Columnist Joe Delaney: Big names needed to support ‘Phantom’

Joe Delaney

Thursday, May 10, 2001 | 8:14 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com

If "Phantom of the Opera" is booked into Las Vegas at the end of the year as reported, the marquee had better list star names in the two lead roles ... Las Vegans and visitors will not support road companies at premium prices ... "Storm," which is still negotiating some rough seas, would have benefitted with a marquee name to go with the show's title.

"Chicago" did well at Mandalay Bay until the star policy aspect was cut back drastically ... "Phantom of the Opera" with commensurate star power, would seem to be a more natural tie-in for Paris Las Vegas ... The other consideration is Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, not the easiest person to deal with, or have we forgotten "Starlight Express" at the LV Hilton?

Speaking of the LV Hilton, the Righteous Brothers should do well there next year ... If the Hilton's intent is to rotate three or four headliners, doing more than just two- and three-day weekends, it would make more sense ... The Righteous Brothers usually play the Orleans in two-week stands ... We doubt they would be satisfied just playing weekends.

Sheena Easton in the LV Hilton's NightClub this summer could result in a long-term agreement, a la the Righteous Brothers ... Bob Anderson, Trent Carlini ("The Dream King") and the Fab Four are still in the running for the NightClub incumbent slot, if Easton decides it is not for her.

You missed one of the best concerts of this or any other year if you were not present at the Blue Note Las Vegas for CCSN's Joe Williams Music Scholarship fund-raiser the last Sunday in April ... Jack Jones, in magnificent voice; Marlena Shaw, who stopped the show at one point, comedian Pete Barbutti as host and the CCSN All-Star Jazz Band (and they were), directed by Dr. Tom Ferguson, performed.

Vincent Falcone conducted for Jones and Johnny Pate and was at the helm for Shaw ... Pate had arranged and conducted for Williams in recent years ... Pate and I go back together to Chicago in the 1950s ... The scholarship fund is a vital effort and Williams was a great contributor to good causes ... It's not too late to send a tax-deductible check to Board of Regents, marked CCSN Joe Williams Scholarship Fund.

Star-policy rundown

It's Bill Acosta (Flamingo Las Vegas); David Brenner (Golden Nugget); Clint Holmes, evenings, and Mac King, afternoons (Harrah's); Jo Dee Messina (LV Hilton); Blue Man Group (Luxor); Carrot Top, plus Rick Springfield starring in "EFX Alive" (MGM Grand); Siegfried & Roy and Danny Gans in separate theaters (Mirage); and Lance Burton (Monte Carlo).

There's more: Kenny Kerr (New Frontier); Rita Rudner (New York-New York); Righteous Brothers (Orleans); Barbutti (Plaza); "The Scintas," plus Earl Turner, separate theaters (Rio); Little Anthony & the Imperials and Sonny Turner (Stardust); Kingston Trio (Suncoast); Richard Lewis (Sunset Station); and Melinda, First Lady of Magic, plus Andre-Philippe Gagnon (Venetian).

Local happenings

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, check the Clark County Library District for a list of activities ... Don't miss the "Asian Art Now: 2001" exhibition at the Las Vegas Art Museum ... Classical guitarist Ricardo Cobo is in concert tonight at 7 (Winchester Center) ... CCSN's annual Spring Choir Concert with very special guest Madelene Capelle, also tonight, 7:30 in the Horn Theatre.

The Springfest III Music Festival takes place Saturday, 4-9 p.m., at the Faith Lutheran High School Amphitheater on Hualapai and West Charleston, a benefit for the Las Vegas School for the Deaf, the first of its kind in the state, opening in August. Singer Mel Carter and KNXT's Alan Stock will share the emcee chores.

Carter, Acosta, Peter Breck, Holmes, Sonny King, Paige O'Hara, her husband Michael Piontek, "The Scintas," Earl Turner, Sonny Turner and Scott Shepherd, the new Lone Ranger, are scheduled to perform.

Rip Taylor will host the groundbreaking ceremony for the new expanded Liberace Museum at 11 a.m. Saturday at the museum entrance ... The museum is celebrating its 22nd anniversary ... Sylvet and the Salsa Machine will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Charleston Heights Center).

Grammy-nominated trumpeter Terence Blanchard and his quintet give a free concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday (Clark County Government Amphitheater) ... The Bellamy Brothers celebrate their 25th anniverdary, 8 p.m. Saturday (Silverton).

The top event of the weekend has to be the Rosemary Clooney concert, 2 p.m. Sunday, with Big Kahuna and the Copa Cat Pack, in UNLV's Ham Hall, a fitting conclusion to the 2000-2001 "Big City Season," a lovely way to spend Mother's Day ... See you Friday.