ent001704-002

This item has not been digitized in its entirety. The original item is available for research and handling at the UNLV University Libraries. Additional digitization is available upon request. Please contact Special Collections to request additional digitization or with any questions regarding access at special.collections@unlv.edu. IMi! mm gpl p I I 1 y>; Mi W'' Bom Ffolliott Chorfton in Butte, Montana (Ffolltott is a Welsh name), iater nicknamed Fluff, she starred for a year in a Paris production, Votuptes was featured on magazine covers such as this one. She started dancing at age three. BACKSTAGE WITH FLUFF LeCOQUE COMPANY MANAGER OF MGM GRAND SHOW"JUBILEE?╟Ñ > lodmalqe'd ,?╟ <sunu?╜i Sunday, September By ELLIOT S. KEANE ONE of the superlatives the MGM Grand omitted when it announced the opening of ?╟úHalleulujah Hollywood?╟Ñ in 1973 was that, over the?╟Ñ course of the show?╟╓s seven-year run, more than 40,090 dancers and showgirls would be auditioned for the cast of 114 performers. ?╟úI figure that I?╟╓ve replaced 800 girls in the show,?╟Ñ said Ffplliott ?╟úFluff?╟╓ LeCoque, company manager of the hotel?╟╓s present spectacular ?╟úJubilee?╟Ñ as well as its predecessor. The attractive, personable company manager has been with the MGM since the hotel opened and, although she had retired from dancing, was persuaded to organize the largest chorus line in Las Vegas. ?╟úHaving performed at the Desert Inn in the ?╟╓60s, I was friendly with Bernie Rothkopf and A1 Benedict, so when they started organizing their new show at the MGM, I thought that the job would be an exciting one, and I was right,?╟Ñ she said. ?╟úTen years ago, a large cast in a production show had 40 or 60. Donn Arden and Mme, Bluebell wept all over the world to find girls for the show. If they couldn?╟╓t fill a certain group, Fd audition girls to fill out the complement.?╟Ñ Because of the height of the proscenium, Arden., tried to find the tallest dancers available, both men and women, to appear in proportion on the immense stage. ?╟úWe looked for men 6-feet or taller, actually, 6-three or more was preferred, for the 14 or 15 chorus dancers,?╟Ñ she said. Fluffs tiny office, located three floors below the main stage of the showroom, is packed with file cases containing data on everyone who has applied for an audition over the past 16 years. She pointed to the green metal trays that indicate which are for girl^ dancers, boy dancers, principals and nudes. ?╟úThe only applications we haven?╟╓t kept are those under five-feet seven,?╟Ñ she said. ?╟úThat?╟╓s one item that remains constant and the chances of a dancer growing into the position are very slight,?╟Ñ Besides handling the replacements, Fluff maintains the scheduling of the performers so that illness, nights off or vacations will not disrupt the formations of each scene. ?╟úSee that big black book on the shelf,?╟Ñ she pointed to a large notebook, ?╟úthat?╟╓s what we call our ?╟ bible?╟ . It contains every position for every performer. If just one person is missing from a formation and the change isn?╟╓t taken care of before the show startsr^e-^ scene has real troubles. ?╟úI meet with my line captains before every show, going over any changes that might occur, and when things are running smoothly, it?╟╓s like a computer,?╟Ñ she said. ?╟úWhen I am off one night a week, assistant company manager Michael Pratt takes over.?╟Ñ nnHE position of company manager is com-I parable to that of a house mother in a universi-?√ß ty home. ?╟úWe are present at every performance each night,?╟Ñ said Fluff, ?╟úand I make notes on things to be improved. The notes are given to the line captains and they in turn give the information to the performers. ?╟úBasically, I try to keep the chorus and the staging professional and fresh throughout the show. We exercise due process,?╟Ñ she answered when asked about how she keeps the show in line. ?╟úSay if a person comes to the stage late, or calls in sick too many times, or breaks one of the many house rules, or is careless with the wardrobe. For the first offense, we give a verbal warning. For the second, there is a written warning, and on the third offense, the performer is either suspended or fired. ?╟úAll of our performers are expected to grow in the job,?╟Ñ she explained. ?╟úSome start as young as 17, : possibly with a lot of years of dance school but no < professional experience. We feel that it is our job to try to guide them toward this professionalism When J a girl is in a large chorus, she sometimes feels that # she is lost I often hear the cry, ?╟ But no ono is j watching me. There?╟╓s always someone watching ?║ each person in the chorus and just let one drop her J (Continued on Page 8) onis&ga&A 4Au* oWD?·i\i ?╜JAJ dh; LAS VlzGAS SUN Magazine 7B j 1983