For some, entertainment is merely a pastime.
For the Nevada Youth Alliance, it is becoming a way of changing lives.
"It is our attempt to get kids involved in something; to build self-esteem; to help build leadership skills," said 47-year-old David Osman, founder and president of the nonprofit organization.
The youth-oriented group's plunge into entertainment was sparked by the Las Vegas Centennial.
"The whole idea was to get the kids involved in something with the Centennial celebration," Osman said.
In 2003, when the Alliance began searching for a project, it found John Rothman, a native of South Africa who had moved to Las Vegas.
Rothman has an extensive background in entertainment in South Africa, acting, singing, writing, choreographing and costuming. Much of his experience has been working with children.
Osman and Rothman joined forces, and the result was the musical "Tapestry."
"Mr. Rothman wrote the production in 30 days," said Osman, a full-time registered nurse whose avocation is working with children and young adults.
"Tapestry" is a fantasy that presents the 100-year history of Las Vegas through music, including folk, swing, rock 'n' roll, disco, rap, big-band jazz, pop and soul.
The cast includes about 70 performers ranging in age from 5 to 18 and representing more than 50 Clark County schools.
There were more than a dozen performances in April and May at various locations around the Las Vegas Valley, including special shows by an ensemble made up of cast members who performed numbers from the production.
At 7 p.m. Thursday the ensemble will perform in the amphitheater in the gardens at the Las Vegas Valley Water District, 1001 S. Valley View Blvd. The ensemble's next performance will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Clark County Community College's Cheyenne Campus.
After that, the cast will prepare for its fall and winter performances, beginning in October and continuing through December.
"We might even take the show on the road," Osman said. "There has been some interest for us to perform in San Diego, and maybe in Reno and in other parts of the country."
And when the curtain closes on the final performance, plans are already under way for a second production next year.
"We are poised for other productions," Osman said.
There is a good chance that the next revue will be performed in Rothman's native South Africa.
"We have created a little something that has taken on its own legs," Osman said.
While entertainment has become important to the Nevada Youth Alliance, it is only one of the many roles it performs.
"Our main purpose is to try to find resources to help the youth in our community through networking and partnering with other organizations," Osman said.
New series
Stand-up comic Rob Sherwood is looking for a few good stories.
The Vegas comedian will host the weekly 30-minute TV series "Wag the Tongue Las Vegas" on KVTE Channel 35 during Thursday prime time beginning in late July or early August.
The premise of the show is ordinary folks telling tales about interesting things that have happened to them in Las Vegas.
Sherwood, as the interviewer, will put a comedic spin to the stories.
"Waiters, waitresses, doctors, lawyers -- we will be talking to regular people about their lives in Vegas, interesting things that have happened to them," Sherwood said. "I will interview them on the site where the story took place."
So, if you have a funny and/or interesting story to share, give Sherwood a call at 370-1710 or e-mail him at [email protected].
Filming begins in early July. The exact date that the show will air has not yet been determined.
Sherwood has been a Vegas resident for 20 years. He often performs at the Tropicana's Comedy Stop when he isn't on the road.
Walled in
Stephen Sorrentino is among the host of performers in Las Vegas who believe four-walling is anathema to entertainment in the Entertainment Capital of the World.
The 39-year-old native of Long Island, N.Y., says casinos in old Las Vegas had it right -- pay the entertainers to entertain, don't collect rent from them.
"Receiving an actual check at the end of the week instead of room rent is a wonderful concept," said Sorrentino, one of the great Elton John impersonators and an all-around performer.
Sorrentino had a brief encounter with four-walling a couple of years ago when he rented space at the Riviera's Le Bistro Theatre.
"I'm a survivor of the Riviera," he said. "I had a hit show -- one of the highest-rated shows at the Riviera, but I still lost an incredible amount of money.
"By the time you pay your room rent and advertising and commission to ticket brokers -- by the end of the day if you come out even you're ahead."
Sorrentino, for one, is elated by the recent purchase of Caesars Palace and other properties by Harrah's.
"Harrah's theory of entertainment is what Las Vegas was built on," he said. "The idea is that good entertainment brings people; people bring in gambling revenue and that revenue pays for the hotel and creates profits."
He notes that Harrah's has headliners, such as Clint Holmes at Harrah's and the Scintas at the Rio (another one of the company's vast holdings).
Maybe one day Sorrentino will be one of the headliners, if not at Harrah's then at another Vegas property.
"I'm waiting in the wings," he said.
While he is waiting, he isn't idle.
Sorrentino often performs in Atlantic City at the Tropicana -- his next engagement there is in September and October.
He is busy editing an hour-long special taped at one of his Atlantic City performances, which will air on KVTE Channel 35 in the summer.
He also performs corporate gigs and he opens for other entertainers, including Dana Carvey.
"I used to open for Dennis Miller, but he won't hire me anymore," Sorrentino said. "He told me I was too good to be an opening act."
Whatever he does, Sorrentino says he won't four-wall.
And when he performs he puts on a full production -- 10 dancers and a 10-piece orchestra.
"That's what I have in Atlantic City, and that's the only way that I will come back to the Strip," Sorrentino said.
Name game
An increasing number of celebrities are attaching their names to Vegas venues.
Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino will have Dan Marino's Fine Food and Spirits at Hooters (which has bought San Remo). The bar and restaurant is under construction as part of the remodeling of the hotel/casino.
And beginning June 29 country and western superstar Toby Keith -- a native of Oklahoma -- will debut Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill at Harrah's.
