David Cassidy in the News
Spectacular Spectacle
David Cassidy Joins `Efx' To Good Effect
December 31, 1996
By Gary Dretzka
Chicago Tribune
LAS VEGAS — When the MGM Grand resort began tinkering with its showcase production, "EFX," the most difficult task facing producers was filling the rather large shoes left behind by departing marquee-topper Michael Crawford.
The $45 million spectacle was built around the formidable British singer and stage actor, who forever will be remembered as the man behind the mask in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera." His two-year commitment to the project lent an immediate air of legitimacy to a show that might otherwise have been dismissed by detractors of Strip entertainment as just another feathery extravaganza.
For nearly a year and a half, Crawford's cult-like appeal helped fill the hotel's cavernous, 1,700-seat Grand Theater. Last summer, however, the physical demands of his multiple roles (the imperious EFX Master and several other historical figures) began to take their toll and a hip injury forced him to leave the show.
The cast of more than 70 singers and dancers gamely made the most of the situation, but it soon became clear that good intentions and cutting-edge special effects alone couldn't make up for the loss of a superstar. "EFX," with a bare-bones storyline designed merely to connect several ingenious set pieces, needed an immediate shot in the arm.
Among the names already mentioned as candidates to replace Crawford when his contract ran out were Donny Osmond, Barry Manilow, John Stamos and David Cassidy. Each enjoys a solid fan base, but it was questionable whether they could command the monstrous MGM stage and, in 90 minutes, embody such legends as Merlin, P.T. Barnum, Houdini and H.G. Wells.
Cassidy, 46 and fresh off a tour of "Blood Brothers," was given the assignment. Slightly built but full of rock 'n' roll bravado, he was handed a script that opened up the production, enhanced the dialogue, added three new songs and took full advantage of his still-boyish charm.
In the new version, the lead character becomes an inadvertent participant in the show's mystical "journey through time and space," rather than a domineering guide to the "world of illusion." As the EFX Master, James Earl Jones lends his thundrous voice and craggy visage to a stunning filmed prelude, before the "masters" of magic, spirits, time and laughter pluck busboy Cassidy from the showroom floor.
By demonstrating the power of magic in several effects-filled sequences, the masters combine their strengths to help Cassidy grow as a human being and reconnect with a lost love. A fiery confrontation between King Arthur, Merlin and Morgana has been retooled to encourage the busboy to recover his self-esteem, as have a dance-filled circus segment, an emotional visit with Houdini and an adventurous underground encounter with Wells' Morlocks.
Wisely, Cassidy isn't forced to shoulder all of the weight of the newly crafted production. On songs not specifically suited to his range, he seems content to share the spotlight with other talented performers, especially Master of Spirits Kevin Koelbl, who effectively recalls Crawford's dramatic approach to the material.
Where the former Partridge sibling truly does shine, though, is in his ability to connect with the audience, including a young woman who is dragged on stage as the busboy's ex-girlfriend. His amiable demeanor also enfuses two new show-stopper numbers-- the gospel-tinged "Let It Shine" and rocking "The Intergalactic Circus of Wonders" (which gets some taped musical help from Little Feat)-- with a palpable sense of exuberance.
The elaborately costumed company of 76 singers and dancers spends quite a bit more time in the auditorium than it previously did and the Flying Kaganovitches provide a break from the busboy's trials with a truly hair-raising trapeze act. Unchanged, except for a new song, is the marvelous "3-D Adventure" film segment, which still finds viewers grasping at apparitions in the air.
Crawford fans will miss the star's estimable presence, but he was expected to leave the company next spring anyway. Newcomers looking for an enjoyable break from the slot machines and folks who might want to sample "EFX" a second time aren't likely to be disappointed by this version of the saga.
The surgery performed on the family-friendly show should make it possible for it to enjoy a long, healthy run at the MGM, even after Cassidy has passed the baton to another headliner. Loud, lively and sometimes flat-out wacky, it remains a spectacle quite unlike anything one is likely to experience anywhere else but in Las Vegas.
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"EFX" is performed at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. Fridays through Wednesdays (7:30 p.m. only on Sundays) at the MGM Grand. A $70 ticket includes a drink, tax, tip and program. Call 702-891-7777.
