The Maven and The
Blonde
Invade Las
Vegas
by The Maven
and the Blonde
Staff Writers
Gotta love this town! Every night and every day
is a party! Here’s a great day for the whole family:
Start by visiting the ride at the New York New
York Hotel and Casino. This loopy, fast-falling
rollercoaster is over quickly, but is great, screaming
fun! Then bop over to the Palace Station Hotel and
Casino for some frozen margaritas, chips and salsa,
along with some chicken and cheese quesadilla. Go back
to your hotel, relax, sit in the sun, or treat yourself
to a massage. Then change for a wonderful dining
experience at the top of the Paris Hotel and Casino’s
restaurant, The Eiffel Tower. The view is breathtaking,
the food and ambiance is spectacular and elegant. Know
that it is a bit pricey. Allow plenty of time for dinner
so you can be on time to get into your reserved seats
for the Broadway show, musical experience, Mamma Mia! at
the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. If you’ve already
seen Mamma Mia!, see it again. It is exciting, fun,
totally enjoyable, and very professionally produced.
You’ll find yourself singing all the way back to your
hotel. The theater is lovely and the cast is simply
great. Another Broadway show option is Saturday Night
Fever at the Sahara Hotel and Casino. Yes, this show is
based on the movie. They added a few new songs for the
musical. You can “Bee-Gee” your heart out. How deep is
your love?
The next day, after a big breakfast
buffet (great one at Paris), mosey on over to the
Circus, Circus Hotel and Casino and play the amusement
games with your kids. If you’re not with children, go
anyway. Take a moment to remember your past. You will
also have some fun watching the circus acts in the
midway. After the amusement games, take a break. Go have
lunch at the Venetian Hotel and Casino. Here you will
enjoy watching the romantic gondolas floating by. In
fact, go ride on one. You’ll feel like you’re in Venice
Italy. It’s even nice to let them take a souvenir photo
for you while you’re on the canal.
Here’s how you can end your family evening: with
lances and swords but no forks and knives, the
“Tournament of Kings” dinner show at the Excalibur Hotel
and Casino. By the way, The Blonde and The Maven found
it to be great fun, even without kids along. Maybe even
more fun! As exciting as the swordplay was, we couldn’t
get over the gorgeous guys. Everywhere you looked,
gorgeous! Some of those guys had to be from the show
Thunder Down Under, at the same hotel. We wished we
worked at the Excalibur. They must have the greatest
concentration of hunks working in one place.
Surprising as it may seem, the food was delicious
for what it was. It was kind of kitch eating without
silverware! The whole dinner and show process was
efficient and well done. The only problem we experience,
was our fighting over who gets which guy. We suppose the
bigger problem was going home with none of them at all.
For you men, there were some beautiful women, as well,
we suppose, but who was looking at the women?!
If you’re crazy like we are, you will
still have time to squeeze in another show, such as La
Cage. This is the superstar female impersonator show at
the Riviera Hotel and Casino starring Frank Marino as
Joan Rivers.
The
Blonde: Frank Marino, not to be confused with Dan Marino
in any way, shape or form. This is a good-looking man
and woman!
The
Maven: I think a better looking woman! I could
have spent all evening enjoying his costume changes
alone. Each ensemble outdid the one before it. Wigs,
jewelry, accessories; I never saw a man wear it all so
well!
The
Blonde: I could wear it better.
The
Maven: But you’re not a man!
The
Blonde: To get the jewels, I could fake it! I’ve done it
for a lot less! I have to tell you readers, this
show was truly so much fun. Some of the impersonators
were more like the real thing than the real thing.
Britney Spears wished she looked that good! Judy
Garland, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Cher, Bette Midler
and Dolly Parton were all dead on!
The
Maven: What about J. Lo, Reba McIntyre, Dianna Ross and
Liza? They were fantastic as well.
The
Blonde: I don’t know about them. I think they were
on stage performing when I was sneaking back stage to
check out the real jewels and how they hid them.
The
Maven: What was most unique about this impersonator show
was the ending. They revealed in reverse how a man
transforms himself into a gorgeous woman.
The
Blonde: I agree! It gave me goose bumps when they
presented this routine combined with the apropos song by
Charles Aznavor.
The
Blonde and the Maven: Even though La Cage might be
something you would not normally choose to go see, don’t
miss, this show! You won't be offended, just
entertained! Before you rush off to sleep, stop in
at your hotel’s coffee shop to grab some decaf and a
toasted bagel or some apple pie. “Viva Las
Vegas!”
Award-Winning Impressionist
Teams Up with Veteran
Singer
by Phyllis
Green
Theater Columnist
 
That night. It was so remarkable, so special.
