Broadway On The Strip
These shows make a trip to NYC unnecessary!
By Neil Cohen and Patrick Roland
Let me first put a nasty rumor to rest. I am not, as my good friend and colleague Kirby Holt (of Movie Dearest fame) claims, Vegas theater poison! His proof? Shortly after my last Broadway in Vegas piece came out, both featured shows, Hairspray and Avenue Q, closed. Now, after I flew to Sin City to see SPAMALOT, news broke that the show will close July 13. All the more reason to get your tickets now, I say. Besides, Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular! shows no sign of susceptibility to my supposed black widow talents. While I didn’t have time to see Jersey Boys at the gorgeous Palazzo, I did stay at the newly renovated and insanely fabulous Flamingo Hotel, whose hot pink walls, white vinyl headboards and swinging sixties décor make it the gayest place on the strip. Here are reviews of the two great shows I saw, plus three more from Patrick, and exclusive interviews with two gorgeous gay performers from Vegas’ hottest tickets.
SPAMALOT Laughalot
Silly Monty Python play perfect for Vegas audiences
If you love the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail — and if you don’t, I don’t want to know you — SPAMALOT is both hilarious and familiar. The production playing in Las Vegas has been tailored for casino audiences, shortened and played without an intermission. John O’Hurley (Seinfeld’s Mr. Peterman) is perfect as King Arthur, both suave and silly, and the rest of the cast matches him. If you aren’t familiar with the show, it’s the story of King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail, by way of dancing bubonic plague victims, knights who say “nee,” and a show tune-loving prince in a tower, not to mention a flying cow and a lady in the lake.
Grab a grail of your own filled with a non-medieval margarita and laugh your head off to tunes like “This is the Song That Goes Like This,” “I’m Not Dead Yet” and “Whatever Happened to my Part?” Going through the lobby is half the fun, since it is filled with all sorts of hilarious Pythonalia. Since there’s no telling when SPAMALOT will tour our town, it’s a short flight to witness The Lady in the Lake and her Laker Girls, and one I highly recommend! SPAMALOT plays at the Wynn. Tickets are available at boxoffice.wynnlasvegas.com/.
The Music of the Night
Vegas’ new Phantom is a ‘spectacular’ achievement
Hard as it is to believe, calling this production of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic musical “spectacular” is a huge understatement. Everything about the show, from its gorgeous new theater, sexed-up casting, eye-popping special effects and signature chandelier is intended to give audiences a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Bursts of hot flames shoot from the floor, real fireworks explode above the detailed rendition of the Paris Opera House, and the entire show is condensed to ninety-five action-packed minutes.
Brent Barrett (who shares the role with Tony winner Anthony Crivello) makes a charismatic phantom, while his Christine, Kristi Holden, is beautiful and sings angelically. As Raoul, Andrew Ragone is by far the sexiest hunk I’ve seen in the role, and his voice is pure and strong. Iconic moments like the chandelier’s fate will truly take your breath away, especially if you’re seated below it. As always, the music is beautiful and beautifully performed, and the dancers (including handsome Luke Lazarro) are athletic and precise.
After the less-engaged audience at SPAMALOT, it was gratifying to see the Phantom audience completely spellbound by the story of an opera house haunted by a jealous specter. He takes a special interest in a young performer named Christine, teaching her to sing while never revealing himself. When the Opera House is sold, and a new man enters Christine’s life, the Phantom is not pleased, and death and disaster strike the theater.
Even if you’ve seen the show on tour or in New York, you’ll want to immerse yourself in the experience of Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular! Tickets for the show, which plays at the Venetian, are available at www.phantomlasvegas.com.
All you need is LOVE
Cirque du Soleil reworks Beatles classics in Grammy-winning show
A recent double Grammy winner, Cirque du Soleil’s homage to the Beatles — LOVE — is a can’t-miss Vegas treat.
Drawn from the poetic imagery of The Beatles’ lingering and unforgettable lyrics, the show features 60 international artists doing the things Cirque does best, such as aerial acrobatics and dream-like imagery mixed with funky urban freestyle dance and a rollicking punk sensibility.
Songs range from classic early Beatles tunes like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to the lilting “Blackbird” and haunting “Yesterday” and latter rockers like “I am the Walrus” and “Revolution.”
The Beatles’ song catalog for LOVE was created with master tapes from their famed Abbey Road Studio sessions and the project has received the blessing of uber producer Goerge Martin and Ringo Starr. Whether you are a Beatles fan or a newbie, you will fall in love with LOVE.
LOVE plays at the Mirage in Vegas. For tickets, visit www.mirage.com.
