More shows cut prices

New shows keep turning up to challenge a soft economy, even as the city's oldest revue adopts a lower, more straight-shooting ticket price.

In fact, both shows at the Tropicana -- the nearly 50-year-old "Folies Bergere" and Dirk Arthur's "Xtreme Magic" -- on Sunday reduced ticket prices and eliminated special promotions such as two-for-one offers. Marketing will instead focus on "the best value on an individual ticket price," said hotel spokeswoman Lisa Keim.

"Folies" tickets now range from $42.50 to $53.50 tax included, instead of $68.90 to $78.90. Arthur's tickets range from $25 to $30.50 inclusive, instead of $33.90 to $39.40.

These aren't the first shows that seem to be challenging the "mark 'em up to mark 'em down" syndrome driven in large part by the proliferation of same-day, half-price ticket discounters. Keim says "limited business" will continue with outside vendors, but there won't be any more half-price offers in-house or through tourist publications. In April, the producer of "The World's Greatest Magic Show" cut prices to less than $30, and started a promotion offering at least 50 free tickets to the first people who call and request them each day.

The promotion is "doing OK, but so far I can't say it's the success I thought it would be," says producer Dick Feeney. "It should kick in with the kids coming in" during summer vacations, he says. ...

Meanwhile, two new shows should address an older audience mostly ignored on the Strip and shuffled off to suburban casinos.

"Wizard: The Musical Journey of Oz Composer Harold Arlen" will have a limited six-week run starting June 14 at the Greek Isles. The revue is narrated by Sam Arlen, the composer's son, and features Las Vegas singer George Bugatti. It's produced by Perry Damone, son of veteran entertainer Vic Damone.

Wes Winters will perform "A Musical Tribute to Liberace" as an afternoon show at the Steve Wyrick Theatre at the Miracle Mile Shops adjacent to Planet Hollywood Resort starting July 1. Tickets will be $29.

But Winters is not waiting that long to perform his more informal piano cabaret in the venue's Triq lounge. He was scheduled to kick that off Wednesday and perform each Wednesday and Saturday starting at 7 p.m.

Winters has performed more than four years at the Liberace Museum and the adjacent Carluccio's Tivoli Gardens restaurant, and wraps up his commitments there on Wednesday. "I've kind of already made a reputation for the show," he says. "We've already had groups calling for tickets (to the new effort)."

Bugatti also says his production has been "developed and worked out on the road," with dates in various performing arts centers around the country over the past two years. "It's not an 'uncooked' show," he says. ...

This weekend is the third time the Burlesque Hall of Fame has held its All-Star Burlesque Weekend in Las Vegas, but in many ways it should be like the first. You know what they say about location, and this year the exotic dancers of all ages will be based at the Palms.

"It's definitely a brand new world for us," says co-organizer Luke Littell. Supporters of Exotic World, the burlesque haven near Barstow, Calif., helped 82-year-old Dixie Evans move her memorabilia to Las Vegas two years ago. The annual gathering of burlesque aficionados first convened at Frederic Apcar's currently dormant Celebrity Theatre in 2006, and last year split events between the Plaza and Krave nightclub.

"As a nostalgia museum we belong downtown," Littell says. "But no venue is big enough for our annual event. If the Plaza showroom was twice as big, it would be perfect."

But the Palms-based N9NE Group saw the potential. "They got it, and said they wanted to help grow the event so it will be good for both parties," Littell says. As a show of support, the casino even hired swing band Royal Crown Revue to perform free shows in the lounge Friday and Saturday outside of the ticketed burlesque events.

Burlesque Weekend begins today, with the main event the Miss Exotic World competition on Saturday; tickets for that competition are $40 in advance through Ticketmaster outlets or $45 at the door. ...

This news will not shock, because you probably never knew a musical impressionist named Tom Dane had a show at Wyrick's theater. But the experiment to see if a show could establish itself with performances only on Fridays failed quickly.

Funny thing, but Dane really does seem to be a big star in Denmark, as his press materials claim. I've fielded calls and e-mails from two Danish journalists about the venture.

Mike Weatherford's entertainment column appears Thursdays and Sundays. Contact him at 702-383-0288 or e-mail him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com.