Frank Marino to celebrate 25,000 performances

Las Vegas’ longest-running headliner, Frank Marino, will celebrate
25,000 performances on the Las Vegas Strip, the first entertainer to
reach this milestone, on Saturday, May 31. In addition to
commemorating this momentous performance, Marino will be given the Key to the Strip by Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, as well as have a $25 poker chip put into play at The Quad Resort & Casino, where Divas Starring Frank Marino, performs.
With a show surviving five presidents, three wars and the turn of a
century, Marino’s numbers are just as impressive as his incredible
headlining career:
—Since his debut show, Marino has changed gowns backstage over 415,000 times
—With changing wigs four times a night, Marino has had 100,000 wig changes
—More than three million rhinestones have been purchased and used in the show
—Marino has worn 10,000 different pairs of earrings in the show
—More than 30,000 pairs of stockings have been used (including any
with runs in them!)
—Over 5,000 tubes of lipstick have been open and used all the way through
A contemporary and upbeat production, Divas Starring Frank Marino is
chock full of female celebrity look-alikes impersonating some of
entertainment’s most beloved superstars from Cher and Bette Midler to
Celine Dion and Janet Jackson.
Co-produced by Adam Steck and Alex Schechter of SPI Entertainment,
Divas Starring Frank Marino performs six nights a week (dark Fridays)
at 9:30 p.m.Ticket prices range from $49.99 to $79.99 (plus tax and
fees) and are available at The Quad box office, online at
www.thequadlv.com or by calling (888) 777-7664.
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JEFF “BIG DADDY” WAYNE COMING TO THE RIVIERA COMEDY CLUB
If you are one of those millions of radio listeners who follow the
“comedy channels on, Sirius/XM, Slacker, Pandora’s Box, or any of the
other myriad of outlets broadcasting stand-up comedy, you have heard
of Jeff “Big Daddy” Wayne. And, surprise, surprise, you can see him
live, beginning Mondaythrough Sunday (May 26-June 1), at the Comedy
Club inside the Riviera Hotel & Casino.
His six nationally released CDs, are constantly played on rotation.
Now some new laughs are on the way! Wayne just released his new comedy
CD, “Big Daddy Knows.” In the new release, Wayne takes you through all
the issues of today, taking no prisoners in route: Texting, cougars,
TV reality shows featuring Bigfoot, Ghosts, UFO’s, and the latest fad
of pretentious Hollywood — Elephant Dung Coffee! “Good to the last
plop!”
A veteran of comedy clubs, concerts, luxury cruise ships, and
television, Wayne is perhaps best known for his one-man show, “Big
Daddy’s Barbeque,” (Grilling Food, Sex and Marriage), which he has
performed in theaters throughout the world.
Wayne will be sharing the Riviera stage with the legendary Jimmie (JJ)
Walker. The show will be more than, “Dynomite! TNT plus Dynomite,
equals a huge comedy blast!” Show time nightly is 8:30 pm, with
tickets priced at $29.99, and you must be 21 years of age or older,
with a valid ID to enter. The Riviera Hotel and Casino is located at
2901 Las Vegas Blvd. So., Las Vegas.
For reservations call 1-702-794-433. For more information:
www.jeffbigdaddywayne.com.
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CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT’S TOTAL VEGAS RESORTS HONOR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY
In celebration of Memorial Day, Caesars Entertainment’s Total Vegas
Resorts invite active and retired military members to enjoy several
entertainment and dining offerings free of charge or at discounted
prices. Military personnel can present their government-issued
military identification cards in exchange for the following offers:
Caesars Palace
—In honor of their service, $25 tickets are available to all active
duty and retired service men and women to SHANIA: STILL THE ONE at The
Colosseum. Tickets are available for purchase in person at The
Colosseum box office with a valid military ID for the following dates:
May 20, 21, 24, 25, 28 and 31.
Flamingo Las Vegas
—X Burlesque , one of the sexiest shows on The Strip, is offering $15
off General Admission and VIP tickets throughout the month of May for
active duty and veteran military personnel.
Harrah’s Las Vegas
—The longest-running solo play in Broadway history, Defending the
Caveman , is offering two free tickets during the month of May for
active duty and veteran military personnel.
The LINQ
— With the purchase of any ticket, active or retired military can ride
the High Roller free with military ID, from Friday to Monday of
Memorial Day Weekend.
Paris Las Vegas
— World-famous adult hypnotist Anthony Cools is offering 50 percent
off all tickets during the month of May to active duty and veteran
military personnel.
