Las Vegas Weekly

June 12, 2012 · 5:06 PM

Strip Scribbles: Liberace musical to London? Wynn inks $70M penthouse

By Robin Leach

Liberace opens at the Sahara with Karen Wessler on June 21, 1966.

Photo: Nevada News Bureau

On May 9, I exclusively reported plans for a new musical based on the life of the late Liberace. The flamboyant Las Vegas headliner and legend was the king of our Strip for many years, and New York investors secured the rights to his life story and developed a musical.

From its Manhattan introductory showcase, I’ve learned that it looks like London producers have rushed in to open it first in the West End. Lawyers are reportedly drawing up the first documents.

Stay tuned!

STEVE SIGNS APARTMENT: Hotel mogul Steve Wynn and wife Andrea flew to New York to help launch his former associate Skip Bronson’s book “War at the Shore,” the fight by Steve and Donald Trump to save Atlantic City.

Photo: Brown Harris Stevens

Steve Wynn's newly purchased $70 million penthouse in New York City includes, pictured here, the former ballroom of the Ritz Carlton.

Photo: Brown Harris Stevens

The floor plan of Steve Wynn's newly purchased $70 million penthouse in New York City.

At Monday night’s party, which The Donald also attended, Steve said that he closed that morning on his $70 million penthouse at the Ritz-Carlton tower overlooking Central Park (we reported the story on May 15). “We move in this fall,” he told party pals.

Photo: Billy Hinsche

California Saga performs at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Sunday, June 10, 2012.

THE BEACH BOYS 2: Las Vegas resident Billy Hinsche, who toured for years with The Beach Boys, has become musical director of California Saga, a new vocal group consisting of second-generation Beach Boys: Carnie and Wendy Wilson (Brian Wilson’s kids), Matt and Adam Jardine (Al Jardine’s kids), Christian and Ambha Love (Mike Love’s kids) and Justyn and Carl B. Wilson (Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson’s kids, respectively).

They just opened for The Beach Boys at Verizon Irvine Amphitheater in Orange County last Sunday and debuted their own act at The Hollywood Bowl the night before.

GET WELL WISHES: Our valued and beloved contributing photographer Tom Donoghue underwent surgery this morning just 24 hours after he’d flown over the 2012 Electric Daisy Carnival at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for final-night aerial photos.

Tom is fighting serious back injuries, and we have him in our thoughts and prayers for a quick and full recovery. He hopes to be back behind the lens with his sterling photos for us in two months after recuperation and therapy.

THAT VOICE: I can’t give you the full details yet, but suffice to say I was blown away by one of the world’s top rappers who asked me to cut voice tracks for his next album. On Monday, they mixed my voice with his, and producers are thrilled with the music video and album results. My payment has been donated to our Keep Memory Alive.

My voice is one of many on the custom celebrity, audio-messaging system Personixx at iTunes. Make the voices create and send audio messages by phone, text and email. Ask someone out, break up with them, call in sick and send Happy Birthday, Halloween, Father’s Day, get well soon and good luck wishes. The app is free, but messages require payment. If you’re a “Jersey Shore” fan, choose between Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi. Each time you buy one of mine, the fee also goes to KMA.

GET COOKIN’! Producers of “Hell’s Kitchen” are holding auditions for next season at Gordon Ramsay Steak in the Paris next Monday. We’ll post updates as more details of the auditions are released.

Photo: Courtesy

Donny Osmond with the cast of "Dancing With the Stars: Live in Las Vegas" at the Tropicana.

STAR SURVEILLANCE

Out on the town with a night off from his Flamingo headliner show, Donny Osmond watched “Dancing With the Stars: Live in Las Vegas” at the Tropicana. Donny, who won Season 9 of ABC’s “DWTS” with Kym Johnson, posed with the cast after the show. Staying at the Tropicana: Oscar winner Joe Pesci in one of the new super-suites, Stu Bickel of the New York Rangers and Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

The hit Broadway musical “Million Dollar Quartet,” about the extraordinary 1956 jam session with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, opens at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and continues through Sunday. “Tony ’n Tina’s Wedding” opens at Bally’s as a new headliner show. Comedian and actor Damon Wayans hosts “Hotel Noir” based off the Grey Goose Cherry Noir ad at Surrender in the Encore. Rooms will be set up for interactive booths for guests to reveal secret hotel experiences. And Maryellen Hooper, Hiram Kasten and Ahmed Bharoocha headline at The Improv at Harrah’s through Sunday.

TOMORROW’S TEASE

Veteran impersonator Rich Little plays Jimmy Stewart and 20 other star voices in his one-man show at LVH in advance of its Broadway run, and Rao’s owner Frank Pellegrino Jr. launches his cookbook “On the Grill” in time for the summer barbecue season.

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 at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

Share This