Oh Mamma!
Gay favorite Mamma Mia makes a splash in Vegas
There is a reason why Broadway’s smash hit Mamma Mia has lasted in Vegas for more than five years of mostly sold out performances — who doesn’t love a show where you literally get to dance in the aisles to some of the best Abba music ever recorded?
Writer Catherine Johnson's disco-fueled opus unfolds on a Greek island where on the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father
brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.
Music from the play, about to be released as a movie this summer starring Meryl Streep and Christine Baranski, includes Abba classics like “Dancing Queen” “Mamma Mia” and “Take a Chance on Me.” And gays everywhere will recognize the tune behind “Gimme Gimme Gimme,” which was recently sampled by a certain icon named Madonna on her international 2005 hit “Hung Up.”
Join the party at the Mandalay Bay Theatre today by visiting www.mamma-mia.com/lasvegas/lasvegas.asp on the Web.
Blue Monday
Blue Man Group takes Vegas audiences on a wild ride
The ever-growing popularity of the Blue Man Group makes their show at the Venetian (Echo’s host hotel) a Vegas must.
With their trademark blue faces and cryptic, yet hilarious non-verbal style of communication the Blue Man Group has been winning audiences over with a unique multi-sensory experience that combines theatre, percussive music, art, science and vaudeville into a form of entertainment that is like nothing else.
The long-running show has been a hit in places as varied as New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Berlin and Tokyo, and has inspired a touring production called How to Be a Megastar Tour 2.1 that recently stopped in Phoenix.
If you get really lucky, try to go backstage and get one of the Blue Men to autograph something for you. Their approach is as innovative as the show itself.
Tickets for Vegas performances can be bought at www.blueman.com.
Out on the Strip
Echo talks to two of Vegas’ hot, out and proud stars
By Neil Cohen
Luke Lazzaro of Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular! and Carlos Thomas of the hot Stomp Out Loud at Planet Hollywood couldn’t be more different, yet both are talented, driven and proudly out members of their respective Vegas hits.
Lazzaro is a polished, classically-trained ballet dancer from Brazil, while Thomas is a tough, funny musician from Upstate New York who got his start playing in church. Lazzaro met me after the show, and along with talented cast-mate Jason Forbach, gave me a tour backstage at Phantom. Amazingly enough, once the show is over, and the huge chandelier splits in three and flies back to its hiding place, the stage is completely bare, with no sign of the magic that just took place. Lazzaro’s favorite part of the show is the elaborate opera Hannibal that comes to life as the theater itself does. He plays the whip-wielding Slave Master, and admits that it took a little while to become comfortable with a bullwhip. His extensive ballet training is apparent as he leaps and poses, but still I was surprised to read his history on www.lukelazzaro.com, where he reveals that he became a local hero in his hometown of Curitiba, Brazil.
He came to New York City at 16, but eventually decided that his love of theater exceeded his love of ballet, and he was thrilled to get the chance to work with Hal Prince and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber on Phantom. He loved living in San Francisco while performing with the San Francisco Opera, and admits that Las Vegas doesn’t really have “a real core to the (gay) community.” He found Louisville, Ky., had more of a gay community, but recommends the huge dance bar Krave to GLBT visitors. He also thinks that people should check out the museums (at the Bellagio among other resorts).
Lazzaro enjoys getting feedback from the audience.
“Audiences are always a surprise,” he said. “You’re not always quite sure who’s out there. You’re not always playing to a traditional theater audience. People really have a good time.”
Forbach is Raoul’s understudy, and also has a great Web site www.jasonforbach.com where you can hear samples of his singing. He admitted that the Vegas production has upped the hunk factor with each successive Raoul, ending the show with his sleeves ripped off and his shirt open to the waist. Lazzaro reappears throughout the show, but telling which ones might spoil some plot points. He was disappointed he couldn’t check Phoenix out during Pride, but hopes to visit the Valley of the Sun soon. If we’re lucky, he’ll bring his bullwhip!
Carlos Thomas loves being in Stomp Out Loud, which celebrated its one-year anniversary the day I spoke with him. He’s been with the show 11 years, but says that Stomp Out Loud is bigger and better than any previous versions.
“It’s twice the size,” he said. “Sixteen people instead of eight. It really takes it up another level.”
He agreed that doing the show is an adrenaline rush.
“It’s very physically demanding,” he said. “There’s no real break during the show.” 
I asked him if being gay had any effect on his experience with Stomp Out Loud.
