PRODUCTION SHOWS

Aug 23-29, 2002

Prices include taxes and fees and may change without notice. Shows are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

'AMERICAN SUPERSTARS'
An impersonator show featuring live-sung and well-played tributes to the likes of Madonna, Charlie Daniels, Gloria Estefan and the wearying Michael Jackson. The show gets great support from one of the best live bands in town. Dance numbers are decent and the energy level high, although "Superstars" needs to find a way of breaking the monotony of its "Here's the next performer" format. "American Superstars" will be presented at 7 p.m. Sundays through Tuesdays, and at 7 and 10 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays in the Broadway Showroom at the Stratosphere. $32.95; $42 for show, buffet and two drinks. $25.25, children ages 5-12. Children under the age of 5 will not be admitted and anyone under the age of 21 must be accompanied by an adult. 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 380-7711.

'AN EVENING AT LA CAGE'
The Strip's sole surviving drag show may be tired by format, but not execution. The cast still vamps like it's 1985, offering lip-synced impressions of divas from Judy Garland to Reba McEntire in a fast, fun 75 minutes. Frank Marino, the comic host for more than 17 years, still dresses like Joan Rivers but has evolved into his own persona. (3/15/02 M.W.) "An Evening at La Cage" will be presented at 7 and 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays in the Mardi Gras Plaza at the Riviera. $36.25-$47.25. 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 794-9433.

`AT HOME IN THE ISLANDS'
(Not reviewed) "At Home in the Islands," a contemporary Polynesian show, will be presented at 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 8 and 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at the Castaways. $19.95, includes one tropical cocktail. 2800 Fremont St. 385-9123.
'BEATS OF PASSION'
"Beats of Passion" will be presented at 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays in the Showroom at The Venetian. $48-$69. 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 948-3007.

'BLUE MAN GROUP: LIVE AT LUXOR'
Weird, but also wildly inventive and universally funny is this New York-based troupe that picked Las Vegas for its fourth and biggest production. When they're not pounding on PVC pipe, three silent pranksters in skullcaps and blue greasepaint combine highbrow humor and schoolyard play-with-your-food tricks, old-fashioned sleight-of-hand and genuine efforts to explain science and nature. The minimalist, industrial look and an aggressive, percussive score may scare some away, but a new generation of showgoer is more likely to appreciate its unique point of view. (3/24/00 M.W.) "Blue Man Group: Live at Luxor" will be presented at 7 and 10 p.m. Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays through Fridays; 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 4, 7 and 10 p.m. Saturdays in the Luxor Theater at the Luxor. $78.95-$89.95. 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 262-4400.

`BOO!'
"Boo!" will be presented at 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in the Cabaret Theatre at New York-New York. $29.95, includes a free ride on the Manhattan Express roller coaster. 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 740-6815.

'BOTTOMS UP'
Breck Wall's afternoon comedy revue dates back on the Strip to 1964, and its rapid-fire sketch format -- said to have inspired "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" -- remains unchanged. So do most of the jokes, which fall into one of two categories: ancient or raunchy. But the cast has a winning camaraderie that comes from many years together, and anyone who loves camp or burlesque humor will find it an hour well-spent. (9/1/00 M.W.) "Bottoms Up," a topless musical comedy revue, will be presented at 2 and 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays in the Flamingo Showroom at the Flamingo. $6.98 with coupon available at the box office. No one under 18 will be admitted. 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 733-3333.

'CHARO STARRING IN BRAVO'
Almost everything seems to work better after this show's May move to the Sahara from The Venetian. Three variety acts add a retro-Vegas feel, but the focus is rightly on the ageless, campy Spanish star. Charo's energy is contagious and her schizophrenic transformation into flamenco guitarist still surprises audiences. (5/31/02 M.W.) "Charo Starring in Bravo" will be presented at 8 p.m. Sundays through Tuesdays and Fridays and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays in the Congo Room at the Sahara. $51.45. 2535 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 737-2515.

'CHIPPENDALES: THE SHOW'
The original male strip club is now a busily choreographed revue that sometimes seems more tailored to the short attention span of MTV teens than the libidos of grown women. The men seem to have more license to thrill than their female counterparts on the Strip, with unobstructed rear views and autoerotic moves that go beyond the girlie shows. (3/22/02 M.W.) "Chippendales: The Show" will be presented at 10 p.m. Fridays through Mondays and Wednesdays and 8 p.m. Thursdays in Club Rio at the Rio. $38.45-$49.45. The show will be closed Wednesday. 3700 W. Flamingo Road. 777-7776.

