“BAZ – Star Crossed Love” Achieves The Impossible

Sammasseur Reviews “BAZ: Star Crossed Love” at Palazzo

It’s incredibly difficult and expensive to launch a new show in Las Vegas. Even harder for it to become a critical or financial hit. When a struggling show closes, the press announcement will invariably read “We hope to reopen in a new location soon”. But that never happens. NEVER!

Then For The Record – BAZ came along last summer at Mandalay Bay‘s LIGHT Nightclub. Two short and difficult months later, there were promises to return in a different venue. I won’t rehash the entire history here, except to say that I bestowed the “Best New Show of 2015” honor to this amazing and short-lived production.

Flash-forward to July 2016, and a retooled/renamed BAZ: Star-Crossed Love opens in a similarly-reworked Palazzo Theater. After attending the media premiere last Tuesday, I can confidently name BAZ the “Best New Show” of 2016, too.

It’s unlikely that this writer will ever again get the opportunity to grant a production “Best New Show” for two consecutive years. But BAZ has seemingly achieved the impossible in ways too numerous to count.

The elements that make BAZ so magnificent are unfortunately the things that make it a hard sell to contemporary Vegas audiences. That’s a significant statement to absorb. You see, For The Record Live, the troupe from which BAZ sprung, is a huge success in Los Angeles. They just secured a deal to produce their movie/musical mash-ups for network television, positioning them nicely as the next big thing.

In Vegas, however, the audience demands are unique. Short attention spans yield a desire for safe and familiar material, lip-syncing and overpaid DJs. Can a live production based on the quirky films of an Australian director last on the Las Vegas Strip? We’re about to find out.

The shocking announcement this weekend that Wynn‘s ShowStoppers will soon close reminds us once again of the challenges faced by classy productions. But while ShowStoppers relied on classic…and sometimes cliched…showtunes to spin its spell, BAZ weaves a tapestry from glorious pop tunes of the last few decades. That could work to BAZ‘s advantage, especially now that neighboring Encore Theater will soon go dark.

What’s brilliant here is that the set-pieces and scenes from a trilogy of Baz Luhrmann films tell one universal story. The cast of insanely-talented singers and dancers bring three legendary romantic tragedies to life simultaneously. Romeo and Juliet, Daisy and Gatsby and Moulin Rouge‘s Satine and Christian are indeed star-crossed, doomed by circumstances beyond their control.

Belting out heart-wrenching renditions of “Your Song”, “When Doves Cry”, “Roxanne” and literally dozens of others, this trio of couples journeys side by side towards their tragic ends. It’s dazzling to watch the primary characters sharing scenes together, mixing Shakespearean poetry and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s prose while dancing to songs by Fergie and The Police. Along the way, audiences can expect to find themselves applauding wildly, dabbing away tears and experiencing awe at world-class vocals and instrumentals by an amazing live band.

As in all For The Record Live productions, the pop songs and century-hopping flourishes that make up BAZ should NOT work. And that’s precisely why they do. Using the entire Palazzo Theater as a performance space succeeds much better here than it did at LIGHT, where sight-lines and railings were a problem. As an added touch of “wow”, you can now sit at tables on the stage, as I did during the media-invite performance.

https://youtu.be/XAbEJh3eBSU

It would be unfair to compare last year’s version to this one, as both are excellent. Only a few cast members have returned, but the current line-up (some as young as eighteen), is just as amazing. Bri Cuoco, who had more of a supporting role before, shines as “Satine, the Sparkling Diamond”. Timyra Joi is angelic as “Juliet”, full of innocence and determination.

Joanna Jones steps into the high heels of “Daisy” with aplomb. Not an enviable task, as Ruby Lewis‘s performance last year secured her the lead in Broadway’s Cirque du Soleil – Paramour. Check out my video clip above to see Joanna’s showstopper, which is chilling.

Payson Lewis continues to dazzle in his return as “Christian”, the narrator. He’s given ample support by Lj Benet as the very youthful “Romeo” and Skye Scott as sophisticated “Gatsby”. Lisa Marie Smith, Nick Petris and Patrick Ortiz are given ample opportunities to show off their vocal, comedic and dancing skills (and a few sets of chiseled abs). Also wonderful are Bill Evans as the outrageous Harold Zidler and Samantha Ciarlo, the gorgeous violin-playing Green Fairy.

Musical Director Jesse Vargas has accomplished a small miracle with his work on BAZ: Star Crossed Love. I’ve heard that some unexpected licensing legalities necessitated last-minute adjustments to the songbook. Aside from the notable absence of Moulin Rouge‘s “Come What May”, you’d never know that this was the case.

Anderson Davis, the show’s director and co-creator, is clearly a force to be reckoned with. An experienced actor himself, Davis obviously knows how to bring out the best from his performers. The heart and dedication to stage an emotional show is no easy feat, but Anderson and his team make it look easy and flawless.

For The Record Live cast and crew on the Red Carpet

If ever there was a show deserving of a second chance, it’s Baz: Star Crossed Love. You owe it to yourself to experience this sparkling gem…and remind yourself of what a glorious experience live theater can be.

BAZ: Star Crossed Love performs Tuesday through Sunday at 7:30 pm inside the Palazzo Theater. Tickets start at $77.36 (plus taxes/fees) and can be ordered here. Vegas.com is currently offering a $10.50 discount plus seat upgrade on select tickets, available by clicking here.

[Photos/Video: Sammasseur]

sammasseur

A fitness buff and Vegas fan. Sam enjoys shows, bargains, and cheap healthy eats.