“It didn’t affect me — affected my friends,” he laughed. “I’m the only gay one in the cast. They see me and it’s different,” and explained that he helps change people’s perceptions. “If I weren’t gay, (Stomp Out Loud) would be very dry — very boring without me. I love it.”
He also loves that Stomp Out Loud is so different from the glitzy Vegas shows people are used to.
“It’s gritty and aggressive,” he said. “Working in the factory dirty. I like the yin and yang of it. Keeping it real.”
He wanted readers to know: “If you’ve seen Stomp, you haven’t seen anything!”
Be it a broom or a trashcan or a whisk, I asked him what his favorite instrument was.
“Myself!” he laughed. “That’s my favorite part. The number where we just use our hands and feet.”
Let Them Eat Cake!
Eat your way through Vegas at some of the most fabulous restaurants imaginable
Before you jet to one of the shows, a fantastic way to experience Vegas is to sample some of the delicious food available. Most of the hotels have more than one restaurant inside them, but Echo was the special quest of a few that deserve mentioning.
A great lunch choice is Diablo’s at the Monte Carlo (www.montecarlo.com). If you are a fan of the bold style of Scottsdale’s Pink Taco and fiery Mexican-inspired food, Diablo’s is a devil of a good choice. Choose from more than 32 different tequilas (and five tequila samplers for those who can’t decide). Or sink your teeth into Tequila BBQ Baby Back Ribs. The chips and salsa come with three signature salsas, the guacamole is thick and chunky and the Spiced Grilled Shrimp is muy delicioso! Portions are generous, so be ready to share.
If you are more of a leisurely brunch type person, the fantastic Sterling Brunch on Sundays at Bally’s Las Vegas is not to be missed. Drink champagne and savor a variety of treats including shrimp, sushi, lobster, caviar, omelets and beef tenderloin. Mimosas are available for those who like their champagne a little sweeter and the sweet tooth will find many selections at the full dessert bar. To make a reservation, call (702) 967-7999.
Dinner in Vegas is a time-honored tradition. Every hotel has their signature eatery and you can do no better than Mandalay Bay’s Shanghai Lilly. The wine list is impeccable. The appetizers include Imperial Peking Duck and Lobster Lettuce Wraps. For an entrée, don’t miss the Black Peppered Beef Tenderloin or Sea Bass with Cilantro and Onion Infused Soy Sauce. For more information, www.mandalaybay.com/dining/shanghaililly.aspx on the Web.
Another dining treat can be found at Corsa Cucina at the Wynn. A culinary map of the Mediterranean, this Italian restaurant features a savory Parma Prosciutto for an appetizer, a Bibb and Endive salad loaded with apples, candied walnuts and gorgonzola, wood-burned pizzas and an exquisite Maine Lobster with Zucchini, Tomato and Lobster Cream Sauce. A sommelier will pair the perfect wine choice for your meal and the service is top-notch.
How about a massage?
So we’ve fed you and enticed you with information about the hottest tickets in town, what does Echo suggest for the weary Vegas traveler? Well, get your spa on, of course!
We spent a leisurely day relaxing at the Qua Baths and Spa at Caesars Palace. Built to please the Grecian God (or Goddess) in you, don’t miss the cedar wood sauna and herbal steam room and a room to cool off in that literally snows! The artistic theme running throughout Qua is the power of water. There are several waterfalls in the pool area that are so relaxing, you might just doze off! For more information, visit, www.quabathsandspa.com.
Another place for a great massage is The Spa at New York New York. We enjoyed the custom treatment, featuring elements of Swedish, Deep Tissue and Aromatherapy Massage. Couples massages are also available for the romantic in you. For more information visit www.nynyhotelcasino.com/amenities/amenities_spa.aspx on the Web.
Dance the night away!
Krave (www.kravelasvegas.com) is the hottest gay bar in Vegas right now. It’s right off the strip next to the new Planet Hollywood hotel and the boys party all night. If you are looking for celebrity sightings, two of the best places to go are PURE www.purethenightclub.com at Caesars Palace (think Paris Hilton/Pussycat Dolls crowd) or LAX at the Luxor (more of a Britney hangout!) Learn more at www.luxor.com/nightlife, and remember that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
Accommodations provided by the Venetian. Home of the Blue Man Group and the new Phantom, you will literally feel like you are in Italy as you walk down the main hallway and look up to the ornately painted ceiling reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel, or take a moment to enjoy the relaxing gondolas outside. All rooms are suites, have state-of-the-art technology and bathrooms so lush, you won’t leave without taking at least one bath or two. For more information: www.venetian.com.
Reach the reporter at editor@echomag.com.
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