I've always been amazed at the really great talent they get at Casino Rama, the big gambling playground in Orillia, north of Toronto.

As I was checking out the talent line up for 2006 (I've never gone to a concert there, but vow to do so in 2006!) I noticed that Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons are playing in March! The original Jersey boy! (I promise this is the last post about Jersey Boys...).

Okay so now I have to go. So it got me thinking, I wonder if there is a market for musical theater at Casino Rama, the way it is developing in Vegas with Mamma Mia, Hairspray, and Avenue Q?

Then I remembered that a friend of mine is currently in discussion with Casino Rama to do a shortened sung through "rock" version of his musical there. Is this the beginning of a bigger trend? Is the only way to develop a musical theater audience in Toronto by tempting them with gambling? Hey whatever it takes! The ticket prices at Casino Rama are usually reasonable (in the range of $35-$40) and the audiences are kind of already there.

Now I don't know what the cost structure for putting on a show there is, and since I've never seen a show there I don't know what the set-up is like, but I plan to find out in March. At the very least it could be a neat way to bring back the cabarets of the '70s!

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