— From Friday to Monday over Memorial Day Weekend, the Eiffel Tower
Experience is offering free admission to active duty and veteran
military personnel.
The Quad Resort & Casino
—The over-the-top production of Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas,
featuring the world’s best female impersonators performing as some of
music’s biggest superstars, has an ongoing half-price ticket offer to
active duty and veteran military personnel.
—World champion juggler, Jeff Civillico , who entertains and wows
audiences with physical humor, stunts and juggling, has an ongoing
offer of $10 general admission tickets and $15 VIP tickets with a
military ID.
Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino
—Chippendales has an ongoing 50 percent off discount to all military
personnel with valid ID.
—Carnival World Buffet or Village Seafood Buffet are offering buy one,
get one free to active military personnel with an ID, from Friday to
Monday of Memorial Day Weekend.
To purchase tickets for entertainment and for current show dates and
times, please visit: www.lventertainment.com. For more information on
Caesars Entertainment’s Las Vegas Resorts restaurants, please visit
caesars.com, or for reservations, call (800) 342-7724.
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OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE ANNOUNCES GIFT OF $35 MILLION CHALLENGE DONATION
While celebrating its 60th anniversary at a private media event and
press conference held at Sunset Springs Ranch, Opportunity Village
announced last week they have been offered the largest monetary
donation in the history of the organization — $35 million — from the
Engelstad Family Foundation.
Believed to be the largest private foundation gift ever given to an
organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities, the
generous amount will be provided as a challenge gift, which has
already been partially matched by Dorothy and Lacy Harber, owners of
Sunset Springs Ranch (former Wayne Newton estate), who came forward
with a donation $10 million.
Ending with Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman’s proclamation of “Opportunity
Village Year”, many other announcements were made, including plans to
commemorate Opportunity Village’s 60th Anniversary with a full year of
celebrations through May 15, 2015; plans for The Village residences,
the organization’s first residential facility, and a permanent North
Campus; a retrofit of its Oakey Campus, which houses the
organization’s renowned Magical Forest holiday attraction; and an
expansion of the Walters Family Campus, home of the Paper Prossm
document management division. In an effort to secure the additional
funding necessary for these projects, Opportunity Village also
announced it will execute an aggressive $136 million Capital Campaign
crucial to the success of the unveiled projects.
“While we are excited to celebrate and reflect on Opportunity
Village’s accomplishments over the last 60 years, our work is not
done,” said Linda Smith, Chief Development Officer of the Opportunity
Village Foundation. She continued, “We have very ambitious plans, and
with the help of benefactors like the Engelstad Family Foundation and
the Harber Family, we can make these plans a reality. We encourage our
community to follow their lead in helping to grow Opportunity Village
so that we can someday meet the needs of every person on our waiting
list.”
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MAY IS NATIONAL PRESERVATION MONTH
In conjunction with National Preservation Month, which the National
Trust for Historic Preservation has designated takes place each May,
the Neon Museum is launching a preservation and conservation program
with an online fundraising campaign to repaint the Desert Rose Motel
sign. Interested donors may make contributions at www.NeonMuseum.org.
The Desert Rose Motel opened at 4000 Las Vegas Boulevard South in
1953. The Neon Museum’s Desert Rose Motel sign, a pole-mounted,
roadside sign designed by the Young Electric Sign Company, was
installed in front of the property in 1960. It remained operational
until the motel’s demolition in 1995.
The Neon Museum is hoping to raise $50,000, which is part of a larger
initiative to conserve and stabilize signs that have been compromised
by time and the elements. Funding is needed not only to restore neon
signs, but also to address the bodies of the signs.
The Neon Museum is open seven days a week. Its La Concha visitors’
center is open daily 30 minutes before the first tour of the day and
closes 30 minutes after the last tour departs. To tour the museum’s
Neon Boneyard exhibition area, all visitors are advised to
pre-register for a guided tour on the museum’s website at
www.neonmuseum.org.
Walk-up visitors without an advance booking may not be able to join a
tour due to limited capacity.
Daytime tours of the Neon Museum are $18; night tours are $25. Special
pricing is available for Nevada residents, students, seniors, veterans
and active-duty military. Children 6 and under are free. For more
information about the museum and to book your tour, go to
www.neonmuseum.org or call (702) 387-6366.
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“BRITNEY: PIECE OF ME” ADDS TO TWO-YEAR RESIDENCY
As Britney Spears wraps up another round of sold-out performances
during the spring run of “Britney: Piece of Me” at Planet Hollywood,
tickets to new show dates for the legendary pop icon’s wildly popular
Las Vegas resident show have been added and are now on sale.
