Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
‘Divas Las Vegas’ ends production at The Linq
THE “Divas” are sashaying out of The Linq Hotel.
“Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas,” starring the Las Vegas drag legend as Joan Rivers, has closed at the Strip resort. The cast was informed today the show had ended its run at the Linq. The show’s final performance was Tuesday night.
Both Marino and “Divas” producer Adam Steck of SPI Entertainment said the decision to shut down was mutual between the show and Caesars Entertainment officials.
Marino said tonight he was traveling to Chicago with his partner, SPI Entertainment Chief Operating Officer and Vice President Alex Schechter. The two are celebrating their 25th anniversary as a couple. In a text, Marino said, “Like Scarlett O’Hara said, I will think about this tomorrow, tomorrow is yet another day.”
One of the longest-running production shows ever on the Strip, “Divas Las Vegas” opened as “An Evening at La Cage” at the Riviera in 1985. The show moved to the then-Imperial Palace (now Linq) in 2010. The 54-yearold Marino notched his 25,000th performance on the Strip in 2014. His 33-year run as headliner of a Strip production show is a record for longevity in Las Vegas.
With Marino fronting the show with his classic Rivers impression, the “Divas” all-male cast has performed tributes to such superstars as Diana Ross, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Madonna, Cher, Pink, Beyonce and Tina Turner.
Over the past three years, the show has shared its theater with magician Mat
Franco, for whom the venue is named.
Marino and other sources familiar with the production have said it is to relocate this fall. The show is reportedly going dark at least through September.
Nonetheless, there has been no official announcement of a future home, or a general strategy, to bring the“Divas” back to the stage.
Earlier surgery for Teller
Spinal-fusion surgery and a comedy-magic production are an unhappy mix. Consequently, Penn &
Teller have shut down their production show effective immediately. The duo will not be back onstage until Aug. 18. They called off their show at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Miss., on Friday night and have pulled their shows at the Rio off the schedule, too.
The duo already had planned to take a hiatus so
Teller could undergo spinal-fusion surgery, the lingering result of hanging from straitjackets and climbing in and out of boxes for more than 40 years.
The original dark period was to start July 10, but Teller’s back had other ideas after P&T’s performance Wednesday at Beau Rivage.
Though in pain, Teller was able to finish the performance. He then skipped the post-show meet-and-greet for the first time in 43 years and began making calls to alter the duo’s upcoming schedule.
Teller’s surgery is now scheduled for Monday in Las Vegas. He posted a note to fans and ticket-holders on his Twitter page Thursday:
“My sincere apologies to our fans in Biloxi and folks who were planning on seeing the Vegas show. Last night during the show my back firmly ordered me to cut the crap and get it fixed. So I’m stopping work from today till August 18th and getting my back surgery pronto. Love - T.”
Criss, Kiss and Lewis
Where do Strip headlining magician Criss Angel, the iconic rock band Kiss and the legacy of Jerry Lewis meet? At an estate sale.
Angel bought a set of Lewis’ vintage Louis Vuitton monogrammed canvas hard-case trunks on June 22 at the Julien’s Auctions estate sale at Planet Hollywood. He presented the set to Kiss co-founder and singer Paul Stanley. Julien’s reported Lewis’ Vuitton set went for $19,200.
“Criss knew I loved these & purchased them at auction for me,” Stanley said in a Twitter post. “A very special person I’m proud to know.”
Felix the Great
More from the Angel Bureau: The soon-to-be Planet Hollywood headliner is leading an effort to change the name of Fox Theater at Foxwoods Casino Resort to Felix Theater after the late resort executive Felix Rappaport. The longtime hotel official and chief executive officer of Foxwoods died June 18 of a massive heart attack in his suite at the resort.
Rappaport, who was 64, spent more than 20 years in Las Vegas at such resorts as New York-New York, Excalibur, Luxor and Mirage. He signed Angel to his 10-year contract at Luxor, and was also responsible for Carrot
Top’s residency at the hotel and also signed Boyz II Men at Mirage, and Thunder From
Down Under and Australian Bee Gees at Excalibur. All of those shows are still onstage.