Nevada Opera Theatre presents ‘Vintage Vegas’ fundraiser

Nevada Opera Theatre's founder and artistic director Eileen Hayes welcomed members and guests to the third annual "Vintage Vegas" party July 19 in the Tropicana's Havana Room.

The nostalgic occasion was a luncheon and afternoon of tribute artists representing the old Las Vegas.

The affair began with a silent auction and butler-passed flutes of Champagne. Among the guests were Karen Scherer, chairwoman of the Nevada Opera Theatre's Association Guild, Linn and Daryl Thome, Angie Wallin, Len Silberman, Donna and Mark Kalbfleisch, Paula Quagliana, Julie Gilday-Shaffer, Mary Gafford, Mary Boyer Martinez, Nicole and Morton Hyson, Dorothy and Don Kemp, Beverly and Mike Mykisen, Jaki Baskow and Gayle Anderson.

Music was by Joe Darro and Friends.

The event's honorary chairwoman was well-known vintage Vegas showgirl, dancer, cowgirl, community leader and philanthropist Cindy Doumani. Her son Ron Doumani escorted her to the podium where she briefly spoke about her life as a showgirl.

The stage show got underway when Billy Peters and wife, Mahora, of New Zealand performed a ceremonial dance.

Next came the Rat Pack, featuring Robbie Howard as Frank Sinatra, Kenny Jones as Sammy Davis Jr. and Tom Wallek as Dean Martin. Peter Pavone offered his rendition of "Where or When."

A highlight of the afternoon was the interesting stories told by the event's two honorees, Bernie Sindler and Tempest Storm.

Sindler was a kid of 18 in the mid-1940s. He was a magician with a deck of cards. While taking a train trip to Florida, Sindler had a chance meeting with Meyer Lansky and a friendship developed that lasted until Lansky's death in 1983. Lansky sent Sindler to Las Vegas where he worked as a spotter at Bugsy Siegel's Flamingo. He went on to be part-owner in the Silver Slipper, Circus Circus and Frontier.

Storm of Las Vegas was an exotic dancer, known as one of the best burlesque performers in the 1950s and 1960s. She was still performing in the early 2000s. Storm also appeared in several movies.

Other celebrity impersonators included Brad Collin performing a tribute to Elvis Presley, and Wes Winters took a seat at the piano as Liberace. Anthony Brady sang a tribute to Louis Armstrong, and Ronnie Lee Twist sang Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."

Two items made up the live auction: a self-portrait of Frank Sinatra donated by Peggy King and the estate of Sonny King, and a framed Greek metal sculpture "Pythia" by Guillaume Guy.

The show-stopping moment was a tribute to the late Larry Hart by the Society of Seven, and Nevada Opera soloists Morton Hyson singing "If I Were a Rich Man," and Steven Plummer singing "Nessun Dorma." Hart's brother, Garry Hart, and sister, Linda Hart, and her husband, Bill Forster of New York City attended.

The afternoon concluded with Brad Collins and the show's cast including the Vintage Vegas Follies singing "Viva Las Vegas."

Seen among the 175 guests were Lilly Flores, Marilyn O'Leary and Ken Baker, Susan Houston, Lynette Chappell, Ben Litvinoff, Sandy Peltyn, Barb Donahue, Randy Soard, Virginia Schilpp, Karen Fallon, Mike Hawes, Amy Thomason, Jocelyn Holzworth, Louis Garcia, Janet Ryan, Wayne Scherer, Carolie and Edward Swindle, and Dondino and Donna Gummelt.