Local performers staff variety show benefiting Las Vegas nonprofits — PHOTOS

Already, several hours before showtime, the primal power of a killer voice set against a few well-chosen chords reveals itself outside the doors of Vinyl at the Hard Rock Hotel.

As Niki Scalera does the Wilson sisters proud with her gutsy take on Heart’s “Crazy on You” inside, passers-by stop outside, trying to sneak a peek, asking a bystander if there’s some sort of concert going on.

There isn’t yet, but there will be in a few hours when the June edition of “Mondays Dark” hits the stage with a salute to classic rock presented by some of Las Vegas’ most talented performers working, perhaps, a bit outside the lines of what audiences may know them for.

In addition to entertaining audiences with 90-plus minutes of music, comedy and whatever else host Mark Shunock thinks might be entertaining, “Mondays Dark” raises money for a designated Las Vegas nonprofit organization each month, all for a ticket price of $20.

PERFORMERS FROM ROCK OF AGES

The event is the brainchild of Shunock and his wife, Cheryl Daro, both of whom are performers. The couple came to Las Vegas when Shunock landed a part in “Rock of Ages” and Shunock (who left the show three months ago) says “Mondays Dark” (www.mondaysdark.com) represents a way of saying thanks.

“ ‘Rock of Ages’ has given me this incredible opportunity,” he says. “As an actor, you go through the ups and downs in the entertainment business, and I knew I was given a cool opportunity and I wanted to give back to the community. So my wife and I decided this would be a fun thing to do.”

Now, more than 30 monthly shows later, “it’s worked out and it’s been embraced by the community,” he says.

Each “Mondays Dark” event is a variety show built upon a core of 10 to 15 singers — who, like all cast and crew members, volunteer their time and talent— as well as comedians, magicians, ventriloquists and other performers who appear in Las Vegas shows.

“We try to stay true to the variety show (format), where you never know who’s going to show up or what you’re going to get,” Shunock says. “Then, we partner with one local charity every month.”

The shows are scheduled for the third Monday of each month, and with that $20 ticket price, “we raise an average of 10 grand, easily, every month,” Shunock says.

A DIFFERENT CHARITY EACH MONTH

All of the proceeds go to the month’s charity, which last week was Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas.

Each show also is built around a musical theme. “We’ve done everything from divas to classic rock,” Shunock says. “Next month we’re doing an Americana-type show, because the USO is our featured charity.”

On Monday afternoon, performers stop by for short rehearsals with the band. While it’s a quick run through, the sessions allow musicians and singers to nail down tweaks that, while unnoticed now, will make all the difference to the evening’s paying audience.

Justin Michael Rodriguez, who will perform “Dream On” by Aerosmith, will do his first go-round as a featured performer after having sung backup during two previous “Mondays Dark” shows. “I’m really very excited,” he says.

For Rodriguez — who performs in “Spoofical the Musical” at Planet Hollywood Resort and “Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding” at Bally’s Las Vegas — the appeal of “Mondays Dark” is “getting together with the community once a month for an awesome show.”

Scott Moreau says he has seen every “Mondays Dark” show since moving to Las Vegas about five months ago. Now, he’s doing his first turn as a “Mondays Dark” featured performer, singing Pink Floyd’s “Money.”

“They always announce the next month’s theme the previous month, so when (Shunock) said it was classic rock from the ’60s and ’70s, I love that and thought that maybe I could find something I could do, which is easier said than done,” he says.

That’s because Moreau’s full-time job is performing as Johnny Cash in “Million Dollar Quartet” at Harrah’s Las Vegas, and he’s used to singing in a “crazy little bass.

“So I was, like, well, I’ve got to pick something I can actually sing to when my voice is in the basement. It can’t be too high. So, I thought, ‘Pink Floyd, that’ll work.’ ”

Moreau says he and other performers appreciate the chance “Mondays Dark” offers performers to “get out of the box and out of their wheelhouse and do something totally different.”

Stephanie Sanchez was born and raised in Las Vegas and says she has been performing in shows here for more than 20 years. She’s doing a Joplinesque version of the Eagles’ “Hotel California” and says “Mondays Dark” shows are great because the performers “are all friends.”

Given both that and the fact she has been a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas, Shunock’s invitation to sing brought, Sanchez says, “a quick yes.”

Scalera’s credits include roles on Broadway and in Las Vegas. This will be her third “Mondays Dark,” and she says performers are “excited to share their talent,” often in ways they seldom have the chance to.

For example, “this is my first time singing Heart,” she says, smiling. “It’s crazy, right? ‘I think I’ll pick a real hard song and sing it for the first time in front of an audience.’ ”

SHOWS WELL ATTENDED

Shunock says the shows almost always sell out — based on the packed house, this night will be no exception — and that while tourists do stop by, “Mondays Dark” has attracted a group of loyal locals who attend regardless of the charity being served or the genre being highlighted.

“It’s just such a cool party,” he says.

Desirea Auten and Anthony Fagiana are attending their first “Mondays Dark” show. Auten says she learned about it from a friend who works in the nonprofit world.

“I was pretty excited when I saw who is performing,” Auten says. “I just like the music and I’m just excited about what’s going on in there.”

Inside Vinyl, Lisa Clayton and Lauren Vaniski are attending their first “Mondays Dark” show. Vaniski says she thought the show would serve as a nice musical dessert after having seen Steely Dan and Steve Winwood at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace the day before.

Their reason for stopping by: “Classic rock. Definitely the classic rock,” Clayton says, adding that she hoped to “hear some good ’70s covers tonight.”

The show begins at 9:30 p.m. and runs until just after 11. Shunock is an energetic and occasionally goofy host. In addition to the music, the show features a set by comedian Brian McKim, an “in the news” segment that has Shunock riffing off of a real — and really kind of disgusting — news story, a running gag about The Cracker Barrel restaurants, and what seems to be an impromptu collective musical riff on the band Styx.

Shunock says beforehand that he thinks of “Mondays Dark” as “a great, rocking party. You never know what’s going to happen. I try not to put too much structure into it and let it sort of go every night and see what happens.”

The show gives fans an additional surprise: Shunock’s announcement to begin raising money to move into a larger facility that eventually will serve as the site for “Mondays Dark” shows and performer-driven shows.

In addition, he says, “we’d like to start a theater company through ‘Mondays Dark’ and create some children’s programs and really take it to the next level.”

Read more from John Przybys at reviewjournal.com. Contact him at jprzybys@reviewjournal.com and follow @JJPrzybys on Twitter.