David Cassidy In Las Vegas . Part 2. Intergalactic Circus Of Wonders
Before coming to the U.S. in 2019, I read a lot about the places I was to see, and I read some books on American history, geography, and about American way of life. I always like to know something about the country I'm going to ..So I knew that everything in America was much, much bigger than in Europe..But it's one thing to read about sth and quite another to see it with your own eyes. Everything was beyond my imagination ..also Las Vegas and MGM Grand Hotel.When I finally got there, I sat at the feet of the statue of a giant lion, just overhelmed by the scale of that hotel ..I even didn't think about going inside..
MGM Grand Hotel was opened in Las Vegas in 1993. It was the largest single hotel in the U.S. with 6852 rooms, and at the time it was the largest hotel complex in the world. The 30 floor main building is 293 ft high. With 5 outdoors pools, rivers and waterfalls, the complex covers 2,7 ha. Such a hotel needed its own theatre..And EFX was a $45 million spectacle , produced to mark the opening of the 1700 seat Grand Theatre in the MGM Hotel...1700...I would have loved seeing David Cassidy in EFX..
EFX - a world where anything was possible, was built around the star of the show, the famous British musical singer and actor Michael Crawford. It was a huge spectacle with a cast of more than 70 singers and dancers. When the show premiered on March 23, 1995, it was the most expensive and largest-scaled theatre installation in the world.( I remember it was a news also on Polish TV.) There were a lot of stunts and Crawford's roles (he played 5 characters) were very physically demanding.
Just at the beginning, in March 1995, Crawford, than 53 years old , injured his hip. He was taking pain-killers ,and continued until August 1996 when he injured his hip again in a fall. He had to resign. It was a huge blow for the EFX because that was a kind of show that needed someone really special, an unique star, someone who could sing, act and also last but not least ,very fit. There were some candidates - Donny Osmond, Barry Manilow, John Stamos and David Cassidy..In August 1996 DC learned that the producers wanted him as Crawford replacement..He could earn A LOT of money, but it was the kind of contract he would have to give himself completely to, and he, Sue and Beau had to move to Las Vegas for at least 2 years..
Negotiations lasted a month. David agreed, but under condition that he would be given creative control and a decisive voice. He also asked for a major overhaul. But first a new home (again).
'Sue, Beau and I arrived in Vegas and it was 100 degrees at six in the evening. This was in early September. My wife looked at me and said : 'Are you sure about this?'' . Trust me..
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