The 262-seat, 17,000-square-foot restaurant, bar and retail area will feature live country and rock bands from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly.
A spokesman said Harrah's food and beverage team visited Keith's favorite restaurants in Norman, Okla., and Oklahoma City to create the Southern home-style menu.
One of the specialties will include a fried bologna sandwich made with thick-cut bologna seared with onions and American cheese, served on garlic-grilled Texas toast.
What, no deep-fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches?
Newport Jazz
Clint Holmes and Buddy Greco will be among the entertainers performing at the first Newport Pacific Jazz Festival, a two-day event to be held in August for the benefit of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program and the Las Vegas Philharmonic.
The event will be at the Dragon Ridge Country Club in Henderson.
There will be a dinner preceding the music from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, and Sunday, Aug. 28.
Music on Aug. 27 will be from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. On Aug. 28 the entertainment will be from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sharon Osbourne, wife of rocker Ozzy Osbourne, will be among the special guests.
Other entertainers who will perform include the Larry White Jazz Band, Woody Herman Reunion Band, Impulse Jazz Group and at least four other major jazz celebrities who will be announced later.
The Aug. 27 benefit is for Cedars-Sinai and the Osbourne cancer program. The Aug. 28 event is for the philharmonic.
Sponsors include Dragon Ridge Country Club, Family Music Center, Nevada Tent & Events, the Wilner Real Estate Team, Newport Pacific Records, Destination Travel, Republic Mortgage, Encore Productions, Greenspun Media Group, USA Hosts Destination Services, Vegas.Com, KUNV 91.5-FM and www.smoothjazz.com.
Tickets are $25, $50 and $75 (VIP). A two-day VIP pass is available for $100. They may be purchased through Vegas.com.
Ancient history
One of the best shows in town doesn't involve singing, dancing, acrobatics or topless performers.
There is no music.
In fact, the stars have been dead for more than 2,000 years.
"The Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt," featured in the Accent section in March, is still on display at the Venetian's Guggenheim Hermitage Museum through July 31.
The exhibition includes more than 100 artifacts -- the largest selection of antiquities ever loaned by the government of Egypt.
Among them are sculptures, jewelry, a miniature boat from the top of Amenhotep II, chairs and much more, giving us a glimpse into the lives of an ancient culture.
The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. Admission is $19.50 for adults; $16.50 for seniors and Nevada residents; $14.50 for students with ID and for children 6 to 12; children under 6 are free.
For information call 414-2440.
New attraction
Wax museum legend Madame Tussauds of Las Vegas and Universal Studios of Los Angeles have joined forces to create "Chamber of Horrors presents Monsters Alive!"
"Monsters Alive!" features wax figures of the classic Universal Studios' monsters such as Frankenstein and the Mummy in an interactive setting similar to an old movie theater.
The attraction features live actors -- a first for Madame Tussauds -- playing such characters as Dracula, Igor and the Bride of Frankenstein.
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Admission is $22.95 for adults. $17.95 for seniors, $12.95 for children 6-12 and free for children under 6.
For information 862-7800.
Vegas views
The 7 p.m. Wednesday performance of "Splash!" will be closed to the public for a private anniversary party that will be held in the showroom. The public performance will be at 9:30 p.m.
The Rampart Casino will present "A Salute to Bill Haley starring the Comets" at 8 p.m. July 1 in the Grand Ballroom.
Featured performers will include original Comets Joey D'Ambrosio (a Las Vegas resident), Marshall Lytle, Johnny Grande, Dick Richards and Franny Beecher.
Tickets are $19.95.
Bill Haley and the Comets, formerly Bill Haley and the Saddlemen, helped shape rock 'n' roll in the '50s with such hits as "Rock Around The Clock," "See you later Alligator," "Shake Rattle and Roll" and "Mambo Rock."
The Hollywood Comedy Tour returns to the Palms with performances at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. July 9 in The Lounge.
Comedians Cort McCown and Paul Hughes host the popular show, which will feature comedian Colin Quinn ("Saturday Night Live") and Al Madrigal ("Comedy Central").
Tickets are $25.
The Hollywood Comedy Tour will perform at the Palms monthly through December, with a rotating roster of comedians.
Johnny Mathis will perform at the Las Vegas Hilton Theater at 9 p.m. July 2-3.
Tickets are $65 to $100.
Mathis has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame twice -- in 1998 for "Chances Are" (Traditional Pop Single 1957) and in 2002, for "Misty" (Pop Single 1959).
He also received the 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
A free screening of the 2003 comedy "Daddy Day Care," starring Eddie Murphy, will be presented at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Nature Discovery park, 2600 Nature Park Drive, North Las Vegas.
The event, which will include free popcorn and beverages while available, is being sponsored by the North Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Department as part of its "Movie Madness Series."
The series is co-sponsored by North Valley Enterprises, LLC, the developer of Aliante.
Fans are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and lawn chairs.
Callback Entertainment will host the Vegas Showcase beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the showroom at the Golden Nugget.
Female impersonator Kenny Kerr will host the event, which allows entertainers to showcase their talent for potential buyers.
Tickets for the evening are $19.95 for VIP seating and $16.95 for general admission.
For information call 891-9222.
The Cast of "Forever Plaid" performed the national anthem in honor of National Flag Day on Tuesday at Meadows mall.
The harmonizing quartet performed a cappella as the Nellis Air Force Base Honor Guard presented colors.
archive