YOUR WEEKEND: Check out ‘Aida’ at Spring Mountain Ranch

If you’re looking for a great time out with the family in the open air, consider driving down to Spring Mountain Ranch State Park to catch the Elton John and Tim Rice musical “Aida.”

The cast is composed of myriad talented singers who create an entertaining two-hour melodrama set in ancient Egypt. In the musical, Nubian princess Aida, played by Tai Lewis, is taken captive as a slave by the Egyptians. Radames, an Egyptian captain responsible for her capture, is betrothed to Egyptian princess Amneris. Radames wants to continue to explore the world rather than be tied down and finds himself falling for Aida.

The drive of the show definitely is the musical numbers. The music is a mixture of pop-rock, gospel and African and is accompanied by talented dancing. The songs are ably carried by the cast members.

Spring Mountain Ranch State Park is a beautiful setting. Usually a few degrees cooler than Las Vegas, the park is a great place to enjoy a picnic while watching the show with family. The park and setting are a welcome place for children.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets can be purchased in person at Prestige Travel, located in Smith’s Shopping Center, at Rampart and Lake Mead, (call first to see if they still have any, in my experience) at the UNLV Ham Hall Box Office, online at UNLV Tickets, or by calling 895-2787.