EFX Changes Once Again
Rick Springfield took over for Tommy Tune, completely revamping the show and debuting his version in 2001. Interest in EFX had seriously declined by the time Springfield arrived, due to the constant changes of the show and Las Vegas' rapidly growing interest in bringing Cirque de Soleil and other, more popular Broadway productions to The Strip. Due to this fact, almost nothing is known about the 2001 version of EFX outside of the cast and crew, and those who saw the final incarnation of the show. The only details reported to the general public were that EFX, now retitled EFX Alive!, had become more of a "theatrical concert production" as opposed to being an actual musical.
Nothing is publicly known about the detailed cast and plot of EFX Alive! All that was reported was that The Masters were written out of the show, along with scenes that featured dancer Andy Pellick and The Flying Kaganovich, a trapeze troupe that had joined the Barnum ensemble in 1996. Sal Salangsang's role was said to have been expanded, though no further details were given. Paul May stayed on as the lead understudy until he left the production for other projects a few months into Springfield's run. Paul's understudy duties were subsequently given to Salangsang.
Due to declining interest in the show, a soundtrack of the Rick Springfield version of EFX was never released, and it's unclear if one had even been recorded. It was reported that Springfield had written several new pieces of music, mainly to replace songs that were cut out due to The Masters no longer being in the show. Tonight, which had been cut once before (by David Cassidy), was removed yet again, this time to be replaced by a new song by Springfield. There had also been several reports that the show had been rewritten to allow Springfield the chance to perform his '80s mega-hit Jessie's Girl. However, the show was carried with Rick playing only a few acoustic lines of the song while talking to the audience.
The final performances of EFX were shot with several cameras for archival purposes and the prospect of a non-commercial output to fans. The result was a complete DVD video of "EFX Alive" (compiling footage from multiple performances) released exclusively by Springfield's Gomer Records as part of a three-disc limited edition of his 2005 studio album, "The Day After Yesterday" and available only through the official Rick Springfield merchandise site.
Springfield's Departure
As with Tommy Tune, Rick Springfield initially signed a one year contract. Despite becoming the newest victim in EFX's long history of performance-related accidents, fracturing his arm and spraining his wrist early on in his run, Springfield renewed his full contract and stayed with the show until it closed permanently in January 1, 2003.