Columnist Joe Delaney: ‘Grand Slam’ tops this weekend

Joe Delaney

Thursday, Sept. 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

ANDRE AGASSI'S second annual "Grand Slam for Children" is the main event in Las Vegas this weekend. ... Elton John, Seal, Vanessa Williams, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, David Foster and the Boy's Choir of Harlem will perform along with the usual surprise guests. ... Curtain is at 9 p.m. Saturday in the MGM Grand Garden; proceeds will benefit various Las Vegas' children's charities.

Last year's "Grand Slam" raised nearly $2 million for the Assistance League of Las Vegas' Operation School Bell, Boys and Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, Child Haven, UNLV's Cynthia Bunker Memorial Scholarship Fund and various tennis activities for children at-risk.

Let's top that $2 million mark this year. ... Buy a tax-deductible ticket, see a great show worth more than the price of the ticket, and know you are helping Las Vegas' disadvantaged children.

Re Mario & Daniel

Comedy show-stoppers at last Saturday's sixth annual LV International Mariachi Festival, Mario and Daniel, open tonight for the Righteous Brothers (MGM Grand), a three-week stand. ... They can also be seen on Showtime at 11:30 p.m. Friday, introduced by actor Edward James Olmos, on the "Latino Laugh Festival." ... Cheech Marin hosts the show, which will be repeated at 10 p.m. Sept. 26.

Olmos is producing a sitcom with Mario & Daniel for ABC. ... The duo will be off Monday, flying to Washington, D.C., for a Latin American tribute at the Kennedy Center, which will be shown as a TV special later this year.

Jethro Tull and Emerson, Lake & Palmer are in concert, at 7 tonight, Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts. ... The Buckinghams and the Association start at 7:30, Arizona Charlie's.

Star-policy rundown

It's Penn & Teller, magic made very funny (Bally's); Kenny Kerr's "Boy-lesque" (Debbie Reynolds Hotel); the Righteous Brothers plus Mario and Daniel (MGM Grand); Siegfried & Roy (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); and Danny Gans (Stratosphere). ... Gilbert Gottfried & Bobcat Goldthwait perform Saturday at the Riviera.

Happy second anniversary to Susan Anton and the Radio City Rockettes at the Flamingo Hilton. ... Tonight's 10:30 performance will be the show's 1,000th. ... "The Great Radio City Spectacular" opened well originally and has gotten consistently better. ... It should run here for years.

Last night's 7:30 performance of "Starlight Express" at the LV Hilton was a third anniversary celebration. ... Andrew Lloyd Webber also will be well-represented starting Oct. 1 with Melissa Manchester and a large orchestra in "Music of the Night," Aladdin.

Community theater

Don't miss "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," Friday through Sunday, Winchester Community Theatre. ... New West Theatre's "Corpse" opens Friday, Charleston Heights Center; "Blame It on the Movies" continues, LV Little Theatre; as does "Theatre in the Valley" in the Lorna Kesterson Valley View Recreational Center.

Roy and Diane Woofter host the 12th annual Mexican Fiesta, benefiting "Help Them Walk Again," 8 p.m. Friday -- call 878-8360 for tickets and info. ... They do great work in the community.

Friday night special: Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez, 8 p.m. in the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts. ... This is an internationally acclaimed company of 65 dancers and musicians, the largest and most respected folk dance company in the Americas, highly recommended.

Hey, old timers

Arizona Charlie's will host the 1996 Inaugural Old-Timer Reunion Dinner at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 6. ... There will be an open bar, sit-down dinner, music, dancing and entertainment. ... Tickets are $30, and the only requisite is that you have resided in Las Vegas for 30 years or more. ... It will be blue-ribbon turnout; please join us. ... See you Friday.