David Cassidy on the Web
New 'Rat Pack Is Back' a hit as Sahara's centerpiece
March 31, 2000
By Joe Delaney
www.lasvegassun.com
The David Cassidy-Don Reo production "The Rat Pack Is Back," is now ensconced in the Sahara's renovated Congo Room, a 550-seat showroom that was at approximately 80 percent of capacity during a recent performance, a very respectable count this early in its run.
Although the show is not changed significantly from its previous Desert Inn stand, it is a much tighter, better flowing, always swinging 90 minutes or so at the Sahara. It deserved to have been in a main showroom from the beginning.
Credit Lon Bronson's second orchestra, onstage throughout, with a huge assist. Bronson conducts one orchestra for David Cassidy and Sheena Easton's "Live At the Copa," at the Rio. Pianist Greg Bossler does the honors at the Sahara.
The time is Dec. 12, 1961. The scene is the onstage birthday party for the Chairman of the Board, Frank, and he is toasted by his fellow Rat Pack members, Dean, Sammy and Joey. Last names are never used but it is obvious that it is really the Sands and a reasonably accurate depiction of that special occasion.
Following an overture a medley of songs associated with the original Frank, Dean and Sammy, Hiram Kasden, as Joey, does a solid 20 minutes of stand-up comedy, a stronger outing than we remember at the Desert Inn. Joey introduces Frank (Bobby Caldwell) who sings "Come Fly With Me," "All of Me" and "Luck Be a Lady," pulls up a stool for "One for My Baby" when he is interrupted by Dean (Rick Michel), even stronger than his Desert Inn predecessor, Steve Apple.
Dean has a present for Frank, some candy. It's really Candy, a stunner portrayed by Christine Anderson. Frank goes off with Candy, and Dean sings "Everybody Loves Somebody" and "That's Amore." Sammy (Tony Tillman) joins Dean for a comedy duet on "Sam's Song" that becomes "Dean's Song." Sammy has a present for Frank, and it's Mandy, Candy's twin sister, a dual role for Anderson. Frank and "Candy/Mandy" go off with Dean.
Sammy is left alone for "That Old Black Magic," "What Kind of Fool Am I" and "Mr. Bojangles," shifting the show into high gear, a standard maintained until the finale. Frank and Dean return and do very funny lines as Sammy tries to sing "She's Funny That Way." They do let him finish "Hey, There," the real Sammy's first million-record seller.
Joey returns with the booze trolley and gets to do more good comedic time. He stays on for the comedy medley and the quasi-serious medley that includes "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You," "A Foggy Day," "Embraceable You" and "Where or When." "Birth of the Blues" is the big closer, with the traditional "One More Time" tag, and finish.
"The Rat Pack Is Back" is greatly improved this outing. The audience at the show caught got into the spirit of the party early and never wavered. The rapport between the foursome was believable especially when they began to party and put each other on. Prognosis, assuming no legal interruptions, is immeasurably better here.
