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7 htidl AMERICAN ' Press Clipping Bureau, Inc. T.I. WOrth 2-3797 j From JUL U I960 TIMES - HERALD, Don Saf ran ' at D. I. LAS VEGAS, Nev.?╟÷Donn Arden's rich, up to the minute, epic-sized production of "pzazz '70 And All That Jazz" premiered here last night at the Desert Inn combining the best of two show business worlds?╟÷the splendor and splash of the Las Vegas revue and the style and wit of Broadway The Desert Inn production, debuting with a special black tie invitational premiere, is a revue with a theme, tracing pop music from the mind-shattering sounds of today down through the big band and Cotton Club days. IT ALSO COVERS the sentimental Helen Morgan blues, the cool San Francisco blues, the less inhibited jazz of Memphis and St. Louis, that old standby the Oriental production number and the great irrepressible Ruby Keeler film musicals of the '30s. Director-choreographer Arden and producer Frank Sennes managed to soak today's feeling in throughout the entire production regardless of period examined, as in taking the Duke Ellington Cotton Club scene and doing the music with a rocking Afro beat. THE WARDROBE is awesome, all in the ?√ß highest style, with cellophane materials, see- throughs and the wet look,; with its white patent learner bell bottoms. The cast, of over 70, is headed by Jacqueline Douguet and dancer Nick Navarro and Bernard Charey. Navarro's dancing is a compound of rock, modern jazz and ballet,: brilliant in detail and emotion and a highly stylized restraint. There is no question that Navarro is emerging as one of the most exciting personalities of today's dance scene. ARDEN HAS CONTINUED his no-nudes approach, making the Desert Inn production still the only revue in Vegas available to the family trade. But he has used the traditional revue pattern in using variety acts along the way, allowing for scenery and costume changes. When the acts follow the theme of the show they work very well. A young dancing team, the Little Steps, are quite good in recreating the old Step Brothers dancing style and a new mod-style male duo vocal team, Monroe and Whiting, are fine belting out today's mu- OUT OF THE THEME are some acts to offer balance, a good juggler, Montego, and an excellent sleight of hand expert, Marvin ^-Roy. The comedy comes from Will Jordan who Jacqueline Douguef, in Las Vegas, Desert Inn production of "Pzazz '70 and All That Jazz" scores wMh his impressions, but was much' less a success with a comic monologue which is supposed to be pared down considerably. There are several other principals who come off with great impact within the revue, dancer Heather Vietorson; James Weiss as a Harry Riohman type;- Lillian D'Honau as Ruby Keeler and Sheila Sparr as a strong, dynamic singer. Arden has assembled an unusual ensemble, \ girls with incredible good looks who can dance, and male dancers who move with strength and athletic style. THE SETTINGS FOR this stage, which is larger than any Broadway theater, are awesome, with lighting effects that are both patterned and abstract. There are triple-sided sets that revolve to speed on the flow of the show. And there are water fountains and rain falls and fog machines. Arden has deferred to contemporary stage attitudes with audience involvement, opening with a number of the chorus singing in between the tables and birds flying across the room. He has also gone in for multi-media techniques with a film clip opening. The show is supposedly the most expensive in show business history, costing well over $1 million to produce and forcing the Desert Inn to near-double its backstage space. But the money is well-spent. "Pzazz" may have cost ,, a million, but it looks it. S* Desert inn's 'PzazzF A Dazzling Revusical By ABE GREENBERG LAS VEGAS (Special) ?╟÷Theatrical history was made at the Desert Inn when the world's first I million dollar night club presentation, "Pzazz 70 and All That Jazz, Baby," opened in glittering fashion at the hotel's elegant Crystal Room. The Frank Sennes production, created, staged and directed by Donn Arden, surpasses anything ever presented in a nightclub. Lavish costumes designed by Bill Campbell, beautiful girls, exciting dance routines, breathtaking scenery and imaginative special effects highlight the gigantic stage presentation. No theater on Broadway is large enough to accommodate the massive Harvey Warren sets which are so brilliantly lighted that a new half-million ! watt transformer had to be added to carry the increased power output. From the wildly psychedelic ; opening number "Las Vegas Today" featuring a score of beautifully gowned dancers I amid the splendor of 18,000 lights to the concluding salute to. New York's famed Cotton, Club, "Pzazz 70" is a memorable look at America's great musical tradition "turned on" by the music of Jimmy Harbert, the lyrics of Leonard Adelson and the Carlton Hayes orchestra. ?√ß Also included in the stags presentations is a salute to some of the musical greats of the past, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Les Brown, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. Spotlighted throughout the show are noted featured acts including comedian Will Jordan, The Little Steps, Monroe & Whiting, Marvin Roy and Montego. I