Singers shine, in Sin City and Steel City
When Graham Fenton and Nicole Kaplan performed together in their first college play, it included a kiss.
That kiss was the start of a fairy tale romance that led to a rare distinction — a married couple with lead roles in major Las Vegas productions.
Fenton plays Frankie Valli’s character in “Jersey Boys,” which is nearing its sixth year on the Strip. Kaplan became one of the six female leads in “Steve Wynn’s ShowStoppers” as an eleventh-hour replacement.
One of the leads was let go five weeks after rehearsals began. For Wynn and his creative team, it was like finding gold.
“How lucky for us. She’s as good as anyone you ever saw,” Wynn said.
Fenton and Kaplan met in 2001 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She was a sophomore, and he was a freshman when they teamed up in “Dies Irae,” Latin for “days of wrath.”
After that kiss, “I ended up killing him,” Kaplan said.
“Let’s hope life doesn’t imitate art,” Fenton said, during an interview over lattes at Town Square.
They became friends but didn’t start dating until four years later and got married five years later. Through many of those years, they worked as singing waiters to make ends meet.
He proposed while they were living in Orlando, Fla., where she was working in Disney World’s “Finding Nemo — the Musical.”
Their wedding on Aug. 16, 2008, was all about music. It took place in the grand marble lobby of Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, home of the Pittsburgh Symphony. For their vows, they sang the Beach Boys’ “Forever,” backed up by the bridal party.
“We had sang on that stage with Marvin Hamlisch and Pittsburgh Pops,” Fenton said.
Her parents, Fran and David Kaplan, had married at Heinz Hall.
Fenton, then on the Broadway national tour of “Jersey Boys,” surprised Nicole and the guests at reception by singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”
He joined the “Jersey Boys” as an understudy (for six roles) in 2008 before returning in 2011 for the Valli role.
When she auditioned for “ShowStoppers,” she was a singer on football great Terry Bradshaw’s national tour of “America’s Favorite Dumb Blond.”
Landing the role in “ShowStoppers” made a dream come true, Kaplan said.
“This is the first time in our 11 years that we’ve lived in the same home for a year,” she said.
She sings four songs, “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” from “Hello Dolly!,” “Money Money” from “Cabaret,” “A Little Brains, A Little Talent” from “Damn Yankees” and “All That Jazz” from “Chicago.”
“Voila,” Wynn said. “She was just what we needed.”
CLOONEY DECLINES
There was an awkward moment Sunday when E! co-host Giuilana Rancic tried to coax George Clooney into having a shot of his Casamigos tequila. He declined. When Rancic pressed him, Clooney said he had to speak during the awards show and added that it was best to wait because he’s spoken before after a few drinks “and I’ve gotten myself in trouble.” So Rancic knocked down the shot. Clooney’s wife, Amal, didn’t find it amusing.
A CLASSIC CAT TALE
Rich Little, who is working on a new show titled “Little by Little” that features his life story, shared a classic old Vegas tale the other day involving singer Marilyn Maxwell.
On her opening night at the Desert Inn in the 1950s, the blond bombshell, one of Bob Hope’s rumored mistresses, planned a grand entrance by having a leopard escort her on stage.
But various members of her team were worried that something could go wrong. So the big cat was given a pill to tranquilize it. Concerned that might not do the trick, the cat was given another pill.
When Maxwell, opened the show, instead of leading the cat on stage, she was “dragging it,” Little said. It was in a catatonic stupor.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Following the confirmation that Sylvester Stallone is doing “Rambo 5” comes rumblings that he’s planning to shoot scenes in Las Vegas. In it, Rambo, a Vietnam War vet and former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier, will be going up against the Mexican drug cartel. The last Rambo film was seven years ago. Stallone’s a trooper. He turns 69 in July. …
Phylicia Rashad, who played Clair Huxtable in “The Cosby Show,” will be the honorary chair of Nevada Ballet Theatre’s Black and White Ball on Jan. 24 at Aria at CityCenter. Dinner co-chairs are Jodi Fonfa and Lynn Weidner. Fonfa is the new executive director of the Nevada Miss American Organization. Frankie Moreno will perform, and there will be a surprise celebrity guest. Ticket information: 702-243-2623. ...
Claire Sinclair, the star of “Pinup” at the Stratosphere, signed a contract extension over the weekend. The former Playmate of the Year started the show in March 2013.
SIGHTINGS
Hollywood directors Steven Spielberg and Jake Paltrow, dining with Wynn at the Country Club at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday. Paltrow, who was director in the hit TV series “Boardwalk Empire,” is the younger brother actress Gwyneth Paltrow. … “Vanderpump Rules” star Scheana Marie, hosting ghostbar Dayclub’s Geek’d Up nerd-themed party on Saturday. San Francisco 49ers defensive back Perrish Cox, who was celebrating his 28th birthday, joined the host table. ... 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, meeting the “Absinthe” cast after Friday’s show.
THE PUNCH LINE
“Donald (Trump) is on the show tonight to announce another phony run for the presidency. If Trump is elected, he will be the first president with a beauty pageant.” — David Letterman
Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Reach him at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more at normclarke.com. Follow @Norm_Clarke on Twitter.
