‘Hairspray’ helps Mekka stay

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 | 7:08 a.m.

What: "Hairspray"

When: 7:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; dark Wednesdays

Where: Luxor Theater

Tickets: $71.50 (Mezzanine), $93.50 (Main floor)

Information: 262-4400

No one could be happier about Eddie Mekka landing the role of Wilbur Turnblad in the Luxor's "Hairspray" than Eddie Mekka.

"It's in my own back yard," said Mekka, best known as Carmine Ragusa (The Big Ragu) in the hit ABC sitcom "Laverne & Shirley."

After moving to Las Vegas 13 years ago, Mekka has commuted to acting assignments all over the country, from Broadway to Hollywood.

He and Paul Vogt, a comic actor noted for his work on "Mad TV," will be taking over two of the lead roles in "Hairspray" on May 1. Vogt is replacing Harvey Fierstein as Edna Turnblad, mother of teenager Tracy Turnblad. Mekka will be taking over the part of the father, played by Dick Latessa.

Fierstein and Latessa originated the roles on Broadway and won Tony Awards for their performances. The two actors, who had left the Broadway production to pursue other interests, agreed to a three-month contract to kick off the Vegas version of the musical.

Mekka and Vogt have signed six-month contracts.

Both are fascinated by Las Vegas.

"I came out here to perform at conventions and was going to move back to Los Angeles," Mekka said.

But he and his family liked the desert and he never left, except for the acting gigs that have kept him busy.

Mekka, 53, broke into musical theater when he was a teenager growing up in Worcester, Mass. In 1969 he appeared in the chorus of "Fiddler on the Roof" at the Worcester County Light Opera Company.

His breakthrough came in 1974 when he appeared on Broadway in the Vietnam War-themed rock opera, "The Lieutenant." It gained him a nomination for a Tony (Best Actor).

In 1976 he headed for Hollywood and almost immediately landed the role of Big Ragu on "Laverne & Shirley."

"Fred Silverman (then-president of NBC) first saw the characters of Laverne and Shirley on 'Happy Days' and thought it would make a good series," Mekka said.

Silverman wanted to add a third person.

"A wise guy Italian," Mekka said. "And I was a cocky little guy - just nominated for best actor on Broadway."

He said he performed a quick scene as his audition.

"There was no screen test," he said. "We didn't do a pilot."

The series lasted eight years. When it was on hiatus, Mekka returned to the theater.

"I was getting lazy on television," he said.

One of his first roles during the break from the TV series was that of Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof." He fell in love with the character and since 1993 has been steadily performing the role in theaters around the country.

"Preparing for the part, I listened to tapes of Jackie Mason," Mekka said, "like a fighter getting in training for the fight. I do a lousy Jackie Mason, but I do a good Jew."

When he isn't playing Tevye or performing in other stage productions, Mekka stays busy in film and TV and sometimes does a nightclub routine.

"I'm a song-and-dance man," he said. "I'll do Sinatra, Bennett, Louis Prima. I'll maybe do a tap number or two."

Mekka will be singing and dancing with Vogt, who has some big shoes to fill when he takes over for Fierstein.

Fierstein "has this incredible voice that adds to the comedy of the character," Vogt said. "It would be insane to try and mimic that.

"I'm just trying to find the heart of the character, to find who the woman is."

For inspiration, the 41-year-old classically trained actor from Buffalo, N.Y., has turned to the original Edna Turnblad - the late actor Divine. Divine created the role in the 1988 film by John Waters.

"I'm trying to find the cadence Divine used in the film," Vogt said. "He had great rhythm."

He once was up for a role in the Broadway production.

"I was doing 'Mad TV' when I got a phone call from the casting people in New York," Vogt said. "But it didn't work out."

He said he was in the middle of a five-year contract with the TV series and at the time couldn't get out of it. He was, however, able to leave "Mad TV" after three years - and then got a call from the producers of "Hairspray" in Las Vegas.

At the time, he was in Los Angeles performing in the musical "Happy Days." Vogt said he met with the producers in Los Angeles and they flew him to Las Vegas and then to New York,

"At the time, I was actually trying to go to New York to try and find something on Broadway," Vogt said.

But he's happy to be doing Broadway in Las Vegas.

"I like Vegas," he said. "It reminds me a bit of Orlando, Fla."

After college Vogt performed improv at Disney World in Orlando.

"Vegas reminds me of Orlando, but without the humidity," he said.

It also reminds him a little of Broadway because of the Strip productions of "Hairspray," "Mamma Mia!" and the upcoming "Phantom of the Opera."

"Broadway has always been a dream of mine, but now I'm doing Broadway here."