Columnist Joe Delaney: NFR bucks way into Las Vegas

Joe Delaney

Thursday, Nov. 30, 2000 | 9:59 a.m.

Joe Delaney's columns appear on Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com.

Welcome, National Finals Rodeo participants, spectators and visitors ... The NFR starts Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center and continues through Dec. 10 ... Las Vegas becomes "Nashville West" for this period ... The Fremont Street Experience starts things off tonight with its 14th annual Downtown Hoedown, free, with six acts appearing on two stages.

Country stars Chely Wright and Eric Heatherly are scheduled for 6-8 p.m. and Brad Paisley and Terri Clark perform from 9-11 p.m. ... Katie Kern and Trick Pony start things off at 5:30 p.m. ... There will be stages set up at First and Third streets ... There will also be an autograph signing with 2000 Miss Rodeo America Brandy DeJongh and the 2001 Miss Rodeo America contestants.

Starting Friday and continuing through the National Finals Rodeo, the Fremont Street Experience will also present country music on a mobile stage, with Barry Van Wie and Carl Ferris from 7-10 p.m. nightly.

More Fremont

In addition to the attractions listed above, the Fremont Street Experience and the city of Las Vegas Arts Commission are presenting Lightscapes, new digital art shows by nationally recognized artists ... Jennifer Steinkamp is the creator of "Aria," with an original score by composer James Johnson, and Nancy Dwyer and Oliver Wasow contributed "Somewhere Else," which will be shown on the canopy of light through Dec. 15.

Film and stage notes

The CineVegas International Film Festival 2000 continues at Paris Las Vegas through Sunday, screening more than 60 films including "Shadow of the Vampire," starring John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe and produced by Nicolas Cage ... Call 477-7530 or visit cine.vegas.com for more information.

UNLV's Conservatory Theatre presents "Hamlet," a post-modern adaptation of Shakespeare's most profound play, this weekend and next in the Judy Bayley Theatre ... Michael Lugering is the director; Stephen Reyes plays Hamlet, Laertes is portrayed by Joel Hanson and Carmel Javaher is Ophelia.

Guest artist Sandra Shipley, courtesy of Actor's Equity, appears as Gertrude ... Shipley, an award-winning actress, was the first actor honored with the Elliot Norton Award for Excellence in Theatre, since gained by Sir Ian McKellen, Robert Morse, Julie Harris and Lynn Redgrave.

Star-policy rundown

It's Al Jarreau (Blue Note); Bill Acosta (Flamingo Las Vegas); David Brenner (Golden Nugget); Clint Holmes (Harrah's); Jeff Foxworthy, plus Scintas (LV Hilton); Carrot Top, plus Tommy Tune starring in "EFX" (MGM Grand); Paul Anka and Danny Gans in separate theaters (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Lorrie Morgan (Orleans); Pete Barbutti (Plaza); David Cassidy-Sheena Easton (Rio); and Tracy Lawrence (Sam's Town).

Plus Wayne Newton (Stardust); Susan Anton (Stratosphere); Dave Mason (Sunset Station); Rick Thomas, afternoons (Tropicana); and Melinda, First Lady of Magic and Andre-Philippe Gagnon (Venetian).

With due respect to all the country stars who will be appearing in Las Vegas through Dec. 10, the most fun -- and most of those stars -- will be partying with Ricky and the Redstreaks, starting at 11 p.m. in the Stardust Convention area; the late-night place to be during the NFR.

Thursday addenda

Nevada Theatre Company presents "Pinocchio," weekends through Dec. 9 in the Lakes Town Center, Sahara near Durango ... Added country starter: Toby Keith, tonight through Saturday (Boulder Station) ... The Eroica Trio, Jubilant Sykes and John Bayless, billed as "Rising Stars of Classical Music," will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, in UNLV's Ham Hall, part of the Charles Vanda Master Series.

The LV Youth Ballet's "Holiday Collage 2000" will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Reed Whipple Cultural Center ... The World's Smallest Jazz Band, George "Moose" Mosse and Ronnie Di Fillips, are in residence 2-5 p.m. Sunday (Swede's Corner) ... Enjoy all of our city and support your community events ... See you Friday.