Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Pennies plenty for ‘Absinthe’s’ 4,000th show
WANDA Widdles said she didn’t have $4,000 to spend for entertainment for the 4,000th show of “Absinthe” Friday night. Instead, the production’s co-host said she spent the 4,000 pennies gifted to her by the show’s character producer, The Gazillionaire, on an assortment of guest stars: a group of authentic, costumed buskers from the Strip.
As we would learn later, that was not quite the fee paid to these street performers and photo posers who populate the sidewalks in front of the Bellagio Fountains, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Planet Hollywood on the Strip. Regardless of cost, Widdles called forth a parade led by Darth Vader and a stormtrooper, followed by a pair of bedraggled Spider-Men, showgirls, Mickey Mouse (or his understudy), Captain America, Deadpool and a pair of Playboy bunnies.
The busker team was reminiscent of “Absinthe’s” opening night on April 1, 2011, when street performers streamed into the courtyard at Roman Plaza. We were greeted by no less than five different varieties of Elvis impersonators that night.
On Friday, most were lured to the show from the sidewalk in front of the Bellagio’s fountains. Commenting through a Spiegelworld official, Gazillionaire said, “We are grateful to Jim Murren for sending them over to us for the night.”
That’s a joke, folks. Murren is chairman of MGM Resorts International — which owns Bellagio. He has no authority over, or use for, these inhabitants on the public sidewalks. (Murren told me at the opening of The Park promenade, which his company does own, “This is where no Spongebob is welcome.”)
Credit for this idea goes to “Absinthe” Resident Director Daniel Kells, who personally recruited the entire busker lineup every night during the week beginning Monday night. The first to agree was Darth Vader.
Once Darth was in, 15 other characters fell in line. The costumed contingent met Kells at 10;45 p.m. in front of the fountains, and were marched across the bridge over Flamingo Road and into the show. The group caused quite a stir among Strip onlookers.
The buskers’ appearance fee was more than 4,000 pennies — each performer was paid $65, along with two tickets to a future “Absinthe” performance. But even the Gaz would have to allow, it was worth every penny.
The Stirling preview
More from the Stirling Club’s New Year’s Eve extravaganza. The night is hosted by
Kelly Clinton Holmes, with appearances by Elisa Fiorillo, Ashley Fuller, Kirbi Long
(all in a “Mamma Mia”-Abba tribute lineup), Ronnie Rose (performing in the piano bar),
Jalles Franca from “MJ Live” at the Stratosphere, and a string quartet from Artists 4 Kidz, among others.
A ’70s set is also on the bill, and guests are encouraged to dress in ’70s garb or New Year’s Eve finest.
This is a full-scale fete, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. Food stations, passed hors d’oeuvres and a champagne toast are all folded into the $150 per-person ticket. All proceeds go to Clint Holmes’ partner charity, The Public Education Foundation’s Artists 4 Kidz program (for tickets to the NYE fete, go to thepef.org/ NYE2018).
It’s also a chance for prospective members to tour the regal recreation fortress at Turnberry Place, which closed in May 2012 but is re-opening next spring/summer. Deborah Keller of DK Hospitality heads the new operations team, which is renovating the property.
Cool hang alert
Sinful Sundays, the adult review hosted by Vegas burlesque star Buttercup, is back at The Sand Dollar Lounge at 11 p.m. Sunday. Bettina May and “Absinthe” performer Hazel Honeysuckle are also in this favorite production.
The show offers little cover, in terms of attire, and no cover, in terms of admission cost.
Don’t Tell Mama moving
The popular piano bar is uprooting from its original spot on Fremont East for a new home at Neonopolis early next year. The Las Vegas outpost of Don’t Tell Mama in Manhattan opened in March 2009; the new place might be open in time for the 10th anniversary.
Don’t Tell Mama is column fave Kenny Davidsen’s haunt Wednesdays and Saturdays. The format is you tip to sing (unless you are Kenny, who is tipped to play piano) and hope you’re there on a night with few smokers. As we say, the best time to smoke is in the past, and the new location will be smoke-free aside from an outdoor deck.