That rainy, summer night a month ago. That night, at the
magnificent state-of-the-arts theater in Tamarac, known
as the Palace Theater for the Performing Arts of the New
Kings Point, my favorite impressionist, Sharon Daniels
performed with her partner of one year, Ralph Marino,
together as Daniels and Marino, and my butterflies were
telling me that this could be the start of something
really Big!
Most recently, and for the second
consecutive year, Sharon received the “Cloney Award” for
Best Female Impressionist by the International Guild of
Celebrity Impersonators and Tribute Artists,
IGCITA.
The event took place in Las Vegas this
past July, honoring a very special genre of performers.
Last year at the Sunburst Convention in Orlando, she
received The Sybil Award for the entertainer who
professionally recreates the most number of celebrity
personalities as voted upon by her peers, agents, talent
buyers, and producers. Most deserved awards for Sharon,
an unmatched impressionist.
And so, on this
night, the audience was taken on a whirlwind of music,
from contemporary, swing, Broadway, and scat, to winning
impressions, bursting with comedy and brimming with
nostalgia. As the houselights dimmed in that room of
theater devotees, those fortunate people who live in
that beautiful complex of Kings Point, with its
assortment of activities and amenities, this audience
was in for the show of shows. The lady has many faces
(and hair-dos). The gentleman has many talents
(and styles). Together, Daniels and Marino embark on a
newly conceived journey, combining the experiences of
their own individual artistries, bringing to South
Florida a class act of immeasurable dimension.
Ralph Marino, a veteran of show business, was an
original member of a ‘50s group called The Mystics,
whose song “Hushabye” was a number one hit on the
charts, also boasting of one member, Paul Simon, who
left the act. Hmmm. Ralph and his late wife, Valerie,
appeared in clubs, theaters, and cruise-ship shows all
over the world. His on-stage talents are only exceeded
by his off-stage acumen in technology, with fully
equipped studios for audio, video, photography, and fine
jewelry creations. He is most comfortable, though, on
stage, with a versatile baritone that blends deliciously
with Sharon’s voice of perfect pitch, harmony, and
timing, whether in a folk tribute to Simon and
Garfunkle, or jazzing it up in “It Don’t Mean a Thing.”
He sings out with a warmth and casualness like that of
any Rat-Pack member, and maintains that intimacy
throughout the act.
Sharon Daniels, on the other
hand, is the disciplined perfectionist. With her quick
changes of wigs, mannerisms, and voices, her
resemblances to the likes of Mary Tyler Moore, Rita
Rudner, Fran Drescher, Carol Channing, and, can we talk,
Joan Rivers, are incredible. Sharon first exhibited her
ability for mimicry at an early age by duplicating the
voices of teachers, parents, and friends. In 1982, when
husband, businessman, and nowmanager, Sam Rothberg, was
Assistant Rabbi at a North Dade synagogue, the
sisterhood asked Sharon what she could do for the
temple. She said she could entertain. When Zachary, one
of Sharon and Sam’s three sons, had a temporary job in
television, Sharon accompanied him, and, while waiting,
did her voices. From this beginning, a 25-minute act
emerged, called “In the Green Room.” Then came the
rounds of open mikes, TV and radio commercials,
voice-overs, and stand-up spots at comedy clubs such as
Uncle Funny’s, Dangerfield’s, Coco Walk Improv,
Shatzi’s, and Stand Up N.Y. With impressions of
Streisand, Hepburn, Roseanne, Dr. Ruth, and Joan Rivers,
Sharon made her way onto Sea Escape Cruises and the
condo-circuit.
To add to Sharon’s many credits,
five years ago, Sharon’s mother saw a segment on TV,
looking for “Oprah”s Funniest Viewers.” Sam did one
video take of this “housewife from Hollywood, Florida”
and sent it to Oprah Winfrey’s people in Chicago. The
producers invited her to the show. Oprah even asked her
to do Oprah, she did it! And she won!
And so, on
that night when this unique duo took the stage, there
was a full-scale production, running the gamut of drama
(Moulin Rouge and solos by Marino), comedy (impressions
of Whoopie, George and Gracie, etc.), and the real fun
stuff, (duets and impersonations of Sonny and Cher,
Steve and Eydie, Ike and Tina, Louie and Keely, Barbra
and Neil), all beautifully executed by Daniels and
Marino.
“It’s a long road, with no easy gimmies,”
says Sam, who passionately believes in this act.
Somehow, a shot on a TV talk show such as Letterman or
Leno would be just the ticket. Daniels and Marino should
make it Big—and when they do, I’ll always know how very
remarkable it was That Night. That very special Night!
