Productions are celebrations of song and dance
By Nina King
New York-New York Spirit of the Dance 6 p.m. Tues.-Sun., starting at $49.95 plus tax and fee. 702.740.6815 Dancing Queen 8 p.m. Tues.-Sun. (dark Aug. 23), starting at $49.95 plus tax and fee. 702.740.6969
He sees a need and fills it. Producer David King, who is responsible for many, many shows worldwide, has taken on another challenge, introducing Dancing Queen and Spirit of the Dance to the Broadway Theater in New York-New York.
King began his career more than 16 years ago in the U.K., when a hit show called Riverdance was making the rounds, but only in big cities. “There was a huge need for a smaller dance show to go in all the markets Riverdance wasn’t going … I created what was to be an alternative to Riverdance. … I made it the international world of dance featuring Irish dance, the flamenco from Spain and tap dancing from America … it was a beautiful dance presentation.”
At New York-New York, he first installed that stalwart, Spirit of the Dance, and placed another proven show, Dancing Queen. “(It’s) well, a fabulous, sparkling ABBA show. Mamma Mia! played at Mandalay Bay (for years). There wasn’t really anyone in town doing ABBA music. It sells out everywhere it goes, all across the United States, so we thought that would be a great show.”
But Dancing Queen doesn’t just present ABBA music, it really pulls together a variety of ’70s songs, with talented dancers lending a party atmosphere to the whole thing.
Today, King produces multiple shows, and writes and creates each, one capturing the musical feel of different artists and eras, including his latest ones, Rocket Man and Bohemian Rhapsody (honoring Elton John and Queen).
“Each year, although I say we aren’t going to make any more, because we’ve got enough, someone comes along and says, ‘Say, why don’t you make a show about whoever it is … and I think, ‘I’d like that,’ and off we go again.”