'COUNTRY MUSIC'
"Country Music" will be presented at 8 p.m. Saturdays through Thursdays in Don's Celebrity Theatre at the Riverside (Laughlin). $18.50. 1650 S. Casino Drive. (800) 227-3849.

'CRAZY GIRLS'
Here's the closest thing to topless-club stripping in a hotel environment, so judge its appeal by whether you think that's a good thing. An overhaul in early 2001 got rid of some (but not all) of the cutesy lip-syncing to obscure novelty tunes. It added better choreography, fresher music and a revolving turntable to enhance the viewing experience. (3/9/01 M.W.) "Crazy Girls" will be presented at 8 and 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Wednesdays, in the Mardi Gras Plaza at the Riviera. $30.75-$41.75. No one under the age of 18 will be admitted. 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 794-9433.

`CREOLE HEAT'
(Not reviewed) "Creole Heat" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Tuesdays in the Big Easy Showroom at Bourbon Street. $35.30, includes two drinks. 120 E. Flamingo Road. 737-7200.

DAYTRIPPER: `THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES'
(C-) A passable, if sometimes clumsy tribute act follows the now-standard format of three costumed segments saluting the early Beatles, the "Sgt. Pepper's" days and the "Let It Be" era. (M.W. 4/19/02) Daytripper: "The Ultimate Tribute to the Beatles" will be presented at 5:30 p.m. Saturdays through Thursdays in the Roundtable Showroom at the New Frontier. $21.95. 3120 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 794-8200.

'EFX ALIVE!'
The fourth version of this giant-sized revue shed some of its clutter when it was retrofitted for pop-rocker Rick Springfield, who brings two new songs to the party. The show is now free to have fun with its miniproductions about Merlin, P.T. Barnum, Harry Houdini and H.G. Wells, and Springfield is versatile enough to grow into a demanding job. But the more relaxed feel comes through a tone of comic self-awareness, sometimes at the expense of the big set pieces that are supposed to wow you. (2/9/01 M.W.) "EFX Alive!" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays in the EFX Theatre at the MGM Grand. $55-$75, includes a full-color program. 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 891-7777.

'FOLIES BERGERE'
The city's longest-running show opened in 1959 and is now one of the last souvenirs of old Vegas and its Parisian-styled showgirls. The current "greatest hits" edition has segments added in the '90s colliding with those preserved in mothballs. There's a quaint elegance to some of it, but the overall effort could use a shot of attitude. (1/21/01 M.W.) "Folies Bergere" will be presented at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays in the Tiffany Theatre at the Tropicana. The 7:30 p.m. show is for all audiences. No one under the age of 16 will be admitted to the late show. $51.45-$62.45. 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 739-2411.

`THE GREAT BALDINI'
"The Great Baldini" will be presented at 10 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays at Howard Johnson. $21.15, two-for-one. 3111 W. Tropicana Ave. 798-1111.

`GRUBSTAKE JAMBOREE DINNER'
"Grubstake Jamboree Dinner," a dinner and show, will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays in the Crown Room at the Westward Ho. Tickets are $22.10. 2900 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 731-2900.

`HEATWAVE'
"Heatwave," starring Karin Denise, will be presented at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at the Greek Isles. $45.95, includes one drink. 305 Convention Center Drive. 737-5540.

`HONKY TONK ANGELS'
If Las Vegas post-"Legends in Concert" requires entertainers to impersonate famous stars in order to sing their music, this modest show conforms with a sense of humor; it's a locals favorite and one of the few entertainment bargains in town. The content changes frequently to sustain repeat business, but is always anchored by three solid impressions: Sharon Haynes as Patsy Cline, Lori Legacy as Dolly Parton and Corrie Sachs as Reba McEntire. (10/5/01 M.W.) "Honky Tonk Angels" will be presented at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays in the Gold Coast Showroom at the Gold Coast. $16.50, $22 with dinner. 4000 W. Flamingo Road. 251-3574.

`JUBILEE!'
As one of the last classic "feather shows," "Jubilee!" is simultaneously one of the Strip's greatest treasures and the silliest reminder of its excessiveness. The sequined showgirls and chorus boys in white dinner jackets are from a lost era, and the "Titanic" and "Samson and Delilah" scenes are still impressive in a campy way, but newer sequences fall short as retro nostalgia. (8/3/01 M.W.) "Jubilee!" will be presented at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. Saturdays through Thursdays in the Jubilee Theater at Bally's. $56.50-$72.50. No one under 18 will be admitted. 3645 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 967-4567.

