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Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada
Mac King performs a benefit show for the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada on July 24, 2010.
Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010 | 4:12 p.m.
Rock & Rita's owners David Tuttleman and Mark Green flank comedian Kevin Burke at the grand opening of Rock & Rita's at Circus Circus on July 8, 2010.
Laura Croft, Rain Andreani and their friends flank Steve Martorano at Martorano's in The Rio.
Comedy magician Mac King and Harrah’s have extended their contract for another five years, ensuring that The Mac King Comedy Magic Show, currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, will continue through 2015 for a historic 15-year run. “This is really amazing, Harrah’s has been my home for the last 10 years, and I have truly enjoyed every moment,” Mac said in a statement. “To continue making audiences laugh for another five years is incredible.”
Harrah’s President Rick Mazer added, “We are proud of Mac King’s contributions to Harrah’s Las Vegas and look forward to sharing his amazing talent and passion for entertaining with our guests for years to come.” The Mac King Comedy Magic Show has entertained more than 1 million people in 5,200 shows since opening a decade ago. Mac takes the stage at 1 and 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
A previous Las Vegas Weekly Entertainer of the Year, Mac recently published his latest children’s book Mac King’s Campfire Magic and released a new trick set Lunchbox-O-Magic. The Louisville, Ky., native and friend of Lance Burton’s previous works include Great Big Ol’ Book-O-Magic in 2007 and Suitcase-O-Magic in 2009.
*Wicked, the Tony Award-winning hit musical, will kick off The Smith Center for the Performing Arts’ 2012-2013 Broadway-subscription series with a limited six-week engagement Aug. 29-Oct. 7, 2012. Ticket sales for Wicked, based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 book about the untold story of the witches of Oz, will be announced at a later date.
“This was a long time coming for us, and we are elated that the first event we are announcing is such an extraordinary production,” Smith Center President and CEO Myron Martin said in a statement. “It is a great honor to be able to host the national tour of Wicked and introduce the Las Vegas community to this musical phenomenon.”
*Dick Feeney, producer of The Rat Pack Is Back! at the Plaza, has announced that the show featuring “When Somebody Loves You” and “Luck Be a Lady Tonight” has signed a three-year contract to continue to relive the days of The Rat Pack daily at 7:30 p.m. in The Copa Room. Despite the Plaza’s announcement Monday of layoffs and temporary closures, the show will not be affected because the showroom is located off the casino floor, and the renovations will not have any effect on the production.
Shoe designer Donald Pliner holds a size 22 shoe made for Shaquille O'Neal during Fashion's Night Out at The Forum Shops in Caesars Palace on Sept. 10, 2010.
Shoe designer Donald Pliner with Robin Leach.
Louie Anderson hosts a sneak peek of the Louie Anderson Theater inside Palace Station on July 28, 2010.
*Congratulations to comedian Kevin Burke and his Defending the Caveman, which celebrates its 1,500th Las Vegas performance Sept. 21 with a milestone show at Excalibur. To commemorate the achievement, $15 tickets will be offered to Nevada residents for 15 days -- from Sept. 21 through Oct. 5. The longest running solo play in Broadway history, Caveman, about the way men and women related and disagree, opened in San Francisco in 1991.
*Star chef Steve Martorano kept his Rio restaurant open late for audience members attending opening night of Play Dead by Teller of Penn & Teller on Sunday night. Renowned magician Johnny Thompson and his wife, plus many behind-the-scenes magic makers, were in the crowd. A lot of the show’s bizarre -- and semi-horrific illusions -- are performed in darkness to add to the intense suspense. Steve provided me with a double tequila before the show and another afterward! Teller has performances through Sept. 24 before it moves to its New York theater off-Broadway. Penn Jillette and wife Emily plan to watch the show and its star Todd Robbins tonight, and we’ll have Editor Don Chareunsy’s report here Thursday.
*Star shoemaker Donald Pliner flew in to present his Fall 2010 collection at his boutique in The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and turned it into a fundraiser as part of Fashion’s Night Out weekend celebrations. Christine Spadafor and Sarah Sheehan hosted the event, which drew fans who snapped up the new designs to benefit St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. I stopped in to help the cause, and Donald told me my pair of slipper shoes decorated in black and white Kangar were crystals embroidered in India -- painting with beads. It’s a centuries-old tradition married to modern world fashion from Italy. But it was Shaquille O’Neal’s size 22 leather shoes Donald had on display that received the most attention. He makes all the footwear for the NBA stars. They’re on display through the holiday season.
*Congratulations to our friends at Lavo in the Palazzo. Tonight, the Italian restaurant and boutique nightclub opens its first out-of-town outlet in the heart of Manhattan’s East Side opposite the parent nightlife operation Tao, the predecessor to The Venetian locale. Many of the Las Vegas execs, including Jason Strauss and Lou Albin, have flown to The Big Apple for the party, which will play host to some of the models at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, including our own Brittany Mason.
*American Superstars has announced the additions of Autumn Belanger and Katie Dix as Lady Gaga and Carrie Underwood, respectively, to the celebrity impersonations show at the Stratosphere, and returning to the cast is Johnny Potash as Charlie Daniels.
TONIGHT’S TIPS
It’s the opening of Louie Anderson’s headline residency of Louie LOL at Palace Station, and he has his own theater. Most weeks, he’ll be there five nights (dark Sundays and Mondays) but has arranged for his comedy pals to stand in when he has to run out of town. The Delta Brothers put on a show for tattoo titan Mario Barth’s King Ink at The Mirage. Ty Barnett, Jann Karam and Brett Walkow are at The Improv at Harrah’s through Sunday. And time to kick off the new football season, so Lavo hosts the Cheerleader Bowl with the hottest cheerleaders competing for $1,000 in cash. Bring your pompoms!
TOMORROW’S TEASES
Peepshow and Holly’s World star Holly Madison checks in from Gulf Shores, Ala., where she’s assisting with the oil-spill cleanup and volunteering at a zoo to help the affected animals. Ole! It’s Mexican Independence Day, and our city is filled with fiestas and tequila temptations. We’ve got the full rundown of the concerts and parties to celebrate our amigos South of the Border.
Vegas DeLuxe Editor Don Chareunsy contributed to this report.
Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.
Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.
Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.
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