News

June 23, 09 – TV Interview with Channel 13 Action News (ABC Affiliate, Las Vegas, NV)

http://paminvegas.smugmug.com/gallery/8668700_vJRMU/1/572491685_ZKjvG

June 3, 09 – Sin City 24/7 Website

Felice Garcia filling the role as Carrie Underwood

The American Superstars show at the Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower has introduced a Carrie Underwood tribute with Felice Garcia filling the role, announced American Casino & Entertainment Properties officials.

“Carrie Underwood is one of the most popular artists out there,” said Mark Callas, who produces American Superstars with his Springtime Productions partner, Donny Moore. “This is a great addition to the American Superstars lineup. Felice Garcia has amazing talent – combine her Carrie Underwood with Elvis, Tim McGraw, Michael Jackson and our new Britney Spears, and you have a tribute artist group that puts on a show everyone will enjoy and one that simply can’t be missed,” he added.

Garcia will perform a three-song set of Underwood hits including: “All American Girl,” “I Told You So,” and “Last Name.” Garcia’s set was conceived and designed by veteran American Superstars producer and Las Vegas Walk of Stars 2008 inductee Donny Moore.

Garcia is a singer, dancer and actress and comes to American Superstars from Les Folies Bergère. She is pursuing a bachelor of art in music and vocal performance at UNLV, and attended the I Can Do Anything Performing Arts Conservatory.

American Superstars is a full-scale production show that combines the talents of tribute artists portraying the likeness and musical abilities of today and yesterday’s hottest stars. The American Superstars cast also features tributes to Elvis, Britney Spears, Tim McGraw, and Michael Jackson. The high energy Superstars Dance Band and the beautiful Superstars Dancers back the multi-talented cast.

May 31, 09 – Vegas Report

AMERICAN SUPERSTARS ADDS CARRIE UNDERWOOD TO CAST

The American Superstars show at the Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower has introduced a Carrie Underwood tribute with Felice Garcia filling the role, announced American Casino & Entertainment Properties officials.

“Carrie Underwood is one of the most popular artists out there,” said Mark Callas, who produces American Superstars with his Springtime Productions partner, Donny Moore. “This is a great addition to the American Superstars lineup. Felice Garcia has amazing talent.” he added.

Garcia will perform a three-song set of Underwood hits including: “All American Girl,” “I Told You So,” and “Last Name.” Garcia’s set was conceived and designed by veteran American Superstars producer and Las Vegas Walk of Stars 2008 inductee Donny Moore.

Garcia is a singer, dancer and actress and comes to American Superstars from Les Folies Bergère. She is pursuing a bachelor of art in music and vocal performance at UNLV, and attended the I Can Do Anything Performing Arts Conservatory.

May 18, 09 – Best of Vegas Website

Stratosphere Show Gets an Injection of Pop Stars

If you love Carrie Underwood, there’s good news – you no longer have to wait until the country/pop star makes her next tour stop in Vegas to see and hear her perform. Well, a version of her, anyway.

American Superstars at The Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower, which is renowned for its super-talented assemblage of tribute artists portraying some of the biggest names in music, has now added a Carrie Underwood impersonator to its cast. Underwood, played by Felice Garcia, will regularly belt out a three-song set of the singer’s hits, including “All American Girl,” “I Told You So,” and “Last Name.”

Garcia is a singer, dancer, and actress who actually came to American Superstars from the recently closed Les Folies Bergére at The Tropicana. The performer is currently pursuing a bachelor of art in music and vocal performance at UNLV.

“Carrie Underwood is one of the most popular artists out there,” said Mark Callas, who produces American Superstars with his Springtime Productions partner, Donny Moore. “This is a great addition to the American Superstars lineup. Felice Garcia has amazing talent – combine her Carrie Underwood with Elvis, Tim McGraw, Michael Jackson and our new Britney Spears, and you have a tribute artist group that puts on a show everyone will enjoy and one that simply can’t be missed.”

