Thursday, March 28, 2024

What To Do

Concerts & Gigs - Need a break from gambling and the buffets? Try the Las Vegas nightlife with all the thrilling shows and concerts, you'll never wanna leave this town!

Tours - Check out the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and other places of interest by Helicopter, Bus, Airplane or Off Road. We have all the best tours available.

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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.


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