Theater News

Las Vegas Spotlight: August 2005

Wayne’s World

Promo art for Wayne Newton's performances at the Stardust
Promo art for Wayne Newton’s performances
at the Stardust

Except for the Super Summer Theatre production of Guys & Dolls, running August 10 – 27, things are pretty slow in Vegas, as the local theater companies prepare for the new fall season. So now could be a good time for locals and tourists alike to consider some Las Vegas Strip entertainment. But if the magic of Cirque du Soleil (now with four extravaganzas running simultaneously!) is wearing off, what are your options? Well, maybe it’s a bit cliche, but you might want to think about finally seeing one of those local celebrities who’ve staked out a place (and a multi-year contract) on the Strip.

The Man Himself is here for most of August: Wayne Newton, whose name is synonymous with Las Vegas, is doing his act at the Stardust Hotel & Casino August 16 – 26. The revered crooner has spent some 50 years establishing himself as one of the hardest working and finest entertainers in America, and in his show he sings many of the beloved standards that he made famous, such as “Danke Schoen”, “Red Roses for a Blue Lady,” and “Summer Wind.” During his present engagement at the Stardust, Newton will be joined by Delisco, the young man who won Newton’s recent reality show competition The Entertainer.

Comedian David Brenner made his name on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, but he’s also known to people through his books and his stand-up gigs. Following a post-9/11 “Laughter to the People” tour, Brenner has settled at the Las Vegas Hilton where he brings his unique combination of affability and acerbic wit to his current events-themed routine. Meanwhile over at the Flamingo, George Wallace — a comedy giant recognizable from his many TV appearances and roles in movies such as The Ladykillers and Batman Forever — delivers 90 minutes of laughs Tuesdays through Saturdays at 10pm. For the feminine perspective, you can catch the quirky and hilarious Rita Rudner at the New York, New York Hotel & Casino. One of the most famous comediennes of her generation, Rudner recently did a stint on Hollywood Squares and can currently be seen in the film The Aristocrats, but few people know that she began her career as a chorus girl on the Great White Way in such musicals as Follies, Promises, Promises, and Annie.

Somewhere between comedy and magic, there’s Penn & Teller, the irreverent team (one is silent, but the other talks … a lot) who couple their tricks with plenty of attitude. They’ve been on Broadway, on TV, and everywhere else imaginable, but now the “Bad Boys of Magic” are doing their show at the Rio. A bit more family-friendly is Lance Burton, who has been wowing crowds at the Monte Carlo with his phenomenal feats and sleight of hand. A stylish magician in the more traditional mode, Burton has garned awards all over the world, but he has concentrated his career in Vegas since the early ’80s.

Perhaps poised to one day inherit the mantle of Wayne “Mr. Las Vegas” Newton, vocal superstar Celine Dion is now in her third year at the Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace, performing her show A New Day in a theater built especially for her. Where Newton evokes the “lounge style” of the old Vegas, Dion is a master of the power ballad and her show, directed by Franco Dragone (known for helming many Cirque shows), is a reflection of the new Vegas. As the songstress belts out hits like “My Heart Will Go On” and “Because You Loved Me,” a large cast of energetic performers dance across an astonishing set (highlighted by a massive 34 x 110-foot LED screen), creating a full-scale assault on the senses.

(Note For People on a Budget: As times change, so do the prices. You’ll notice that it costs less to see old pros like Newton and Brenner than the more modern stars like Penn & Teller and Dion.)