Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Spider Baby’ star intrigued by quirky film’s musical adaptation at Onyx Theatre

Old Yeller

Steve Marcus

Actress Beverly Washburn poses with her pets, Harriet, top left, Howard and Cookie, a standard poodle, at her home in Henderson on Friday. Washburn, one of the most recognizable child stars of the ‘50s and ‘60s, starred in “Old Yeller.” Her book, “Reel Tears,” is now available in bookstores.

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Sonya Sonnenberg.

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Vince Neil grasps a celebratory bottle of tequila while unveiling the Vince Neil Aviation fleet at Henderson Airport

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Louie Anderson and Todd English at the opening of Todd English P.U.B. at CityCenter's Crystals on March 16, 2010.

A raking of Las Vegas has turned up the following:

A cult convergence is planned for tonight at Onyx Theatre in the Commercial Center on East Sahara Avenue (go to the Green Door and make a hard left). The musical treatment of "Spider Baby," the 1968 horror classic that was Lon Chaney's final film, is closing this evening. In the audience will be one of the film's co-stars, Beverly Washburn.

The film's plot, and thus the musical's plot, centers on an inbred family that suffers from a disease that causes its members to mentally regress from about the age of 10 as they begin to mature physically. Chaney played the family's chauffer, who helped conceal this tragic (and, ultimately, musical) condition.

Washburn also played Lisbeth Searcy the classic "Old Yeller" at age 13, among many film and TV roles. In "Spider Baby," she played the role of afflicted family member Elizabeth.

"I have very fond memories of that filming," the 66-year-old Washburn said during a phone interview this week. "Lon Chaney loved the scripts so much he took a lot less money than he normally would ask for to play the role. We made this in 13 days for $11 (laughs). The film just came and went, but now it's this cult classic. I'm looking forward to seeing it as a musical. My God, this should be fun."

Especially if she notices the merchandise for sale at The Rack, on the way into the theater …

More notes

• A year ago, aerialist Sonya Sonnenberg was seriously injured during rehearsals for Golden Rainbow's "Ribbon of Life" charity variety show at the Hilton Theater. She slipped down a silk, falling about 20 feet to the stage, was knocked unconscious, broke both wrists and suffered a hairline fracture of her tailbone.

Those who witnessed the incident say Sonnenberg was lucky she was not more seriously injured.

Young (age 19 at the time of the accident) and in top physical condition, Sonnenberg since has recovered from her injuries and for several months has been a member of the cast of "Fantasy" at Luxor. She even performs a silk routine during the performance. A favorite among cast members, Sonnenberg has been helped in covering the cost of her medical bills by show producer and generous check-cutter Anita Mann.

And here we are, one year later. The 24th annual "Ribbon of Life" production is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at the Hilton.

Might we see a return to the stage by Sonnenberg?

"No, not this year," she said, chuckling at the thought when I reached her by phone Thursday. "I think I'll sit this one out."

Too bad, but you can't blame her. As always, the show will be well-represented by performers from "Jubilee!" at Bally's, "Viva Elvis" at Aria, "Peepshow" at Planet Hollywood, "Phantom — The Las Vegas Spectacular" at Venetian, "Jersey Boys" at Palazzo, "Zumanity," at New York-New York, "Love" at Mirage, "KA" at MGM Grand and "Le Reve" at Encore.

The show benefits Golden Rainbow, which focuses on treatment and research for HIV/AIDS and assisting those suffering from the disease. The show usually is a wild, loosely organized affair. Four years ago at the Jubilee Theatre at Bally's, the guys from "Forever Plaid" — who already had announced their show was closing at Gold Coast — ended their set memorably: The quartet dropped trou to show off matching, heart-adorned boxers and fired off military-style salutes.

• It's official, after about a week of reporting elsewhere, that Louie Anderson's show at Excalibur is closing. The final performance after his four-year stint in "Larger Than Life" at the value-friendly resort will be Aug. 1. In a statement, Anderson said, "I have truly enjoyed my time with Excalibur and am grateful for the opportunity that MGM Mirage and SPI Entertainment have given me. I will miss all of my friends at Excalibur and will leave a lot of great memories behind. I look forward to the future and to concentrating on some new projects that are near and dear to my heart."

Anderson says he plans to continue his work on his Stand-Up Boot Camps, a series of comedy instructional seminars he founded with fellow comic Kyle Cease. He started his stint at the Ex-Cal on Valentine's Day 2006.

• One of the city's more aggressive entrepreneurs, Vince Neil opens Tres Rios Cantina at the Las Vegas Hilton this evening. The club is a partnership between him and the hotel. He's also hosting a release party for is new solo CD, titled, "Tattoos & Tequila." He also plans a new book, which also is titled, "Tattoos & Tequila."

I feel if there were a Broadway musical based on Neil's life, it too would be titled, "Tattoos & Tequila."

Neil is also proprietor of the rock 'n' roll club Feelgoods on West Sahara Avenue and Vince Neil Ink at O'Shea's. He also fronts the Tres Rios tequila line. Oh, and there is the two-jet Vince Neil Aviation outfit (a Hawker 700A and Lear 35A) at Henderson Airport, which is available for chartered flights with that priceless rock 'n' roll theme.

He might not remember this, but I once conducted a video interview with Neil at the O'Shea's studio and I said I'd never been, whaddya call it, "inked" before. He said if that were to happen, to have it done at the O'Shea's business. Still weighing that option, but the design might be something in the shout-at-the-devil theme.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.

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