Friday, April 22, 2005 | 8:22 a.m.
Mr. Las Vegas, Wayne Newton, sang his swan song Wednesday in the theater that bears his name at the Stardust.
It was a tearful evening for his closest fans, hundreds of Wayniacs, who gave him a standing ovation at the end of a show that lasted more than two hours (Newton usually spends 90 minutes onstage).
The 900-plus-seat room was filled to capacity by an enthusiastic crowd seemingly unfazed by the popular showman's faltering voice. Newton no longer can hit the high notes on which he built a career that has lasted more than 50 years.
Everyone was eager to hear what the 63-year-old crooner of such hits as "Danke Schoen" and "Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast" would say about his future.
He didn't disappoint.
At the end of his show he sat down on a stool onstage and said that his future does not include retirement.
"I hope none of you are disappointed," he said to a wave of applause.
Newton declined to discuss where he would be performing.
"I want you to know loyalty to me is paramount, and that is why there is no announcement, and I am not even going to discuss it now," Newton said. "The reason I am not discussing it is that I don't believe Mr. (Bill) Boyd and the Stardust deserves to pay me and have me talk about where I am going."
However, the day after his engagement at the Stardust ended, the Hilton announced that Newton will have a limited six-week engagement there beginning June 14.
Tickets for Newton's Hilton show go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. Performances will be at 9 p.m. June 14-18, July 5-9, July 12-16, July 19-23, Aug. 16-20 and Aug. 23-27.
Tickets are $75 and may be purchased at the Las Vegas Hilton box office. For information call 732-5755.
Newton was a Hilton headliner from 1987-'93, but most recently he starred in the reality series "The Entertainer" on E! Entertainment Television. The 10-episode series that chronicled Newton's nationwide search for the next Las Vegas headliner was filmed at the Hilton.
The winner of the competition was guaranteed a spot in a show with Newton. In addition, Newton would produce him for a headlining contract at the Hilton and other Resorts International Destination properties. Vocalist Delisco was the ultimate winner. Newton introduced him to fans at the Stardust.
During Wednesday's farewell performance, Newton discussed his reasons for leaving the Stardust, where he signed a 10-year contract in 1999 that was to run from January 2000 through 2010. It reportedly was worth $25 million a year.
"The world has changed," Newton said. "(Because of) the demands upon my time both abroad and here it's impossible to do the amount of time we had contracted to do here originally."
Newton attributed the change to 9/11 and the ensuing fight against terrorism. He has performed in USO shows for U.S. military personnel in every conflict since Vietnam.
Newton says the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and other parts of the world have made even greater demands on his time as an entertainer.
"I want you to know Mr. Boyd and all the people who are part of the Boyd family ... they own the Stardust ... could not have been more accommodating or more supportive -- anytime I told them I had to leave, because I had to be in Afghanistan in two days, they said, 'You go do what you must do.' They are that kind of people."
Newton said his reason for leaving was simple.
"There comes a time in everybody's life when you must do what you must do," he said. "There is an awful lot that I have yet to do. There's an awful lot of miles I have yet to cover."
Newton said the Stardust was accommodating in his request to end his contract.
"I said, 'Please let me leave so that I can move on to the kind of challenges I am faced with and I want to be faced with.' "
As part of Newton's finale, Army Brig. Gen. Barry Keller gave him a public service award for his work with the USO and made him an honorary colonel.
"What I have given pales by comparison to what some of you have given," Newton told his fans. "But what I have given is the best that I have to give."
He could have been speaking about his performance that night.
Even though his voice is a shadow of its former self, Newton put everything he had into the final show at the Stardust and his fans loved him for it.
He made the 10-minute tour around the stage's walkway, hugging and kissing anyone who could get close to him.
He played his violin, guitar, banjo and piano.
He gave away bottles of champagne.
The songs were the same, the jokes the same, the unbridled enthusiasm of both Newton and the fans was the same.
Newton's charisma carried the night and probably will carry his fans to the Hilton.
Epicurean lounge
The 15th annual Epicurean Affair should be one of the most exciting ever, with nonstop entertainment in a giant ultralounge setting.
The food and beverage industry's premier annual event, a fundraiser for the education and scholarship funds offered by the Nevada Hotel & Lodging Association and the Nevada Restaurant Association, begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mandalay Bay.
Tickets are $100 per person or $850 for a package of 10. Tickets will be $125 per person at the door.
In recent years the event has been held outside at Caesars Palace.
At Mandalay Bay, it will be indoors in room Seaside C.
Read Scott, vice president of the Best Agency, said moving the event indoors prompted this year's "ultralounge" theme.
"Last year, at Caesars Palace, was the most visual," said Scott, whose company is providing the entertainment. "This year because of concern over moving from a lavish outdoor environment to an indoor exhibit hall everyone went all out for an ultralounge environment idea to house all the vendors."
The central stage will be in the middle of Bar Alley, which will be located in the center of the room.
"This will be the staging area for 22 different types of acts," Scott said. "They will erupt or evolve, fly up, descend and flip.
"That will happen periodically throughout the evening."
Music will be provided by a DJ.
The entertainment will include acrobats, contortionists, electro-computerized jugglers and dancers.
"We have taken the concept of a whirlpool -- we build the energy, the vibe from the center of room, and spiral out," Scott said. "Guests will circulate to the tempo of the music."
He said the entertainment will be a "visual and audio experience, without taking away from the food, wine and liquor."
