Columnist Joe Delaney: No trick to making magic work on the Strip

Joe Delaney

Friday, April 26, 2002 | 9:50 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at joe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4066.

Before Siegfried & Roy, magic in its various forms locally consisted of the late Blackstone and comedy-magic acts such as the Amazing Ballantine, featured in Tropicana's "Folies Bergere" before he went on to television as Carl Ballantine in "McHale's Navy" on ABC in the 1960s ... Siegfried & Roy started as a production show act in "Folies Bergere" in 1967.

The duo became the stars of their own production show at the start of the 1980s, "Beyond Belief," spending most of that decade at Frontier ... Kenneth Feld, scion of the Feld family, owners of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, was their producer ... He continues in that role today in Siegfried & Roy's successful, continuing run at The Mirage.

The Frontier production had a strong circus flavor ... The Mirage extravaganza has the feel and ambiance of a Broadway production ... The duo is performing eight shows a week, down from 10 ... Known the world over for their work with endangered animal species, it was Siegfried & Roy who made magic in all its forms the No. 1 attraction in Las Vegas.

Lance Burton, continuing until 2009 at Monte Carlo, also started as a featured act in the Tropicana's "Folies Bergere," specializing in prestidigitation (sleight of hand) ... He put in positive growth time as star of his own production show at Hacienda before opening in his own theater at Monte Carlo.

Burton, silent in "Folies," has developed an easy, ingratiating onstage personality, with a sense of humor to match ... His production at Monte Carlo combines all forms of magic ... He is also highly involved, personally and financially, in this community, active with the Shriners' Hospital, Variety Club and the various children's charities it supports.

David Copperfield, expert in all the magic arts, similar to Burton, was a success at an early age ... He made his name as star of his own show in Oahu, Hawaii, then came to Caesars Palace in the 1980s on the strength of his annual highly rated television specials ... When Caesars closed its Circus Maximus showroom, Copperfield moved to MGM Grand.

In the more intimate confines of MGM Grand's Hollywood Theatre, Copperfield utilizes close-up magic, audience involvement, along with unique and unusual illusions ... His offstage interests include the International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts and, even more important, Project Magic, a rehabilitative program utilized in more than 1,000 hospitals worldwide.

Penn & Teller, about to become permanent party prime time in The Rio's Samba Theatre, are the mavericks of magic, with a completely different approach from any of our town's regular practitioners ... Penn, the pitchman, tells it like it is; the laughs are constant and plentiful, while Teller, a master of mime, bears the brunt of the work ... Their magic is first-class, as well.

Steve Wyrick started at Lady Luck, then had Sahara build a special showroom with the feel of an old airplane hangar ... There was a costly delay in opening, and Wyrick is still in a come-from-behind mode ... His illusions are large and well-executed ... He may just be the weakest link in his current production.

Melinda, First Lady of Magic (Venetian) is still in need of a showroom where she can retain a fair share of her weekly grosses ... Her career includes runs at Bourbon Street, Lady Luck, Landmark and Sands before stands in Branson, Mo., and Atlantic City ... Melinda and her mother started the practice of paying extra fees to ticket brokers, now a necessary evil for some shows.

Caesars Magical Empire features an excellent dinner, with three choices, fun while eating, then a variety of magic in various settings, an evening for the entire family ... Closing note: Darren Romeo, a fine magician who is also an excellent singer and impressionist is slated to open, afternoons, in the Sieg-fried & Roy Theatre on May 28 ... We'll pick up at this point in a subsequent column.

Recommended this weekend: Rich Little's "The Presidents," through Saturday (Paris Las Vegas) ... Lounge suggestion: Cheryl Justice (Lady Luck), Saturday through Monday.

Ran into New Frontier's "Thunder From Down Under" cast on the University Nevada, Las Vegas campus Thursday ... They were on their way to talk with UNLV Dance department ballet instructor Garold Gardner's 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sex, Dance and Entertainment classes ... Support the Sun Summer Camp Fund ... See you next Thursday.