April Leopardi Anneberg.
The Kats Report Bureau at this writing is Sin City Theater at Planet Hollywood, where dreams come true.
I’m watching April Leopardi crawl out of a big box, and that is not a joke. Leopardi is justifiably known around VegasVille as a flaming redhead and flame-thrower of a dancer, most notably from “Zombie Burlesque” and “Alice: A Steampunk Concert Fantasy.”
Leopardi is negotiating this box as the new stage assistant in Murray Sawchuck’s afternoon show at Sin City. Leopardi starts the gig Thursday afternoon, joining the favorably muted Lefty and supplanting Sawchuck’s former stage assistant and ex-wife, Chloe Crawford.
Crawford left the show months ago and is performing magic anew in Criss Angel’s empire. Sawchuck held an open audition at the theater, which drew more than 100 would-be stage assistants. Leopardi without a doubt has the “it” factor and is a fantastic presence. I’ve not always thought of her as an afternoon performer, probably because I’ve typically seen her onstage past 11 p.m. in shows with adult themes and a lot of smoke and fishnets.
But Leopardi looked in great form today, fitting into the role (and box) most ably. Let’s just hope everyone involved continues to produce magic to his or her everlasting delight.
Onward:
• On the topic of shows featuring Leopardi, “Alice: A Steampunk Rock Concert” has a date for its next performance: Jan. 12 at Brooklyn Bowl in the Linq Promenade. The show’s inspiration, execution and endurance are to be applauded. But I’ve long wondered if it can sustain these occasional appearances — the most recent was in October, meaning about a three-month lag between shows. “Alice” founder Anne Martinez is working toward something more consistent than one show per quarter. Say, four or five a week.
Somewhere, sometime, someone is going to put “Alice” to the real test of that schedule. The show has proven, for three years now, it can fill a few hundred seats a few times a year. They’ll do it again at Brooklyn Bowl.
• For the first time in its long history, Tournament of Kings at Excalibur is performing a holiday-themed show. Dubbed “ ’Twas The Night,” this version opens Wednesday and runs through Dec. 28.
I wish that I could tell you, first-hand, how this show plays out. But remarkably, among the very few long-running production shows I’ve not seen in almost 20 years of living in VegasVille is “Tournament of Kings.”
The Round Table in Tournament of Kings at Excalibur.
There’s food involved, yes? And some measure of jousting in armored costumes? Sounds like my bachelor party …
Whatever the case, I’ll catch this run. I’m staying in town for the holidays for the first time, ever, and it’s about time to see “Tournament.” I need to visit David Copperfield, too. His show is another I’ve never seen. It’s magic, right?
• Las Vegas singer and column fave Amanda Avila pulled another of her singularly impressive doubleheaders Saturday night. She was called late Friday night to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez bout at Mandalay Bay Events Center. Afterward, she jetted to Tivoli Village for her regular Saturday gig at La Casa Cigars & Lounge. The fight crowd was 11,247. The cigar crowd was … something less than that.
• On the topic of A-Squared, she and her fellow backing singers and dancers for Terry Bradshaw’s one-man stage show were reunited with the NFL legend last week at Aria. Bradshaw was in town for a corporate appearance on Friday and invited Avila, Nicole Kaplan (famous as a principal singer in “Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers”), Maren Wade (famous as the author of “Confessions of a Showgirl”) and Sarah Jessica Rhodes (famous as a dancer in “Raiding the Rock Vault”) for lunch at Aria.
Bradshaw broached the subject of returning to the stage for the musical recitation of his life and career, which debuted at the Mirage in June 2013 and was directed by “Fantasy” founder and famed choreographer Anita Mann. Bradshaw had halted the touring of the show in September 2014 after the automobile accident that took the life of his son-in-law, Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas. The Bradshaw production titled “A Life in Four Quarters” was a hit on the Strip and across the country.
• A highlight of the Win-Win Entertainment “Headliners Bash” hosted by organization founder Jeff Civillico at Penn & Teller Theater on Friday was Wayne Newton’s award for Humanitarian of the Year. Civillico established the organization to pair entertainers with charitable causes, and Newton accepted the award via video clip (and his sister-in-law-publicist and my dear friend/radio co-host Tricia McCrone accepted in person). In the clip, Newton told the audience that he could not make it because he is filming a TV series.
I am feeling this series is in Nashville, though that is not official. But expect some Mr. Las Vegas TV action in 2016.
• Follow this process for the new 5,000-seat theater planned for Monte Carlo at the entrance of Las Vegas Arena and the Park on the west side of the Strip:
That theater is going to need a superstar to anchor the schedule, similar to how Axis at Planet Hollywood has recruited Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez and how the Colosseum at Caesars Palace has booked its rotation of superstars Celine Dion, Elton John, Rod Stewart and Reba and Brooks & Dunn.
Who might work in that Monte Carlo venue 5,000 seats at a time? How about one Justin Timberlake. Just speculation, mind you, but he loves it here, he’s a Las Vegas kinda guy, and he can sell tickets. Timberlake’s touring stops at MGM Grand Garden Arena routinely sell out. A hallmark of those performances have been a Rat Pack-ian presentation for “Suit & Tie” backed by a show band dressed in tuxes. I can see that on the Strip. You?
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.
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