In addition to the 22 acts and assorted dancers, each vendor will bring in their own entertainment.
Besides entertainment, guests will be able to sample dishes prepared by Las Vegas' finest chefs and restaurants.
For information, call the Nevada Hotel & Lodging and Nevada Restaurant Associations at 878-9272 or 878-2313.
Muy grande
Get ready for one of the biggest Mexican celebrations ever in Las Vegas, featuring almost six hours of music, singing, dancing -- and wrestling.
As in the United States, wrestling is one of the most popular spectator events in Mexico -- second only to soccer.
The hybrid Cinco de Mayo Las Vegas Centennial Celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. May 6 at the Thomas & Mack Center. It will continue until 1 a.m.
Tickets range from $45 to $120. For information call 739-3267.
The spectacular event will celebrate Cinco de Mayo and recognize Las Vegas' 100th birthday.
Entertainment will feature superstars Juan Gabriel, who is celebrating 34 years in show business, Veronica Castro and Lupillo Rivera.
Internationally acclaimed violinist Olga Breeskin, who has been a Las Vegas resident for the past seven years, will host the show. Her former husband, Joey Doucette, will choreograph and direct the production.
"I have invited some of my closest friends to perform," Breeskin said. " I am so, so excited. It is unbelievable. Friendship is the key for everything. There is no money to pay for what they charge -- half a million dollars per show.
"Only love and friendship has brought them here."
Breeskin, who is preparing for her own show in the summer, says she has been close friends with Gabriel for his entire career.
"Veronica Castro, I have known since we were teenagers."
Breeskin said at one point, 40 mariachis will back up Gabriel.
"It's going to be incredible," she said. "It will be the show of the decade."
Also appearing will be Priscila y Sus Balas de Plata and Maribel Guardia.
In addition, there will be a fiesta starring Mariachi Sol de Mexico with special appearances by El Cuervo, Florencia Tinocco and Tatiana Bolanos.
A group of 20 dancers will perform Mexican River Dance, choreographed by Doucette.
The second portion of the event will be the production of "El Lucha Libre," starring El Hijo del Santo and Blue Demon Jr., Mexico's two biggest movie stars, who are as famous in that country as Tom Cruise and Arnold Schwarzenegger are in the United States.
Professional wrestler and promoter Jonathan "Iceman" Knudsen, who lives in Las Vegas and owns Pro Wrestling America, is producing the second half.
"El Lucha Libre" is a display of acrobatic performance art that uses wrestling as the medium for theatrical combat between good and evil. There will be a dozen matches, but they aren't the same as those that are popular in this country.
"It's a completely different thing," Knudsen said. "It's not Western-style pro wrestling -- this is an elegantly choreographed stunt show, with high-energy stunts.
"This is more acrobatics and better timing than in the traditional matches in the United States."
Knudsen said the most popular style of wrestling in the world is Japanese, and El Lucha Libre is second.
"They are closely related," he said.
If the wrestling event to be held at the Thomas & Mack were held in Mexico City, Knudsen said it would easily draw a crow of 50,000 or more.
Forbidden out
"Forbidden Vegas," the satire at the Westin that lampoons local entertainers and productions, will close after its May 7 performance.
"Due to overwhelming demand for convention space at the Westin, we would like to turn the Westin Theatre into meeting space," said Fred A. Buro, Chief Marketing Officer for Westin's parent company, Columbia Sussex Corp. of Fort Mitchell, Ky.
Buro said the meeting space will be integrated into the hotel's new convention center.
"Therefore, we are requesting that the 'Forbidden Vegas' show vacate the showroom as soon as possible, but on a mutually agreeable basis," Buro said.
Producers of the show say they are looking for another venue.
" 'Forbidden Vegas' has definitely found its niche and we look forward to finding a new home," executive producer Bob Cayne said.
The show premiered in November.
Jaw-droppers
Three top ventriloquists will perform at the "Ventastic Show" at 7 p.m. Sunday.
The show is part of the ninth annual Vegas Ventriloquist Festival at Imperial Palace.
The featured performers include Tom Ladshaw, Steve Taylor and John Pizzi.
The festival is presented by the International Ventriloquists' Association. It features workshops, vendor displays and several shows. It begins today and continues through Sunday.
To open Ventastic, Las Vegas headliner Ronn Lucas will be honored with the Askins Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award, which honors performers who have made an outstanding contribution to the art of ventriloquism, will be presented to Lucas by the Smothers Brothers at 7 p.m. tonight.
Vegas Views
A Beatles tribute show, "When We Were Fab," will be at the Silverton's Hideaway Theater for performances at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday.
The production -- part concert, part documentary, and part slideshow -- was inspired by George Harrison's nostalgic 1987 hit about his former band mates.
Tickets are $15. For more information call 914-8557.
Latin vocalist Franco De Vita will perform at 8 p.m. Sunday at the Aladdin Theatre for Performing Arts.
Tickets $45 to $85. For information call 785-5000.
Australian chicken wholesaler Anthony Petrucci will perform an Elvis tribute with Imperial Palace's "Legends in Concert" April 28-30.
The event will be filmed by Australia's Channel Nine.
The 20-year-old aspiring performer won his slot with "Legends" when Australian TV series "StarStruck" conducted a nationwide, televised tribute artist contest last year.
Petrucci outperformed three other finalists, singing "Love Me Tender" and "Viva Las Vegas."
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