John Katsilometes listens in as longtime local performer Tina Walsh talks of her quest to join the cast of ‘Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular’

Friday, March 31, 2006 | 7:10 a.m.

Call it a Phantom punch.

Wednesday's announcement of the cast for "Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular" was absent one familiar name: Tina Walsh. Walsh recently told podcaster Steve Friess on "The Strip," a weekly interview program at www.thestrippodcast.com, that she auditioned for the production and fell just short of being cast in the role of Madame Giry.

It wasn't the first or only time Walsh, who has been performing in Las Vegas nearly nonstop for 20 years (including a well-received run as Donna Sheridan in "Mamma Mia!" at Mandalay Bay"), has been disappointed while pursuing roles in new Las Vegas productions.

"I was hoping to get into 'Hairspray' or 'Phantom,' " she said. "As it was, for 'Phantom' - I was very close. I auditioned all the way, they flew me up to New York. It was between me and another girl ... for Madame Giry, and I didn't get it. That's just the way the business is."

At the Venetian, Madame Giry will be played by Rebecca Spencer.

When asked if there was a stigma attached to Las Vegas performers seeking roles in Broadway-styled productions, Walsh said, "There is a stigma, but it is the producers' prerogative to hire whoever they want."

Suffering from a neck injury, Walsh left "Mamma Mia!" in January 2005 and took some rare time off. She has since worked as a freelancer, including a tour with an ABBA tribute band, while seeking a role with a local production.

"Vegas is a very funny town," she said. "Something you're certain is a sure fit sometimes doesn't work out ... It's a cyclical town, it changes all the time."

NoteMart

Return of the Chop: A&E is taking another spin with Towbin Dodge General Manager Josh Towbin (aka Chop). You know Chop - his local infomercials imploring his sales staff to "Chop it!" are a quirky way to burn a half-hour on a lazy afternoon (those spots have also provided a Las Vegas TV forum for Mr. Happiness, Larry Johnson, the guy with the unplugged electric guitar who hangs out on the corner of West Sahara Avenue and Fort Apache Road).

Chop is the subject of the reality series "King of Cars," which debuts with back-to-back episodes at 9 p.m. Tuesday. Chopper was also featured by A&E in 2003's "It's a Living" and in 2004 made news when he was arrested outside the Towbin Dodge Superstore at the Valley Auto Mall in Henderson after a dispute with an angry customer (Chop and a few cohorts were alleged to have taken after the man in a Cadillac Escalade, an episode that would have made for some great TV) ...

Post-it note: "Hairspray's" Harvey Fierstein wrote a funny Vegas-centric guest column in Wednesday's New York Post. He noted, " 'Hairspray' plays a pretty normal schedule of 7:30 curtains six days a week with 4 p.m. weekend matinees. 'Mamma Mia!' on the other hand, plays only seven shows a week. And other shows can play twice daily five days a week, or only at midnight, or just when Celine's in the mood."

Along with the jab at Celine Dion, Fierstein revealed the new "Hairspray" schedule, which has the late Saturday performance moved to a 4 p.m. matinee beginning this weekend. We're told that the show's Sunday matinee was so well-received producers shifted the Saturday performance to the earlier time. ...

Bologna! "I would like the fried bologna sandwich, with fries," I told the gussied-up waitress at Toby Keith's I Love This Beer N' Beatin' Beef-Eatin' Yee-Haw Bar & Grill, or whatever it's called, at Harrah's. The place was busy - a half-hour wait for tables on a weekday at noon - and the sandwich was good. Sort of like a flattened hot dog ...

Tough and Tiffany: Last weekend at O'Sheas on the Strip, a friend spotted an addled twentysomething guy gripping a Bud Light in one hand and a small Tiffany bag in the other. The thought is he owned one item; the other was a gift ...

Flexing muscle: The Cannery has steered toward a reliable clientele: fans of muscle cars. Its fourth "Mad About Mopars" event, a celebration of Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth and DeSoto muscle cars, did big business last weekend. Al Jardine's Endless Summer Band (starring the original member of the Beach Boys) performed, and Scott Shriner of Weezer and Dave Kushner of Velvet Revolver were on hand. The show's attendance has increased each year ...

Out of left field: Taking the stage with the Blue Man Group on Wednesday night at the Venetian was Dodger outfielder Jason Repko ...

The good fight II: As has been pointed out by aficionados of mixed martial arts competitions (a group that at once fascinates and frightens me), we should clarify that the Ultimate Fighting Championship, not the World Extreme Fighting Championships, is the centerpiece of Spike TV's "Ultimate Fighter" series. The WEF will host a fight card tonight at the Orleans ...

On a somewhat related matter: UFC fighter Alex Karalexis and Montel Williams are taking part in the grand opening festivities for Nippers Pool Bar at Hooters. Last month Karalexis won a celebrity blackjack tournament at Hooters, and the championship was worth $10,000 to a charity of Karalexis' choice. He chose the Montel Williams MS Foundation and will make the donation to Williams at 12:30 p.m. Saturday ...

Dust in the wind: Plate on a blue Camaro spotted by reader Chris Senseney, U8MYDST.