Las Vegas Weekly

September 23, 2009 · 10:08 AM

Is Wayne Newton’s new Tropicana show his swan song?

By Robin Leach

The Wayner.

Photo: Chris Morris

As Vegas DeLuxe revealed early Friday evening on Twitter and then followed with full details Monday, legendary Las Vegas singing star Wayne Newton is back on the Strip. Click HERE for that report!

The official corporate announcement confirming his new show Once Before I Go will come shortly before noon today at the Tiffany Theater in the Tropicana.

In an exclusive interview yesterday with our Senior Editor John Katsilometes, Wayne said the show will be autobiographical and use state-of-the-art video and photomontages to trace his 50 years of entertaining in our city as Mr. Las Vegas.

He told John: “I want it to be autobiographical, but not so autobiographical, it won’t be entertaining.” Wayne says he’s scheduled to play through the holiday season after the Oct. 14 debut and would like it to continue through next April.

Johnny Kats reported: For Once Before I Go, Newton will be backed by a full orchestra and will weave old standards “and a few surprises,” he says, into a multimedia presentation that will include a video montage of some of his favorite moments throughout his career. “I want to emphasize that this will be state-of-the-art production, some art production values that we’ve never had.” Celebrity guests also will appear onstage, in a Vegas tradition dating to the days of The Rat Pack. “I think that’s sort of inevitable, isn’t it?” said Wayne.

Photo: TVT

Kathleen and Wayne Newton.

But then he admits that it might also well be his final performance as a Strip headliner: “I’m considering that,” he told John candidly. “I’ve made no decisions after the run ends in April.”

Click HERE for the full The Kats Report story on LasVegasSun.com that also can be read on our Neon Nightlife page on Vegas DeLuxe.

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 Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

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