BWW Reviews: The SPIRIT OF THE KING is in the Building at Spa Resort Casino

Veteran Las Vegas performer Steve Connolly stars as the legendary Elvis Presley in the stage production SPIRIT OF THE KING, which premiered March 6 for an open-ended engagement in the Cascade Lounge of the Spa Resort Casino in Palm Springs. Dubbed "The hardest working KING in show biz," Steve Connolly has performed as Elvis Presley more than 4,000 times in his career and was chosen by the Las Vegas Review Journal's staff as "Best Elvis in Las Vegas" in 2006 and 2007. I had the chance to see the production on opening night and again this week and it could, and very well should, become one of the "must see" attractions in Palm Springs. But, even though Connolly is at the top of his game, it just misses the mark. It is, however, still a "work in progress" and so I have extremely high hopes for its success.

Connolly is by no means an "Elvis impersonator". He is a "tribute artist" and pays homage to "The King" with great reverence - and tremendous talent! He is very charismatic, very likable, has a great sense of humor and embodies all of Elvis' trademark moves and mannerisms without ever becoming a caricature. That said, the show never elevates itself from "lounge act" to "first class production" - and that is the standard that must be set before it becomes a "must see".

The 90-minute show has some construction problems and is a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows. There were times when Connolly had the audience in a fever-pitched frenzy (his "One Night Of Sin", "Put Your Hand In The Hand" and "Suspicious Minds" were three standout performances) and then there were times (too many) when the audience became restless, bored and I saw several even give in to yawning. None of that has anything to do with Connolly's talent. The show is crying out for some stronger scripting and stronger direction - and a few simple production values that would make it top notch. Not "Brain Surgery" - just a minor face-lift.

The production has a relaxed, intimate "lounge feel" which fits the room well and could be one of its' strong points. However, Connolly is left to ad-lib through most of the show and it is very hit and miss. All of the biggest stars I have had the opportunity to work with - even though it felt to the audience like every line was "off the top of their heads" - were carefully crafted and the true ad-libs were spontaneous gems, but they never risked leaving the entire show to chance. Connolly has terrific comic delivery - a master at the punchline, and is so likeable the audience is in his corner at all times - but much of his ad-libbed repartee fell flat and seemed unfocused, untried and, sadly, "un-funny". More structure would suit him and actually give him more freedom to be "off the cuff" and score bigger points throughout.

The biggest surprise - Connolly is a gifted painter and he brings one of the most uniquely creative concepts to this show that I have ever seen. He paints a portrait of Elvis while he sings some of Presley's greatest hits. Fantastic idea! The problem is that it was misplaced in the running order of the show - at the top, before Connolly had the chance to win us over with his abundant talents - and the audience became very impatient as he sang his first five songs with his back, much of the time, to the audience. Placed later in the show, and with the proper set-up, it could be a much bigger score.

There are several sections in the show that rely on video montages - some really great ideas that need a little "lift" and better placement in the show for the greatest impact. The sequence featuring numerous television stars from the sixties (Lucy and Desi, Jack Benny, Carol Burnett and more) talking about going to Palm Springs was a brilliant touch - as was a nice tribute to all of the stars that have made Palm Springs their home, accompanied by Connolly singing "You Were Always On My Mind" -- although a better set-up would have made a greater impact. (Direction) There was one particular montage of Elvis, Steve Connolly and Marilyn Monroe that made no sense - it was very confusing and disjointed and became obvious that it was meant to kill time to cover a costume change. As was a second Elvis montage, also used to cover a costume change, which sent more than a few patrons out to the casino and restrooms, mistaking it for an intermission. That being said, a little "cosmetic surgery" by a skilled director could take all of these clever "ideas" and bring them better to fruition, adding more substance and appeal to the production. It is not easy, even as talented as is Connolly, to hold an audience rapt for an hour and a half -- and he didn't - but I believe he can!! And that, in my opinion, is all in the construction and direction of the show.

Connolly delivers over twenty-five of Presley's greatest hits with tremendous expertise. He is a master showman - but the "show" itself needs a little work. With some judicious direction and more careful scripting I can see this becoming a "standing room only" and "standing ovation" show every night. The production values need to come up to the level of the star. Even now, it is a satisfying night of entertainment and worth the drive in from across town, or even LA or the OC, to catch Connolly in action.

The SPIRIT OF THE KING runs Saturday-Wednesday nightly at 6:00 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $35 and are available at www.spiritofthekingPS.com or by calling 800-585-3737.

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