Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The
Phantom of the Opera
55
(in the Venetian;
%
877/883
-
6243 or 702/
414
-
1000; www.venetian.com;
$
75-
$
150; Sat-Tues and Thurs 7 and 10pm, Sun
and Fri 7pm)
also is blessed by polished performances and a bevy of new special
effects (I won't give them away) that will surprise and delight even those who've
already seen the Broadway production or movie. If you haven't seen the show
before, however, you may find it a bit hard to follow as a huge chunk of it has
been lopped off. Still it's the spectacle and performances here that are key.
Not every transplanted show can be recommended, of course.
Forever Plaid
(in the Gold Coast Casino, 4000 W. Flamingo Rd.;
%
800/331
-
5334 or 702/367
-
7111;
$
40; Tues-Sat 7:30pm, Sun 3 and 7:30pm),
the international hit about four
dead members of a close harmony group who come back from heaven to perform
their final concert, is now a bit long in the tooth (to put it mildly). Peopled by
performers who are far too old to play the naïve young guys they were cast as, oh,
a good decade ago, it's become a bit creepy, as the 40- and 50-something-year-old
guys in it giggle and lisp, desperately trying to look believable as dewy virgins
mooning over girls. Another show that should come with a warning label is
Menopause: The Musical
(in the Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd.;
%
800/
222
-
5361;
$
50, look out for twofers that can cut this cost in half; ages 14 and up
only; Mon-Tues and Thurs-Fri 7pm, Sun 2 and 5pm, Wed 2 and 7pm, Sat 4 and
7pm)
which follows the trials and sweaty tribulations of four older women who
meet at Bloomingdales and bizarrely start confessing their issues with “the
change” over the lingerie table. Pop hits such as “Heat Wave” and “Chain of
Fools” are repurposed into ditties such as “I'm having a hot flash” and “change,
change, change, change of life,” and though it gets laughs, the repetitiveness of
the material—you won't believe how many songs they've devoted to night sweats
and memory lapses—ultimately dooms it, despite the efforts of a strong cast.
IMPERSONATOR (TRIBUTE) SHOWS
(OR PERFORMERS WHO WISH THEY
WERE SOMEONE ELSE)
Though he's been dead nearly 30 years, Elvis is still a headliner in Vegas, as is
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and a whole bunch of live celebs who aren't any-
where near Sin City. Conjured up in tribute shows all over town, this perplexing
genre (full disclosure: I don't really get the appeal of it) is as popular as the magic
shows, with six thriving long-run tribute shows.
Danny Gans
55
(in The Mirage;
%
702/792
-
7777; www.dannygans.com;
$
100; Tues-Wed and Fri-Sat 8pm)
is the king of the fakers, transforming himself
during the course of his hour-and-a-half-long concert into some 100 or so famous
personages from Jeff Foxworthy to Katharine Hepburn to Garth Brooks to Louis
Armstrong. And he does have an admirable accuracy and clarity to his work, get-
ting not just the voice (singing as well as speaking; an impressive big band backs
him up) but the gait, gestures, and facial expressions of his subjects (he even plays
the trumpet as Louie). You'll hear an audible grunt of recognition from the audi-
ence, followed by a happy “I guessed that!” applause from the audience at each
transformation. Whether this well-honed parlor trick is worth the hefty price tag
is an open question; I personally think there are more dynamic shows, but I'm