Because all of Britney’s shows to date have been sold out, and due to
rapid sales of her existing August and September 2014 dates,
additional performances have been added in August and September, as
well as shows in October and November, New Year’s Eve weekend and
February 2015. The addition of these performances marks an increased
number of shows over those Britney was previously scheduled to perform
throughout her two-year Las Vegas residency.
General ticket prices range from $59 to $229, plus applicable tax and
fees, and may be purchased online at BritneyPieceofMe.com or in-person
The AXIS box office. Prices for VIP packages vary depending upon the
show date. All shows begin at 9 p.m.
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CHATEAU NIGHTCLUB ANNOUNCES MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND FESTIVITIES
Chateau Nightclub & Rooftop has announced a jam-packed Memorial Day
Weekend line-up with hosts including LeSean McCoy, DJ Drama, Big Boi
and DJ Clue from Friday, May 23 through Sunday, May 24.
To kick off the holiday weekend’s festivities, NFL star LeSean McCoy,
a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, will host a wild party at
the nightclub’s stunning rooftop on Friday, May 23. Alongside McCoy,
partygoers will dance the night away taking in panoramic views of the
Las Vegas Strip. With training camp and the NFL preseason right around
the corner, this will be one of McCoy’s last opportunities to dance
and let loose at the Las Vegas hotspot.
On Saturday, May 24, Big Boi will take a Sin City pit-stop during
Andre 3000s’ and his OutKast reunion tour to party at the Strip-side
club. The iconic recording artist will take to the DJ deck providing a
monumental Memorial Day holiday encore. Boi will bump the hottest
hip-hop hits accompanied by the rap duo’s quadruple-platinum singles
throughout Saturday’s late-night hours.
Also on Saturday night, DJ Drama will take over the turn tables on
Chateau’s rooftop, spinning a Philadelphia-inspired mix. The hip-hop
record producer is best-known for his collaborations with Lil’ Wayne,
2 Chainz and Rick Ross. The dynamic DJ will bring the mayhem this
Memorial Day Weekend as he provides partygoers with a banging set list
intertwining the music of today’s hottest artists.
DJ Clue will take to the turn tables for a memorable Memorial Day
Weekend finale on Sunday night. Working with music moguls ranging from
Notorious B.I.G. to DMX and Jay–Z, Clue has established himself as one
of the biggest hip-hop DJs of all time. The Death Storm Records DJ
will take the tracks to the next level as he debuts an enticing
set-list wrapping-up the weekend festivities with a bang.
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THE IMPROV AT HARRAH’S: MAY 20– MAY 25
The world-famous Improv at Harrah’s Las Vegas is the longest-running
comedy club on the Las Vegas Strip. The Improv’s ability to showcase
young comedians, as well as bring in big names, has attributed to its
longevity and success .
Each week, The Improv showcases three of the funniest and freshest
faces in comedy, creating a show that is always unique and definitely
funny. The comedians who will perform May 20–May 25 are:
JAMES STEPHENS III: James Stephens III is considered to be a versatile
and talented entertainer and has achieved wide national and
international acclaim as a comedian, impressionist, actor and
musician. Stephens has graced the stage with legendary greats such as
Aretha Franklin and James Brown; shared the big screen with Jennifer
Aniston and Dana Carvey; and has been paired with comic icons Will
Ferrell, Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno. For years Stephens has provided
unparalleled performances to meet the goals of major corporations such
as McDonald’s, Cisco and American Airlines.
RONNIE SCHELL : Comedian Ronnie Schell’s first choice of careers was
to play professional baseball. He got as far as the semis before
enlisting in the Air Force, where he performed in variety shows, as
both an emcee and comedian. Schell has appeared on “Charlie’s Angels,”
“Saved by the Bell,” “The Dukes of Hazzard” and “The Andy Griffith
Show.” Schell has continued to perform in comedy clubs across the
country and made fine use of his gifts as a voice artist on TV, radio,
films, commercials and, especially, Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
Shows are at 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Tickets are
$29.05 or $44.95 (plus applicable taxes and fees) for VIP tickets that
include special seating, an Improv t-shirt and post-show
meet-and-greet with the comics. Special two-for-one tickets are also
available for locals for the 10 p.m. show. Tickets are available at
Harrah’s Box Office (702-369-5223) and online at
www.harrahslasvegas.com.
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Jerry Fink is an entertainment columnist for the Las Vegas Tribune
newspaper and writes a weekly column. To contact Jerry Fink, email him
at jfink@ lasvegastribune.com.