Ellen Sterling - Page 4

The life of Michael Jackson has been the subject of speculation, accusation and rumor for many years. He's been vilified and lionized Now, Cirque du Soleil has opened its second show about the performer.

'Priscilla Queen of the Desert' has traveled from the Australian outback to the Mojave and will be in residence through August 18 at the Venetian Resort and Casino. The national touring company of the Broadway show is way more flamboyant than the source material in the 1994 movie.

On June 19, the attraction in Cabaret Jazz was Jim Caruso's Cast Party, with Billy Stritch on the piano. It is not only a fun way to pass a few hours, but it is the perfect showcase for all the first-rate talent in Las Vegas.

Even though the weather can be beastly in the summer, Las Vegas and environs still offer entertainment and entertaining things to do.

The Scintas - a Las Vegas staple for the first decade of this century - have happily found a new home at The D in downtown Las Vegas.

Celebrating 30 years, Legends In Concert is the second longest-running show in Las Vegas. Recently moved to a 4 p.m. slot Sunday through Friday, with 9:30 shows Sunday and Monday, Legends is now in the (appropriately legendary) Flamingo Showroom.

America's Got Talent differs from other TV talent shows in that the contestants aren't all singers or dancers. Each individual does what he or she does best and, sometimes, the skills are, indeed, unique.

A few weeks ago, after a sneak preview, I wrote that Million Dollar Quartet, 'based on its history and this 'sneak peek,' Million Dollar Quartet will be a major crowd-pleaser.' Well, it had its official opening at Harrahs in Las Vegas February 19 and, based on the performance and the crowd's reaction, it could run forever in Las Vegas.

The party has already started in celebration of Million Dollar Quartet, the latest Broadway import to open in a permanent home in Las Vegas. And, I must note that it seems it'll be a party well worth attending.

At the very beginning of 2013, the entertainment bar in Las Vegas - generally a high one - has been set especially high with the opening of Rock of Ages at the Venetian.

The debut of 'The Phat Pack' to Las Vegas this month signified a wonderful gift to the city.

Shania Twain had been absent from performing for eight years. Her return, quite appropriately in a show called Shania Twain: Still The One, came December 1 when she opened at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. There, she shares he 4,200-seat theater with Celine Dion, Elton John and Rod Stewart and, in this excellent company, her show proves equal to them all. And with a huge stage she can pretty much do as she wishes. And, it seems, she wished for a beautiful show.

Cirque du Soleil is to Las Vegas as, say, the Tour d'Effil is to Paris. Cirque shows have helped define the city since December 25, 1993, when Mystere took up permanent residence at Treasure Island. Today, Cirque shows play to about 9,000 people each night here. The latest Cirque entry is Zarkana and it is, indeed, a welcome addition to the city.

When circumstances prevent one from reviewing a show immediately after seeing it, the reviewer may scuttle the review with the thought that it's old news. That's especially true in a city like Las Vegas where there's so much entertainment that's in town for a matter of one to three days. That happened to me once and might have happened again. But this time, circumstances prevented a timely review of John Stephan and not writing about him at all would have been wrong. This guy is so good and gives the audience such a good show, he demands to be written about and, of course, seen whenever one can.

This production of 'Wicked' the Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics) and Winnie Holzman (book) musical based on the Gregory Maguire novel of the same name is gorgeous to look at and boasts a cast of first-rate professionals. Eugene Lee's sumptuous sets and Susan Hilferty's costumes have come to Las Vegas with a road company of outstanding talent.

I first fell in love with Barbara Cook when I was a small child and was taken to see Plain and Fancy. What I remember to this day from that show is Barbara Cook coming onstage in a turquoise Lincoln Continental. The car had a black leather interior and she was dressed to match - turquoise sheath dress with black shoes, belt and hat. It was my ideal picture of what being a grown-up woman should be like (still is). Even though, I saw her many times after that and realized what a beautiful voice she possesses, that picture of her has never left my mind.

Sal Polisi will tell you he's gone from "racketeer to raconteur" and, indeed, he has. His one-man show, At The Sinatra Club, is unscripted but very, very interesting. He is, in fact, a highly skilled raconteur and he performed his show Sunday at Las Vegas' Clark County Library. The audience of 315 people was totally involved, responding to Polisi's words as if he were conversing with them individually.

I am not given to gushing but, with apologies for doing so, I am about to gush. You see, on Saturday evening, I felt very privileged. For on that night, I went to Las Vegas' gorgeous Smith Center for the Arts and saw Stephen Sondheim: A Life In The Theater, An Evening of Music and Conversation.

I once asked a friend of mine what it was like seeing a certain legendary performer in concert. Her reply was, "It was a privilege." Well, if you ask me today what it was like seeing the Oak Ridge Boys at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas this weekend, my reply would be the same. It was indeed a privilege.