| Playbill by
Barbara Nosek
August
2001
*
In the Spotlight *
Jubilee!
at Bally's Las Vegas
It's 20 years old and counting. In the present day entertainment
environment that sees both bold and cautious experiments with this
and that format, registering varying degrees of success, Jubilee!
remains true to the golden age of lavish Las Vegas style
spectaculars.
That's not to say that high tech is banned from the set. In fact
it's a
major player in the production, but well behind the scenes, driving
the
extravaganza of effects that create the context for dramatic story
segments and full scale song and dance numbers performed by a
talented crew in and out of some of the most opulent costuming on
any stage.
All that's to come is forecast in the $3 million opening volley, an
elegant study in black and silver that explodes into color as 74
bundles of feathered and sequined energy are mirror-multiplied to
illustrate the theme of "Hundreds of Girls." All of the
color and pageantry is still in full force for the larger than life
depictions of the story of Sampson and Delilah and the tale of the
Titanic including, respectively, major league portrayals of
Sampson's destruction of the temple and the great ship's final
descent into the sea.
As of something like a year ago, all three of the specialty act
slots were turned over to the personable and polished magician, Dirk
Arthur. Among other miracles, he makes a helicopter appear and
disappear as others might a coin, pulls the stripes off a tiger (he
promises it doesn't hurt), and does something you won't believe with
a Ferrari. In total it becomes a three-part must see magic show
right in the heart of Jubilee!
The finale establishes for all time the show's place in vintage Las
Vegas lore. Tuxedoed gents and bejeweled ladies, some with
headdresses that wouldn't make it through a standard doorway, step
out in a dynamic toe-tapping presentation that evokes a time when
Porter, Kern, and Gershwin, plus Fred and Ginger ruled the day. As
the curtain falls, the big beat Jubilee! theme continues to resonate
throughout the theater and as well the reluctantly departing
patrons.
Most of them, it's fairly safe to say, had an excellent view of all
that
unfolded on stage. A makeover of the theater a little over three
years ago changed the configuration so that except for a handful of
booths and a few stageside tables with swivel chairs, every seat
faces forward. Be forewarned that any of those front and center
positions can mean feathers in your drink, a bumpy ride as your
chair does a tuning fork thing in response to the enthusiastic
hoofing, and a perspective that can preclude full appreciation of
the bonanza of kaleidoscopic patterns.
Jubilee! at Bally's Las Vegas plays nightly at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.,
dark Friday. Tickets $49.50-$66. 967-4567.
On stage
Highlight: Looking for a family-friendly show that kids
especially will enjoy? Then head right on in to the showroom at the
New Frontier for "The Magic of David Darkstone - Illusions and
Beyond." It features two twenty-something performers, David
Darkstone and Will Roya (pronounced Roy-A), who balance the
presentation with roughly equal parts of magic and comedy juggling.
Even at their tender ages, Darkstone has already starred on
international TV and Roya is a veteran of cruise ships and
productions shows. The lighting almost has to share star billing, as
it edges the stage, flares from the curtains, and in plays all over
the room in ever-changing patterns. Speaking of the room, it won't
be standing
in line for any designer awards, but as the show progresses it is
frequently decorated with giggles in direct proportion to the number
of children present. Shows daily (dark Mon.) noon and 2 p.m. Tickets
at $12.95 include two drinks. Rightly called one of the most
anticipated concert tours of the summer, the show featuring
Destiny's Child along with Eve, Dream, and 3LW hits the stage at
Mandalay Bay Events Center on Aug. 31 . . . Yes, it's that Ringo
Starr who performs with his entirely new All-Starr Band at the Rio
on Sept. 1 . . . Catch the smooth-croonin' Vargas at Bellagio's
Fontana Lounge Aug. 3-5 with times varying from afternoon to evening
. . . Go for the gold with "Bobby Vee's Rock n' Roll
Party" at the Riv Aug. 10 & 11 . . . As hilarious as ever,
it's the Smothers Brothers at The Orleans, Aug. 7-12 . . . The one
and only Patti Paige plays Texas Station Aug. 17 . . . That grande
dame of comedy, Phyllis Diller lights up the stage at Suncoast Aug.
10-12 . . . Catch soapy favorite Michael Swan, well known to fans of
"As the World Turns" and "The Bold and the
Beautiful," through Aug. 11 performing jazz classics at the
NightClub at the Las Vegas Hilton - no cover charge or admission . .
. Just when you think you've seen all the Jacksons, along
comes Rebbie to
fill the Windjammer Lounge at the Castaways (nee Showboat) with her
gold record tunes, at 8 & 10 p.m. with no cover or minimum . . .
