Las Vegas Weekly

October 30, 2008 · 9:01 AM

Security ramped up as celeb-laden Believe premiere approaches

By Robin Leach

Thousands of Criss Angel “Loyals” and fans are expected to jam-pack the Luxor tomorrow (Friday) as the world’s media gathers with showbiz stars from Vegas and across the country for the glittering gala premiere of his new Cirque du Soleil show Believe. Additional police and security will be on hand to control the anticipated crowds -- many of them dressed in bizarre and magical Halloween costumes. I’m reliably told that more than $1 million is being spent on the mind-blowing after-party at the Luxor pool after the show!

Photo: TVT

Criss Angel with Lucky the Rabbit.

Even more celebrities have RSVP’d for the “Party of the Year” being thrown by Cirque founder Guy Laliberte and Luxor President Felix Rappaport. They now include beloved illusionist Siegfried Fishbacher, Lost stars Evangeline Lilly and Dominic Monaghan, Mad Men actress Christina Hendricks, CSI NY and CSI Miami stars A.J. Buckley and Johnathan Togo, Wedding Crashers actor Keir O’Donnell, ex-boxer Mike Tyson, and Strip headliner Marie Osmond. More than 500 photographers and video cameramen will fight for space alongside radio, Internet and newspaper reporters to cover the magical night!

Photo: Scott Doctor/www.greatscottstudios.com

Criss Angel (right) welcomes fellow illusionist Lance Burton and Burton's mother, Hilma.

Incidentally, in the ultimate juggling of the impossible the Cirque executives opened their newest production Winter at Madison Square Garden in New York last night (Wednesday). They will jet here to Vegas this morning for the new Believe show and Guy will tour the new Lou Ruvo Brain Institute downtown this afternoon during his packed schedule. He will be working with Siegfried & Roy on February 28 when they perform their one-time-only reunion magic show.

On the last day of our countdown, Criss tonight (Thursday) faces the media with the first of the double-header shows of his 10-year-contract -– at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. -- for 10 performances a week for 46 weeks a year! The five weeks of previews began Sept. 26, and during that time improvements were made on a daily basis with new illusions, new lighting, new sound, new costumes and new scenic effects all being added. The Luxor head-honcho who gave the go-ahead for the $100-million show told me: “Everything about the show is tighter and better than the first night. It’s all come into its own and its giant progress. Nothing has been sacrificed or lost but all the important elements are now in place finally.”

Hundreds of writers, reporters and critics from around America will watch the first “real shows” after the 30 days of previews. Criss is confident about his show. He told me: “We’re ready now. Yes, we’ll still polish it, tweak it and change things around and add new illusions constantly –- so it’s exciting for the cast and me every night we perform. Each performance will be treated as its own unique event. I want to keep it mentally fresh so we will always be adding material, doing different things and adding new illusions. We’re confident it will be a great theatrical and magical show. Its at the 110-percent perfection mark!”

Photo: TVT

Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil and Criss Angel.

He acknowledged that early criticism of the preview shows was tough -– but said it was unfair particularly when guests had been asked not to review it as it was a work in progress and wait until tomorrow night’s premiere. “In the end, though, it is the audience that I care about. I only do this for them. I want them to be fully entertained and in wonder. They’ve been giving us the standing ovations and incredible applause each night. The ticket sales are amazingly solid, selling out and being booked many months in advance. That has to be the guiding mark of when a show is a success. But in my heart I know we’ve achieved it! “

We’ll be back tomorrow (Friday) with our final look at the opening night as we move into the Luxor itself for our one-on-one interviews with Criss, Cirque and Luxor officials hours before “curtain up.” Then we’ll be on the ‘black carpet’ for the special surprise that Criss has promised and at the gala party afterward. We’ll have all the video and photos you could dream of –- along with our interviews and show review -- posted at 6 a.m. Saturday morning on our brand-new VegasDeluxe.com website!

Photo: TVT

Criss Angel and the magic behind Luxe Life, Robin Leach.

— From Vegas Deluxe

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