Palminteri’s one-man show impresses on return visit to Vegas
Chazz Palminteri’s "A Bronx Tale" proved to be in great shape following the opening of its return engagement last week at The Venetian. The one-man drama, which plays through Sunday, chronicles a boy’s adventures growing up on the streets of the Bronx. An earnest but poor father and a well-to-do mob boss battle for the kid’s loyalty. Don’t let the "one-man show" tag fool you. Palminteri’s versatility makes you feel there’s a stage full of characters, and the detailed set and sound effects give you the feeling of being there. The show was critically acclaimed when it first visited Vegas in October, but the real question was, would it sell on the Strip? A return engagement suggests someone must be happy with the receipts. …
It was only natural to be a little apprehensive about seeing Bernadette Peters in concert at Artemus Ham Hall on Saturday. The 62-year old Broadway star became famous for her kewpie-doll looks and her energetic belt. She still has the adolescent look — which seems unfortunate (why aren’t performers allowed to age normally like everyone else?) — but there’s no denying her still-at-its-peak talent. Peters sings a lot of Sondheim, and she’s the composer’s perfect channeler. Her renditions of "No One Is Alone" and "Children Will Listen" (from "Into the Woods") made the house eerily quiet. She surprised the audience with an effectively unusual take of "I Feel You, Joanna" (from "Sweeney Todd") and, as expected, had folks cheering with a blasting (but sensitive) version of "Being Alive" (from "Company"). Peters offered unusual interpretations of standards like "There Is Nothing Like a Dame." She gave the Rodgers and Hammerstein number a strip-tease feel, which has to be some kind of first. And it would be difficult to find a more moving version of "Shenandoah" than the one she found within herself. Peters is a genuine actress, and watching her put herself at the service of these songs is like witnessing a powerful three-act play. I’m not sure she’s ever had a Broadway role that does justice to her wide-ranging talents. I just wish she knew we’d still like her even if she didn’t try to look 16. …
They call themselves the Jewish Repertory Theatre of Nevada (not sure why, since they don’t do repertory), and last week they offered a stage reading that felt more like a full-scaled production. With scripts in hand, the eight-member, mostly union cast performed Wendy Wasserstein’s "The Sisters Rosensweig" at the Adelson Educational Campus Theatre. The $25 top ticket price seemed a bit steep for a reading, but founders Norma J. Morrow and Charlene Sher are hoping to use the programs as a springboard to an Equity performing company. If they succeed, they’ll be our one and only union house.
Anthony Del Valle can be reached at DelValle@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.