Three divas return to spotlight

Three of Las Vegas' more storied divas are back to work. And who knows? Maybe they could all work together.

"Frank Marino's Divas Las Vegas" opened Sunday at the Imperial Palace as a 10 p.m. roommate to the vocal group Human Nature. Both shows are overseen by producer Adam Steck.

Marino is proud to win the race set up in February, when "An Evening at La Cage" closed at the Riviera after 23 years. Marino, who long taunted producer Norbert Aleman in print, declared it time to make good on his threat to open his own show and update the format.

For his part, Aleman characterized the closing of the original show as "a break," hinging the return of "La Cage" on his ability to sell a reality-TV pilot. Marino now wins the turtle race, while the old zebra-striped showroom at the Riviera still has a vacant berth after Charo came and went (because of an injury).

"It's like the stock market. I picked the right eight months to sit out," Marino quips.

Although changes were made after a Labor Day weekend test run, Marino and Steck consider the new show to be in previews. They're waiting on "American Idol" set designer Andy Walmsley to deliver a new stage before grand-opening festivities in February.

Marino brought back half the old "La Cage" cast, including Derrick Barry, whose Britney Spears tribute was on "America's Got Talent" last year. But there are new tributes to Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, and the 10 p.m. hour encourages the creators' goal of an edgier, more contemporary tone.

Marino even says it's a "very strong probability" that his longtime "Boy-lesque" rival, Kenny Kerr, might join the cast by February. Kerr is back in town after working in Palm Springs, Calif., and has been doing late-night sets at De Stefano's restaurant, 3430 E. Tropicana Ave. ...

The third diva isn't a cross-dresser, but a puppet. Simply known as Madame, the former Vegas headliner -- now under the guiding hand of Rick Skye -- returns for a cabaret benefit at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Stage Door Theatre in Town Square shopping center. The $20 tickets help Aid for AIDS of Nevada.

I'll have more on Sunday about the legacy of Madame and her late Las Vegas creator, Wayland Flowers. ...

Hawaiian variety act Society of Seven moves into the little showroom at the Gold Coast on Nov. 6, with shows Fridays through Sundays. The veteran show band's new female star is Jasmine Trias, the "American Idol" contestant who filled in when Lani Misalucha was on break from their previous revue at the Flamingo. Misalucha is now competition as the star of "Voices" at the Las Vegas Hilton. ...

It has been an interesting couple of weeks for Luxor's topless "Fantasy." The morning after a press night to introduce Angelica Bridges, the new celebrity star was forced to drop out because of child-custody issues with her ex-husband.

Producer Anita Mann says the door is open if Bridges sorts out her situation. "She's a complete delight. She's really kind and wants to be part of the community."

But the show must go on, and Tuesday unveils the fully revamped 10th anniversary edition of "Fantasy," with 80 percent new material and a format flexible enough to work with or without a celebrity.

There also has been a lot of back and forth about the departure of Stephanie Dianna Sanchez, the longtime singing host who customized what could have been a generic topless show with her original songs.

At the risk of oversimplifying a complicated issue, Mann says the singer is welcome back as a company manager and/or swing, but not with her old stage duties fully reinstated. "I had to make some choices and decisions. ... It was just time." And the show has even more live singing now, she adds. ...

On Monday, Cirque du Soleil surprised a Missouri couple attending "Mystere" with a return-trip prize package for being the company's 30 millionth Las Vegas customer. Those kind of promotions aren't unusual -- you always wonder how they pin it down to which exact patron -- but the numbers do give pause.

They remind you of how much Cirque came to dominate Las Vegas entertainment, selling 30 million tickets since "Mystere" opened on Christmas Day of 1993. The company now has 101,950 tickets up for sale on the Strip each week; 10 performances of six titles.

Cirque isn't saying how many more seats will be for sale when its Elvis show opens by year's end at CityCenter. But it's unlikely to be less than the smallest capacity room, "Zumanity" at 1,261 seats, so the weekly total will go to more than 114,000 seats.

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.