Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Curtain Up: ‘Opium,’ the Righteous Brothers and more Vegas showbiz news

Opium

Erik Kabik

Rob the Robot and “Opium” will be back at the Cosmopolitan in September.

The last remaining dormant Spiegelworld show on the Las Vegas Strip now has a reopening date.

Opium” is set to return to its theater at the Cosmopolitan on September 24 with a schedule of 10 shows per week, at 8 and 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Tickets for the sci-fi comedy extravaganza are on sale now at Spiegelworld.com, as are passes for the company’s other active shows, “Absinthe” at Caesars Palace and “Atomic Saloon Show” at the Grand Canal Shoppes at Palazzo. The Opium Theatre is located on Cosmo’s second floor adjacent to the former Rose. Rabbit. Lie. supper club space, which Spiegelworld has taken over and begun planning for a new restaurant and entertainment venue. But it seems the company’s plans to open the restaurant and the show at the same time have faltered as a spokesperson could not confirm the eatery’s opening date. Then again, it wouldn’t be surprising for the creative and unrestricted folks at Spiegelworld to pop open the doors of the new concept without advanced notice so keep an eye on the space.

In other Spiegelnews, “Absinthe” returned to its pre-pandemic nightly schedule and 16 shows a week over the Fourth of July weekend. Now back to full strength and dual casts in the Spiegeltent in front of Caesars, the show hits the stage Sunday to Thursday at 7 and 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 7, 9 and 11 p.m.

Dates have been confirmed for the previously reported Righteous Brothers residency relocation from Harrah’s to the South Point. Bill Medley and Bucky Heard, who have been headlining at Harrah’s Showroom since 2016, are taking their talents to the South Point Showroom for a series of midweek runs this summer and fall. The dates are August 17-19, September 28-30 and October 26-28 and tickets go on sale Friday, July 9. Founding member Medley is apparently close friends with casino owner Michael Gaughan and has been a big fan of the massive property on the southern end of Las Vegas Boulevard, and the Righteous Brothers stayed busy during the pandemic with a series of shows at the Space. Meanwhile, the Harrah’s Showroom is far from empty as Tape Face continues to perform there until his smaller House of Tape space is ready for his return, and Donny Osmond will open his new solo residency show there on August 31.

As predicted in this column last week, “Sammy Hagar and Friends,” the new rockin’ residency at the Strat Theater opening on October 29, has already added additional shows after selling out its first four concerts in just hours. The new dates are November 12 and 13 and the popularity of this new Vegas show announcement is positive news for the artist and the Strat. “This is exciting. We’re going to be doing this for a while,” Hagar said.

The Venetian has already found success with a throwback pop music event recalling the 1980s, the fast-selling concert series starring Debbie Gibson and Joey McIntyre that opens August 26. Now the resort is banking on a similar show recalling music from the 1990s also set for the Sands Showroom. “The After Party” is coming to the Strip on August 19-22, featuring Backstreet Boys AJ McLean and Nick Carter, Boyz II Men member Wanya Morris and *NSYNC member Joey Fatone performing favorite tunes and hits from their careers. Tickets go on sale Saturday, July 10.

Comedian and magician Mac King is just getting started at his new home on the Strip, Excalibur’s Thunderland Showroom, but he still deserves a summer vacation. King will take a break soon but his afternoon show dates will be filled in by former Paris Las Vegas star Jeff Civillico, whose jokes and juggling will be very welcome at the castle on August 3-7. Civillico’s last live in-person show was on March 17, 2020 in St. Louis, and his last show at Paris was December 18, 2019. It’s exciting to see this versatile performer back on the Strip.

Mentalist Alain Nu, star of “The Truth” at Alexis Park Resort, will attempt to bend more than 100 spoons using the power of his mind and the minds of his audience during his performance on July 16. “Now that I've done 100-plus Vegas residency performances featuring spoon bending, I'll try for a personal best record by attempting to bend 100-plus spoons while engaging the collective minds of those who will be there to witness it,” said Nu. His show continues at 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday at Alexis Park.

Magician Mat Franco filled his theater at the Linq with first responders and essential workers for a special performance of “Mat Franco – Magic Reinvented Nightly” on July 2. “While Las Vegas was shut down last year, our first responders and essential workers were the ones who kept the city running, and I am so thankful for all the sacrifices they have made for us,” he said. “When I found out I was able to reopen my show, I knew that I wanted to put on a performance for this special group of people as my personal way to honor them and say thank you.” Franco returned to the Linq with a revamped production on April 29 and performs nightly except Wednesday.

A bit more Vegas magic: You may have heard that “Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Potter Experience” is set to return to the Magic Attic at Bally’s on July 15, but the specialized venue has already been reactivated. International mentalist Frederic Da Silva reopened his “Paranormal – Mind Reading Magic” production last week and continues in the Attic at 4 p.m. every day except Monday and Thursday.

A new male revue opened on the Strip over the holiday weekend at Señor Frog’s at Treasure Island. “Uncensored International Show” was created by producer and designer Omar Suarez and choreographed by Eitan Tellez and stars “eight chiseled stallions” who take the audience on a wild, exotic journey. The opening included a VIP reception hosted by emcee Shannel from “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” “Uncensored” hits the stage at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Thursday and Sunday, and 7:15 and 9:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday.