Skip to main content

Search the Special Collections and Archives Portal

Search Results

Display    Results Per Page
Displaying results 3811 - 3820 of 3869

Photograph showing a production of Pzazz! 70 staged by Donn Arden, Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas, circa 1970

Date

1969 to 1971

Archival Collection

Description

On a wooden stage decorated with yellow tables and a red and yellow curtain backdrop, entertainers perform Act 9: "Chicago," Scene 2: "Club Royale" of the show Pzazz! 70 staged by Donn Arden at the Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas. At the center of the stage stands a female performer clothed in a glittery, yellow dress with a matching yellow feather headpiece. Located to the female's left is a man in mid-step who is dressed as a waiter. He is wearing a red tuxedo, a black bow tie, and is holding a metal serving tray. Dancing on either side of the waiter and central woman are other female and male performers who are paired together in a female-male fashion. The males are wearing black tuxedoes with white gloves as the females are sporting short, black dresses, a matching feathery black headpiece, black tights, and varying colored high heels. A crowd of onlookers enjoy the performance from beneath the stage.
Show Name: Pzazz! 70
Performance Name: Chicago: Club Royale

Image

Photograph showing a production of Pzazz! 70 staged by Donn Arden, Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas, circa 1970

Date

1969 to 1971

Archival Collection

Description

On a wooden stage decorated with a metal structure that provides steps for the performers to stand on, entertainers perform the finale "New York-A Salute to Duke Ellington" of the show Pzazz! 70 staged by Donn Arden at the Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas. Standing in the center front of the stage is a male performer dressed in a prison inspired black and white striped costume that shows off his midriff and has white straps for arm sleeves. Surrounding the man are other various male and females also striking poses for the crowd. The other males are dressed in prison inspired orange and black striped costumes, while the females are either sporting one-shouldered, sparkling orange dresses with matching orange feather headpieces, or a two-piece costume made out of mesh covered in sparkling orange beading and with matching orange feather headpieces.
Show Name: Pzazz! 70
Performance Name: New York-A Salute to Duke Ellington

Image

Costume design drawing, two female dancers in pink harem costumes for Pzazz! 68, circa 1967-1969

Date

1967 to 1969

Archival Collection

Description

Attached to the upper corners of the drawing are different shades of pink fabric swatches for the costumes. Sketches of nudes are on the back.
Costume Details: Two female dancers in pink harem costumes. The performer on the left is dressed in a two-piece costume consisting of a golden, beaded bra and a long, flowing skirt completed with gold detailing and pink and orange hues. She wears a matching headdress and has both arm and writ cuffs. The woman on the right wears a similar costume, except instead of a flowing skirt she is wearing a flowing pair of pants tied with a pink belt around the waist. The outfit is paired with a golden bra, arm and wrist cuffs, and a matching headdress that spans the length of her body.
Show Name: Pzazz! 68
Performance Name: To Bing, Bob and Dorothy "With Love!": Road to Morocco

Image

Male dancer in a cowboy costume for Pzazz! 69 at Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada: costume design drawing

Date

1969

Archival Collection

Description

Hand written on the bottom corner of the image is a list of names and the words: "Male Dancer, Sketch #2, Part 1." The word "yellow" along with an arrow is also written next to each arm scarf.
Costume Details: A male dancer dressed in a cowboy costume. Shirtless, the dancer wears a white star on his chest and has on a white pair of polka dot pants decorated with fringe on the sides. His pants are held up by a white belt positioned high upon his waist. Red scarves are tied around this arms and a patterned white cowboy hat is positioned upon his head.
Show Name: Pzazz! 69
Performance Name: Las Vegas U.S.A. Today: Jazz, Baby, Jazz

Image

Pzazz! 69 at Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, male dancer in blue jumpsuit: costume design drawing

Date

1969

Archival Collection

Description

A costume design drawing of a male dancer in a blue jumpsuit. Across of the peaked lapel jacket are two rows of buttons down that line down the front of the suit, while white ruffles from a dress shirt underneath the jacket peak out around the wrists and collar of the costume.
Costume Details: Hand written along the bottom right of the image: "Jump suit; Jacket w/ center back pleat; Maybe pleat cape; Line cape same or lapels; Christian Cardin; Singer #62." Hand written along the bottom left of the image: "Fly flap."
Show Name: Pzazz! 69
Performance Name: To San Francisco and Love with Music: The Mood- Blue and Beautiful

Image

Pzazz! 69 at Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, male dancer in a turquoise blue suit: costume design drawing

