Sunday, July 23, 2000 PRIOR ISSUE   -   ARCHIVES
Enrique Iglesias, Cosby, LV Hilton, "The Magic Box", More...

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Enrique Iglesias will be the act to reopen the 7,000-seat Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts on Aug. 19, following a $20 million renovation. The showroom was the only portion of the Aladdin property that was saved in the 1998 implosion of the hotel.

The Las Vegas version of the Monopoly game continues. Los Angeles real estate developer Ed Roski Jr., 61, has agreed to buy the 3,174-room Las Vegas Hilton for $365 million from Park Place Entertainment. Developer of the Staples Center spots arena in downtown Los Angeles, Roski is a co-owner of the Los Angeles Kings and Lakers sports franchises, and owns the Sil verton hotel-casino in Las Vegas. This deal is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Roski plans to transform the Las Vegas Hilton into a mid-market slot house with upscale restaurants and entertainment. He expects to replace the three high-end, 15,000-square-foot high-roller suites on the hotel's top floor, with restaurants and a night club.

Plans also calls for the re-modeling of more than 1,000 hotel rooms and the addition of 1,500 rooms and a time-share development.

Roski recently announced plans for a $600 million expansion of his 300-room Silverton property.

The new 90-minute play at the Silverton, "Always...Patsy Cline," starring Sally Struthers is a real charmer. If you aren't already a Struthers fan before seeing the show, you're sure to be one afterwards. Struthers, 51, is energetic, extremely personable, talented and endearingly funny. In the "nice department," Struthers is as sweet and giving in person as she is onstage. The cast adores her.

"Almost...Patsy Cline" is a simple, old-fashion, true story about two friends; the famed singer, played by Rachel Ricca, and Cline's Texas housewife confidant, Louise Seger, played by Struthers.

The play begins with Seger explaining how she first became familiar with Cline's music. By weaving entertaining dialogue with Ricca performing 22 of Cline's songs, you go through the first time Seger met the country star up to her untimely death. Five live musicians called the Bodacious Bobcats Band enhance all the musical numbers.

The show is not at all a downer. In fact, the play had good reviews in New York and ran for more than four years at Denver's Garner Galleria. Might also add that the show's understudy Christy Mauro-Cohen played the Patsy Cline role on press night and needs to be commended for a job well done.

"Always...Patsy Cline" is performed at 8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and Sunday, and at 6 and 9 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $27.50, call 1-800-588-7711 or 702-474-4000. The Silverton is located off Interstate 15 at the Blue Diamond Road exit south and west of the Las Vegas Strip.

The legendary Philips Restaurant, formerly called Philips Supper House at 4545 W. Sahara Ave., is celebrating its 22nd Anniversary with the completion of a full renovation of the lounge and dining areas. The restaurant is known inside for its many private dining nooks and outside for the Victorian house facade, which is a landmark on West Sahara.

The bar area was increased in size while the redecorating included adding warm hues, original artwork and lithographs on the walls, lighting fixtures and new carpeting.

Other changes include adding lunch and a late night menu. Lunch is served Monday through Friday from11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The late night menu has debuted from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays in the expanded lounge. Dinners are from 4:30 to 10 p.m., call 702-873-5222.

TOP OF NEXT COLUMN

Famed comedian, actor and writer Bill Cosby, will light up the 1,700-seat Mandalay Bay Theatre for two nights, Aug. 11 & 12. The consummate talent, Cosby is capable of turning huge venues into intimate settings with his spellbinding humor centering around the basic cornerstones of our existence, seeking to provide an insight into our roles as parents, children, family members, men and women.

Cosby's initial success began in 1963 with the release of the comedy album, "Bill Cosby Is A Very Funny Fellow, Right?" Three decades of hit television shows followed along with a half dozen movies. He's also an accomplished author. "Fatherhood" remained on the New York Times Best Seller List for 54 weeks, and more than half of the time in the #1 spot.

Tickets to see Cosby are $55 and $75 plus tax, call 1-877-632-7400 or 702-632-7580.

Known for breaking rules and establishing trends, the Magicians of the Century - Siegfried & Roy, chose IMAX 3D, instead of the 35 mm format, to bring their life story to the screen. Entitled "Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box," the first IMAX 3D film based on a real life story, is showing in IMAX theaters worldwide.

The movie is the compelling life story of two boys from war-torn Germany , who turned their never-ending dreams into reality. This ultimate story of success is recounted within the virtual realms of the "magic box," a surreal environment where past and present converge into 3D storybook reflections on their life's journey. To get a peak, go online at www.siegfriedandroy.com.

This grandiose film has garnered multiple Maximum Image Awards, the ultimate for excellence in large-format filmmaking..."Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box" was selected Best 3D Picture and Best 3D Cinematography.

Magnificent Melissa Manchester will headline at The Orleans, Aug. 10-13. Her past two decades of performing and writing music have been continuously prolific.

From the beginning, she was destined to perform and publish. Her father was a bassoonist for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and by age 15, Manchester was a published poet. In college, her songwriting class was taught by Paul Simon. Following college, she became a backup singer for Bette Midler.

Steeped with creative juices, Manchester is working on writing her 16th album, and has also just completed composing and recording the score for "Lady and the Tramp II," the sequel scheduled for release this summer.

Acting hasn't escaped Manchester's energies either with a recurring role in the hit television series "Blossom." She's also written a musical "I Sent A Letter To My Love," based on the acclaimed Bernice Rubens novel of the same name. Manchester performed the lead role in a National Public Radio broadcast premiere in 1998, and a stage production is currently in the making for this year.

Tickets to see Manchester are $33.95, $38.95 and $43.95 plus tax, call 702-365-7075.

Rock icons Chuck Berry and Little Richard will headline and feature their classic rock `n' roll hit tunes at Caesars Palace, Aug. 8-10 and 12-13. Tickets are $50 and $55 plus a $3 ticket-handling fee, call 1-800-445-4544 or 702-731-7333.

Some music historians trace rock and roll's birth directly to Berry's "Maybelline" recording in 1955. In 1987, Berry wrote his autobiography and was featured in the film, "Hail! Hail! Rock `n' Roll," in 1988.

Little Richard cut a rock `n' roll version of "Tutti-Frutti," using his famous falsetto voice and distinctive piano playing, in the beginning `50s and soon sold three million records launching his career.

Two hip young "today" comedians, Auggie Smith and Doug Stanhope, will headline KXTE's XXXtreme Comedy Showcase at the Riviera Comedy Club next weekend, July 28 & 29. Tickets to the 11:45 p.m. adult-only shows are $12 plus taxes and drinks are not included, call 702-794-9433, or click on www.theriviera.com.

Over the last eight years, Smith has performed in 40 states, five Canadian provinces and on national TV. His topics range from Barbie dolls to serial killing spilling out in rapid fire style.

After only six years of stand-up, Stanhope has toured extensively and appeared on national television. In 1995, he was the regional winner of the Vail Comedy Competition and the grand prize winner of the San Francisco International Comedy Competition.

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