`LA FEMME'
Las Vegas finally imported this arty, influential nudie show from the famous Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris, after years of knockoffs and lesser topless revues on the Strip. As such, you have to experience the subtlety, wit, creative lighting and distinctly European flair to appreciate the distinctions. The devil is in the details, and this is a fun place to sell your soul. (06/22/01 M.W.) "La Femme" will be presented at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays in the La Femme Theatre at the MGM Grand. $59, guests must be 21 or older. 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 891-7777.

`LEGENDS IN CONCERT'
Producer John Stuart launched a much-copied format when this show debuted in 1983. But the impersonator gimmick -- originally restricted to dead stars only -- is ultimately just a means to present an old-fashioned variety show, with music spanning from Liberace to Madonna. The Elvis Presley finale is the only given. All other impersonators rotate from a deep bullpen. (12/14/01 M.W.) "Legends in Concert" will be presented at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays in the Imperial Theater at Imperial Palace. $34.50, includes two drinks. 3535 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 794-3261.

`MEN'
"MEN" will be presented at 9 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays, and 9 and 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in the Roundtable Showroom at the New Frontier. $32.95. 3120 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 794-8200.

'MIDNIGHT FANTASY'
This accomplished girlie show, with colorful costumes and choreography, is also the tamest in living up to its erotic promise. More cute than naughty, it would play better in a theme park than a topless club. But it makes for good eye candy, and its (taped) pop score was updated in late 2000. (12/8/00 M.W.) "Midnight Fantasy" will be presented at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; 10:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; and 8:30 p.m. Sundays in Pharaoh's Theater at the Luxor. $32.95. No one under 21 will be admitted. 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 262-4400.

'MYSTERE'
Canadian-born Cirque du Soleil's groundbreaking Vegas debut show proves that artful and challenging visual and staging elements could create an animal-free, nouvelle circus with a soul of its own. Progressive live music, stunning staging and a compelling cast of acrobats and "bungee birds" who swoop up and down over the crowd make "Mystere" a riveting and open-to-interpretation work that's a wonder to behold. "Mystere" will be presented at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays in the Mystere Theatre at Treasure Island. $88. 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. South. (800) 392-1999.

'O'
Cirque du Soleil's astonishing spectacular, "O," showcases a colorful cast of 74 synchronized swimmers, trapeze artists, contortionists and others working on a wondrous stage that transforms from an Arctic Ocean to an African watering hole in the blink of an eye. It's an overwhelming visual feast that's unequaled anywhere in the known universe. "O" will be presented at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. Fridays through Tuesdays in the Bellagio Theatre at the Bellagio. $93.50-$121. 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 693-7722.

`ROCK 'N' ROLL LEGENDS'
A threadbare costumed impersonator show tries to be more focused than some, limiting its reach to time-honored icons: Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Paul McCartney among others. (12/21/01 M.W.) "Rock 'n' Roll Legends" will be presented at 4 p.m. daily in the Roundtable Showroom at the New Frontier. $21.95. 3120 Las Vegas Blvd. South (794-8200).

'SHOWGIRLS'
Structuring itself as a historical look at the showgirl tradition, this revue pays homage to old-fashioned Las Vegas spectacles while having only 11 topless dancers. Nonetheless, it sparkles on the massive stage of the Rio's Samba Theatre, making you wonder what could have been if "Showgirls" had stepped up just a bit beyond its budget and slight hour's length to be a legitimate competitor to "Jubilee!" or "Folies Bergere." (4/26/02 M.W.) "Showgirls" will be presented at 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays in the Samba Theatre at the Rio. $43.95. 3700 W. Flamingo Road. 777-7776.

'SKINTIGHT'
Of all the topless shows on the Strip, this is the only "equal opportunity" one to include male dancers and a dynamic frontman, Darryl Ross, who is willing to strip as he sings. Dance numbers walk the line between sexy and silly, but the segments featuring Miss Nude World Vanna Lace send the show into the grotesque camp of a John Waters movie. (11/9/01 M.W.) "Skintight" will be presented at 10:30 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, 10 p.m. and midnight Fridays, 10:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. Sundays in the main showroom at Harrah's Las Vegas. $43.95. No one under 18 will be admitted. 3475 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 369-5111.

