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Sunday, May 5, 2002 PRIOR ISSUE   -   ARCHIVES
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered" Premiers At Showroom, Rita Rudner Is A Slot, SOS Returns, "Space Station" 3D, Charlie Turns 14, Spring Mountain Ranch Jazzes The Night, S & R Price Hike, Trump Tower Las Vegas Planned, More...

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Jackie Brett
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The concert production "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" will commence performances on Saturday, May 25, in The Showroom at the Venetian. A grand opening is set for Saturday, June 8. The show celebrates the music of Stevie Wonder and is set for a world premiere in Las Vegas before debuting in London and New York within the next two years.

Chaka Khan is set to star as the guest headliner. The show will feature visiting guest headliners every three to four weeks. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" will be presented concert-style with a cast of eight Broadway-caliber performers and a live ten-piece band.

The show's director and creator is Billy Porter, whose impressive credits range from film and television to Broadway. He has appeared in feature films including "The Broken Hearts Club" and "Intern," as well as on television shows such as "Another World" and "The Rosie O'Donnell Show." His Broadway credits include "Miss Saigon" and the all-original cast of "Grease."

The Rita Rudner slot machines made their public debut at her one-year anniversary celebration on April 26, honoring her first year as a headliner at New York-New York. A bank of custom female machines, "Tickled Pink" and "Tickled American," are three reel spinning slot machines exclusive to the property. In keeping with Rudner's feminine ways, the machines also feature her signature pink color and original reel images of lipstick containers and nail polish.

"I always knew that I was either going to be a slot or a slut," said Rudner. "I'm glad that I turned out to be a slot."

What began as a one-month booking for Rudner at the MGM Grand in 2000 lead to a permanent engagement at New York-New York in the $1.2 million Cabaret Theatre build exclusively for her. Her sold-out nightly shows have led to her performing seven nights a week and to expanded seating capacity in the theatre. Tickets for Rudner's show are $46, call 702-740-6815.

Rudner recently completed her third book and first novel entitled, "Tickled Pink," which has been lauded by critics and is currently in its third printing.

The popular Hawaiian group, Society of Seven (SOS), has signed to headline a 13-week engagement in the 400-seat Theatre Ballroom at the Golden Nugget downtown.

SOS emerged in the early '60s dazzling audiences with their exceptional choreography, costumes, music and comedy. The group presents musical skits that poke gentle fun at celebrities while playing instruments including horns, keyboards and guitars. Each performance is packed with visual humor and adlibs.

Two of the founding members of the group, Tony Ruivivar and Bert Sagum remain. The original group's seven members all came from different societies, ranging from Scotland to Oklahoma, hence the name "Society of Seven." Tickets are $35 inclusive, call 1-866-946-5336 or 702-386-8100.

The first IMAX 3D film from space, "Space Station," now showing at the Luxor, is the story of the greatest engineering feat since landing a man on the Moon: the on-orbit assembly of the International Space Station (ISS), as it travels 220 miles above Earth at 17,500 mph.

"Space Station" is the story of the partnership of 16 nations building a laboratory in outer space, a permanent facility for the study of the effects of long-duration exposure to zero gratuity, and the necessary first step towards the global, cooperative effort needed if we're to go to Mars someday.

"Space Station" is the first cinematic journey to the ISS, where audiences can experience for themselves life in zero gravity aboard the new station. Transported by the magic of the IMAX 3D technology, the audience blasts off into space with astronauts and cosmonauts from Florida's Kennedy Space Center and Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome to rendezvous with their new ISS home.

Tom Cruise narrates this giant-screen documentary. The film is not only educational but also awe-inspiring. It truly is a movie that everyone should see.

"Space Station 3D" alternates with other films so call for show times 702-262-4400. Tickets are $8.95.

The Eagles, who opened the Hard Rock Hotel in 1995, will be playing at The Joint again on June 1. Tickets are $303.50 and $505.50, call 702-693-5066.

The award-winning, versatile comedian, actor and novelist Louie Anderson, is extending his Rio appearances in the Samba Theater from May 9-26. Tickets are $30 plus tax.

Anderson is now in his second season of hosting television's smash hit "Family Feud." For his stand-up comedy, he entertains audiences with crafted routines based on his life experience growing up with ten siblings in Minnesota.

John Mellencamp will perform at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts on Aug. 3. Tickets are $45, $65 and $85, call 702-785-5000.

TOP OF NEXT COLUMN

There's been talk for years of Donald Trump moving in on the Las Vegas market and that vision may be getting closer. Partnering with Phil Ruffin, the owner of the New Frontier on the Strip, he plans to build a $350 million, 60-story high-end condominium and call it Trump Tower Las Vegas.

