Don’t need to know much about tango to appreciate production

Watching the on-tour "Tango Buenos Aires: The Fire and Passion of Tango" at Artemus Ham Hall Saturday night -- part of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' New York Stage & Beyond series -- I was reminded of how live performances heighten the experience of dance. You can say the same for singing, acting and music, but I think taped dance concerts don't give even an impression of the magic of watching skilled movement.

I met a number of dance aficionados at the theater, but it was obvious you didn't need to know much about the tango to appreciate this production. Choreographer Susana Rojo made sure there was plenty of fancy footwork, but what drew me in most was the ability of the cast to project character. Many of the numbers involved background observers, and each projected different attitudes. The sharply defined dramatic portrayals made dialogue unnecessary. And when the men and women danced close, you could feel the heat. Rojo and the company understand that footwork is only one part of what the tango is all about.

Despite my enjoyment of the show, I did come away perplexed. This was the second time this company has appeared as part of this young UNLV program, and it makes me wonder why the performing arts series management so often repeats offerings. Next up in the series is the great jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, another returnee. Is there really such a small pool of talent in New York & Beyond, which encompasses the entire world?

And then there's that brand name. When the program was called "The Best of the New York Stage," you knew to expect Broadway performers and cabaret artists. Now, with the changed title, the series has no identity. There seems to be a professional laziness at work among the organizers of this program, and I can't imagine that Vegas is the better for it.

Las Vegas Little Theatre used to do a musical a season, until costs made it prohibitive. This summer though (July 15-31), they'll be presenting a major Vegas premiere: the 2005 Broadway show "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," based on the 1988 Steve Martin/Michael Caine film. The playhouse also is getting ready for its second annual June fringe festival, which features short plays from groups across town (lvlt.org).

The Onyx is set to resume its open-ended run of the record-breaking "Naked Boys Singing" March 18. Artistic director JD Jensen reports there are new cast members, as well as an updated production. And for those of us who care about such things, owner Mike Morse has just installed a new snack bar. When construction is totally complete, the refreshment center (and theater) will have its own entrance, so that audience members will not have to walk through The Rack -- the fetish shop within which the stage is located -- to get to a play. Seems some patrons refuse to schlep through kink in order to see a production. So Morse is hoping the entrance -- and the more extensive selection of eats -- will broaden the theater's appeal. You have to hand it to Morse: He never seems to stop trying to keep the Onyx thriving (onyxtheatre.com).

Anthony Del Valle can be reached at vegastheaterchat@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.