Friday, Aug. 19, 2005 | 8:33 a.m.
Steve Wynn's declaration that he would like Las Vegas to rival Broadway in theatrical productions suits the husband-and-wife acting/writing team of Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna just fine.
"I think it would work," Taylor said. "People everywhere want to laugh, want to have a good time."
Bologna said, "Vegas is Broadway plus. The prices they charge here, and get, economically it works. The place is built on tourism, so why not?
"All the big shows are coming here -- people come to Vegas to be entertained, so it's the perfect place to do shows."
The couple, who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary earlier this week by renewing their vows in Beverly Hills, Calif., are in Vegas starring at the Plaza in a limited run of their highly acclaimed comedy "If You Ever Leave Me ... I'm Going With You."
The comedy, which the couple wrote, is a collage of monologues, stand-up, television and movie clips, home movies and scenes from their semi-autobiographical Broadway and off-Broadway hits and films.
Among their many successful stage productions are "It Had to be You," "Lovers and Other Strangers" "Bermuda Avenue Triable" and "Acts of Love and Other Comedies."
The show premieres at 7 tonight. Performances will be Fridays through Sundays until Sept. 11.
"They've started a thing of bringing Broadway shows to Vegas and the Plaza contacted us about the play," said Taylor, best known as the mother of Fran Drescher in the TV series "The Nanny."
"If You Ever Leave Me ..." was on Broadway on 9/11. The show closed shortly after that.
Taylor said they might return to Broadway.
"People have asked us to bring it back," she said. "We invited all the firemen, the police officers, all the workers at ground zero to the show -- then, we didn't want to go on with the show after that."
Taylor and Bologna are no strangers to Vegas. They have performed here several times -- last year she starred in "Golda" in Henderson, a play she wrote and he directed.
The couple stay busy in a profession in which being out of work is the norm. They do TV, films and appear onstage -- often together, sometimes not.
"We mainly do plays," Bologna said. "What it is, when you get to a certain age the parts dry up. The parts that are left for me are usually the dumb Italian father, which I don't do.
"We're lucky. We do our own thing in the theater -- we started out as playwrights and acting in theater."
Bologna is writing a new screenplay based on their play, "The Bermuda Avenue Triangle." The story takes place in a retirement community in Las Vegas.
"Two miserable old women, whose daughters buy them a condo, are so unhappy, until they meet this con man who is looking for a place to hide out and ends up seducing both of them," Bologna said. "Then they go from being miserable and unhappy to these tootsies who become the scandal of the retirement community."
The couple recently completed working on a film in Florida, "Boynton Beach Bereavement Club." It is expected to be released in about a year.
Bologna and Taylor are often asked how they have managed to stay together for 40 years.
"It doesn't feel like 40 years," Taylor said. "I really feel like I wasn't married until just now -- up until then it was just a 40-year affair."
Dynamite night
Dynamic entertainer Martin Nievera -- a former headliner at the Golden Nugget -- returns to Vegas for a one-night engagement at the Rio's Pavillion at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Nievera's opening act will be Jenevi, a backup singer for Wayne Newton.
Tickets range from $25 to $75.
Nievera, one of the more popular entertainers in the Philippines, most recently performed in Vegas when his headlining engagement at the Nugget ended in February 2004.
Since then he has been touring the world, but always with an eye on Vegas.
"It has been an exciting year, but I miss Las Vegas," said Nievera, son of Robert Nievera, former lead singer of the legendary group Society of Seven.
A native of Manila who grew up in Hawaii and Las Vegas, Nievera says he hopes to find a room on the Strip and to settle down here -- he is drawn by the electricity generated in Vegas.
"I want to try and become a fixture here," Nievera said. "It has always been a personal dream of mine. I want to follow in my father's footsteps. I knew when he was performing here when I was growing up that this was the place for me."
Nievera says in the Philippines he is a major celebrity and there is nowhere to hide.
"There isn't a moment's peace," Nievera said. "But here, you can be a superstar on the Strip at night and then go home to Henderson or wherever and live a normal life."
Nievera says Saturday's show will be a concert, but one that has elements of his showroom performances.
"When I was at the Nugget, headlining five nights a week, it was the first time I had ever performed in that kind of venue," he said. "I had done mostly concerts. Saturday at the Rio I will combine the two."
Why does he want to give up his concert tours?
"Celine Dion said it perfectly," Nievera said. " 'Stability.' I want a life where I can raise a family, go to the store, shop."
The problem is, he said, Vegas venues aren't looking for headliners.
"I haven't been able to find a gig here," Nievera said. "Some dreams just take some time."
Helping him try to fulfill his dream are co-producers Joe Shenk of PRG, and Colleen Custer of Class Acts.
Drag-ster
Female impersonator Frank Marino will have the street in front of his house named after him in a ceremony at 11 a.m. on Sept. 15 at The Lakes.
Naming a drag strip after the popular star of "La Cage" might seem more appropriate, but who am I to say?
Marino -- as Joan Rivers -- hosts the revue at the Riviera. He has lived on Crane Lake Way for 20 years, after building one of the first homes in the exclusive neighborhood near West Sahara Avenue and Fort Apache Road.
Donna Tusant, head of The Lakes Association, and Las Vegas Councilman Steve Wolfson played major roles in getting the name of Marino's street changed.
Marino built his home at about the time he debuted in the long-running production by Norbert Aleman. The premiere of the show will be celebrated on Sept. 18.
'Erocktica' changing
Greg Thompson's flawed revue combining a topless show with a rock concert at the Rio will close Monday for an overhaul.
"We are revising 'Erocktica' to center more on the visual piece," the producer said in a prepared statement. "We are streamlining the sets for more flexibility within the showroom, adding more production value, new choreography and theatrical elements -- we are looking forward to giving 'Erocktica' a new twist."
