BREAKING NEWS: DONNY & MARIE ALL SET TO BECOME REGULAR STRIP HEADLINERS!
It’s now official! Within hours executives at the Flamingo resort will confirm that Donny and Marie Osmond will become the resort’s newest headliners beginning Sept. 9, it marks the first time in 29 years that they will perform an extended residency engagement in Las Vegas. The announcement confirms what Luxe Life readers knew several weeks ago (click here for that exclusive) that negotiations between the Flamingo and Donny and Marie had been successfully concluded. Donny revealed the new deal in an exclusive interview on this evening’s Entertainment Tonight show.
Ironically their new September Strip start goes against the death-bed wishes of their late father, George, who died earlier this year. The other members of the Osmond family have a run scheduled in September at The Orleans—and he didn’t want the two different branches of his children competing with one another, particularly in the same city! Insiders tell me that even though the entire family will be together in Vegas this fall after a world summer tour the Osmond Brothers will not be appearing in Donny and Marie’s new show, even as special guests.
The new contract also spells the end of R&B singer Toni Braxton’s 18-month run at the theater. She has been away on hiatus the past two weeks after a medical heart scare that had her rushed to hospital. Originally it was planned that she would return early in May but it’s now unclear if she will. Newly-signed magician Nathan Burton performs in a new 4 p.m. afternoon show there and comedian George Wallace continues with his 10 p.m. show. Luxe Life has learned that Morris Day and The Time will probably perform shows during summer prime time and that Nathan will also add some 8 p.m. shows.
The Mirage Strip headliner Danny Gans, who is moving over to Steve Wynn’s new Encore Theater early next year after a nine-year run at the MGM property is behind the singing of Donny and Marie! He’s partnered with manager Chip Lightman in their GansLight Entertainment presenting a 90-minute extravaganza, which will highlight Donny & Marie’s greatest hits in a multimedia spectacle presented on a custom designed stage with multiple video screens and a large cast of dancers.
“My version of a variety show has been what Vegas has known thus far, what we have now is a true variety show—Donny and Marie—that conveys the real essence of America and the country’s love of homegrown talent,” said Danny. “When you couple that element with the current Las Vegas entertainment landscape, we felt Donny and Marie provided the perfect combination and something that no one else was making available.”
The “little bit country, little bit rock n’ roll” duo took the country by storm with the debut of the “Donny & Marie” variety show in 1976, becoming the youngest primetime hosts in television history. To this day the couple’s worldwide fan base still numbers in the millions. After multiple solo successes, the pair teamed up once again in 1998, hosting the hit nationally syndicated daytime talk show “Donny & Marie.” They recently hosted the “Miss USA” pageant here in Vegas and on Mother’s Day (May 11) will be hosting “America’s Favorite Mom,” both NBC primetime specials.
“Donny and Marie are timeless entertainers and cultural icons,” said Don Marrandino, president of Flamingo Las Vegas. “We look forward to welcoming the celebrated duo to the Flamingo and are confident that their talent, charisma and showmanship will be warmly received by audiences.”
Tickets, priced from $85 to $115, will go on sale starting Monday, April 28. Donny and Marie will take off every Sunday and Monday then perform daily shows at 7:30 p.m., Tues.-Sat. with an additional Saturday matinee at 3:30 p.m. A limited number of VIP packages will be available for $250 (plus tax and fees), which includes a special after-show commemorative photo with the stars. Unknown at this moment is the exact number of weeks that Donny and Marie will perform each year and for how many years the new contract will run. As soon as Luxe Life learns more about those contract details we will post them.
Donny and Marie are said to be very happy about the new Flamingo residency. Fans will be able to see them this July at the rival MGM Grand Hollywood Theater when they appear for an already sold out eight-day engagement.