Joe Brown Reviews - Las Vegas Sun

Joe Brown joined the Las Vegas Sun in 2008 as a reporter, critic and blogger focusing on entertainment and culture. A writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience in print and electronic media, Joe worked as a writer and editor at the San Francisco Chronicle and The Washington Post before gambling on a move to Vegas.

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Wayne Newton: The story, but not the sound

Wayne Newton: The story, but not the sound: Monday, November 2, 2009; REVIEW: The only thing fans will enjoy about this show is the memories it evokes; By Joe Brown; I had been warned that Wayne Newton can’t sing anymore. Apparently it’s been common knowledge for years that his voice is shot.

'The Shawl': Smart and spooky: Wednesday, October 28, 2009; REVIEW: Mamet play about a psychic, a client and a mysterious third delivers; By Joe Brown; “The Shawl,” a seldom-performed three-hander by David Mamet, culminates in a seance.

Douglas Peterson conducts the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society chorus Sunday at UNLV's Artemus H

Two groups, many voices, spellbinding results: Tuesday, October 27, 2009; REVIEW:; By Joe Brown; Maybe it’s a stretch to call it “Glee” for grown-ups.

Nevada Ballet Theatre dancers perform in

Nevada Ballet Theatre dazzles by degrees: Monday, October 19, 2009; Review: New artistic director Canfield heats program to a thrilling techno-music boil; By Joe Brown; For his first program as new artistic director of Nevada Ballet Theatre, James Canfield used the frog-in-a-pot-of-water strategy. The curtain opened on Saturday night with a comforting and familiar, business-as-usual, lukewarm performance of George Balanchine’s “Rubies.”

Chazz Palminteri, who has acted in dozens of films, will close a two-year national run of his one-ma

Compelling ‘Bronx Tale’ is refreshingly good theater: Wednesday, October 14, 2009; REVIEW:; By Joe Brown; I wondered why Chazz Palminteri’s “A Bronx Tale” was suddenly booked into the Venetian Showroom for a limited run this month.

Clowns ply their chilling trade Friday at Fright Dome at Circus Circus. One of the 5-acre venue's at

Fright Dome: Circus Circus fear factory teems with terrific human horrors: Monday, October 12, 2009; REVIEW:; By Joe Brown; If your friends and colleagues show up strangely and suddenly hoarse or voiceless one morning, it’s a good bet that they visited Fright Dome the night before. Or that they are moonlighting there.

'Company': Musical about couples, pal proves hard to stage: Monday, October 5, 2009; REVIEW:; By Joe Brown; My friend’s cell phone rings as we’re driving to see “Company” at UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theatre on Friday night. After a few minutes of small talk, it becomes clear that the caller is distressed about her spouse.

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Not content to coast, Liza Minnelli soars in Broadway reprise: Friday, October 2, 2009; REVIEW:; By Joe Brown; Death-defying and life-affirming, Liza Minnelli’s Wednesday night performance at the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand exceeded all expectations.

Mentalist Luke Jermay performs his act at O'Sheas Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009.

'Mental' at O’Sheas may not amaze, but will at least amuse you: Monday, September 28, 2009; Review:; By Joe Brown; “Mental,” a new mind-reading show at O’Sheas, invokes a Las Vegas oxymoron: “Mind” and “reading” don’t really go together in this town.

Sparks, curses fly in resonant play about love: Thursday, September 24, 2009; Review: In darkly funny production, acting shines; By Joe Brown; For days afterward, I couldn’t stop thinking about “Reasons to Be Pretty,” the latest play by Neil LaBute, at UNLV’s Black Box Theatre. And not just because I had to write about it.

Dana Kreitz performs during a dress rehearsal Thursday for

In zany spoof about ‘reefer,’ the joke’s on squares: Monday, September 21, 2009; Review:; By Joe Brown; About halfway into Act I of “Reefer Madness: The Musical,” it hits you: Chris Mayse picked, produced and directed this show just so he could play God. Really.

Robin Zander of Cheap Trick sings almost all the lead vocals in

Cheap Trick performs original homage to classic Beatles album: Thursday, September 17, 2009; Music:; By Joe Brown; How do you prefer your Pepper? That was the question last week among Beatles devotees deciding between newly released CD versions of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

From left, Thomas Chrastka (as Andrew), Stacia Zinkevich (as Waverly), Tony Foresta (as Ron) and Can

Courageous play wrings humor from unlikely setting: 9/11: Tuesday, September 15, 2009; REVIEW:; By Joe Brown; Is it too soon? That was the big question when plays and movies about AIDS began to appear.

'Working': A show about work: Monday, September 14, 2009; REVIEW: Cast and crew competently present praise for jobs big and small; By Joe Brown; When the lights go up on “Working,” a musical about, well, working, it seems as if the show has made a dent in Las Vegas’ unemployment problem all by itself.

Orchestra rides guest soloist to thrilling high: Monday, September 14, 2009; REVIEW: Passion and intensity define Philharmonic’s season opener; By Joe Brown; If he could go back in time, I wonder if Las Vegas Philharmonic conductor David Itkin might rejigger the order of the three pieces he planned for the orchestra at Saturday night’s season-opening performance.