Las Vegas Weekly

August 7, 2009 · 1:24 PM

Strip Scribbles: Performers in Cirque’s Elvis-inspired production head to town

By Robin Leach

Cirque du Soleil's Mystere at Treasure Island.

Photo: Gurzinski

Cirque du Soleil performers from Criss Angel’s Believe at the Luxor, Mystere at Treasure Island and Ka at MGM Grand will be on hand to welcome the newest members of the Cirque du Soleil family in Las Vegas tomorrow. The cast of the new show based on the life and music of Elvis Presley will receive a Cirque du Soleil-style greeting at McCarran Airport.

The performers have been rehearsing for the past few months at the Cirque du Soleil Creation Studio in Montreal and are now relocating to Las Vegas for rehearsals onstage in their new theater at Aria in CityCenter. The Elvis-inspired spectacular is scheduled to open later this year.

Check back over the weekend for our story and photos of the arrival.

Photo: Denise Truscello

Actress Francia Raisa of The Secret Life of the American Teenager celebrates her 21st birthday at Blush in the Wynn.

*The Secret Life of the American Teenager actress Francia Raisa celebrated her 21st birthday in true Las Vegas-style with a party at Blush in the Wynn. Before celebrating at Blush, where Francia and her girlfriends spent the night dancing away, the group attended a performance of Le Reve.

Francia, who recently split from boyfriend So You Think You Can Dance star choreographer Shane Sparks, missed him by just a week as he hit the dance floor at Blush during the World Hip Hop Dance Championships last weekend.

*The global hacking of Twitter yesterday didn’t just affect cell phone and online enthusiasts. The inaugural Tweasure Hunt at Tao for a prize of $5,000 was postponed because of Twitter’s shutdown … 2 bad 4 all Nvolved!

Photo: Cody Boor/Hard Rock Hotel

Tony Kanal of No Doubt at Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel.

Star surveillance

No Doubt lead singer Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, along with sons Kingston and Zuma, were spotted checking into one of the new Paradise Tower suites at the Hard Rock Hotel. The couple are in town for No Doubt’s highly anticipated show tonight at The Joint. ... No Doubt bass player Tony Kanal was spotted hanging out with friends at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel last night. No Doubt performs in The Joint the Hard Rock tonight with Panic at the Disco and The Sounds. … Actress, director, screenwriter and forever Punky Brewster Soleil Moon Frye made another appearance at The Playboy Club in the Palms last night with six friends. They gambled for a while and left shortly after 1:30 a.m. Soleil was in the Palms on Wednesday for friend Ashton Kutcher’s red carpet premiere of his new film Spread.

There’s no doubt that we’re spreading the love to you, even if it’s not your birthday, by giving you a gift package we affectionately refer to around here as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

No Doubt at Tiger Jam 12 in Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Friday, Aug. 7

*In town for golf superstar Tiger Woods’ annual Tiger Jam fundraiser in May, Gwen Stefani is back in Sin City with Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont and Adrian Young. No Dout is teamed with Las Vegas favorites Panic at the Disco and The Sounds for a rock steady show at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel.

*Grammy Award-winning superstar Usher hosts the celebration party of our sister Vegas magazine July/August issue at The Playboy Club sky high in the Fantasy Tower of the Palms. Usher is Vegas’ first-ever male cover model, and we’ll have full photo coverage posted here over the weekend.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Usher.

*The beautiful Empress of Soul Gladys Knight proves she’s still the reigning royal of R&B with every beat of her heart in three nights of performances at The Orleans, while the three Las Vegas Tenors move from opera to Broadway showtunes effortlessly in their rich voices up at the Suncoast, also through Sunday.

*Every time Morris Day and the Time perform, they prove time and time again just why they are the masters of their domain. It’s a rare one-nighter at the Silverton Casino Lodge.

*Rapper Busta Rhymes performs and hosts at LAX in the Luxor.

*It’s billed as “border warfare” when ESPN boxing has a fight night at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm Valley.

*Las Vegas comic Bryan Bruner, who has been admirably entertaining our troops in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, returns home for comedy duty downtown at the Beauty Bar for the Backyard Comedy Show with Brandt Tobler and Matt Markman.

Photo: Courtesy

Diana Krall.

Saturday, Aug. 8

*Grammy Award-winning jazz artist Diana Krall is the heart of Saturday night who gives updated twists to classic jazz, including the works of legends Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, at The Pearl in the Palms.

*TV and conservative talk radio host Sean Hannity headlines his sixth annual Freedom Concert in The Orleans Arena with Lee Greenwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Charlie Daniels Band and Michael Smith, with a special appearance by Lt. Col. Oliver North, who heads up the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund that benefits from the show’s proceeds.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Billy Ray Cyrus with his daughter Miley Cyrus.

*It’s a double-header of rock powerhouse stars Judas Priest and Whitesnake in concert at the Thomas & Mack Center, with all tickets just $25.

*Blonde beauty Jenny McCarthy hosts a “Night on the Town” at Pure in Caesars Palace. Maybe longtime love Jim Carrey will make the trip into town this time around? … Rock Star INXS finalist Suzie McNeil will perform and host at sister nightspot LAX. … Orlando Magic power forward Rashard Lewis hosts his 30th birthday bash at Studio 54 in MGM Grand.

*Gretchen Wilson shows her country queen talents and sings her hits at Star of the Desert Arena in Primm.

*Lit continues a 20-year tradition of tripping the light fantastic as frontman Jay Popoff and guitarist brother Jeremy Popoff lead the punk rockers at Ovation Lounge in Green Valley Ranch.

Sunday, Aug. 9

*Check, please, as Cash’d Out plays Carey Hart’s Wasted Space with Will & the High Rollers, who will obviously be on a break from the tables.

*Mixed martial arts stars Brian Bowels, who is undefeated, and Miguel Angel Torres, former WEC champion, finally meet after Brian’s April 5 back injury postponed their original bout. Expect fireworks in The Joint at the Hard Rock for this World Extreme Cagefighting showdown.

*Ten major world religions join together for the music of “Praise: A Gospel Experience” at the showroom in the South Point.

Photo: Kirvin Doak Communications

Jersey Boys cast members Erich Bergen, Rick Faugno, Jeff Leibow and Deven May flank Frankie Valli.

Monday’s teases

You, too, can join the chorus when our guest columnist on Monday is Deven May, who portrays Tommy DeVito, in the award-winning hit musical Jersey Boys in the Palazzo. And over the weekend, we’ll post our coverage of Usher, No Doubt and Panic at the Disco.

Vegas DeLuxe Editor Don Chareunsy contributed to Strip Scribbles.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

Follow Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

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