Weather Matters

High in Billings today--40*

High in Vegas today--60*

New Song

In honor of Mary Beth's aspirations to be a professional poker player, I've added "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga to the playlist!

What do you think?

This is an afternoon show? Interested?

Understanding the opposite sex may never be easy, but Kevin Burke breaks it all down for you in “Defending the Caveman” at Excalibur. He stars as the narrator for this hilarious one-man comedy, created by comedian/writer Rob Becker, that attempts to debunk the age old myth that men are all jerks.

Before landing in Las Vegas, Burke starred in the Broadway tour of “Defending the Caveman.” The timeless subject matter and the insightful humor about the differences between men and women have made "Defending the Caveman" the longest-running solo play in Broadway history. It has been seen in 45 different countries and translated into 30 different languages.

“Instead of looking at men as a--holes, why don’t we just look at them as having a different culture?” asks Burke at the beginning of the show. Then he starts to explain how many of the same characteristics that were conveyed by cavemen are still very apparent in modern day behaviors of men and women and that understanding this is the key to also understanding the opposite sex.

Prehistoric-looking props and lighting and sound techniques are used to enhance Burke’s performance. His casual stage presence and typical jeans and T-shirt ensemble give him the every-man look that all guys can relate to.

Women like to shop because they are innate gatherers, says Burke. Cavewomen were in charge of gathering food and knowing what colors to look for as an indication that certain things were ripe and ready for the picking. This same concept explains why women like to shop and gather more clothes when the seasons change, even if their closet is already full.

Cavemen on the other hand had only one task and that was to hunt. He explains that this is why men have a more narrow and focused mind. Burke uses watching television while his wife, Karen is attempting to talk to him as an example.

“If I’m watching and Karen comes to talk to me, I can’t even hear her,” jokes Burke.

He uses many funny scenarios like this during the show to narrate the different ways that men and women respond to the same situations and the hilarity that arises from them.

As Burke shares more instances from his life, couples in the audience laugh and nudge each other, acknowledging that they relate to his experiences. Single people in the audience find the show equally amusing and also enlightening on how to better interpret the opposite sex on their next date. His typical audience includes everyone from young people visiting for a wild weekend to people celebrating bachelorette parties, anniversaries or just a good time in Vegas.

While this show is scripted, Burke refers to the audience for inspiration and to help dictate each performance.

“Even though I am the one who has all the lines, the show is really a conversation with the audience. The way they react to the show will then affect me and the way I perform the next line… Every audience is different so it’s as though I have a brand new acting partner every night,” said Burke during an interview.

Before "Defending the Caveman" he worked as a stand-up comic for more than 15 years and was inspired to do the show after being impressed with its positive message.

“Once I read the script and I saw that this was a comedy that brought people together and built people up as opposed to tearing people apart, that’s what made me want to do it. If this had been ‘Andrew Dice Caveman’ I never would have been interested,” said Burke.

When it comes to the one relationship rule that people should take from the show, Burke explained that laughter and understanding is the key to a happy relationship.

“After seeing 'Defending the Caveman' I can’t guarantee that you’ll never fight as a couple, but I do guarantee that your fights will be a lot funnier,” said Burke.

Wednesday's Show

It was at Caesars Palace during an Osmond show in 1973 that Donny and Marie sang together on stage for the first time, and throughout the '70s, members of the Osmond family played at practically every hotel in Las Vegas, including the Tropicana and the Las Vegas Hilton.

Donny and Marie sold out a run of shows earlier this summer at the MGM Grand and opened their engagement at the Flamingo in September, marking their first residency in Las Vegas in 29 years. The pair just signed a two-year contract to perform at the hotel.

The production, aptly titled "Donny & Marie," is a family-friendly variety show that follows the winning formula of their 1970s TV program, incorporating dancing, humor and all of their hit songs – both as individuals and as a duo.

The show starts out with the pair singing duets including "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)," "The Way You Do the Things You Do" and "Dancing in the Streets."

Donny and Marie's signature sibling rivalry and playful bantering begins almost immediately. He jokes about the huge poster of the duo that adorns the front of the Flamingo. "I couldn't get any sleep, my room is so bright — they put me behind Marie's teeth," he says. She pokes fun at the fact that Donny is now a grandfather.

While they may be best known as a team, both Donny and Marie found significant success as solo artists as well and the show gives them each a chance to highlight their individual achievements.
For Marie's turn in the spotlight, she sings her most well-known song, "Paper Roses," which was a No. 1 song on the country charts when she was just 13 years old.

She then heats things up with a cover of the Eurythmics' "Would I Lie to You," accompanied by four male dancers.

Marie has an instant rapport with the audience and a quick wit that is evident when she invites a male volunteer from the audience on stage to sing and dance with her, cracking jokes easily with him.

Marie has a strong voice and shows her considerable range by belting out a medley of Broadway hits before launching into a flawless version of the operatic piece "Pie Jesu."
As everyone knows, it's Donny who was always a little bit rock ‘n' roll, and the show switches gears for his solo set.

He appears out of fog on stage in jeans and a leather jacket to rock his 1989 comeback hit "Soldier of Love."

