Strip, downtown shows don’t stop evolving

Twenty-six years after his death, Las Vegas icon and flamboyant pianist Liberace is being reintroduced to a new generation of fans with an HBO movie and a Strip concert show that is reminiscent of his flashiness.

HBO’s “Behind the Candelabra” premieres Sunday with Michael Douglas in the starring role and Matt Damon playing his lover, Scott Thorson.

Popular singer CeeLo Green debuted his show, “CeeLo Green Is Loberace,” at Planet Hollywood Resort in March, with a 28-performance run through mid-April.

Playing off Liberace with a larger-than-life wardrobe, Green takes fans on a ride through colorful decades of music, stopping at legendary moments in time from Prince and Blue Magic to the Rolling Stones, from new wave to disco and beyond. “Loberace” will return to Planet Hollywood in October and run through New Year’s.

Caesars Entertainment Corp. is pursuing another young superstar to perform at Planet Hollywood Resort who will, hopefully, attract a hipper generation of visitors. A Britney Spears residency seems imminent for the PH Live theater .

Today, the Las Vegas entertainment scene still has plenty of its classic headlining acts, but it has evolved to include much more. With the success of “Jersey Boys,” the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical at Paris Las Vegas, Strip resorts are adding Broadway-caliber production shows.

The Venetian welcomed its newest resident engagement, “Rock of Ages,” in December. “Rock of Ages” takes the audience to the time of big bands with big egos playing big guitar solos and sporting even bigger hair.

Harrah’s Las Vegas returns to the ’50s with the untold story of four rock ’n’ roll pioneers — Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash — and how they came together for one magical night. The musical “Million Dollar Quartet” moved into the Harrah’s Showroom in February.

June brings the dancing drag of “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” which will play for a limited run in the Venetian Theater starting June 18. The road-trip saga of three drag entertainers — based on the Australian cult flick, “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” — has been talked about for The Venetian for more than a year.

Cirque du Soleil continues its domination of Strip shows with the November opening of “Zarkana,” the surreal acrobatic spectacle at Aria. The show follows Zark, the ringmaster of an extraordinary circus coming back to life.

Previews for “Michael Jackson ONE” are set to begin Thursday at Mandalay Bay. This is the second time Cirque du Soleil and Michael Jackson’s estate have joined forces to create a show based on the music and songs of the late pop singer. Their traveling show, “Michael Jackson: Immortal World Tour,” debuted last year in Montreal and went on to be one of the highest-earning tours of 2012. The Mandalay Bay production, which will have its official premiere at the end of June, promises to be more intimate and interactive than the traveling show.

C ountry artist Shania Twain ended an eight-year hiatus from performing when she made her December debut at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Twain joins the Colosseum’s revolving schedule of superstar headliners that includes Celine Dion, Elton John and Rod Stewart.

In another showroom-sharing situation, Terry Fator’s decision to trim his Las Vegas schedule has allowed the ’90s Grammy Award-winning Boyz II Men to take the stage at The Mirage. Boyz primarily performs Fridays through Sundays, while the ventriloquist does his shows Mondays through Thursdays.

Downtown, the Scintas have taken up residency at The D Las Vegas, the former Fitzgeralds. The Scintas performed at the Rio and Las Vegas Hilton (now LVH), before taking their Vegas variety act on the road two years ago. The sibling act is missing its female lead, as Chrissi Sc inta is battling throat problems. Her replacement is Janien Valentine, who left the burlesque revue “Peepshow” for the Scintas gig.

The D accounts for four shows downtown. The other three are the topless late show “Raack N Roll,” the family-friendly afternoon magician Adam London in “Laughternoon” and the dinner show “Marriage Can Be Murder.”