PHOTO
IDS
1. Proud winner of the “Cloney
Award,” Sharon Daniels
2. Sharon Daniels and
Ralph Marino
Save the Date
Save the date for an evening of Japanese
dance and music with Brian Yamakoshi and Fujima Shunojo,
to take place on Saturday, September 18, 2004 at 7:30pm
in the 8th Floor Theatre of the New World School of the
Arts, 25 N.E. Second Street in Miami. For ticket
information, contact the dance division of the school at
305 237-3341 or call Mrs. Youngblood at 305-858-5016.
For a complete story about this performance, log
onto www.entnews.com and click on “September 10 – 16”
under “Archives.”
PHOTO
IDS
1. The Tokyo Symphony
Famous Jewish Entertainer
Performs at
the Jewish Museum of
Florida
World-renowned television and theater
actor/entertainer Avi Hoffman—of the legendary musical
comedy review, Too Jewish?—will perform at the Jewish
Museum of Florida on Tuesday, September 28, at 7:30pm.
In Broward County Presents, Avi will perform a hilarious
winning mixture of nostalgia, song, comedy and culture.
Avi Hoffman’s performances celebrate
Jewish culture and identity. He instills a sense of
pride in all audiences, regardless of age. Being a
Broward County resident, Avi’s performance complements
the Museum’s current temporary exhibit, Jews of Broward
County. This original performance will fuse personal
Broward County stories with a collection of songs and
anecdotes illustrative of this beloved tradition.
Avi Hoffman is a child of Holocaust survivors
and was born in the Bronx, NY. He was taught at an early
age to appreciate the beauty and depth of Jewish
culture, literature, music and tradition. At age eleven,
he moved with his family to Israel and began performing
in dozens of English and Hebrew plays as well as Israeli
television and film. He has continued to perform in
theater, television and films throughout his life. He
was named Best Performance Artist by NY Press Magazine
and was nominated for the Drama Desk and Outer Critics
Circle awards for his entertaining and moving look at
Jewish culture, music, comedy and identity in his shows
Too Jewish? and Two Jewish Two!
As the founder
and executive director of the not-for-profit National
Center for Jewish Cultural Arts, Inc., Avi produces many
high quality Jewish cultural events and programs.
Together with award-winning actors and legends of Jewish
culture, Avi will be hosting and participating in
Jubilee 2005 – A Celebration of Jewish Culture. It
begins in January 2005 with a 7-night cruise on the
Caribbean Princess and will include performances through
March 2005 in North Miami Beach, Broward County and Palm
Beach County. These projects include entertainers
Theodore Bikel, Jack Carter, Fyvush Finkel, Yale Strom
and Klezmer band Hot Pstromi. For dates and locations,
contact the National Center for Jewish Cultural Arts at
954-255-9323.
Jews of Broward County runs
through January 30, 2005. Historic photos, sweeping
murals, documents and artifacts portray the
comprehensive story of the many roles Jews have played
in developing the home to Florida’s largest Jewish
population. Representing more than 250 families, this
chronological exhibit uncovers and documents the Jewish
experience in Broward for nearly 100 years. From
politics to agriculture to retail to the arts, Jews
of Broward County colorfully demonstrates the tremendous
impact that Jews have had on the growth of the area and
the anguish of antisemitism experienced as Jews settled
there.
The Jewish Museum of Florida is located
in a restored historic Art Deco building on South Beach
that was formerly an Orthodox synagogue. The focal point
of the Museum is MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida, its
core exhibit, as well as a temporary exhibit that
changes three times a year. A Collections & Research
Center, several films, Timeline Wall of the World,
American and Florida Jewish history and a Museum Store
complete the experience for visitors of all ages and
backgrounds. Accredited by the American Association of
Museums, the Museum is located at 301 Washington Avenue,
South Beach and is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except
Mondays and Jewish holidays. Admission: Adults/$6;
Seniors/$5; Families/$12; Members and children under 6/
Always Free; Saturdays/Free.
Avi Hoffman
in “Broward County Presents” is open to the public.
Admission is free for Museum Members and is $6 for
non-Members. For reservations and program information,
contact 305-672-5044, ext. 11. Early reservations are
recommended. For membership information, contact
305-672-5044, ext. 21. For more information, visit
www.jewishmuseum.com.
PHOTO
IDS
1. Avi Hoffman
All content property of Entertainment News &
Views © 2003. Nothing that appears on this site may be
reproduced, either wholly or in part, without the
written permission of the publishers and solely at their
discretion.
|
Menu 