'Folies' shapes up in time for milestone

The Tropicana's "Folies Bergere" celebrates its 25,000th performance this evening at 8 (with illusionist Rick Thomas, an afternoon attraction at the hotel, as special guest star). Proceeds from tonight's show will go to "M.A.S.H. Village," a local crisis intervention center. On Dec. 24 "Folies Bergere" will celebrate its 40th anniversary.

This edition is created, directed and choreographed by Jerry Jackson, who also serves as costume designer. Ginny Murphy is the producer for the Tropicana and its entertainment director. Dan Gwin's excellent lighting design has a strong Jackson influence as well. Jackson also composed original music for the production. We attended an update of the show last year and found it dull -- "pedestrian" was the term we used.

This has all changed. The show we caught earlier this week was alive and very well, it sparkled throughout. Everyone and everything was up from the opening "Music Hall Montage," wonderful film clips, with Jack Walker as host, to the "Folies ... Contemporarily Yours" closing.

After the "Music Hall Montage" opening Scene II, "Heavenly Bodies," featured a superb adagio by Lia Kleckner and Zsolt Szorenyi, accompanied by the showgirls. "Paris -- Latin," Scene Three, filled the stage, featuring singer Laurie Caceres, Joy Maji, Vicki Pettersson, male and female dancers, acro-dancers and showgirls. Jack Walker and Tyrone Juniel rendered "Le Music Hall Song," original music and lyrics by Jackson, for Scene IV.

Scene V, "Bal au Versailles: 1860," featured the full ensemble in a grand ballroom setting, ending with "The Royal Forest In Winter," with more outstanding adagio by Kleckner and Szorenyi. Scene VI, "La Belle Epoque," was a show high point, featuring Jack Walker, the full ensemble and a very physical "Can Can." Scene VII, "The French Riviere: 1925" was a stretch because it could have been an ocean beach anywhere.

Scene VIII, "Hollywood Glamour: 1930" had Kleckner and Szorenyi at their best in the "Dancing In The Dark" sequence. Scenes IX and X, "Jitterbugs" and "Cool Jazz: 1950," were fast, furious, but very American. Scene XI, "The Striptease," used fluorescent lighting in an unusual effect -- as the garments disappear so do the girls. Scene XII, "The West," with its dance-hall days and a hoedown, was just a modified "Can Can," western-style.

Scene XIII was the "Special Guest Star" slot and is usually filled by the hilarious Mario & Daniel when they are not on the road with Kenny Rogers. "Big John" Mickelson, on loan from the Stratosphere afternoon show "Viva Las Vegas," complete with white Stetson hat, scored heavily with his "macho man at the barbecue" routine. Mickelson was a big winner.

Scene XIV, the finale, was as far as one could get from Paris and the original "Folies Bergere" concept, but it should be noted that the response of the goodly crowd was constant throughout, apparently not caring that the show crossed the Atlantic Ocean in Scene VII and never returned to Paris.

Some personal memories: Si Zentner, now seriously ailing, conducting the show's live orchestra in the 1970s; and its three favorite former comedy acts, Roger Ray, now retired, owner of Gornowich Sand & Gravel Co.; The Amazing Ballantine, who left for a recurring role on "McHale's Navy" on TV; and the late Gus Augspurg, a brilliant comedian, and his hilarious Rhesus monkeys. Happy 25,000th.

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