By Chuck Darrow
The musical landscape is blanketed by performers who recreate the looks and sounds of superstar acts from Elvis Presley and the Beatles to Johnny Cash and Celine Dion. But generally speaking, these entities tend to focus on the works of classic-rock artists like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen and others whose output leaned toward the loud side. But one unit that works the softer side of the tribute-act street is Carpenters Legacy, which hits Ocean Casino-Resort April 12.
Based in Las Vegas, where it has won numerous awards, Carpenters Legacy celebrates the brother-sister duo of the late lead vocalist (and drummer) Karen and pianist Richard, who together dominated the turn-of-the-1970s music charts with such earwormy, soft-pop mega hits as “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Close To You” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.” They are portrayed by Sally Olson and Ned Mills.
According to Rutland, Vt. native Olson, the Carpenters-tribute concept traces back to 2009 when her vocal coach suggested she develop a one-person show.
“Initially the idea wasn’t doing a tribute show, it was just maybe a bunch of songs that I really liked, or connected with for whatever reason. And then at one point, he suggested that we read through some Carpenter’s music, because he thought it would be a really good fit for my voice. I happen to have the same vocal range as Karen, so then in short order, we decided, why don’t we just have the show be a tribute to the music of the Carpenters?”
Which is exactly what transpired in January of 2015. “I just kept on doing it and developed it further,” she continued, “and then by, April of 2017, I took the show to the Triad Theater [in Manhattan], which is where they would do the student cabaret performances for Circle In the Square Theater & School [where she studied]. So I had a relationship with that theater, and they said, ‘Yeah, of course. Come and do your show here.’”
Her success at the Triad led her to take the next step to build a Carpenters-centric production. Orlando Iriarte, whom she described as a “patron of the arts” was so impressed by her performance at the Triad that he suggested she contact a friend of his named Pamela Sullivan who was a showgirl in Las Vegas. Sullivan, whom Olson visited in January 2018, proved to be invaluable as she not only connected Olson with executives of the long-running “Legends In Concert” mimic-fest, but she also scheduled a series of pianist auditions for Olson, who needed an accompanist. Mills, she noted “Was the first one—and also the last one” she met.
“We hit it off, and I told him about my project, and that I needed somebody to actually play the role of Richard, and how I was changing the show into a full-on impersonation-type of a tribute show,” she explained.
The pair auditioned for “Legends” in August, 2018, and booked their first gig in the Myrtle Beach, S.C. edition of the revue in the fall of 2019. They haven’t looked back since, as they’ve taken their act across the country. Currently, they are in the midst of a residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Vegas Strip.
As for what to expect, Olson said it’s based on the show The Carpenters were doing in 1976. While some tribute acts are content with simply replicating the sounds of their subjects, Carpenters Legacy relies heavily on painstakingly recreating the visuals of a Carpenters concert in terms of wardrobe and even hairstyles, as well as their subjects’ between-song patter. And, Mills noted, there is a strong visual element as well.
“There are actual video clips of Karen and Richard performing,” he said, “so you get an immediate comparison of how we look compared to them. There are even moments where Sally holds a microphone exactly the same way Karen did it in her unusual way, as if she was holding a drum stick.
“And we’re going to have a camera showing close-ups of my hands playing on a couple of my piano features as well. So everybody gets a front-row seat to the piano.”
For Olson, performing as Karen Carpenter transcends being an actor portraying someone. Instead, she offered, she feels a real connection with the singer.
“I think for me it goes deeper than just an actress playing a role,” she said. “There’s definitely always been a personal connection there. I feel like I relate to her personality wise.
“We’ve met a lot of people who worked closely with The Carpenters and actually knew Karen and Richard quite well. And I’ve been told by those people she was really fun and silly with a great sense of humor. But she was also very sensitive and quiet; when she wasn’t on stage, she just wanted to be alone and in her own space.
“And then, when she got on stage, she would turn into this other person who’s just in their element being a performer.
“And that’s very much how I am.”
For tickets, go to ticketmaster.com
A ‘Cherry’ good time at Kuro
Through May 12, Kuro, the Asian-focused eatery inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, is celebrating cherry blossom season with some special menu items.
On the beverage side of things, the Boardwalk-fronting dining room is offering a Sakura Spritz, which is made with Moscato, Aperol, yuzu, lemon, and ginger.
Food specialties include a tsukemono trio with daikon, cucumber, and heirloom carrot; takoyaki with tonkatsu, bonito, and hajikami; okonomiyaki with pork belly and Brussel sprouts; sakura masu carpaccio with yuzu dressing and mesclun mix; ebi tempura with soy dashi, ginger, and oroshi; agedashi tofu with root vegetables, hijiki, and soy dashi; and Wagyu kushiyaki with sweet soy and scallion.
Desserts include mochi ice cream with a seasonal compote and Japanese donuts with ichimi cinnamon and cherry blossom cream. Reservations are encouraged and can be made at hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com.
Chuck Darrow has spent more than 40 years writing about Atlantic City casinos.
