Las Vegas Weekly

November 2, 2009 · 2:52 PM

Strip Scribbles: Fantasy continues to change after a decade

By Robin Leach

Angelica Bridges at the grand opening of the Hard Rock Cafe on the Las Vegas Strip.

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

Now that former Baywatch beauty Angelica Bridges is back as the star of Fantasy at the Luxor, changes are underway to mark its actual 10th anniversary yesterday. Click HERE for our most recent story about Angelica’s turmoil after her opening night.

Producer Anita Mann says she’s hoping to present again the new songs and dance routines with a smaller premiere in the next two weeks so that everybody can properly see the changes.

“Three new routines are being added this week, one of which is an entirely new opening number, and that completes the changes,” Anita told me. “Angelica gets two more vocal numbers, and we’re adding a very exotic and different photo shoot staging. The cast is doing an amazing job, and the past few days have been nonstop. It is all very different from when we opened two weeks ago, only to cope with Angelica’s sudden exit. Now she’s back to stay; it’s all going perfectly again.”

Angelica, who settled into a home this past weekend, told me: “I am blessed to be a resident of Las Vegas now and part of such a spectacular and supportive family as Fantasy has become for me. This show has had an amazing decade, and I want to be rockin’ that stage to bring it many more!”

*Phantom -- Las Vegas Spectacular reached a milestone when the musical celebrated its 1,500 performance over the weekend. After 3 1/2 years of haunting The Venetian, Phantom continues to be an audience favorite. Here are some fun facts after 1,500 performances: The Phantom has spent 1,500 hours in makeup, or about 62 days; Christine Daae has had 16,500 costume changes; Mr. Ubaldo Piangi has belted out 3,000 high C’s; more than 5,703 hours have been spent maintaining the one-ton, 15-foot-tall, 16-foot-wide chandelier; and nightly, Christine shares two kisses with The Phantom and three with Raoul, or 7,500 kisses since opening night!

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

Andrew Ragone (Raoul), Anthony Crivello (The Phantom) and Kristi Holden (Christine Daae) celebrate Phantom -- Las Vegas Spectacular's third anniversary at The Venetian.

*Siegfried & Roy were back in their homeland over the weekend. They returned to re-create their own magic by attending the premiere of Hansa Vaudeville Theater in Hamburg, Germany, where the illusionists first performed in 1964. Fans camped for more than two days to see the duo attend the reopening.

Reporter’s notebook

Mirage headliner Terry Fator records new radio and TV public service spots today for the “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” national campaign. … Strip entertainers record fundraising spots for a Nevada Ballet Theater campaign at its Inner Circle facility in Summerlin today. … CBS’ Sunday morning TV show featured Harrah’s magician Mac King and The Rio’s Teller in “Magic Under the Microscope,” a look at the science of deception as part of a Magicology study of six magicians and two neuroscientists.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Terry Fator.

*We have a strong contingent of British ex-pats here in Las Vegas. So much so that my friends have started the Web site uklv.co.uk. To kick it off, Brit names have been invited to perform with Zowie Bowie at their Vintage Vegas show in the Monte Carlo on Nov. 29. British-born Clint Holmes will join Foreigner’s Scottish singer Domenick Allen and The Commodores’ British lead singer J.D. Nicholas and a Scottish pipe and drum band onstage with Zowie Bowie’s Chris Phillips and Marley Taylor. They’re all hoping British-born Jerry Springer will take part.

Photo: Al Powers

Max Zagorski and Cheryl Burke at Lavo.

Photo: Joe Fury/N9NE Group

DJ P and DJ Z-Trip at Rain in the Palms.

Photo: Joe Fury/N9NE Group

DJ P and DJ Z-Trip at Rain in the Palms.

Star surveillance

Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke dined at Lavo in the Palazzo with her boyfriend model Max Zagorski. They shared a ricotta meatball, lobster pizza and penne a la vodka with a bottle of wine and raved about the food to their servers. Also dining at Lavo was Fame actor Walter Perez. … Wrestler Ric Flair and his significant other sat at N9NE Steakhouse’s bar in the Palms and feasted on lobster pot stickers and won tons. They shared the filet steak with sides of creamed corn and lobster mashed potatoes for their main course. Executive chef Barry Dakake then escorted the couple upstairs to Nove Italiano, where they indulged in cannoli for dessert set out by executive chef Geno Bernardo. Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor dined there on calamari, New York sirloin and sides of creamed corn and mac and cheese. … When Rob Zombie wrapped his show at The Pearl in the Palms, he hopped into a stretch Hummer and headed to Graceland Chapel, where he and his wife renewed their wedding vows. … For the first time in a decade, deejays Z-Trip and P collaboration at the turntables, at Rain. … Colorado Rockies first basemen Jason Giambi enjoyed the scene last night at Body English in the Hard Rock Hotel, while over as Blush in the Wynn, NHL player Jeremy Roenick hung out with friends.

Photo: Cody Boor/Hard Rock Hotel

Jason Giambi, right, and a friend at Body English in the Hard Rock Hotel.

Photo: Bryan Steffy

Jeremy Roenick at Blush in the Wynn.

Tonight’s tips

Tune in from 7 to 9pm for my appearance on Brittany Starr’s Galaxy show on XRadio.biz. She videotaped the chat to so you get live audio and video coverage of our Q&A about Las Vegas entertainment and dining. … Derrick Cameron, Rob Magnotti and Paul Morrissey appear twice nightly through Sunday at Riviera’s Comedy Club.

Photo: Adam Larkey/ABC TV

Ozzy Osbourne in the audience of Dancing With the Stars. With him is daughter Kelly's boyfriend Luke Worrall.

Tomorrow’s teases

Is a “live” Michael Jackson show headed for the Strip? Details of the technology being created to bring the King of Pop back to Las Vegas. As Kelly Osbourne fights for survival on Dancing With the Stars, her dad Ozzy Osbourne reveals some shockingly candid confessions, including “I do regret trying to kill Sharon.” It’s an explosive tell-all from the man who’ll always be remembered for biting off the heads of a bat and two doves. Plus, details of the Mob Museum opening on the Strip thanks to widows and daughters of the Mafia kingpins who built Las Vegas.

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.

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