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March 18, 2024

Frankie Moreno’s ‘Under the Influence’ set to close at Planet Hollywood

Frankie Moreno’s ‘Under the Influence’

John Katsilometes

Frankie Moreno’s “Under the Influence” on Saturday, April 23, 2016, at Planet Hollywood.

Updated Wednesday, June 29, 2016 | 8:27 a.m.

Frankie Moreno’s Opening Night

Opening night of Frankie Moreno’s “Under the Influence” on Wednesday, May 4, 2016, at Planet Hollywood. Launch slideshow »

Frankie Moreno’s ‘Under the Influence’

Frankie Moreno’s “Under the Influence” on Saturday, April 23, 2016, at Planet Hollywood. Launch slideshow »

Well dang, that didn’t last long.

At once explosive and short-lived, Frankie Moreno’s “Under the Influence” production at Planet Hollywood Showroom is set to end after Saturday’s performance. Moreno himself said Tuesday night an end to the run is in the offing, and the show’s crew was also informed that this weekend would mark the closing of the show.

In all, “Under The Influence” will have run for 28 performances and five weeks. In a statement issued on Facebook, Moreno said, “Unfortunately, due to the finances of our highly produced show, we have ended our contract with Base Entertainment to perform at Planet Hollywood. After exhausting every possibility to make it work, we have determined that it's best to end this show and move on. It's been a great, if short, ride, but a great time nonetheless.”

He continued: “Everyone at Base was so wonderful to work with and we appreciate what they did, very much … And my sincere apologies for anyone who had canceled show tix or tix for future dates.”

Unaffected by the end of “Under the Influence” is ventriloquist Paul Zerdin’s “Mouthing Off” show, holding its 7 p.m. slot as the showroom’s lone inhabitant.

In a statement issued this morning, Base officials said the show lacked sufficient ticket sales to sustain a successful run at a theater that, over the years, has been home to such productions as "Stomp," "Peepshow," "Surf The Musical," "Sydney After Dark," "Rocktellz and Cocktails," "The Jacksons" and Jeff Dunham's ventriloquism showcase.

"We are honored to have worked with the tremendously talented Frankie Moreno to bring our collective vision to the stage at Planet Hollywood in 'Under the Influence' and we could not be more proud of the show," the statement read. "Unfortunately, despite our high expectations and everyone’s best efforts, the show has been unable to draw the level of audience required for an ongoing residency at the Planet Hollywood Showroom."

The statement continued: "All of us at Base Entertainment believe in Frankie and remain true fans; we wish him nothing but the best. The final performances of 'Frankie Moreno – Under the Influence' will take place on Friday, July 1st and Saturday, July 2nd. Tickets are available now and we invite everyone who wants to experience this one-of-a-kind show to join us on July 1st or 2nd.

The adventurous production show fronted by Moreno and featuring a five-piece band and three backing singers opened April 23 for previews and celebrated his premiere night May 4. As is customary, Moreno won high praise from critics and fans on social media for his mix of originals and famous covers from such artists as Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Bruno Mars.

The show’s demise is not a huge surprise. Speculation about “Under the Influence” being on unsteady spindles had been winding around the entertainment community for weeks. The show’s producers, Base Entertainment, had trimmed Moreno’s original six-day-per-week schedule to five after the first week, and more recently down to two nights.

Last week, Moreno had actually sent an email through his Las Vegas manager, Phil Reynolds, to Base officials expressing his wish to close out the show because of the uncertain schedule. Instead, both sides agreed to stage the show this weekend and explore options to keep the production afloat. But no suitable solution was enacted.

Over the past couple of weeks, Moreno had said he was frustrated that the shifting of dates had angered fans who had paid for tickets, though all were offered full refunds. He took to Facebook to explain the decisions to adjust show dates were in the hands of “the powers that be.”

Moreno is sure to have options for a new performance home. Though he’s not expected to return to a full schedule at the Smith Center, he does have one show at Cabaret Jazz on the books — set for Aug. 2. Expect interest from venues on and off the Strip, and Moreno has said he might hold the theme of blending originals and covers, even as “Under the Influence” might be scrapped as the title of the production.

Moreno is also busy recording a follow to his self-titled album of 2012, working with studio wiz Pat Thrall at Studio at the Palms on that project.

Moreno and Base exec Vincent Marino had spent weeks developing "Under The Influence," inspired by Moreno's successful series at the Smith Center of that same name. It was clear from the outset that the show’s lavish production was expensive and its early ticket sales underwhelming (though there is the sentiment inside the Moreno camp that the show could have survived if its costs were cut). The expenditures included two pianos, a keyboard tucked in the trunk of a 1962 Shelby Cobra convertible; eight LED screens; customized guitars, horns and drums; multiple set and costume changes, and a backing lineup of nine performers, including choreographer and pro dancer Lacey Schwimmer (and in an odd coincidence, today was Schwimmer’s birthday).

The show was ambitious, aggressive, effective — and, again, not cheap. Also playing into the swift end of the show was the effort to establish widespread name recognition for Moreno, who is popular in Las Vegas but not terribly well-known elsewhere, never took hold.

There simply was not enough revenue to keep the show afloat and, as we’ve learned, not enough time.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow Kats on Instagram Instagram.com/JohnnyKats1.

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