'SPIRIT OF THE DANCE'
"Spirit of the Dance" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. daily with an additional show at 9:30 p.m. Mondays in the Theatre Ballroom at the Golden Nugget. $45. 129 Fremont St. 386-8100.

'SPLASH'
The revue known since 1985 as an aquacade was overhauled, losing its 20,000-gallon tank in the process. It's now the only show on the Strip to feature ice skating, with Jered Guzman and partner Cindy Landry-Davis. But as a whole, the novelty-act-drenched revue is frozen in time, with a scattershot approach and now-tawdry tributes to '80s pop icons such as Michael Jackson and Madonna that collectively make it one oversized non sequitur. (2/4/00) "Splash" will be presented at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Saturdays through Thursdays in the Splash Theatre at the Riviera. No one under the age of 18 will be admitted. $59.95-$75. Two-for-one admission is available to all locals through the Aug. 31. 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 794-9433.

`TEASE'
The off-Broadway format of this otherwise spotty musical comedy makes it a refreshing addition to the Strip. It's a theatrical musical about a topless club, staged in a nightclub, casting its five female leads as strip-club dancers and giving them songs to explain their characters. The 16 songs, 10 of them original, are more accomplished than the skimpy story, but a strong cast makes the most of it. (1/18/02 M.W.) "Tease" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays and 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays at Insomnia. $39.95-$59.95. 3663 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 699-9196.

`THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER'
Unlike the topless female shows, the seven Australian dancers don't have to feign artiness or appeal to couples. Each show is a bachelorette party, with a little lap dancing mitigated by a flair for the tease and plenty of clothed choreography. (7/20/01 M.W.) The "Thunder From Down Under" revue will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Fridays through Wednesdays, and an additional show at 11:30 p.m. Saturdays in Merlin's Theater at the Excalibur. $34.95. 3850 Las Vegas Blvd. South. (597-7600).

`TONIGHT'S SHOW'
"Tonight's Show" will be presented at 7 p.m. daily in the Roundtable Showroom at the New Frontier. $38.45. 3120 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 794-8200.

`TONY 'N' TINA'S WEDDING'
This interactive dinner-theater hit has been playing around the country since 1985, but it's still one of the most inventive shows to hit Las Vegas in years. Creator Nancy Cassaro coached a local cast to balance subtlety with stereotype in bringing two extreme New York Italian families to life. Since the show goes on all around the warehouse "banquet hall," it pays -- especially at the most distant tables -- to move around and talk to the performers who never break character. (2/15/02 M.W.) "Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding" will be presented at 7 p.m. daily in the Calypso Room at the Rio. $71.50-$82.50. 3700 W. Flamingo Road. 777-7776.

`TOURNAMENT OF KINGS'
Youngsters and wrestling fans of all ages will particularly enjoy this knights-in-the-round spectacle. The stunt-show jousting and sword-fighting are staged in a dirt arena, surrounded by an audience eating sans utensils in the only "dinner show" left on the Strip. (10/19/01 M.W.) "Tournament of Kings" will be presented at 6 and 8:30 p.m. daily in King Arthur's Arena at Excalibur. $46.86. 3850 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 597-7600.

`THE TRIBUTE TO FRANK, SAMMY, JOEY & DEAN'
This unauthorized tribute to Frank Sinatra and company picks up where a slightly better one, "The Rat Pack Is Back," left off. Two alumni of that production (Henry Prego as Frank and Luis Velez as Sammy) team with local comedian Sandy Hackett (son of Buddy) as Joey. The 12-piece band is nice, but in the early going the banter was tentative and the routines, for better or worse, were mostly lifted from actual Rat Pack recordings. "The Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey & Dean" will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursdays through Tuesdays at the Greek Isles. $45.95-$57.68. Dinner packages available. 305 Convention Center Drive. 737-5540.

'VIVA LAS VEGAS'
A variety revue in miniature, this afternoon show offers a glimpse of Vegas-style entertainment minus the frills and cost of larger competitors. Kind of a training ground for bigger shows. (4/20/01 M.W.) "Viva Las Vegas" will be presented at 2 and 4 p.m. daily, except Sundays, in the Broadway Showroom at the Stratosphere. Children under the age of 5 will not be admitted and anyone under the age of 21 must be accompanied by an adult. $11, $13.93 with lunch. 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. South. 380-7711.