Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Frank Marino, Alex Schechter moving forward ‘regardless of idiots’; ‘Vegas Nocturne’ (kind of) plays N.Y.

Frank Marino Engaged

SPI Entertainment

Alex Schechter proposes to Frank Marino onstage at “Divas Las Vegas” Tuesday night, June 2, 20.13

Updated Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014 | 9:44 a.m.

The Kats Report Bureau has been plugged into assorted outposts this week, from Kindred Hospital on East Flamingo Road (and we can happily report that Jerry Jones’ latest sojourn to a medical facility has ended after just 45 days) to a trailer at MGM Resorts Village.

We’ll be there — at the Village, specifically — this weekend for the Wine Amplified Festival. About 10,000 fans are expected tonight and Saturday, rejoicing in a wide array of acts topped by Train this evening and Blink-182 on Saturday. Oz willing, we’ll also make it to Reckless in Vegas at Downtown Grand’s Mob Bar on Saturday night, too. I’m particularly interested in these cats, who burn with the fervor of Green Day but are as cool as Bobby Darin. We should all be so lucky, at Downtown Grand or anywhere else.

Before the storm, let us rake the scene (metaphorically speaking):

• Frank Marino and Alex Schechter have watched the week’s crisscrossing rulings on same-sex marriage with acute interest. They are one of the city’s more famous same-sex couples, Frank as a headliner for 30 years on the Strip, currently as the star of “Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas.” Alex is an executive with SPI Entertainment, founded by Adam Steck, which produces “Divas.” The two were engaged in a famous onstage moment in July 2013, as Alex appeared at the end of a performance of “Divas” at Quad Showroom.

The two have never set a formal date and have planned around the construction of their new home in Las Vegas and not waited for the law to catch up with those plans. As Alex said in an email this week, asked if the court rulings allowing, disallowing and again allowing same-sex unions in Nevada at all affected their plans: “No, we are still planning on getting married a year from June (whether those idiots approve it or not) LOL.” That date is June 2016, and the couple will likely file for a marriage license next year.

• “Vegas Nocturne” is back!

Sort of!

You can catch a whittled-down adaptation of the show — like, really whittled down — for just $10 in New York on Wednesday and Thursday nights. A presentation titled “Vegas Nocturne” is on the bill at the Slipper Room, a burlesque haven that has been open for 15 years and features an assortment of adult-themed acts and artists.

Three performers in the original version of the show at the Cosmopolitan’s Rose. Rabbit. Lie. — those known as Winthrop, Hrit and Ripley Falzone-Buzukov — are performing at the club. As the description of the performance reads on the Slipper Room website:

“Direct from St. Petersburg to the Slipper Room, ‘Vegas Nocturne’ is the latest and probably the last show to be produced by Spiegelworld — the creators who brought ‘Absinthe’ to South Street Seaport and ‘Empire’ to Times Square. Members of the Falzone-Buzukhov — Winthrop, Hrit and Ripley — have fallen on hard times and recently were found washed up in the N.Y. Harbor. Finally being allowed to create their own show, these three prosaic yet available family members will offer, for a (very) limited time, never seen before acts that no one will ever want to see again.”

“… probably the last show to be produced by Spiegelworld.” Love that line.

Answering a text about the show, Spiegelworld founder Ross Mollison said, “We are working on new material with some of the artists from ‘Vegas Nocturne’ and have arranged a showcase in New York for two nights.” Last month, I saw Mollison at the Perq at SLS, as he was in town to attend the new “Gaz TV” web series launch party at Sapphire Gentlemen’s Club. Probably just a coincidence that Mollison, who is still looking for a home for “Vegas Nocturne,” was staying at SLS at that particular time.

• Returning to the topic of matrimony, in a legal sense, Rock in Rio is offering a series of wedding ceremonies during its inaugural event at MGM Resorts Festival Grounds next May. Built into the grounds is the Rock in Rio Chapel, along Rock Street experience (I believe Fred and Wilma Flintstone were wed in such a ceremony). Those dates are May 8-9 and May 15-16. Anyone interested in celebrating in such a way, at such a venue, are asked to submit their love story at [email protected]. The most compelling, moving — and rockin’ — stories will be selected.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.

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