Moroccan Fantasy was the first show to be performed at the Marrakesh Theater when it opened in 1983. The 23 minute production combined traditional Moroccan dance with a theatrical flair. The main theme of the show was described as belly dancing “with a touch of Broadway.” Moroccan Fantasy took eight months of planning and was the most expensive production to date when it opened.
The show, which was performed five times a day when it first opened, started with a marketplace scene and ended with a “dream-like” finale. The show also featured acrobatics, musical comedy, and a bit of magic. Perhaps the most demanding segment was about midway through the performance, where four of the female dancers balanced heavy swords – blade up – on their heads during the routine. Each of the dancer’s head and neck remained still keeping the sword balanced, all the while dancing and moving around the stage. Another scene featured a feather being placed in large box, which is then closed up and spun around. When reopened, a bit of magic has turned the feather into a beautiful dancer.
A total of 200 costumes, at a cost of $50,000, were made for the show. 40 of those costumes were used each performance, which featured four costume changes during each show. A bit of ingenuity was used for the headpieces worn by the dancers in the final scene. Reminiscent of something seen in Las Vegas stage shows, the headdresses normally would have cost $1000 each when purchased from high-end designers. Instead, the pieces were engineered and built in house, custom molded to each dancer’s head at a cost of around $50 apiece.
Below is a video of the entire show from 1983:
Additional details on Moroccan Fantasy may be added in the future.
Sources:
Temple Terrace Beacon 6/9/1983 – accessed 7/19/2017