David Cassidy on the Web
David Cassidy ready to rock at SHU
September 27, 2011
By Scott Gargan
www.ctpost.com
David Cassidy performs at the Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts at Sacred Heart University on Saturday, Oct. 1.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 12: David Cassidy performs on stage at Hammersmith Apollo on April 12, 2011 in London, United Kingdom.
David Cassidy intended to put down roots in Fairfield County.
Then Las Vegas came calling.
It was 1994, and Cassidy, the teen hearthrob-turned-songwriter, had purchased a home in Ridgefield with his wife, Sue Shifrin, and his son, Beau Cassidy.
"I was so anxious to move into the country, to have some space around me," recalled Cassidy, who was living in Manhattan at the time. "The house was close to the water; there were 16 acres of woods behind us; there were stone walls . . . it was just magnificent." His family was nearby, too.
But three years later, Cassidy got an offer he couldn't refuse: the chance to star in the $75-million theatre extravaganza "EFX" at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.
The move was hardly unexpected. After all, Cassidy -- whose career has shifted from arenas to the Broadway stage; from TV to the Las Vegas spotlight; from the country to the big city -- has never been one to stay put.
Still, in the midst of his perennial reinvention, Cassidy often returns to erstwhile territory, as when he takes the stage at the Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts at Sacred Heart University on Saturday, Oct. 1.
For Cassidy, the concert is a homecoming of sorts.
"It's really cool for me because my family comes to hear me play," said Cassidy, whose stop at SHU is part of a 10-date autumn tour. "It's exciting for me to come back and play in an area where I have roots."
Fans can expect to hear Cassidy's hits from both "The Partridge Family" era and his 40-year solo career. While the musician/actor enjoyed a fruitful run in Las Vegas, he recently returned to playing his original material.
"Performing live for me, whether on Broadway or in Vegas, is great, but going out and playing the old hits is an amazing journey for me," Cassidy, 61, said during a phone interview last week.
That journey began in 1968, when Cassidy made his professional debut on Broadway. Though the production was short-lived, it opened the door to other opportunities, including a role on the musical/sitcom, "The Partridge Family."
The show made Cassidy a teen idol. Subsequently, tens of thousands of screaming fans flocked to the "Partridge Family" shows, giving birth to "Cassidymania."
However, Cassidy became fed up with the constant exposure -- one time, after seeing his likeness on a cereal box, he remarked, "I can't even eat breakfast without seeing my face."
He decided to quit both touring and acting in "The Partridge Family," concentrating instead on recording and songwriting.
He was inspired by artists like Van Dyke Parks, Brian Wilson, and most notably, John Lennon, who visited Cassidy when he was a teenager.
"(Lennon) gave me a lot of insight about going on my own journey," Cassidy recalled. "At the time, I was on the verge of doing a world tour. It was so great to see someone who was down to earth . . . someone who was willing to do whatever it took to do what he believed in."
Cassidy took Lennon's advice to heart. In the ensuing years, he carved out his own successful solo career, releasing the popular tracks "I Write the Songs," "The Last Kiss" and "Lyin' To Myself," among others.
Moreover, Cassidy continued to make a name for himself as an actor. In 1994, he returned to Broadway for "Blood Brothers," working for the first time with his brother, Shaun. It was during this time that he moved to Ridgefield.
But Las Vegas beckoned. Under Cassidy's creative direction, "EFX" became one of the highest-grossing productions ever in the city.
"It was an opportunity to produce and create -- it was a great platform for me," Cassidy said. "People from all over the world come to Las Vegas. It was a big challenge for me."
It was also a big commitment, as Cassidy staged 10 shows a week. He has since retired from Vegas, opting to spend time with his family and record new material. (His last studio record was 2003's "A Touch of Blue.") He recently began performing his music live again for the first time in 15-years.
"When you love to do what you do, it's not really work," he said. "The hard work is the travel and the one-nighters with no breaks in between."
Cassidy's retreat from his hectic schedule begs the question: Will he go back to Ridgefield? It's a fair question -- after all, Cassidy has always been on the move.
"My wife still keeps a picture of the house," he said. "She always says, `Maybe one day we could go back and live there.' And I tell her, `Maybe. Anything's possible.' "
Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts at Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Ave., Fairfield. Saturday, Oct. 1, 8 p.m. $65-$40. 203-371-7908, www.edgertoncenter.org.
