Columnist Joe Delaney: Area showrooms offering variety of new productions

Joe Delaney

Thursday, March 7, 2002 | 8:26 a.m.

A little more than two months into 2002 and business is reported to be close to normal once again, following the Sept. 11 attacks ... President's Day weekend had an estimated 278,000 visitors in Las Vegas ... The Rio, as of March 15, will have Ronn Lucas, afternoons, the Scintas, early evenings, followed by Chippendales at 10 p.m. in the Masquerade Showroom, plus a proposed "Skintight"-type show for the Rio Samba Theatre in the works.

The Scintas are off through March 14, with Chippendales doing 9 p.m. shows in their absence ... The free Masquerade Show in the Sky has been refurbished and updated ... Penn & Teller, alternating with Louie Anderson, should keep the Samba Theater busy most of the year ... "Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding" looks like a winner in the Calypso Room, once the home of "De La Guarda."

Harrah's, Rio's parent company, has four attractions that are doing well: Clint Holmes, the Mac King Show, "Skintight" and the Improv, a comedy club ... Holmes started slowly but good merchandising has earned him a long-term contract; it has done likewise for King ... Harrah's has four show winners; the Rio hopes to have six regular show winners.

More well-selected entertainment, not less, should be the norm in Las Vegas ... It certainly has been working well for years at the Riviera with "Splash," "Crazy Girls," "An Evening at La Cage," starring Frank Marino as Joan Rivers, and the Riviera Comedy Club ... Marlene Ricci, 8:30 p.m., preceded by Jay White as Neil Diamond at 7 p.m., are new in its LeBistro Theatre.

"Rockin' USA," with tributes to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Elvis Presley, is the new 10 p.m. attraction in the LeBistro Theatre ... Lon Bronson's All-Star Band starts at 12:15 a.m. Saturdays in the LeBistro, and Jim LeBoeuf does a Presley tribute 2:30-6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday ... Are seven shows too many in one hotel?

Ricci, White and "Rockin' USA" opened this year at the Riviera ... Prices for all three are each less than $30, but exceed that amount when tax, fee and a tip are added ... Advertising, special deals and ticket-broker fees are factors in determining the above ticket prices ... Is $30-plus a price the public will be willing to pay for each of these three new shows?

There are many special deals today, including quality shows such as "Bottoms Up" (Flamingo Las Vegas); "Stars of the Strip" (Lady Luck); and long-running "Viva Las Vegas" (Stratosphere), with a coupon and the purchase of one drink ... Lance Burton (Monte Carlo), "Splash" (Riviera), Steve Wyrick (Sahara) and "Mystere" (Treasure Island) are also offering discount packages.

Shop around, especially locals and visiting friends, there are many more choices available, many at bargain prices ... Not all will survive, but most of the new arrivals have merit and deserve your consideration ... You, the showgoing public, will decide their fate, as always.

Star-policy rundown

It's Gladys Knight (Flamingo Las Vegas); Tony Orlando, 8 p.m., Amazing Johnathan, 10 p.m. (Golden Nugget); King afternoons, Holmes evenings (Harrah's); Tim Conway-Harvey Korman, 8 p.m., Righteous Brothers, 10:30 p.m. and Sheena Easton, 9 p.m. (LV Hilton); Blue Man Group (Luxor); George Carlin, plus Rick Springfield starring in "EFX Alive" (MGM Grand).

There's more: Siegfried & Roy and Danny Gans in separate theaters (Mirage); Burton (Monte Carlo); Rita Rudner (New York-New York); Frankie Avalon-Lou Christie (Orleans); Howie Mandel (Paris Las Vegas); Lucas, afternoons, Chippendales, evenings (Rio); Ricci (Riviera); Don Rickles-Peggy March (Stardust); Rick Thomas (Tropicana); and Melinda, First Lady of Magic, 7 p.m. and "Bravo" starring Charo, 9 p.m. (Venetian).

Burton's six performances recently back East -- four at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut and two at the Trump Taj Mahal -- all sold out ... He disappears from the Monte Carlo again April 25-May 7, performing in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, Japan, reappearing in Las Vegas on May 8.

Final weekends for Actors Repertory Theatre's "Beguiled Again," the songs of Rodgers and Hart (Summerlin Library Theatre); "La Ronde" (Community College, Southern Nevada's Little Theatre); and University of Nevada, Las Vegas' "Top Girls" (Black Box Theatre).

Saturday at 8 p.m. in UNLV's Ham Hall, the "Charles Vanda Master Series" presents the Vienna Chamber Orchestra with Philippe Entremont, musical director and piano soloist ... Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Winchester Center, it's the Youth Camerata Orchestra, under the direction of Oscar Carrescia.

Sunday at 2 p.m. at Charleston Heights Arts Center, the Nevada Jazz Society presents "Strings Attached," a core jazz band with a 21-piece string section including violins, violas and cellos, featuring new arrangements by Johnny Pate and guitar master Joe Lano, plus the vocals of Jo Belle, whose father, the late Great Yonely, was a dear friend ... More on this in Friday's column.

Advance notice: The Joseph Bernard Acting Studio's annual showcase production of "Actors and Other Characters" will have three performances, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through March 14, in the Little Theatre of William Orr Middle School ... Highly recommended ... See you Friday.