Friday, Nov. 16, 2007 | 7:24 a.m.
Fans of the Great American Songbook shouldn't miss the annual "Night of 1000 Stars Variety Show" on Sunday at the Las Vegas Hilton.
The concert, titled "Somewhere Over the Neon," will pay tribute to composer Harold Arlen.
Arlen is best known for "Over the Rainbow" and the other music for "The Wizard of Oz." But he also composed such memorable songs as "It's Only a Paper Moon," "I've Got the World on a String," "Stormy Weather," "Get Happy," "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Old Black Magic."
The concert benefits F.A.C.T., the Family and Children Treatment Center of Southern Nevada.
The composer's son, Sam Arlen, and George Bugatti created the show.
"Sam and George have been working for over two years on their stage show 'Wizard' with George Bugatti's Three Crooners singing all of these great songs," said the concert's executive producer, Jonathan Scott. "We had been talking about developing the music as a television special with contemporary artists performing the library when a light bulb went off to apply the same concept with great Las Vegas talent."
Scott has been producing the "Night of 1000 Stars Variety Show" for the past five years.
In addition to Bugatti and Sam Arlen, the cast includes members of "Menopause," the Scintas, Sandy Hackett, Lisa Dawn Miller, Bill Fayne and the Las Vegas Tenors. Former "Dance Fever" host Adrian Zmed will serve as emcee.
"There is no shortage of talent to pull from in Las Vegas," Scott said.
Vocalist, actress and auctioneer Janice Hamilton will conduct a live auction of Hollywood and sports memorabilia at intermission.
Details: 7 p.m. Sunday; Las Vegas Hilton theater; $25 to $600; 732-5755 or startrackerfilms.com/invites/stars/
'Phantom' benefit
Another benefit is coming up Dec. 9, this one by the cast, crew and orchestra of "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular" for the benefit of Family Promise, a local organization that helps homeless families.
"A Phantom Family Holiday Concert: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" will take place at 2 p.m. at the Nicholas Horn Theater on the Cheyenne Campus of the College of Southern Nevada.
Admission is $30 per person. For information call 245-0992 or go to familypromiselvtickets.com.
'Fiddler' on UNLV's roof
The Nevada Conservatory Theatre brings "Fiddler on the Roof" to UNLV starting next week.
The popular musical is based on the 1894 stories of Sholem Aleichem and centers on the character Tevye and his daughters. The musical book is by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock.
David Brummel plays Tevye in this production. He has performed in the Broadway productions of "Sweet Smell of Success," "The Bells Are Ringing," "Evita" and "Oklahoma!"
Mindy Cooper directs the production.
Details: 8 p.m. Nov. 23, 24, 29 and 30 and Dec. 1, 6 and 7; 2 p.m. Nov. 24, 25 and Dec. 1, 2, 8 and 9; UNLV's Judy Bayley Theatre; $20 to $30; 895-2787.
Around town
Former President Bill Clinton was expected to join sax legend Jimmy Mulidore for a song during a Democratic fundraiser Thursday at Paris Las Vegas. Mulidore and his N.Y. Jazz Band perform at 6:30 tonight at the Las Vegas Country Club ... Boise and blues, two words you don't expect in the same sentence. John Nemeth, a harmonica player who hails from the Idaho capital, plays free concerts Wednesday at Santa Fe Station and Thursday at Boulder Station ... Gourmand Les Kincaid is having a contest to come up with a new name for his six-year-old Internet show, "Les' Wines & Vines." Seems a California company named - you guessed it - Wines and Vines ordered Kincaid to stop using its trademark. Fans can help come up with the new name by visiting leskincaid.com.
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