Felice Garcia’s career spans Aguilera, ‘MDQ,’ Betty Boop and Laughlin — and she’s not finished yet

By John Katsilometes

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014 | 5:02 p.m.

“Limelight” at the Plaza has generated powerfully positive word-of-mouth reviews around the scene, especially from those who are involved with the show (hah).

Justifiably, the cast and crew in this burlesque show in that hotel’s classically appointed showroom are very excited about what they have put onstage, and I am eager to finally get back to the Plaza to catch this plucky production.

But one of the cast members is already a familiar figure in Las Vegas. She’s a little bit country, rock ’n’ roll, pop, showgirl and now even burlesque. Felice Garcia is this performer — currently one of the performers in “Million Dollar Quartet” at Harrah’s, playing the character of Elvis’s gal Dyanne — who is keeping busy all over the city and beyond.

Garcia’s career is an example of how expanding ones repertoire and embracing versatility can keep an artist busy in an ever-fickle entertainment climate in Las Vegas. The first time I saw Garcia perform was as the main female singer on the final night of “Folies Bergere” at the Trop in March 2009.

Over the past several years, she has starred as Christina Aguilera and Carrie Underwood in “American Superstars” at Stratosphere, one of the lead singers in the ill-fated “iCandy” at Saxe Theater and swing singer in “Fantasy” at the Luxor before winning the plum role in “MDQ.”

Currently, Garcia also portrays Betty Boop in the “Limelight” concept of classic film figures coming to life onstage. Aside from the person playing the roles, the characters of Boop and Dyanne haven’t a whole lot in common.

“What I’m doing in ‘Limelight’ is very 1920s compared to the 1950s-era music in ‘Million Dollar Quartet,’ and more musical theater than I’ve done in the past,” Garcia says. “It’s a different type of singing than I’ve been used to. I’m doing more acting than I’ve done before. It’s a way to grow as a singer and as a performer, and I love doing it.”

Garcia has just released an EP titled “What I Want,” which carries a rock-pop vibe and is available on iTunes. It’s slickly produced and expertly performed, with three of the songs recorded at Tone Factory in Las Vegas and mastered by Las Vegas musician Ed Hamilton.

For the three songs recorded locally, Garcia was backed by musicians such as “MDQ” cast mates Ben Hale (Johnny Cash in the show and a terrific showman with his Crimson Balladeers band), who wrote three of the songs; Rob Lyons (Carl Perkins, who also just issued a solo CD, the alt-rock “When It Haunts You”); and drummer Mark Ferratt. Joining the “MDQ” crew were Las Vegas keyboardist Chris Lash and bassist Scott Teeple.

Matt “Melodious” Coe, who played all the instruments save the drumming by ex-Pearl Jam member Dave Krusen, arranged the single “What I Want,” recorded in Los Angeles. And on the same week the EP is being issued, Garcia is headed for Laughlin this weekend and next for an engagement at Don’s Celebrity Theater at the Riverside (the dates are tonight through Sunday and Sept. 24-28). That show is titled “Country Diva,” with Garcia playing, well, a country diva.

This show is nothing like what you’ll see in “Limelight” or “MDQ” or hear on the new EP. Garcia hopes to build that production into a show in Las Vegas, hopefully an off-Strip venue like South Point Showroom.

For good measure, Garcia took part in the country-themed “Mondays Dark” at Vinyl in the Hard Rock Hotel on Monday night. “Me & Bobby McGee” was the number uncorked for the latest version of the charity show hosted by “Rock of Ages” at the Venetian cast member Mark Shunock.

And there was the evening a couple of weeks ago when she was called in to sub in “Fantasy” after her two performances in “MDQ,” which made for a three-show night at two Strip venues.

Collect these gigs as a whole, and Garcia is the rare artist to perform on the Strip, downtown, at an off-Strip resort and in Laughlin — including a charity show and an adult production — all in the same month.

Garcia laughs when she is presented with the details of her own schedule.

“The thing is I like all of these different styles of music,” she says. “It seems like a lot of work, but to me it isn’t work. I really love it.”

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.