By Dale King
Bounding from soul to swing, with an energetic side jaunt through jazz, entertainment entrepreneur Kevin Black’s two recent productions at Broward Stage Door Theatre in Margate have taken audiences through the formative years of Motown (The Soul of Motor City), then back through the pedigrees of swing and jive (Swing, Swing, Swing) to illustrate tunefully how these styles blossomed into musical genres of their own.
Black’s newest creation, Vegas: A Night on the Strip, like its two predecessors, was written exclusively for Broward Stage Door Theatre and, like them, is currently making its world premiere at the north Broward venue.
The cast of nine superlative players kicked open the show a few weeks before Christmas, and it runs through Jan. 22 before heading to Boca Raton’s Willow Theatre for a Feb. 3- 12 run.
The Vegas compendium revisits the lore and legends that made the desert city a hot destination for entertainers from around the world. It features music from some of the Strip’s most memorable performers – from the “Rat Pack” to Elvis and eventually to the modern-day Cirque-type productions.
“Our six vocalists pay tribute to this great city with nods to numerous Vegas icons,” said Black, who has mastered the jukebox musical style on his own after collaborating with director Michael Leeds on two of the all-song performances last year.
Singers perform in various themed sets that honor “The Rat Pack” and “Elvis: The King.” Another portion focuses on a famed Vegas ritual, “Getting Hitched,” and the show concludes with various acrobatic twists called “Cirque on the Strip.”
Thankfully, Black doesn’t just slap an acrobatic finale onto an otherwise musical show. Rather, he allows the vocal ensemble to meld in, providing background music for the aerial artisanship carried out by two young performers — specialty artists Cherrise Pawlak and Derick Pierson — who are adept at swirling on ribbons of silk that stretch to the rafters above the stage.
Black chose six vocalists to bring his vision of Vegas to life: Daniel Bourgoin, Jar’Davion Brown, Arlene Coutee, Chantal Deshaies, Gabrielle Graham and Brad Rakushin. Brown and Graham were part of the group that wowed audiences in last summer’s The Soul of Motor City, which, with several extensions, ran four months. Rakushin was featured in Stage Door’s recent productions of Sisters of Swing and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.
Vegas opens on solid footing with three tunes that bring all six musical mavens to center stage. The triple play of “Luck Be a Lady Tonight,” “Let the Good Times Roll” and “Feeling Good” ignites audience applause and desire for more.
“Elvis: The King” reigns as the show’s best feature, combining a dozen tunes with foot-stomping choreography taught by Black, who also directs. Abetting the stage work are slides of the King shown on a screen at the rear of the stage.
The “Rat Pack” set is short, but right on the money. Brown adds some fancy footwork to his rendition of “Mr. Bojangles” and Rakushin brings “My Way” to a strong finish. And everyone else joins in to belt out Big Band standards: “Once in a Lifetime,” “I’m Gonna Live Until I Die” and “Ain’t that a Kick in the Head.” The “Getting Hitched” segment has the girls singing “Chapel of Love” and the guys offering a version of “Love and Marriage” that will have you longing for the Bundy family.
Acrobats Pierson and Pawslak take the stage — and also rise above it — in a colorful last act featuring the six singers in Cirque-smart, avant-garde outfits created by Jerry Sturdefant and Kayce Armstrong Couture. Their songs accompany the aerial specialties which, while not death-defying, are certainly entertaining, provided by a pair of adept acrobats.
Vegas: Life on the Strip completes its run Jan. 22 at the Broward Stage Door Theater, 8036 Sample Road, Margate. Tickets are $38-$42 ($16 for students) and are available by calling 954-344-7765 or visiting stagedoorfl.org. The show will then move to the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton, on Feb. 3 and play there through Feb. 12.