Thursday, May 2, 2002 | 8:29 a.m.
"The Main Event," billed as "An Unauthorized Musical Biography of the Sinatra Era," is new at The Venetian, with 9 p.m. performances plus a 4 p.m. matinee on Saturdays (dark Mondays) ... This is a Jeff Kutash production, starring singing impressionist Bob Anderson ... Melinda, First Lady of Magic, disappeared from The Venetian Wednesday and reappears Tuesday.
"Signed, Sealed and Delivered," featuring the lyrics and music of Stevie Wonder, starring Chaka Khan, is scheduled to open at The Venetian the last week in May ... The new lineup will have Melinda at 6 p.m., the Stevie Wonder tribute at 8 p.m. and "The Main Event" at 10 ... "Bravo," starring Charo, opens in the Sahara Congo Room on Monday.
This is a weekend of special events, with Phyllis Diller making her farewell to stand-up comedy performances Friday through Sunday at Suncoast ... The octogenarian wonder woman will continue performing in other media ... In addition to being one of my top five all-time favorite female stand-up comedians, she is a warm, caring, multitalented person ...
Cinco de Mayo will be observed this weekend at numerous hotels, most prominently with Paul Rodriguez and the Crown Royal Comedy Jam at the LV Hilton, and George Lopez in the Paris Las Vegas' Le Theatre Des Arts ... At the Hilton, The Commodores will be performing at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with the Rodriguez show at 10:30 p.m. ... The Commodores continue through Thursday.
Any weekend Don Rickles is in town qualifies as a special event ... Rickles is in Thursday through Sunday with Shawn King (Mrs. Larry King) as his opening act ... Wayne Newton returns Monday through May 28 ... After too long an absence, The Neville Brothers will be back in town May 30-June 1 at the Stardust.
Star-policy rundown
In addition to those listed above, this weekend it will be Gladys Knight (Flamingo Las Vegas); Amazing Johnathan (Golden Nugget); Mac King, afternoons, Clint Holmes, evenings (Harrah's); Blue Man Group (Luxor); Tom Jones, plus Rick Springfield starring in "EFX Alive" (MGM Grand); and Siegfried & Roy and Danny Gans in separate theaters (Mirage).
There's more: Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Rita Rudner (New York-New York); Art Garfunkel (Orleans); Ronn Lucas, afternoons, Scintas, evenings, plus Penn & Teller in the Samba Theater (Rio); Marlene Ricci and Brett Butler, in different rooms (Riviera); Celia Cruz, more Cinco de Mayo (Sam's Town); Steve Wyrick (Sahara); and Rick Thomas, afternoons (Tropicana).
Last Friday's column discussed Siegfried & Roy, Lance Burton, David Copperfierld, Penn & Teller (closing Sunday), Steve Wyrick, Melinda and Caesars Magical Empire ... Today we will discuss those magicians who are regulars in smaller showrooms.
The Amazing Johnathan can be a gross-out performer, but his crowd counts at Golden Nugget have warranted him numerous continuances and near- permanent status ... Max Clever is a comedian-magician, very clever, in Stratosphere's long-running "Viva Las Vegas" ... King, a hip country boy, is a hit at Harrah's, appearing there through 2006.
Dixie Dooley, keeping Houdini's act and memorabilia alive, is at Greek Isles in the room that once housed Debbie Reynolds' Hollywood Museum ... Murray is a youthful entrant with some fresh approaches at 2 p.m. (New Frontier) ... Thomas is a long-term success with his animals and illusions, afternoons at Tropicana.
Fielding West does comedy magic with an edge with his "Comedy, Tricks and Naked Chicks" (Bourbon Street) ... There will always be others ... Incidentally, wouldn't an impressionist also qualify as an illusionist? ... Doesn't he or she complete the metamorphosis with each quick change to a different character or well-known personality?
Recommended: Gale Baker, a published poet, performer/songwriter and playwright, has a new book, "Neon Queens," covering the second half of the last century with interviews and photos of Las Vegas' "Finest Feathered Females" ... It is the Las Vegas story through the eyes of the women who did so much to make it famous and are still part of the city's ambiance.
It is a wonderful nostalgia trip ... For those who love our city, this book is a necessary complement to all of the books about Las Vegas that have preceded it ... Baker, a part of it, writes eloquently and with compassion ... The interviews contain the actual words of the neon queens ... Support the Sun Summer Camp Fund ... See you Friday.
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