Ricci a good addition to 'Radio City Spectacular'

"The Great Radio City Spectacular" had a capacity crowd when we caught the show earlier this week. Marlene Ricci is the new special guest star -- little girl, big voice, great presence. She is not quite five feet, three inches in height, but she fills the Flamingo-Hilton stage perfectly in this setting. The Radio City Rockettes are the stars of this production. Rapid-fire juggler Nino Frediani and magician Greg Prewin are the featured acts.

Musical director-conductor Norman Geller provided the music via tape for a brief but sufficient overture. The Rockettes open the show with a show business medley that sets up Ricci's first entrance nicely. She belts out "That's Entertainment," establishes the basic premise of the show, and leads into "I Want To Be A Rockette," backed by the Rockettes. It is an amusing picture when she dances with the girls. She does so nicely.

At the 15-minute mark, she introduces Nino Frediani who sets a blistering pace with balls, clubs, rings and the usual items of his profession. Frediani speaks in seven languages and is especially fluent in Japanese. The comedy portion of his performance occurs when he selects four individuals from various parts of the theater, with each given a ring to throw onto the stage that he will catch around his neck. He leaves 15 minutes later a big winner.

Ricci and the company return for a nostalgia Big Band Bash where she sings "Sentimental Journey" and "It Don't Mean A Thing," and the Rockettes take over to Benny Goodman's classic, "Sing, Sing, Sing." Gary Frewin and his assistants have the next 20 minutes and use it well, ending with that old reliable, "Metamorphosis," renamed "Transition."

The Rockettes perform their classic, "Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers" at this point, one of their most famous numbers, slotted just right here.

Marlene's featured segment is a Tribute to the late Judy Garland which includes "The Trolley Song," "The Boy Next Door," "Come Rain Or Come Shine," "For Me And My Gal," "Swanee," "Get Happy," "The Man Who Got Away," and a bravura rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

"Rockettes In Diamonds" is another of the many outstanding numbers in their repertoire. Then the male ensemble does a specialty number detailing the 60-plus years of Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall history, setting up the "Grand Finale" and bows for the company, the male ensemble, Frediani, Frewin, et al, and Ricci, resplendent in white. The applause was heavy.

The Flamingo-Hilton has the only showroom with dinner options at early shows and the old Las Vegas showroom service and hospitality.

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