VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Dion trumpets new year for ‘A New Day …’

Thursday, March 25, 2004 | 10:37 a.m.

Celine Dion is pretty humble for an entertainer who has sold more than 150 million CDs and helped push the Las Vegas entertainment scene in an exciting new direction.

In an exclusive interview with VegasBeat to mark the one-year anniversary of "A New Day... " at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Diva Las Vegas consistently deflected attention -- and took little credit -- for her 200 sold-out shows over the past 12 months.

The show opened to tepid reviews -- but socko commercial and fan response -- on March 25, 2003.

"It has been a very good year," Dion told us. "But it is not about a singer and her songs, fabulous dancers and visual effects. It is about one big artistic family performing a wonderful show."

She then singled out everyone but herself, from her family to show creator Franco Dragone to individual dancers, musicians, choreographers and execs at Caesars Palace.

Dion said she is still excited each and every time she takes the stage. She gets a charge, she said, not only from the audience response, but from watching the show grow and change.

"By working side-by-side (with the audience and the cast and crew) every night, we've learned a lot about each other ... We've learned to play the part together, to make this show an amazing event.

"Each and every one of us, onstage and backstage, whether from the artistic direction or the more technical side, have mastered our roles in the best possible way, and we continue to evolve day by day."

Dion's packed professional schedule, plus her duties as a mom, have prevented her from seeing as many local productions as she originally hoped.

During her current two-week hiatus, for example, Dion does not have one free day, her scheduled being filled with everything from a Harper's Bazaar photo shoot to helping redesign and update the program for her show.

But Dion proves to be quite knowledgeable about many other Strip acts, speaking smartly about everyone from Gladys Knight to Elvis impersonators.

"We're very proud to be part of the incredible entertainment scene that Las Vegas has to offer, and we look forward to another great year ahead," Dion said.

Shook up

The man continues to make more money dead than most of us do alive.

Diggit Entertainment has announced a potentially multimillion-dollar deal with Elvis Presley Enterprises, where the New York-based wireless company will offer Presley ring tones and screen savers for cell phone carriers.

The company has created an online Elvis store where cell phone users can purchase a variety of ring tones and video clips. Digital wallpaper and screen savers will also be available for downloading.

Additionally, fans can register to receive text messages alerting them of Elvis news. Has he ever really left the building?

One for you

We now hear the Phil Collins tour we reported about Tuesday is headed for a stop at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in late August.

And the Mandalay Bay Events Center is the likely venue for a Vegas visit by Van Halen on its summer tour. The group's website confirms that a Vegas date is a certainty.

What is still up in the air is who will be Van Halen's lead singer. Several unconfirmed reports say Sammy Hagar has won back the job. He replaced original vocalist David Lee Roth in 1985 and stayed with the band for 11 years. Then Roth returned to the fold for a brief, disastrous stint.

Lately, Roth has been talking to "X" producers Angela Sampras and Bobby Boling about doing his own Vegas production show.

New show

Local magician Will Roya is producing a Bourbon Street show slated to debut May 29.

He and comedian Michael Johns will star, along with rotating performers.

"The show is intended to give entertainers the chance to showcase their skills without having to four-wall (pay for) their own venue or commit to a long-term contract," Roya told us. Acts will rotate on a weekly basis, giving the show an ever-changing lineup.

Auditions for the show start this weekend. Roya asks those with family- friendly, high-energy material to contact him at will@willroya.com.

VegasBits

Model: Actress Rebecca Romijn-Stamos was spotted dining at Mon Ami Gabi (Paris Las Vegas) Tuesday. She also attended a ShoWest screening of her new movie, "The Punisher," which co-stars John Travolta ...

Dad: Film family members Melvin and Mario Van Peebles were spotted walking the ShoWest convention floor Wednesday ...

Citation: Recovering headliner Roy Horn will be presented, in absentia, with the Citizen of the Month Award at the April 7 Las Vegas City Council meeting. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will make the presentation to Siegfried Fischbacher on his performance partner's behalf ...

Return: As he did last year, NBC's very-late-night talk show host Carson Daly will be in Vegas in early June to tape a week of shows at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel ...

Birthdays: Caesars Palace headliner Elton John turns 57 today ... VEGAS Magazine cover girl and "The Butterfly Effect" star Amy Smart is 28 ...

Movie: Vegas regulars Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine perform a cover of Disturbed's "Down With the Sickness" on the soundtrack of "Dawn of the Dead," which was the nation's top-grossing movie last week. Cheese returns to Vegas on April 9 at Palace Station ...

Cast: Former "Providence" star Melina Kanakaredes has been tapped to star opposite Gary Sinise in "CSI: New York," a spin-off of the popular series from Las Vegas native Anthony Zuiker.

From Sun wires

Simmons cited: Exercise guru Richard Simmons allegedly slapped a man who made a sarcastic remark about one of his videos, police in Phoenix said.

Simmons, known for his "Sweatin' to the Oldies" series of exercise videos set to songs from the 1950s and 60s, was cited for misdemeanor assault.

Brown to pay: A family court judge in Canton, Mass., ordered R&B singer Bobby Brown jailed for 90 days or until he pays $63,500 in child support he owes the mother of two children he fathered.

Brown, released from a Georgia jail early so he could attend the contempt hearing, cried as he was led from the courtroom.