Donny then pays tribute to his musical hero Stevie Wonder with a medley of Wonder's hits including "Ma Cherie Amour" and "I Wish." Judging by the way he dances during the dynamic number, you'd never guess that this guy is a grandfather until he implores the audience, "Anybody got any Advil?"

Even though Donny likes to rock, it was his '70s love ballads that made him an official heartthrob and he doesn't disappoint the longtime fans, singing well-known hits like "Go Away Little Girl" and "Puppy Love," accompanied by footage of him during his teenage years.

"This is the part where all of the women would scream," says Donny in the middle of "Puppy Love," which of course, elicits screams from the female members of the audience. "I've still got it!" he proclaims.

Donny and Marie reunite on stage toward the end of the show, singing some of their classic hits like "Make the World Go Away," "Morning Side of the Mountain" and "Deep Purple."

The show features a nine-piece band and a cast of eight talented dancers. Marie's recent appearance on the hit TV show "Dancing with the Stars" inspires a dance challenge segment pitting Donny and the male dancers against Marie and the female dancers.

From www.vegas.com

Tuesday's Show

Jersey Boys at the Palazzo is a cinematic journey through the lives of Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio and their rise to stardom as The Four Seasons. Their voices fit together in perfect harmony yet each of The Four Seasons had a distinctly different personality that becomes apparent as they take turns telling their side of the story.



The show, written by Marshal Brickman and Rick Elice, begins with four blue-collar kids working their way from the streets of Newark, N.J., to achieving their dreams of being famous. Their captivating journey to stardom is told through sensational performances and some of the band’s hit songs like “Big Girls Don't Cry," “Sherry,” "Oh, What a Night" and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”



“We put Jersey on the map,” says DeVito, played by Jeremy Kuschnier, who is the first storyteller for the evening. “Ask four guys how it happened and you get four different versions but they all start here.”



As he narrates, the other characters play out the live version of his recollection of how the band came together. He floats in and out of his role as both a narrator and an active part of the scenes.
DeVito personifies everything about the unscrupulous activities that were a familiarity in their home town. He is street savvy and always has a way out of every situation even if it means turning to a loan shark to stay afloat or doing “favors” for friends in the mafia.
After DeVito introduces the audience to his band and his life in Jersey he describes hearing Valli’s stunning falsetto and taking him under his wing as the new singer for his band.
Soon afterwards, both DeVito and Massi serve almost rotating jail sentences while Valli works to perfect his voice. It’s not an ideal start, but their ambition stays the course and the band picks up where it left off once they are all out of jail.



DeVito is the guiding force for the band and recommends that they need one more guy to complete their sound. His friend, Joe Pesci, initiates a meeting between Bob Gaudio, played by Erich Bergen, and the rest of the band.



Already a one-hit wonder at the age of 17 with his song, “(Who Wears) Short Shorts,” Gaudio becomes the final piece of the puzzle. Next they meet up with Bob Crewe, played by John Salvatore, a producer who helps set the boys up with a gig singing back-up for various artists.
Gaudio takes over as the storyteller and explains how he contrived the band’s first No. 1 song, “Sherry.” This is also the first Four Seasons' song in the show, and the anxious audience explodes with applause at their electrifying performance. The classic songs and impassioned actors transport the audience back to a time when they first fell in love with the Four Seasons.
The show progresses with seamless transitions between acts that flow together more like a movie than a theatrical production. Props and staging move on and off the stage in seconds without interrupting the developing story line.



After three No. 1 hit songs in a row, Gaudio realizes his potential for making money as a both a composer and member of the band. He approaches Valli and proposes that they agree to split everything they make as a way of earning money on both ends. They shake hands and a lasting partnership is born.



In some ways their story relays the typical rock 'n' roll lifestyle of many bands that quickly rise to fame and then ultimately falter in the wake of their success. As more of their lives are revealed it becomes apparent that much of their real life is a stark comparison to the happy-go-lucky melodies and lyrics conveyed in their music.




After an eight-minute intermission, the show starts again with Massi as the narrator. He explains that while Gaudio was always looking into the future, he failed to see some of the problems that inevitably led to DeVito’s and his own departure from the band.



With just two of them left, Gaudio explains that he has never really liked being in the spotlight and convinces Valli to find four new singers and perform as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
A new band is born with Valli as the frontman and Gaudio writing songs behind the scenes. They turn out “Bye Bye Baby,” but another hurdle arises as Gaudio fights to get a special song he wrote for Valli, played on the radio.



Finally his persistence pays off when “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” becomes another instant success. Valli explains how everything seems to be going right before being confronted with the sudden death of his youngest daughter, Francine. This heart-wrenching scene is another humanizing moment in the story where the characters become more like everyday people on the road of life despite their celebrity status.



The show flashes forward 20 years when all of the original band members reunite for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They are together again, but at clearly different places in their lives. Each of them leaves the audience with a few last words before departing the stage.



Valli explains that he is “still chasing the music,” before making his final exit.This compelling story, combined with riveting performances and endearing music, reiterates why The Four Seasons had some of the greatest hits of all time.


Information from www.vegas.com