"DONNY & MARIE," Tuesdays through Saturdays, Donny & Marie Showroom, Flamingo Hotel, 3555 S. Las Vegas Blvd (800-273-4727 or flamingo.ticketcounter.com); running time: 90 minutes
LAS VEGAS For fans of Donny and Marie, the news is good.
The brother/sister duo's current show retains many of the favorites that made the pair famous, now with the addition of four new numbers plus new dancers, new video and segments like Marie turning into movie stars and show business icons like Elizabeth Taylor, Lady Gaga and Lucille Ball with makeup and hair styling.
But they still do what they do best: dance, sing and cut up with jokes, like about Donny's win on "Dancing With the Stars" and his recent surgeries. ("He's now a butthead," Marie says, referring to her brother's throat surgery and a muscle repair on his upper back thigh.)
And best of all, the two are so much fun.
Marie took center stage for the show's first half, singing "Paper Roses," a song that catapulted her to stardom as a teen, followed by a country tune with Marie wearing a cowboy hats, boots and wielding the guitar. She introduced the cover from her most recent album, "Music is Medicine," which debuted on Billboard's Top Country Album at No. 10 in 2016 and included a track with Utah singer Alex Boye.
The music and the dancing (in 6-inch platform heels and tight, sparkly, sequined dresses) never stopped except for a moment or two when Marie paused to say hi to her "favorite fan" that would cool her as she knelt to enjoy the air at the front of the stage.
"Is it 2,000 degrees in here?" she asked the audience.
Donny entered with one of his signature songs, "Puppy Love," also moving at high speed as he belted out a medley of songs that included "Dynamite" and "Crazy Horses" which, according to Donny, showed the world the Osmonds were more than just a bubblegum band.
He paid tribute to singer Andy Williams with a moving rendition of the Henry Mancini classic "Moon River." (Williams discovered the Osmonds and consistently featured them on his weekly television show.)
Marie took back the stage with numbers from "The King and I" and "The Sound of Music," two musicals she performed on Broadway.
Donny also showed off his Broadway chops with a number from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," a show in which he had the lead role on Broadway and toured with for six years.
His powerful "Soldier of Love" was a solid hit with fans when it came out in 1989 and was a solid hit with the Vegas audience as was Marie's rendition of Giacomo Puccini's famous aria "Nessun Dorma," which she delivered with power and ease.
Throughout the performance, the audience was treated to memorable videos and photos of the duo, including Donny's appearance on the Andy Williams show as a 5-year-old and Marie at 3. "This little girl is the youngest Osmond brother," quipped Williams.
Footage from the "Donny & Marie" variety show highlighted the wide array of stars and personalities the two have worked with over their 50 plus years in show business.
Donny and Marie have a relaxed, easy banter between them that never feels mean but brings laughs and chuckles throughout the show.
They worked hard, making costume and mood changes seamlessly.
There was never a dull moment throughout their performance, probably one of the reasons their show is consistently named one of the best in Vegas without the sex, the skin or the crudity that often comes with a show on the Strip.
LAS VEGAS For fans of Donny and Marie, the news is good.
The brother/sister duo's current show retains many of the favorites that made the pair famous, now with the addition of four new numbers plus new dancers, new video and segments like Marie turning into movie stars and show business icons like Elizabeth Taylor, Lady Gaga and Lucille Ball with makeup and hair styling.
But they still do what they do best: dance, sing and cut up with jokes, like about Donny's win on "Dancing With the Stars" and his recent surgeries. ("He's now a butthead," Marie says, referring to her brother's throat surgery and a muscle repair on his upper back thigh.)
And best of all, the two are so much fun.
Marie took center stage for the show's first half, singing "Paper Roses," a song that catapulted her to stardom as a teen, followed by a country tune with Marie wearing a cowboy hats, boots and wielding the guitar. She introduced the cover from her most recent album, "Music is Medicine," which debuted on Billboard's Top Country Album at No. 10 in 2016 and included a track with Utah singer Alex Boye.
The music and the dancing (in 6-inch platform heels and tight, sparkly, sequined dresses) never stopped except for a moment or two when Marie paused to say hi to her "favorite fan" that would cool her as she knelt to enjoy the air at the front of the stage.
"Is it 2,000 degrees in here?" she asked the audience.
Donny entered with one of his signature songs, "Puppy Love," also moving at high speed as he belted out a medley of songs that included "Dynamite" and "Crazy Horses" which, according to Donny, showed the world the Osmonds were more than just a bubblegum band.
He paid tribute to singer Andy Williams with a moving rendition of the Henry Mancini classic "Moon River." (Williams discovered the Osmonds and consistently featured them on his weekly television show.)
Marie took back the stage with numbers from "The King and I" and "The Sound of Music," two musicals she performed on Broadway.
Donny also showed off his Broadway chops with a number from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," a show in which he had the lead role on Broadway and toured with for six years.
His powerful "Soldier of Love" was a solid hit with fans when it came out in 1989 and was a solid hit with the Vegas audience as was Marie's rendition of Giacomo Puccini's famous aria "Nessun Dorma," which she delivered with power and ease.
Throughout the performance, the audience was treated to memorable videos and photos of the duo, including Donny's appearance on the Andy Williams show as a 5-year-old and Marie at 3. "This little girl is the youngest Osmond brother," quipped Williams.
Footage from the "Donny & Marie" variety show highlighted the wide array of stars and personalities the two have worked with over their 50 plus years in show business.
Donny and Marie have a relaxed, easy banter between them that never feels mean but brings laughs and chuckles throughout the show.
They worked hard, making costume and mood changes seamlessly.
There was never a dull moment throughout their performance, probably one of the reasons their show is consistently named one of the best in Vegas without the sex, the skin or the crudity that often comes with a show on the Strip.