Vegas Reviews

The reviews are in and the Donny and Marie show at the Flamingo Hilton is a certified hit. So much so, they’ve just extended their sold out appearance there by several months. The critics unanimously agree that these two performers have the X-Factor when it comes to entertainment – it seems to be in their genes, after all. Joe Brown from the Las Vegas Sun says,“Entertainers since conception, these two are all-pro, all the time, and they’re really beyond concepts of sincerity or authenticity of interpretation. But they’re not robotic or on autopilot. They don’t overreach for hipness. Their bickering feels loose and spontaneous. They get winded, and work up a sweat. They flub lyrics (Donny flashed an adorably sheepish look when he missed a cue).In a hilarious nod to Marie’s recent appearance on “Dancing With the Stars,” they work out their sibling rivalry with a climactic dance-off, comically set to the Sharks vs. Jets theme from “West Side Story” and tunes from Grease. By the end of the evening, it’s hard not to get a lump in the throat or a tear in the eye, when they roll a montage of their entirely televised lives, with a galaxy of stars including just about everyone who has ever played Vegas.”

But its even more interesting to read what regular folks have to say about the show:

“Saw the show on Sept. 26, 2008. Absolutely brilliant and very entertaining. Marie sings a Broadway medley that is out of this world! She can really belt it! Fantastic band, high energy dancing, interesting and touching video clips and Donny works it very hard, too. They interacted with the crowd and it was better overall than we could have ever imagined.”

“Fantastic show. High energy from beginning to end. If you want to see a high end exciting show, see Donny and Marie. My wife was the big fan and I surprised her with tickets. I was blown away with the display of talent. They mix it up with the audience and each other. They did some of their hits but also focused on the songs and artists that inspired them.”

“I thought this was a good show, full of high-energy dancing. Donny and Marie work as hard as anyone on stage. Their voices are fantastic…just beautiful. But, I would have liked it a little cheesier with perhaps a skit based on the old TV show.”

I’ve talked a lot in this blog about Marie Osmond’s almost unmatched appeal to a broad, diverse audience and its easy to see why. She has literally been in our living rooms for 40 years and her awareness, popularity and likeability are simply off the charts. People want to see her and they come away having had a full and satisfying experience.

From the beginning, Marie has expressed a clear vision about doing her talk show in 2009. Her commitment to making a difference in the lives of women, her devotion to her fans, her experience as a mother of eight children, and her broad life experience all converge at this moment in time suggesting all the right ingredients for a successful talk show host. And, as an entertainer? Well, just ask her adoring public.

Ritch Colbert
Program Partners