Although Dot Com, City of Dreams producer Malcolm Simpson is very busy these days, he was still able to find the time to interrupt his schedule to talk to this reporter. At a recent meeting at Barnes & Noble, Simpson discussed his show, which is scheduled for Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on July 18 and 19, 2008.
“This show is a new show for Las Vegas,” he says. “I’ve taken elements of previous shows I’ve done, and created this show for Planet Hollywood.”
An Old Story, In A New Way
“It’s a story about going to the city from a small town. A high-tech musical telling the story of a dot-com empire for the Internet,” he continues. “One of the reasons I’m doing the show is, it’s unfinished business – I’ve done similar shows in New York and Dallas, and have had nothing but a fantastic response, particularly to the songs. I’ve brought it here as a step up – it’s for the residents as well as the tourists.”
Simpson, who wrote the script as well as the music for the show (with George F. Hall), says “Dot Com is a unique kind of musical. “I take the audience on a journey through different moods. It’s an entertaining piece of theater, but there is a universal message. It’s a perfect blend.”
“It’s about how people manipulate his (Matt Mason, the lead character’s) genius. The story is a journey, but it’s also about the underdog winning, against the corporation.”
A Las Vegas Show
At press time, “Dot Com” had a cast of more than twenty, all local Las Vegas talent. “I have Steve Connoly, who played Elvis,” Simpson explains. “The show is for the Internet, which is the new place for shows.” “Dot Com” is scheduled to be viewed all over the world via the internet through the new and exciting platform of showmeashow" www.showmeashow.com "Dot Com" is also scheduled to be shown on Hello TV on the night of July 19.
Simpson says he comes from a farm in North Yorkshire, England. He has a diploma from The Guildford School of Acting, near London, and has played characters in plays by Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Dickens. He is also working on a musical called Casablanca Airport, and a film, Prisoner for a Brother, for a Hollywood producer.
“One thing I’m realizing is that no one has my vision. But I am impressed by the enthusiasm of my cast. This is a good opportunity for people to have.”
Hello World , he says, is doing the camera work for the show. Simpson says there is talk of celebrities attending the show. He adds that there is the possibility of the show becoming a long-running show in Las Vegas.
Tickets will be available from Planet Hollywood in mid-June, 2008.