The proposed non-gaming development would sit just off the Strip behind the New Frontier and near the expanding Fashion Show mall with a soon-to-open Nordstrom. It would also sit near Steve Wynn's planned $1.63-billion Le Reve mega-resort.

The 300 units would cost about $1.5 million each. The pre-sale of the condominium units is expected to begin by the end of this year. Construction will start some time in 2003 and the opening should be in late 2004 or 2005.

The 600-foot structure would be desert city's version of his Trump Towers in midtown Manhattan and would become the second-tallest building in the city next to the Stratosphere's 1,149-foot tower.

Ruffin is also working on a joint venture to build a $750 to $800 million casino resort project just north of the New Frontier where the Silver Slipper once stood. The San Francisco-themed City by the Bay would be a 1,200 to 1,500-room upscale resort. It would break ground in early 2003, and could open by 2005.

The Latin bombshell, Charo, will open her international revue "Bravo" in the Congo Room at the Sahara on May 6. Due to prior commitments, her show will be dark on May 14 and 15. Tickets for her show start at $44.95 plus taxes and service charge, call 702-737-2515.

Stand-up comedy actor Johnny Dark will headline the Riviera Comedy Club for a week beginning on Monday, May 13. He'll be joined by Nicole Robinson, who is currently featured as Margaret, secretary to Leo, on the Emmy award winning "West Wing," and comedy actor Martin Walsh. Tickets are $17.95 plus taxes, call 702-794-9433.

Dark has opened for an endless list of major stars and made many dramatic role appearances on network shows including "Touched By An Angel," "Equal Justice" and "Silk Stalkings." Dark's stand-up subject matter comes for his personal point of view and he never relies on vulgarity or shock value. He often participates in the Riviera's Celebrity Slots and Blackjack Tournaments held several times a year.

The ticket price to see master illusionists Siegfried & Roy has been increased to $105.50 with tax, two drinks, gratuities and a souvenir program included. Their shows are dark on Wednesday and Thursday and the duo will be on vacation May 8-23, Aug. 21-29 and Sept. 18-26.

Jazz Under the Stars will take place outside at the Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, about 18 miles west of t he Strip, on May 24. The show will feature Richard Elliot and Chris Botti. Tickets are $39.50, call 1-800-969-8342.

The fifth annual ArtFest of Henderson will take place Mother's Day weekend, May 11 and 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This event will feature over 200 select artists from across the nation, each presenting one-of-a-kind works of art including paintings, sculpture, ceramics, fiber, fashions and jewelry.

The ArtFest will be held along Water Street in Henderson and feature a food court and live entertainment on three different stages. Admission and parking are free. For more information, call 1-888-ARTFEST or visit www.888artfest.com.

Local casino Arizona Charlie's West recently celebrated its 14th anniversary. To keep things fresh, the resort has launched a $1.5 million remodeling project that will take up to six months to complete. The makeover will give the Decatur Boulevard property a "Victorian San Francisco" appearance, with new carpet, paint, ceiling tiles and wall coverings. The property is also installing a state-of-the-art air filtration system.

Financier Carl Icahn, who owns Arizona Charlie's West also owns the Stratosphere and Arizona Charlie's East on Boulder Highway.

The 2002 Las Vegas Street of Dreams is open now through June 16. Four homes valued from about $1.95 million to $3.45 million are on display at the guard-gated MacDonald Highlands in Henderson.

The four showcase homes are: Earth, Wind & Fire with 5,408 square feet, Dragon's Oasis with 8,251 square feet, Kismet with 6,000 square feet and Windemere with 7,021 square feet.

The homes are open Tuesday through Sunday and on Memorial Day. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with ticket sales ending at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and children ages 4 to 12, and free for ages 3 and under. To visit, take Interstate 215 to Valle Verde Drive, then go south to Horizon Ridge Parkway.

KXTE-FM radio will bring its Our Big Concert 5 to Sam Boyd Stadium on June 16. The show will star System of a Down, P.O.D., Rob Zombie, Cypress Hill, Sevendust, Jerry Cantrell, X-ecutioners, Gravity Kills, Unwritten Law, Third Strike, Finch and Pulse Ultra. The parking lot will open and show time will be at 2 p.m. General admission tickets are $35 in advance and $40 the day of the show, call 1-888-464-2468 or visit Tickets.com.

A Las Vegas developer, Leonard Mardian, is planning to build a community on 31,000 acres of desert land located 28 miles southeast of Hoover Dam in Arizona. He's envisioning an immense Las Vegas suburb with at least 12,000 single-family homes. Next year, he plans to build a 7,000-yard golf course, a gas station and a small motel.

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Editorial Content Copyright(c) 2000-2002 Jackie Brett; Internet Presentation Copyright(c) Las Vegas Leisure Guide