Catch Britney and her big announcement
THE Great Britney Spears Announcement is upon us. Spears is set to appear at Toshiba Plaza in front of T-mobile Arena on Thursday night. Her arrival is scheduled for 7 p.m. Get there at 6 p.m., if not earlier, if you want to be a part of this frivolity.
Because of the location, it is expected Spears will announce an upcoming residency at the Park Theater at Park MGM, next door to Toshiba Plaza and T-mobile. The event will be broadcast live on Ellen Degeneres’ Youtube channel.
Spears teased Thursday’s announcement during an unbilled appearance Friday on “Ellen.”
Degeneres asked why Spears had showed up to the show. Spears replied, “I have a huge announcement to make. My announcement is that I have an announcement.”
“What is the announcement of the announcement?” Degeneres asked.
“I can’t announce it until Oct. 18,” Spears said, grinning.
For months, published reports have specified the Park Theater as Spears’ next Vegas residency venue. She closed her hit residency production, “Piece of Me,” at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort on New Year’s Eve after a four-year run.
Reports in the U.S. and internationally say Spears’ base guarantee at the Park Theater will be $500,000 per performance. The show’s anticipated 2019 opening coincides with the 20th anniversary of Spears’ breakthrough album “… Baby One More Time.”
Spears’ Las Vegas manager, Larry Rudolph, offered no details on what Spears will impart Thursday.
“We can’t specify exactly what it is just yet,” Rudolph said. “But I can say she is very excited and can’t wait to share this news with the world on Thursday!”
Thursday’s event is free and open to the public, similar to the announcement of the Vegas Golden Knights’ nickname at Toshiba Plaza in November 2016.
Ode to ‘Richie’
Brad Garrett has known Richard Sturm for 30-plus years and refers to the longtime resort official as “a true legend in the sports and entertainment industry.” Sturm is now in a consultant role with MGM Resorts International as the company has named George Kliavkoff its president of entertainment and sports.
Customarily, Garrett, who operates his own comedy club at the MGM Grand Underground, then slipped into his stage act.
“From encouraging Sinatra to lose the fedora, to telling Tyson to only bite the downstage ear (for camera purposes), Richie’s indelible mark will shine forever as he enters yet another endeavor,” Garrett said via text Sunday night. “Luckily for us, he’ll remain in the MGM family so there’s still a chance I can get out of the basement.”
But seriously, folks … “Richie literally gave me my career in Vegas,” Garrett said, and that is true, as Sturm booked Garrett’s debut as opening act for Frank Sinatra at Bally’s on New Year’s Eve 1988. “Perhaps not a shining moment for him, but a huge bump for the ex-wife.”
A no-‘mob’ evening
“A Mob Story” didn’t perform Saturday night at the Plaza. The show’s resident reformed mob overlord was at church.
True. “A Mob Story” inspiration/narrator/executive producer Michael Franzese was at Grace Church in Tampa, Florida, speaking to more than 1,000 men. The musical goes dark when Franzese is off fulfilling his road commitments, which draw big crowds and make scads of cash.
Franzese says there is a “big surprise” to cover for him when he’s off. Maybe we’ll have an understudy. It won’t be Oscar Goodman, though. Goodman will remind you (and me) that he’s nobody’s understudy.
Thompson’s ‘Me Too’ tune
Keith Thompson debuted a song, titled “Me Too,” last week at The Composers’ Showcase of Las Vegas at Myron’s Cabaret Jazz. The ever-prolific Thompson plans to use the number in a new stage show focusing on woman empowerment, titled “Roar.” As in, “I am woman, hear me … ”
Thompson sang lead in last Wednesday’s performance with Gret Menzies (of “Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding” at Buca di Beppo at Bally’s) and Rachel Tyler (of the vocal ensemble Lady Luck) on backup. From Thompson: “Take a lesson from that Phoenix bird. Rise up and let your voice be heard.” We’ll be tracking this show, naturally.
Pia Za-diva
Pia Zadora will bring Larry Edwards from Frank Marino’s “Divas Las Vegas” to her Pia’s Place shows Friday and Saturday at Piero’s Italian Restaurant. Edwards will portray Tina Turner in a monthlong stint beginning this weekend.
Meantime, Marino has been hinting on social media about a new show of some sort next year.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @ Johnnykats1 on Instagram. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday:
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