.

The Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame at UNLV was founded to honor residents of Southern Nevada who have made a significant impact on the arts, including visual and performing arts and architecture.

The hits of the McGuire Sisters' include "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight," "Sincerely," "Picnic," "Something's Gotta Give," "He," "Sugartime," "May You Always" and "Just for Old Times Sake."

Tickets to the third annual Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame at UNLV award ceremony are $25 general admission, $10 for seniors, and free to all UNLV students (one ticket per valid student I.D.).

For more information call 895-2787.

Disabled benefit

The second annual Benefit Show Fundraiser for the Nevada Open Doors Foundation will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Fiesta Rancho.

The foundation -- created by Dr. Samuel Wise -- provides the disabled with medical equipment, home renovations that meet ADA (Americans Disability Act) requirements, vehicles and education assistance.

Tickets are $20.

For more information call 893-0328.

The event is presented by entertainer Tony Sacca, producer of the syndicated television show "Entertainment Las Vegas Style."

Danny Gans, who recently donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina victims, is raffling off his prized 2001 Corvette Z-06 to help raise additional funds.

Gans, headliner at the Mirage, will draw the winning ticket at 7 p.m. on Oct. 30 and call the winner, who does not need to be present to win.

Gans says fans from around the country, as well as Las Vegas, are being encouraged to participate.

Tickets will be on sale now through the day of the drawing. They may be purchased at the Danny Gans box office during regular business hours or by phone at 800-214-4267 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Tickets are $20 each or six for $100.

All proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the American Red Cross and the MGM Mirage Voice Foundation Hurricane Katrina Recovery Fund.

The money collected from the raffle will be distributed weekly to help the survivors now, Gans said.

The car, which is on display at the lobby of the Danny Gans Theater, has 2,600 miles on the odometer and is fully loaded.

Gans says he has spent $65,000 customizing the black Corvette.

"This car has been a source of joy for me since the day I bought it, but it will give more joy knowing that I am helping my fellow Americans in need," Gans said.

Vegas views

Ron Gartner -- who abandoned the textile business four years ago for a career in show business -- will perform three concerts in Vegas in October.

On Oct. 1 the 60-year-old singer will perform a private concert for residents of Sun City Anthem.

At 5 p.m. on Oct. 2 he will perform at Macdonald Ranch and at 7 p.m. on Oct. 5 he will perform at Sun City Summerlin.

Gartner has made a career out of performing at retirement centers, but would like to find a home in a casino.

"I'm looking," Gartner said.

Meanwhile, he says PBS is taping him as part of a series about people who have changed the directions of their lives.

"It's a program called 'Act II,' " Gartner said. "They're taking a look at people who have re-created themselves."

When Gartner was a youth he sang in synagogues in Los Angeles.

"I discovered I had a voice and I wound up having bands in high school and college," Gartner said during a telephone interview from his home in New York. "I was fairly well known around USC and UCLA in the early '60s."

When the show business career didn't work out, he joined his father's textile company. In 1994 Gartner moved to New York and started BiCoastal Textiles.

Four years ago he decided to sell most of his interest in the company and to again pursue a career in show business.

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