Speaking of the new Britney Spears, audiences have been thoroughly enjoying the second-most-recent addition to the show, played by Abby Galloway. Like the faux Carrie Underwood (who actually looks more like a dead ringer for LeAnn Rimes), the illusion of Britney is somewhat ruined up close. However, do yourself a favor and sit a little further back in the showroom, and you’ll swear the genuine Britney was up on stage as you take in her perfectly replicated dance moves and sweet, breathy voice.

And as with Underwood, the addition of Britney to Superstars was a matter of public demand.

“Britney Spears. Some people love her. Others love to hate her. Say what you will, Britney Spears is entertaining, and from what I have seen she is capable of pulling off a comeback,” said Callas. “We had a Britney Spears tribute in the show last year, but we decided to go in a different direction. We decided to bring on Abby Galloway as Britney Spears because there is an energetic fan base for Ms. Spears’ brand of entertainment.”

At least, until Spears shaves her head again. But everyone’s hoping history doesn’t repeat itself.

In addition to a regularly changing line-up of hot performers, American Superstars also features glittering sets, live music from the Superstars Dance Band, and the high-energy Superstars Dancers providing back-up eye candy.

American Superstars performs Sunday through Tuesday at 7 pm and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm in the Stratosphere’s Theater of the Stars Showroom.

March 26, 09 – Rebel Yell Newspaper, UNLV

The End of an Era: Say Goodbye to Folies

By Shane Collins

Original showgirls to take final bow Saturday

Glitz and glamour, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, mobsters and sexy showgirls paint the picture of old Las Vegas.  It was a classy era that redefined tourist attractions.

However, the last piece of classic Vegas is about to have its final curtain call, signifying the end to a showgirl dynasty.  Folies Bergere will end its 49 year run on the Strip this Saturday and the UNLV community is directly affected.

“The mark Folies [Bergere] leaves in Vegas is that they are the original showgirls,” student Felice Garcia, principal female singer in the show, said. “It is the classic showgirl extravaganza.  They are beautiful, graceful and tastefully topless.”

In the show, Garcia has five songs, including a solo originally sung by Kelly Clarkson, and is one of the only roles without dancing.

Janu Tornell, UNLV Spanish teacher, lead showgirl and line captain at Folies Bergere, is in charge of rehearsals for her group of showgirls and show line-ups.

“When speaking of the [showgirl] legacy, I am [a legacy] because my mother was a showgirl also back in the 60s,” Tornell said. “She is Cuban born and was a showgirl in Cuba and left her island, was a traveling performer and ended up in Vegas.”

“It is very sad that they have decided to do away with one of only two shows that offer this glamour in Vegas.”

Garcia agreed that the showgirl legacy is one to be cherished in Vegas’ short history.

“Showgirls have a special place in Las Vegas history just like Elvis,” Garcia said. “They were around a lot longer than Elvis!”

Folies Bergere originally came to Las Vegas in 1959 after Lou Walters, father of Barbara Walters, brought the show to the U.S. and the original cast was made up of French dancers, as the show had foundations in Paris, Tornell explained.

“That means it will end just shy of our 50 year anniversary,” Garcia added.

Folies Bergére started in Paris and was at its height of popularity from the 1890s through the 1920s.  It was originally called Folies Trévise, derived from the Latin “foliae” meaning “leaves,” depicting an outdoor entertainment venue.

“The show originated at the end of the [Franco-Prussian War] in 1871 and was one of the first shows to hit [a French] music hall,” Tornell said. “Helene Martini was the originator of this extravaganza.”

After a prominent nobleman with the last name Trévise complained that his name was connected to an obscene dance show, so they changed the name to Bergere.

After coming to Vegas, the show changed to match the energy of the Strip and the desire of the audience.  The showgirl costumes changed to ornate feather headdresses, bejeweled bras and bottoms and high heels.

