Doors Las Vegas Bound

The surviving members of The Doors have set aside their differences and are collaborating on some notable projects, including a Doors-themed show in Las Vegas.

Jeff Jampol of Doors Music Co. said he and partner Jeff Rabhan of The Firm have been in negotiations to bring the legacy and music of Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Robby Krieger and the late Jim Morrison to a new generation.

Manzarek and Krieger – currently involved in Riders On The Storm – have had their legal differences with drummer Densmore, who has had a different philosophy on how to market The Doors.

The most recent example was Riders itself, which was previously called Doors of The 21st Century until Densmore called foul. These differences have apparently been set aside for the new projects, which include a documentary for theatrical release and the Vegas show.

Jampol said the idea for the show originally sprang from the success of the ABBA-inspired “Mamma Mia” on Broadway, but the trick was to come up with a way to apply it to The Doors.

“The Doors are not about Broadway, they’re not about storytelling and puppy love or characters running around a stage with headset mics and costumes,” Jampol told Pollstar. “What The Doors are about is darkness, edginess, questioning authority, altering perception.”

This concept – tentatively entitled “The Doors Experience” – involves no actors, no stage and no history lesson on The Doors. Instead, a series of vignettes will take the audience through a story from beginning to end using The Doors images and music.

The theatre will be equipped similarly to Laserium shows from the 1980s but will use the most up-to-date technology available: IMAX screens and 12.1 audio Surround Sound system along with good old-fashioned magic and illusion.

“We want this show to be to Laserium what video games today are to Pong,” Jampol explained.

Rabhan said that it was too early to say where in the city The Doors project could end up, but did say negotiations are moving forward on a theatre that would hold about 2,500.

“Without naming names, we’re looking for a partner on the casino side that shares the same spirit of adventure that we think The Doors embody,” Rabhan told Pollstar. “We’re looking to build a free-standing theatre that will house the type of environment we’re looking to create.”

Jampol said The Doors theatre is tentatively set to open in 2008.

– Tina Amendola