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24 (Cu)Friv May 7, 1982 ?╟úFire & Ice?╟Ñ (Hacienda; $14.95 min.) Las Vegas, May 6 ?╟÷ Moving into frontrunner position as choreographer and creative honcho of production shows is Jerry Jackson, whose ?╟úFire & Ice?╟Ñ dancing/skating packet scores highly in all aspects. With Hacienda owner Paul Lowden and producer/orch leader Ron Andrews giving Jackson a virtual carte blanche to mount the new entry, their confidence in the outcome was never a matter of doubt. It took $1,000,000 to redesign the stage and backstage areas, redecorate the showroom, pre-production costs et al, yet the weekly nut will be under $30,000, the low budget an enviable asset in current depressed times. The six scenes developed by Jackson include three in which dancing and skating principals and personnel are moving at a furious pace, with dozens of costume changes, those costumes not so incidentally designed by Jackson. The rink is an ellipse with enough depth for ensemble and soloists to perform freely where Nancy Lee Parker, Nancy Tala-vera & Marc Mountaintes, and Teresa Foy work brilliantly in the area. Only juggler Albert Lucas is confined and that is in height for his tossings. In the redesign of the stage, the proscenium was left as it, with not enough overhead space to match the other extensions. Babe Pier, one of the better impressionists around, roars through his comedy spot with upbeat revelations, his rapport with the audience hitting peaks from Walter Brennan opener singing ?╟úWhen The Saints Go Marching In?╟Ñ to poignant Jimmy Cagney and Jimmy Du- rante finish. Pier is a winner in this room and context. Highlights from ?╟úFire & Ice" include Parker?╟╓s zippy blade whorls; Lucas maintaining his balance while tossing multi-objects including juggling of flaming brands; the adagio blend of Talaveras & Mountaintes in all of their segs, but particularly in ?╟úThe Sports Arena?╟Ñ; the perky tribute to Sonja Henie by Teresa Foy, who doubles as vocalist and femcee and the female dancers who also reveal gorgeous anatomies during their toppless routines where some very energetic, typically Jack-son, dance patterns are displayed. Deserving kudos jare Mario Poppino arid the Poppets in a novelty terp; the ?╟úZoot Suits & Pompadores?╟Ñ scene with Liz Conn, Kelly O?╟╓Fallon, Lauri Thompson, John Maddison, Martin Moody and Walter Pence. Moody has several innings pitching his smooth vocals and shows a neat tete-a-tete with Robin Renee in ?╟úThe Flappers.?╟Ñ Kren Grobba?╟╓s ice choreography is svelte among the settings, many of them applause inciters, by Winn Strickland with Bob Kieman?╟╓s lighting designs and just-right sound by Chips Davis. With tech coordination by Henry Lackey, the important musical side of ?╟úF&I?╟Ñ is handled with precision by a sextet under direction of Andrews, charted by Greg Bosler and vocal arrangements by Ian Free-baim-Smith, plus original musical and lyrics by Jackson and Bosler. Chuck Harper intones the narration. ?╟úFire & Ice?╟Ñ seems destined for a long run. Will. SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1982 HINDSIGHT By TOM JOHNSON Two 'Surprising?╟╓ Winners: Bire&Jce^And Paul Anka he last three production shows I?╟╓ve seen have been ou miserable that when Mary Anderson, the sharp young publicist at the Hacienda Hotel, called and inquired if I would like to attend the press opening for the new ?╟úFire & Ice?╟Ñ show, I said sure, but deep down I cringed. I thought sure I would see another bomb. But, alas, old birdbrain me guessed wrong again. ?╟úFire & Ice?╟Ñ is the best new show to come along since the ?╟úFollies?╟Ñ premiered last Fall at the Dunes. And it takes a page from the ?╟úFollies?╟Ñ for the music is young and uptempo with songs like ?╟úHold On (I?╟╓m Coming),?╟Ñ ?╟úFame,?╟Ñ and Queen?╟╓s ?╟úWe Will Rock You.?╟Ñ But the two essential ingredients in the show which stand out are color and dancing First, color. The costumes in tfyis show are simply beautiful. They range from Paris society in the 1860?╟╓s to the 1920?╟╓s ?╟úFlappers?╟Ñ to Zoot Suites and Pompadores of the 1940?╟╓s to he Go-Go-Look ofthe bO?╟╓s to a ?╟úFuture Fashion?╟Ñ in the-year 2000 and beyond. The set designs are also exceptionally bright and the range in pure colors is just like the rainbow, totally complete. |g Next, dancing. I found it amazing that on a postage stamp-size stage the choreographers could get so much kick and movement out of not only their dancers but also their ice dancers. These were by far and away the best numbers when both groups were juxtoposed on stage, one set gliding effortlessly while the other side was high-stepping to perfection. The featured acts in the show are all quite good, including humorist Babe Pier, Albert Lucas, the world?╟╓s greatest ice juggler, and Nancy Lee Parker, the superb skating star. . 1 ^ ! 'T L; I ?√ß?╟útut I think the top accolades for the show must go.to director Ron Andrews, and, in particular, Jeriy Jack-son, the man who created, directed, choreographed and costumed the show. Jackson, as effervescent as Alka-Seltzer, was positively bubbling after the press opening, being pressed on all sides with congratulations. He admitted to having lots of further ideas, including ?╟  ?╟ freezing a waterfall in motion.?╟Ñ He?╟╓s worked with such stars as Danny Kaye, Fred Astaire, Juliet Prowse, Abbe Lane and Goldie Hawn. He?╟╓s also the brains behind the current ?╟úFolies Bergere?╟Ñ at the Tropicana, another mammoth hit. One brilliant dude with a positively great future. I must highly recommend this show. At $13.95 for he dinner show and $10.95 for the late show, it is an excellent bargain for an excellent production.