TAKE FIVE: TONI BRAXTON

Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2006 | 7:38 a.m.

When the Flamingo set about transforming itself, President Don Marrandino looked for a headliner to match the new feel of the resort.

"Fresh, clever, vivacious, surprising, unexpected, confident, cool, empowering, inclusive, uncomplicated, playful and vibrant," Marrandino said, rattling off descriptions from the resort's new mission statement.

His first choice was 1990s R&B superstar Toni Braxton, who will debut Thursday in the showroom that was home to another R&B great, Gladys Knight, for four years.

Braxton's 1993 debut, "Toni Braxton," sold more than 10 million records, and the follow-up, "Secrets," sold 8 million. She has won six Grammy Awards. She made her feature film debut in "Kingdom Come" and has appeared on TV in "Play'd" and "Kevin Hill."

She married Keri Lewis, the keyboard player for Mint Condition, in 2001. He's helped produce and arrange her last three albums. They now have a home in Las Vegas, where they live with their sons, 4-year-old Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis and 3-year-old Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis.

During a break in rehearsal, Braxton, 39, said preparing for this production has been more stressful than preparing for a tour.

"But I'm ready to go," she said. "It's just a matter of getting settled in - and getting used to the dry air."

1. Greatest hits

Her big hits include "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" (1992); "Another Sad Love Song" (1993); "Breathe Again," "Seven Whole Days" and "You Mean the World to Me" (1994); "You're Makin' Me High" and "Un-Break My Heart" (1996); and "He Wasn't Man Enough" and "Spanish Guitar" (2000).

2. Greatest surprise about Las Vegas

"I didn't realize it was so suburban."

3. Greatest pride

Her children. "I didn't like being away from my kids (recently). I'm jealous. I don't want to share them with a nanny. I want to be there when they grow up."

4. Greatest pleasures

"This is my whole focus right now. I love it a lot. I love performing.

I'm a whole lot involved in the production. You bring great people around you who bring great ideas. Then you try different things. You have to kind of try everything and see what works. The only thing I don't do is the lighting.

"I will be performing mostly my greatest hits, the classics. I'll only be doing three new songs in the show."

5. Greatest description of the show

"Sexy."

archive