Tuesday, December 02, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

MIKE WEATHERFORD: There's still a chance to make Las Vegas a Christmas town

December is still the slowest month for entertainment on the Strip, but "slow" is relative these days, and there's a sustained commitment to making Las Vegas a little more of a Christmas town.

The stretch between Dec. 14 -- when the National Finals Rodeo wraps up -- and the New Year's Eve mayhem is traditionally a time for cast vacations and major backstage repairs.

But last year, a few efforts such as Tony Orlando's "Santa & Me" proved a mostly local audience will support at least a few modest seasonal offerings. Orlando's theatrical show returns Dec. 16-21.

Kenny Rogers has long eyed Las Vegas as a tour stop for his "Christmas From the Heart featuring `The Toy Shoppe.' "

Casinos on the Strip were never convinced locals alone could support the elaborate, theatrical revue. But this year, Rogers at least gets as close as the Star of the Desert arena in Primm for a single Dec. 20 performance that could pave the way for Las Vegas next year.

Rogers' show requires a local children's choir and a theatrical stage set for its second-half story about a toy shop come to life.

"We did it off-Broadway one year (1998) for about five weeks, and it wasn't near as much fun (as touring)," Rogers said in 2001. "There's something about going into a different city every night where you feel like these people haven't seen this show. It's new and it's fresh to them."

Also returning is the Rio's "Las Vegas Christmas Celebration," a second attempt to get it right after last year's version with Rip Taylor came off more like a tacky, disco-era TV special.

Soap star Jeff Trachta of "The Bold and the Beautiful" fame headlines this year's edition, which sounds like it will go for a more sincere tone. The show includes an a cappella jazz vocal group called Fifth Avenue and Rio "BevErtainer" Genevieve Dew-Craig.

Dick Foster again produces the Dec. 13-25 revue, with encore performances by the acrobatic duo Flight La Femme and the Jerry Lopez band.

At least two ongoing shows are repositioning their December shows with holiday themes. As of Tuesday night, Harrah's headliner Clint Homes offers a 25-minute section of Christmas music within his regular show.

"All the arrangements are different or unique," Holmes says of the work by his musical director, Bill Fayne. "None of them are really typical."

"We talked about doing a whole holiday show, but it just didn't seem warranted," the singer adds. "Some people come to see the (regular) show."

Tropicana magician Rick Thomas just came off one of his busiest weekends of the year, selling out his two afternoon shows even on Thanksgiving.

"We have kind of become the show for the family to get out and see, in the same way that people like to go to movies on holidays," Thomas says. After surprising success last year, the Tropicana has again given Thomas a 7 p.m. evening show during the "Follies Bergere" break Dec. 12-23.

The evening shows have a Christmas theme, with Santa Claus and holiday costumes for the dancers. At this writing, no decision had been made on whether to extend the Christmas theme to the two regular afternoon shows.

Fellow magician David Copperfield also will attempt to cash in on the December family audience in a big way: He's doing 34 shows in 10 days, from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1 at the MGM Grand. Three and four shows on select days are new extremes even for an avowed workaholic.

One thing not to look for this year is Cheval Theatre, the horse show that for two years worked in a circus tent near the Bellagio. Gilles Ste-Croix, a co-director for Cirque du Soleil, closed Cheval and rejoined Cirque, helping the company launch its Asian-themed martial arts epic set for the MGM Grand next year.

Cheval helped cover the family trade during the annual vacations for "O" and "Mystere." The same cannot be said of Cirque's new "Zumanity," so it will take a break at roughly the same time as the other two Cirques, Dec. 1-16. ...

The true holiday spirit is out of the audience eye at "Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding." The interactive, partly improvised dinner show includes a nightly "dollar dance" as part of its spoof of Italian-American weddings.

Audience members coaxed into pinning a dollar onto the bride's dress don't realize that the money goes to charity, and this time of year to adopt a family through the Safe Nest program addressing domestic violence.

"We wanted to let the theater community know this is what we're doing," says cast member Paul Corti, who was thinking about issuing a challenge to other show casts, even though their shows don't have a built-in way to gracefully shake audiences down for singles. ...

Singing impressionist Larry G. Jones opted not to sign up for another six months at Fitgeralds. He has vacated the 5 p.m. slot at the downtown lounge/showroom, turning it over to some folks he used to work with.

"Two Girls and a Guy" is the name of the new effort from married magicians Scott and Jenny Alexander and the single-named Sarafina. They perform Thursdays through Mondays.

Jenny and Sarafina worked with Jones in a show called "Le Cabaret" at the Plaza in 2001. Scott and Jenny worked as a team at the bygone Caesars Magical Empire. Their new show, like the other four sharing the second-floor room, are free with a one-drink minimum.

Mike Weatherford's column appears Tuesdays and Sundays.