Since then, the show has played to nearly 40,000 audience members a month and features anything from traditional Can-Can numbers to scintillating mambo pieces.

Jerry Jackson has been the Vegas show’s creator, choreographer and producer since the show came to the U.S., Tornell said.

“He has been able to create a show that has entertained people from every part of the world by presenting to them a journey through time of music, dance and beautiful, glamorous women,” she said.

Garcia’s experience with the show began in May 2008 has been anything but forgettable.

“Getting a job as a lead singing role in a show on the Strip when you’re going to college for music, is such an incredible experience,” she said. “You can tell your other classmates what the ‘real work world’ is like.”

Tornell joined the show in 1995, and this May would have marked her 14 years anniversary.  She reflected on the many changes the show has seen in her time.  She said hotel moves, casting changes and changes to the show itself have dotted her stay.

“I understand that nothing is forever and that change is good, but the reality of the legendary Folies Bergere closing is a hard one to accept,” she said.

UNLV is doing all it can to preserve the rich history of Folies Bergere with the new showgirl exhibit on the third floor of Lied Library.

Su Kim Chung, manuscript librarian at Lied, said the show’s demise is what prompted the assembly of the exhibit.

“The case highlights materials that have been gathered by special collections,” Chung said.  “Items include original show programs from 1959, original cast photos and documents from the Tropicana.”

Special collections has been dedicated to preserving Las Vegas entertainment history and holds materials on showgirls, original hotels, shows and entertainers like the Rat Pack, Chung said.

As for the future of showgirls in Las Vegas, Tornell said she hopes they are never forgotten because they have a firm place among the Vegas greats.

“I hope that people will demand that the beautiful women remain an integral part of the Vegas lights and glamour,” she said. “If anything, I know in my heart that the Vegas Folies Bergere showgirls will never be forgotten.”

Dolly Kelepecz, UNLV dance teacher and former showgirl, said Vegas is in an entertainment flux and moving toward a new definition of beauty.

“The younger generation thinks beauty is in the burlesque-type shows,” Kelepecz said.  “The Strip is moving toward entertainment that is more retro and cool.”

She added that there is nostalgia in an original showgirl production leaving Vegas, but that it is time.

“Showgirls are going to be Vegas legends and it’s time for the change,” Kelepecz said.

Ex-showgirl and published author Vicki Pettersson once said, “The Vegas showgirl is living art.”  Tornell said this quote sums up the handprint Folies Bergere will leave on the heart of Las Vegas.

“We are the icons who are and will always be associated with Vegas,” she said.

August 25, 08 – WHAT’S ON Magazine Cover and Article

May25, 08 – Press Release Tropicana Hotel Website

New Female Lead Singer, Felice Garcia, Takes The Stage In The Folies Bergere At The Tropicana

Felice Garcia joins the cast of the legendary Folies Bergere as the new principal female singer at the Tropicana Resort & Casino. Felice is very familiar with the stage, performing since the young age of nine in talent shows, musicals, plays, pageants, civic events and other miscellaneous functions. This is her first big production show and is very excited to become part of the Folies Bergere family.

“It was my dream as a child to be part of a well-known stage production like the Folies Bergere,” says Felice. “What better place to get my start in show business than in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas.”

Felice is currently attending University of Nevada, Las Vegas as a senior, majoring in Vocal Performance. She is originally from Carlsbad, California, but attended high school in Reno, Nevada. She spent her junior year living abroad in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Felice moved to Las Vegas three years ago to attend college.

Some of her most memorable accomplishments include winning the “Reno Idol” competition in 2004, a local version of American Idol, and she was also the first runner up for Miss Reno/Sparks, Nevada in 2005.

In her spare time, Felice enjoys reading, scrap booking, traveling and watching reruns of the television show “Friends.” Her role models include Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera, LeAnn Rimes, Dolly Parton, and Aretha Franklin, just to name a few.