Date

1969

Archival Collection

Description

Hand written along the right side of the image: "(Illegible) trim; Velvet collar, cuff, tie, and pocket flaps; Jump suit; Jacket with center back pleat; Humberto D'Elia; Sketch #54 Dancer."
Costume Details: Male dancer wearing a turquoise blue jumpsuit that has pleated pants and is decorated with a slightly darker blue cheetah pattern on the left side of the suit. The collar, cuffs, bow tie, and pocket flaps are all made out of velvet. Underneath the suit the dancer wears a blue and white striped dress shirt with a blue bow tie and matching blue shoes.
Show Name: Pzazz! 69
Performance Name: To San Francisco and Love with Music: The Mood- Blue and Beautiful

Image

Female dancer in a blue cape/gown for Pzazz! 69, Las Vegas, Nevada: costume design drawing

Date

1969

Archival Collection

Description

A costume design drawing of a female performer dressed in a sparkling blue cape and sheer blue chiffon gown. While the sheer gown drapes across the female's body and slightly hangs behind her, the blue cape of the costume fully covers her arms and acts like a hooded cover for her head. Dangling from her wrists and ears are sparkling silver pieces of costume jewelry.
Costume Details: Light pink and purple fabric swatches of the costume are attached to the upper left corner of the costume drawing. Although there is an abundance of handwritten words along the borders of the image, some of the most legible words lie in the bottom right corner of the image and read: "Kathy Landry; SG- Sketch #81."
Show Name: Pzazz! 69
Performance Name: To San Francisco and Love with Music: The Mood- Blue and Beautiful

Image

Males in white military-like costumes for Pzazz! 67, Las Vegas, Nevada: costume design drawing

Date

1967

Archival Collection

Description

Hand written next to the male figure on the left: "242, 9 male dancers." Hand written next to the male figure on the right: "243, 9 male singers."
Costume Details: Two male performers wearing gold and white military-like costumes. On the left, the male dancer is wearing a short white jacket complete with golden designs, gloves, and fringed shoulder pads. For bottoms , the male is sporting white pants decorated with gold patterns across the thighs and a matching gold belt and pair of boots. He is also wearing a white, gold-lined cape and matching hat that has a yellow feather sticking out of the top of it. On the right is the design for the male singer, whose costume looks almost alike to the dancer, except for a few minor adjustments. For the singer, he is wearing white pants with a thigh high slit down the side, no gloves, and a matching white and gold hat with a feather sticking out of the top of it.
Show Name: Pzazz! 67
Performance Name: Salute to Beau Geste

Image

Interview with Donald E. English, March 25, 2004

Date

2004-03-25

Description

Narrator affiliation: Photographer, Las Vegas News Bureau

Text

Transcript of interview with Diana Saunders by Barbara Tabach, April 17, 2017

Date

2017-04-17

Description

Diana Saunders was born Diana Salshutz in the Bronx, the northern most borough of New York City. She was raised in a Jewish neighborhood and recalls how her maternal grandparents pickled pickles, tomatoes and other traditional Jewish delicacies for Wolfie?s Deli. By the time she was twelve years old, Diana was bustling through the city to pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer. Encouraged by her mother Rose?her father Sidney was not as eager for this pursuit?Diana was accepted into High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan. In addition, she was accepted at the School of American Ballet where she studied classical ballet during the leadership of renowned choreographer George Balanchine. Her first professional performance was in the Nutcracker for American Ballet. At the age of seventeen, Diana was on her own, confident in her dancing potential, and eager to study jazz dancing. This led her to Matt Mattox and to her important mentor, Luigi (Eugene Louis Faccuito). In time she was a featured dancer for Steven Lawrence and Eydie Gorm?s show Golden Rainbow. This was soon followed by a position on Sammy Davis Jr.?s television show in the 1960s. Diana also studied musical acting and showed talent for comedic performance. In the 1970s, Diana crossed paths with Las Vegas venues. She relocated to Las Vegas in 1974 when Donn Arden offered her a dancer position in Hallelujah Hollywood at the MGM. She met and married musical theater actor/singer Joe Bellomo, whose career spanned four decades. He passed away of complications of early onset Alzheimer?s in 1996. Always true to her personal mantra?Wake up; Dress up. Show up?Diana maintains a busy schedule. At the time of this of this interview, she is currently a manger of gondoliers at the Venetian. She brings to life that career and also talks about being a part of the former Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton. Diana shares stories of long career as a dancer, from substituting in the black dancer line to continued study of dancing with Anglo Moio. She also talks about the AIDS fundraising event Golden Rainbow, having dinner at Rabbi Shea Harlig?s home and observations of local theater.

Text