Previously published in NiteLifeExchange
It has been five (long) years since Dame Edna Everage has blessed Puerto Vallarta with her glitzy glamour, fabulous frocks, and trembling chin that precedes her cackling laughter or a disdainful remark that unleashes nearby laughter – if you happen to be within her gentle striking distance.
“With Love From The Bush” reunites Dame Edna with Musical Director David Maiocco. They last appeared together in New York City a couple of months ago. Maiocco understands Edna’s vocal tangents and waits patiently by the piano while she unravels an audience member’s dress or shirt or questionable choice of footwear.
While Edna is sharp-tongued, she is never mean or cruel to her ‘Possums.’ She merely wants everyone to see the world as she does through her fabulous cat’s eye-shaped glasses, as she does set an internationally accepted standard of dress and therefore, behavior.
She entered the Casa Karma Red Room, carrying a matching gladiola, and bedazzled everyone (including herself) in the bright lights, colliding with her spangles, glitter, and reflective surfaces.
With her eccentricly coifed, lilac/wisteria-colored hair, Dame Edna has discovered psychic powers while she’s been away from Mexico. She tried them out on an accommodating Possum from the audience to ascertain who the young lady had been in previous lives. Numerous superstars who have passed on were interviewed quickly by Dame Edna, and it was made absolutely clear that Joan Rivers was not included in this young woman’s life. Yet.
Of course, Michael Walters’ rich, baritone voice was in fine form. It’s always a shock when the high-pitched, Australian girlie-girl accent stops, and Michael’s warm-as-honey voice fills the theater. I heard his authentic voice for the first time 11 years ago when he burst into Ol’ Man River to a stunned audience at The Palm Cabaret. That was some magic!
Enjoy Dame Edna and her fave flowers in the Casa Karma Red Room at Act2PV all of February.
Nicolas King – Tales From A True Broadway Baby
Nicolas King was four years old when he debuted on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast; today, at only 36, he is allowed to have a retrospective on 30 years in the Biz!
His lovely matinee at The Palm Cabaret was attended by nearly every performer in town who was available to come and celebrate his last solo show in Vallarta.
It began with a short film featuring some of Nicolas King’s commercials made as an adorable child. Murmurs in the crowd, “OMG! How cute!!!!” and “Wasn’t he darling!!!” And guess what? He is still adorable, cute, and darling.
Musical Director Mark Hartman was, as he is wont to be, perfectly prepared to accompany Nico in his final hurrah. An aside here – Mark Hartman is the man initially behind so many of these wonderful New Yorkers coming to our fair (warm) city. I remember years ago in the bar at Incanto laughing with him. If all his friends were here, who the hell would be onstage performing in NYC? Thanks, Mark, for expanding and extending our horizons musically!
A friend and the other “New Belter,” Seth Sikes, joined Nicolas onstage for a brief interlude, then back to the beach for Seth. They have appeared together over a hundred times as a duo, selling out venues across the US and now Mexico.
Nicolas, almost embarrassed by his exceptional good luck, told tales of his childhood that included his beloved Grandmother, Hal Prince and Carol Burnett, Tom Selleck, Ben Vereen (who gave him a ‘talking to’ when he was little), and his dear friend to this day, Liza Minnelli. All the stuff of fairytales to the audience and to Nico, too, who clearly believes in the magic that has touched him and his illustrious career thus far.
I make a point to sit in the front row of whatever venue I am in to see shows. I watch the performer’s eyes the whole time, and one or two words will usually cross my brain during a show, making an impression where I will begin my review – at least in my head.
Nico’s eyes twinkle when he sings. His face ignites with joy with every note. He hopes that with each smile, you will get the gift of the song, sung just for you, from his heart and sometimes his soul. He is hopeful, optimistic, and perfectly beaming to share his love of musical theater and, with that, share his fantastic talent and his extraordinary, fortunately blessed journey to date. And he is still adorable.
