Show & Tell: Richard McAmish of ‘Donny and Marie’

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Q:Did you always know you wanted to be a dancer?

A: Actually, I wanted to be a martial artist, but my father was scared that I’d get hurt. There weren’t a lot of good martial arts schools where I lived, so he said, “Yeah, you need to do something different.” My older sister was in dance, and he said, “She likes it. Why don’t you try it?” So I tried it and I immediately fell in love with it.

Q: And your very first professional job was “EFX Alive!” (at the MGM Grand)?

A: Coming from a small town, that was huge for me. I was so excited! Every time we drove by the MGM and saw that Jumbotron play the commercial for that show, every single time I’d say, “I’m in that show, I’m in that show!” until my roommate finally said, “Know what? I don’t want to hear it anymore.”

Q: Then you went to Japan for five years?

A: They have Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. … It was huge switch, going from doing one show a night, or two shows a night sometimes, to doing five shows a day during the day. Granted, the shows were shorter, but you’d go to work at 10 in the morning and get done by 6 at night. It was like working a day job, that feeling of you were working in an office.

Q: How did you like it?

A: I loved it, I think mostly because I was so interested in living in a foreign country. That was something I always wanted to do. I’m something of a travel buff and I like learning languages and learning about foreign cultures as well, so it was like I was getting paid to do that. … Then I wanted to come back to Las Vegas because I was comfortable in the city.

Q: What’s it like being in Donny and Marie’s show?

A: It’s my type of dancing and the cast is amazing, and Donny and Marie are amazing to work with.

Q: They have some serious fans don’t they?

A: Oh, yes. People have seen the show more than 12, 15, 20 times. There are so many times I recognize faces in the audience. Even when we travel. When we went to New York, there were people in the audience where I’m, like, “Hmm, I’ve seen that lady in Las Vegas.”

Q: What are the most common things people ask you when they hear you work with Donny and Marie?

A: What are they like in person? Are they the same backstage as they are onstage? Do they get mad? (Laughs) I don’t know what to tell you. They’re great people.