The production is expected to re-open sometime in October
Mentalist ups price
Mentalist Gerry McCambridge's engagement at the Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin has been extended through September, but if you want to see him for free you need to do it before Sept. 1 when the price of admission will become $10.
Fans of the mentalist (he emphasizes he is not a psychic, just an observer of human nature) have been able attend one of his shows for a one-drink minimum for the past couple of months.
Even at $10, the show is a bargain.
His performance will have you shaking your head in disbelief.
September show times are 8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
For the rest of this month performances are 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
McCambridge says his skills come from natural instincts as well as the study of memory techniques, body language, hypnosis, linguistics, statistics, law of averages, non-verbal communication, magic, acting, theater and stand up comedy.
"Mentalism is the art of riding the fine line between intuition and illusion," McCambridge said.
Swimming weekend
"Pool Party Weekend" was started in 1996 by four guys who rented a cabana at a hotel in Las Vegas.
Since then it has grown into a major event, which is being hosted by Owl Enterprises at the Las Vegas Hilton beginning at 5 p.m. today and Saturday.
Admission each day is $20, or $30 for a weekend pass. VIP tickets are available for $100.
The festivities includes a bikini contest, a spokesmodel casting call, go-go dancers and world-class DJs.
At 10 p.m. tonight a party at Shimmer Cabaret will feature a lineup of DJs and celebrities, fashion show and evening gown competition.
Nostalgia
Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits, one of the most popular groups in the world in the mid-'60s, will perform at 9 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Silverton.
The Hermits' breakout hit was the No. 1 "I'm Into Something Good."
The band has sold more than 52 million records and had 23 top-20 hits -- among them "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter," "I'm Henry VIII, I Am," "End of the World," "Silhouettes" and "Listen People."
Tickets are $20. The concert will be held in the outdoor pool arena.
For more information call 914-8557.
Tranz-isition
Hypnotist Justin Tranz is on the move, this time from the Sahara (where he spent a few minutes) to Lady Luck, where he opened July 15.
Tranz's shows are at 10:30 p.m. Thursdays through Tuesdays (dark Wednesdays).
Tickets are are $34.95 and $44.95. For information call 292-7555.
Tranz, the star of the adult hypnosis show "Extreme Truth" on the Playboy Channel, has played in Las Vegas at various venues for the last six years, including a five-year run at O'Shea's and a one-year combined run at O'Shea's and the Flamingo.
Brunch televised
The Plaza's popular Sunday Celebrity Champagne Brunch will begin being taped for television this weekend by the TVS Television Network.
The brunch will air as a part of a future syndicated show, "Hollywood Palace."
A six-week agreement has been signed by the Plaza and TVS.
The premiere will feature singer Denise Clemente, comedian Bill Tucker, magician Collin Foster, singer Nick Mastrangelo, and Grammy Award-winning disco queen Hazel Payne.
Founded in 1961, TVS has done many national programs from Las Vegas including "Alan King Tennis from Caesars Palace," an arm wrestling program from the Imperial Palace, a bowling program from the Showboat and Sam's Town, "One Club Golf" from the Desert Inn, and "Fun Moments in Sports" from Bally's.
In addition, there will be a radio version of the program (also originating from the Plaza).
The Celebrity Brunch is held from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Sundays. The cost is $19.95.
Luv and money
Internationally known street magician Jimmy Luv says he will be entombed in a locked clear box for 30 days without food or water to raise awareness and funds for the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.
Entombment begins Aug. 26.
A donation area will be located next to his entombment at Grand Canyon Parkway to assist in the fund raising effort.He is scheduled to be released from the box on Sept. 24 on the opening day of the Southwest Fest.
The Southwest Fest is the inaugural celebration of one of the Las Vegas Valley's fastest-growing communities. It will be held from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Sept. 24-25 on Grand Canyon Parkway at Interstate 215 and West Flamingo Road.
Tickets are $15 per day or $25 for a two-day pass, with a portion of each ticket sold donated to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.
Luv says his mission is to "live in a clear plastic box for 30 days, so that no Las Vegas child will ever have to live one night in a cardboard box."
Vegas views
Comedian Richard Jeni, who recently had an HBO special "A Big Steaming Pile of Me," will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 17 at the House of Blues.
Tickets $25 for general admission, $27 for the day of the show, $30 for seated and $37 for Special Reserved.
Hawaiian entertainers George Kuo, Martin Pahinui, and Aaron Mahi bring their mastery of the slack key guitar to the California's Ohana Room at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Aug. 26.
Ki ho'alu (or slack key guitar) is an unusual finger-style of guitar playing developed by 19th-century Hawaiian cowboys.
By lowering (slacking) the strings (keys) to nonstandard tunings, a lingering sound and characteristic resonance behind the melody is produced.
Tickets are $22. For information call 388-2705.
Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait will be the headliner of the Hollywood Comedy Tour at the Palms at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 10.
Comedians Cort McCown and Paul Hughes produce and host the monthly comedy show.
Goldthwait has been seen on the "Dave Chappelle Show," "The Simpsons," the Daily Show and "Last Comic Standing."
Tickets are $25.
Kenny Rogers will perform in the Amphitheater at Sunset Station at 8 p.m. on Sept. 9.
Among Rogers' many hits are "I Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)," "Love Lifted Me," "Lucille" and"The Gambler."
Rogers has won four Grammy Awards, 11 Peoples Choice Awards, 18 American Music Awards, eight Academy of County Music Awards and five County Music Association Awards.
His latest album is "42 Ultimate Hits."
Tickets are $22.95 to $49.95.
For information call 547-5300.
archive
