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?√ß I King and Queen Robert McCulloch and Mary-Anne Harding are all ready for the masked ball ?╟÷ Pictures by GRAHAME LONG feather: Showers. Winds: Fresh to strong SE. Seas: Rouglr Lead dancer Joyleen Watson of Las Vegas kicks up her heels in the Brisbane hotel scene Nearly all the cast are Australian, with many re- cruited from Brisbane and the Gold Coast. He described the talent of those who auditioned as comparable with overseas and said: ?╟úAll I ask for is enthusiasm.?╟Ñ As well as being a brand new show, it is running in a ; brand new theatre with new lighting and new sound equipment. Some of the highly technical equipment could be installed only a few weeks ago because there was too much dust in the auditorium as workmen completed the final touches. As late as 3pm yesterday stonemasons were: still' cutting sandstone in the entrance foyer and the brass? balustrades were still being fitted. The auditorium beneath the gaming floor seats 9601 people in wide steps down to the stage. The, show is expected to run for between seven and| 12 months and advance bookings are very heavy. RIGHT: The girls ing their skirts high ring the colourful Western scene ?╟≤ RELOW: Beautiful tterfly Deanne rns meets the two ters during her trip to Venice Bo they fan for a week without heavily promoting I show and now it* was ready for the crowds. Mr Jackson, a veteran of lavish productions in Par- iLebanon, Manila, the Bahamas and Acapulco as p as Las Vegas and New York, predicted the show lid be a huge hit. [There had already been preliminary inquires about |dng it to New York. Lavish During a special television preview yesterday he said the show was opening brilliantly. The gala opening last night before a packed house ^prfoun4'900 whs actually held a week after the show ?√ßned. ?√ßBut in true Broadway fashion such a show would He run for a month in a small provincial theatre to Hi out all the problems before moving to the big Ke. ?√ßMr Jackson said there simply wasn?╟╓t a theatre big ?√ßugh or sophisticated enough to stage the produc- by GRAEME SHANDLEY THE biggest Broadway-style stage show ever performed in Australia officially opened at Jupiters Casino last night. And the spectacular show, featuring 40 dancers, dazzling handmade costumes and huge sets including a Cadillac and a rocket, is tipped to move to Las Vegas or New York after its run on the Gold Coast. Called Starz, the show is a musical time trip jump- ing from the year 2020 back to Venice in 1762. In one hour and 40 minutes there are 25 scene changes and 400 costume changes. One wig is more than a metre high, ostrich feathers were imported from Hong Kong and 1000 mirrors the size of 20 cent coins were used on th% dresses. AncHjhe production has used the latest technology/ with 40,000 computerised lights. The 14-man orchestra is perched high up in the wings and the conductor watches the stage on a video screen. The man behind the entire performance is Ameri- can director choreographer and writer Jerry Jackson. 1 i S