‘Showstoppers’ dazzles on opening night

Steve Wynn was over the moon after Saturday’s opening night of “Showstoppers,” describing his salute to Broadway as “the most fun I’ve ever had.”

He’s so proud of his pet project that he made a rare exception: He courted the media with an invitation to join him on the Encore Theater stage for a post-show news conference featuring cast members and his dream team.

That might have been a Wynn first for a major show opening after nearly a half century in Las Vegas.

Judging from the strong audience feedback, his best-of-Broadway format is a welcome addition to the entertainment community.

The man behind the Cirque du Soleil invasion two decades ago is counting on the public’s hunger for a fresh option.

Wynn is hoping his show will trigger another trend: a return to “live music on a large scale.”

That was a big motivating factor in going with “Showstoppers,” he said.

If it takes off, predicts Wynn, others will copy it.

“The process was absolutely delicious,” gushed Wynn, who was more involved than any other show he has put in a showroom.

He explained his hands-on style: “In every project, whether it’s sports or business, there has to be a quarterback,” he said.

The plan, he said, is to add one or two more songs, taking it from 72 minutes to 79 minutes.

He talked about the challenges, including the process of acquiring the rights to the Broadway classics. One musical powerhouse had never allowed the use of its songs, he said.

Moving the big cast — 34 dancers and singers — in and out of numbers had its moments.

In the third number, “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” from “Hello Dolly!”, the women change from corsets to gowns in 20 seconds, he said.

When rehearsals started, just one made it out on time.

Wynn talked about his love of Broadway, which started early, around seven or eight, when he attended shows with his parents.

One night, in his 20s, while still living on the East Coast, Wynn went to a show with his wife, Elaine, and his mother, Zelma.

When they were seated, they learned, to their great joy, they had unwittingly got tickets to the final musical Broadway appearance by the legendary Mary Martin.

That piece of history would have happened in 1966. The show was “I Do! I Do!,” starring Robert Preston. It was a year before the Wynns moved to Las Vegas.

He talked about how he ended up going with Wynn Las Vegas after initially naming it Le Reve, after Picasso’s painting (French for “The Dream”).

A focus group suggested the name wouldn’t be that memorable. Wynn said he made calls for advice to media tycoon Barry Diller, filmmaker Steven Spielberg and Donald Trump, who knows something about putting his name out there.

Wynn went with Wynn. Now it’s a global brand. He’s all in with his latest Broadway gambit. Here’s hoping there’s no stopping “Showstoppers.”

Tickets: (702) 770-9966 or WynnLasVegas.com.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Pianist extraordinaire Liberace is returning to a Las Vegas stage as a hologram. Hologram USA has announced a partnership with the Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts to produce a full scale, long-running hologram show featuring the Las Vegas icon. The show will be in a major Las Vegas venue, according to the news release.

SIGHTINGS

At the MGM Grand Showcase doubleheader benefiting “Coaches vs. Cancer” were country star Toby Keith, NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Boston Celtics manager Danny Ainge. … Frankie Moreno, wrapping up his run at the Stratosphere on Saturday, his 599th show. … “Survivor” winners, sisters Natalie and Nadiya Anderson, and runners-up Jaclyn Schultz and Jon Misch, celebrating at The D on Saturday.

THE PUNCH LINE

“If Sony’s not going to show ‘The Interview,’ that’s it. No more North Korean movies for me.” — 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.