Poker News

Len Butcher

Big entertainment news here in Las Vegas is the opening of the Broadway hit, Avenue Q at Wynn Las Vegas. The irreverent Tony-winning musical opened to rave reviews from both the media and the public and for good reason.

The show features characters, some of whom are portrayed by performers operating, and speaking for, Muppet-like puppets with names such as Lucy the Slut and the porn-loving Trekkie Monster. As one critic said: “Think “Sesame Street” meets “South Park.” This is one helluva funny show and should be a big hit for a very long time.

It makes for an interesting change on the entertainment landscape. For a number of years now, Cirque du Soleil shows have dominated the Strip, with headliners still playing an important, albeit a lesser role. But in a very short span of time, Las Vegas has gone Broadway and it couldn’t come at a better time, as we are going through some significant changes on the Strip, with the introduction of the new Wynn resort and several other other Strip hotels looking to either expand or rebuild.

Just look at the lineup of Broadway shows that are here, or soon will be, and remember, these are ongoing shows, not shows on tour. Mandalay Bay has Mamma Mia!; Paris Las Vegas offers We Will Rock You; Wynn will soon have Spamalot; The Venetian has built a special theater for Phantom of the Opera; and Hairspray will soon open at Luxor.

Here’s a good deal for you. The Tropicana is offering a 3-part coupon that gives you $10 off per person, up to four, to any Folies Bergere show; $10 off per person, up to four, to their afternoon show Xtreme Magic Starring Dirk Arthur; and $2 off per person, up to four, to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. The first two parts are good until Nov. 30, while the last part expires Oct. 31.

Andre Agassi’s 10th Grand Slam for Children will be featuring another superstar lineup when it takes to the stage Oct. 1 at the MGM Grand. Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, Duran Duran, Earth, Wind & Fire and George Lopez are just a few of the stars already on board and David Foster will again return as musical director. This is a major event in our town and it’s all for a good cause.

Missing for the second year in a row is Dennis Miller, whose political comments two years ago brought on an angry outburst from Elton John during the closing act. Time to kiss and make up, guys. Tickets are $150 and $100 (not including applicable service charges and taxes), and you can get them at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office, all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (Tower Records/WOW!, select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Robinsons- May stores and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. You can also charge by phone, call MGM Grand Reservations at 800-929-1111, or Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Or you can go to www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Is there anywhere you can’t get them?

Did I tell you that the Las Vegas Hilton has extended Barry Manilow’s contract into 2007. The reason for this is simple — he’s been packing them in for his first 60-plus shows, and that, my friends, means big business for the hotel.

I think one of the reasons for its success, other than the appeal of Manilow himself, is that the show changes nightly, which means he can get a lot of repeat visits. Manilow says, “I’ve always avoided a ‘fixed’ show that repeated the same thing every night. I’m glad to have the chance to surprise the audience every night. And over the next 150 shows, there’ll be lots of surprises.”

Tickets for these newly added shows are now on sale. They range from $85 to $225 (yikes!!!) and you can purchase them by going to www.lvhilton.com or calling 1-800-222-5361. By the way, beginning in 2006, those $85 tickets go to $95.

The Stardust has extended the contract of “Havana Night Club”, whose members are seeking asylum in the U.S., through February 5 of next year. It’s a great show with great music and dancers, so if you’re in Las Vegas over the next few months, make sure you catch it.

Filed under: Poker News