The closing of "Hairspray," combined with the news that, yes, Cirque du Soleil has an Elvis-themed show in the pipeline, isn't encouraging for those who say the Strip is Cirque-du-saturated and needs more variety.

It's no longer impossible to envision a Strip where each of MGM Mirage's 10 casinos (11 if you count Project CityCenter) has its very own Cirque. "If I could put my hands on 10 or 12 theaters a year, I believe I could come up with 12 distinctive shows," Cirque's chief executive, Guy Laliberté, said recently.

But as the Beatles-themed "Love" edges toward its opening-night gala on Friday, there are signals that not even Cirque is immune from the big hurt "Love" and a big-budget rival, "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular," could put on the rest of the market.

On July 4, Cirque's "Ka" adds a fourth ticket price of $69. Cirque decided to offer this entry-level ticket for "Love" as well, allowing "Ka" to follow suit without embarrassment. In September, "Ka" also will experiment with new show times of 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. instead of 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.

The move seems to confirm the downbeat word of mouth about "Ka." The show has stratospheric running costs, and people say they still prefer Cirque's older "Mystere" and can't follow "Ka's" attempt to tell a linear story.

In the early going, the new "Ka" price is a very minor change: two rows in the back corners of the MGM Grand's 1,950-seat theater for the early show, two more for the late show. But Cirque has the ability to manipulate its seating chart much like an airline, adding more cheap seats during slow stretches, or slipping them in when no one is looking, as "Mamma Mia!" did.

If you allow "Cirque-like" shows into the mix, the changes announced for "Le Reve" come with conspicuous timing. Wynn Las Vegas chairman Steve Wynn is buying out creator (and Cirque alumnus) Franco Dragone to the tune of nearly $16 million. Influential American choreographer Moses Pendleton, known for the athletic troupe Pilobus, is likely to spearhead the changes.

Wynn told me some time back -- off-the-record at the time -- that he "has to redo the show and make it non-Cirque." He wants to make it "sensual" and "choreographic" because "that's the great thing that hasn't been done here."

As for Dragone? Well, it's obviously too late to move on my half-joking idea to fight fire with fire, replacing the "Le Reve" soundtrack with the music of Pink Floyd. But Dragone does confirm a meeting with Ray Manzarek, who has been saying he wants a Doors-themed show on the Strip.

Instead of Cirque saturation, we may be looking at a classic-rock battle of the bands.

Mike Weatherford's entertainment column appears Thursdays and Sundays. Contact him at 383-0288 or e-mail him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com.