Television personality Tony Sacca steps into the spotlight himself
for an Aug. 17 performance at the Club Madrid at Sunset Station . .
. Coming in 2002, Carmen Electra in a production called "Lumiere"
at the Aladdin.
Show notes
Highlight: for a big bold taste of Las Vegas "as it used to
was," stop by the Riviera's Le Bistro Lounge any Saturday night
around 1a or thereabouts as Lon Bronson and his All Star Band play
everything from ballads to jazz classics to experimental new tunes
and also make room on stage for such visiting performers as the
versatile Jimmy Hopper. It's all laid back, to say the least, with
Lon and his offbeat humor interacting with his hugely talented
musicians and singers and also the audience, and still managing to
work in lots and lots of brass-driven sounds. It goes on until
"where should we go for breakfast." You just know you're
in for a great time when the opening number is a rafter-rumbling
rendition of the theme from "Get Smart." This is
entertainment at its best. Good news! The "Rat Pack Is
Back" at the Sahara, which recently turned in its 500th
performance, has been extended through March of 2002 . . . And while
Sahara was in an extending kind of mood, it also announced it is
continuing indefinitely the totally entertaining "Michael Holly
Off-The-Wall Comedy Hour" . . . Harrah's Carnaval Court
entertainment schedule has changed to now feature Cook E. Jarr Wed.,
Fri. & Sat. from midnight to 2a, and live band performances
until 1:30a Sun., Mon., Tues. & Thur. . . . Now you can see Rita
sooner, as the comically delightful Ms. Rudner adds a 6p show on
Saturdays that also costs
less than her nightly 8p performances (dark Sun.) . . . The audience
interactive who-dun-it "Marriage Can Be Murder" at the Egg
and I on west Sahara has added another night to the schedule and can
now be enjoyed weekly Wed.-Sat. . . . The regular Thur.-Sun. Elvis
sightings at the downtown Fitzgeralds will now take place upstairs
as Michael Kennedy's free "Tribute to Elvis" shows move
into the property's new second-floor Events Center . . . Jimmy
Emerson takes over host/headliner duties for Riviera's "La
Cage" while regular Frank Marino vacations through Aug. 7 . . .
snag your "Mystere" tix on line now at treasureisland.com
Yeah, we got culture
Let us count the way to enjoy chamber music: "An Evening of
Chamber Music" at Summerlin Library Theater on Aug. 4, "An
Afternoon of Chamber Music" at Clark County Library Theater on
Aug. 5, "Young Artists Chamber Music" at Clark County
Library Theater on Aug. 7, "Festival Chamber Ensemble" at
Beam Recital Hall at UNLV on Aug. 9, another "Young Artists
Chamber Music" at Clark County Library Theater on Aug. 10, and
again at Summerlin Library Theater on Aug. 11, and another
"Afternoon of Chamber Music" at Summerlin Library Theater
on Aug. 12 . . . Meanwhile Sue Cotter's "Books and Boxes"
continues through Aug. 25 at Charleston Heights Arts Center and Beth
Yarnelle Edwards' "Suburban Dreams" photographic exhibit
continues on display through Sept. 11 . . . this month's edition of
Moonlight Concerts at the Clark County Government Center
Amphitheater features guitarist/singer/songwriter Leo Kottke on Aug.
11 . . . the Las Vegas All-Star High School Jazz Band play
traditional
and contemporary arrangements in a free concert at Sammy Davis, Jr.,
Festival Plaza on Aug. 10 . . . Long time favorite Las Vegas
violinist Sasha Semenoff is now treating diners at Zeffirino in the
Venetian to his highly acclaimed musical talents . . . marvel at the
timeless works on display in the exhibit "Rodin's Obsession:
The Gates of Hell," at the Las Vegas Art Museum on west Sahara
through Sept. 16 . . . Top quality crafts populate booth after booth
at the annual Harvest Festival taking place Aug. 24-26 at Cashman
Center just north of downtown.
Games People Play
In the high stakes Supercontest spanning the NFL season at the
Las Vegas Hilton, with signup available Aug. 3 through 1p on Sept.
7, an $1,500 outlay could win up to $150,000 . . . As part of the
Caesars Palace 35th anniversary giveaway, nightly drawings can send
visitors home with cash prizes ranging from $35 to $3500, with
drawing tickets specials available to Emperors Club cardholding slot
players . . . Silverton has exclusively debuted Ripley's Believe It
Or Not! Adventures in Trivia, an interactive game that rewards
knowledge . . . Football fans will want to check out the Ultimate
Edge Football Contest taking place at both Arizona Charlie's
locations, with signup through Sept. 8 and a first place prize of
$100,000, and handicappers can test their skill and luck in the West
location's "Fridays at Delmar" contest, while cardholders
at both locations can win big in an $800,000 Treasure Chest
promotion based on Charlie Bucks - see complete rules at the
properties . . . Nevada Numbers, combining elements of lottery and
keno, has been introduced locally at Bally's Las Vegas, Paris Las
Vegas, Las Vegas Hilton, and Flamingo Las Vegas . . . The new keno
ball plucking machine at Fitzgeralds also calls out the numbers,
allowing "team members to spend more time with the guests at
the counter and in the keno lounge."
Congrats
To Bellagio, recently tabbed the 4th best hotel in the world by
readers of "Travel + Leisure" magazine . . . To Frank
Marino for
promoting fake fur as a way to leave the real thing on its original
owners (please Frank, just make sure people know it is fake!) . . .
To
"Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance" celebrating its 3rd
anniversary at
New York-New York . . . To Bill Acosta, currently starring in
"Man of
1001 Voices" at the Flamingo Las Vegas, for taking time to give
back to the community with a special performance for 500 children at
Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas . . . And to Acosta again, along
with "Blue Man Group: Live at the Luxor" for tying for the
title of "Best New Show/New Entertainer" as determined by
the readers of "Nevada Magazine" . . . To Imperial Palace
for having the vision to commemorate Las Vegas' 3 millionth wedding
in its "We've Only Just Begun" wedding chapel . . . To MGM
Grand for setting local and national records with a $754,155
donation to United Way . . . To Bruce Bommarito, recently named new
executive director of the Nevada Commission on Tourism.
Etc.
For something a little different, check out the K-1 World Grand
Prix Semi-Finals at the Bellagio on Aug. 11, featuring the world's
ultimate fighting sport, an amalgam of karate, kickboxing,
kung fu, kakutogi and tae kwondo . . . Entertainment is everywhere
now in the Regent Las Vegas, with varying musical styles holding
forth in Addison's Lounge, Gustav's Cigar Bar, Caffe Concerto, J.C.
Wooloughan Irish Pub, Oxo Lounge, even the Upstairs Market Buffet .
. . David Osborne, who can frequently be found making musical magic
at the piano in Cafe Lago at Caesars Palace has a new CD out called
"David Osborne Plays The Music of Elton John," one more
installment in a series of first class releases by this versatile
and personable artist . . . The Reserve Hotel & Casino's Nils
Lofgren Guitar Bar is now offering local amateur musicians and
opportunity to perform 6-9p every Thur. during its "Garage
Sessions," complete with souvenir recordings and even prizes .
. . The answer to "who was that masked man?" at the Grand
Canal Shoppes in the Venetian is the newly arrived "Sporatto,"
who steathily appears and disappears through hidden doors and
canals, in the spirit of old Venice.
Be sure to also check these out . . . Canyon Blaster at Circus Circus
Located in the Adventuredome, the only indoor, double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster in the United States. Opens daily at 10am. Masquerade Show In The Sky at the Rio
Guests may ride in the Masquerade Show in the Sky! Performances daily at 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, 10pm, 12am. Race For Atlantis at Caesars Palace
The World's First Giant-Screen IMAX 3D Motion Simulator Thrill Ride. Sun-Thu 10am-11pm; Fri & Sat 10am-12mid. SkyScreamer! at MGM Grand Adventures
The World's Largest Skycoaster. Drop by. You've got to scream it to believe it. 11am-9pm. Star Trek - The Experience at Las Vegas Hilton
Voyage through a 22-minute space experience on the USS Enterprise and the visit the 24th century world of the Deep Space Nine Promenade. 10:30am-11pm. Sunset Stampede at Sam's Town
Mystic Falls Park comes alive with a laser, light and water spectacular. Each day at 2pm, 6pm, 8pm and 10pm. The Battle At Treasure Island
The Hispaniola vs. the HMS Britannia. The best fight in Las Vegas doesn't take place in a boxing ring. Every 90 minutes beginning at 4pm
-Return to top-
 | Barbara J. Nosek is a freelance writer specializing in local dining and entertainment and may be reached at: The Write Source
P. O. Box 81645
Las Vegas NV 89180 | It is always possible that changes may occur to event information at any given time. Info Las Vegas is not responsible for the accuarcy of showtimes and showdates. Please always call ahead to verify information. |
