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Las Vegas Attractions
Gambling
The rattle of the "bones," then a sigh of disappointment or a cry of exultation--such are the sounds of Las Vegas, where gambling is by no means limited to the craps table. Slot machines, "21" or blackjack, keno, bingo, poker, baccarat and roulette all await the hopeful.
Gambling is easier than buying toothpaste, since casinos never close and most drugstores do. Many hotels strategically place their casinos near the registration desk; visitors are immediately greeted with the lure of fortune. Rows of slot machines stand like sentries in most establishments--restaurants, drugstores, supermarkets, even laundromats.
Visitors who resist the temptation to gamble are rare. If you decide to take a chance, obtain a book about gambling and bone up. Generally speaking, beginners never should approach any gaming table without some knowledge about the game to be played. Many casinos provide literature and some even give classes for novice patrons. Although the state regulates casinos and gambling, the odds ultimately favor the house.
In terms of betting and playing strategies, poker in all its varieties can be termed the most complex. Baccarat requires a high stake to be successful, though "mini-baccarat," in which the dealer keeps the bank, provides cheaper play.
The many ways of playing number combinations, the difficulty in understanding the payoffs and general unfamiliarity with the game have made craps the most challenging game of all. It also is a difficult game for dealers to learn. While not a game for the novice, craps is mesmerizing to watch.
Casinos and separate betting parlors also have sports books that allow patrons to wager on almost any horse race, boxing match or professional or collegiate game.
Remember that if you are a first-time visitor to Las Vegas, credit at the gaming tables will be tight or nonexistent. With further visits, once credit has been established, gamblers will be able to obtain $1,000 as easily as $1.
Sightseeing
There are other ways to spend time and money in Las Vegas than inside a casino. A daylong sightseeing tour of the city and nearby attractions can be a relaxing intermission from the hectic agenda of casino hopping and shows.
Spectator Sports
The biggest games in this town are played at green felt tables, not sports arenas. Yet despite more money being bet on sports in Las Vegas than is ever taken in at the turnstiles, the city nevertheless presents a fine selection of spectator sports. College basketball, especially, has a rich tradition in Las Vegas.
Recreation
Las Vegas and its environs offer a royal flush of recreational pursuits that include golf, tennis, racquetball and swimming. The desert climate, despite scalding summer days, invites outdoor recreation all year.
Shopping
If you have any money left over after a date with the gaming tables or a rendezvous with a slot machine, Las Vegas has any number of shopping opportunities. Souvenirs head the list, of course, and there are more than enough T-shirts, fuzzy dice and gambling mementoes to satisfy the most ardent hunter. Most of the major hotels have their own shopping arcades containing clothing, gift and specialty boutiques, often on the expensive side. In between are the area malls and shopping centers.
Performing Arts
Popular images of Las Vegas lean more toward the spangled theatrics of razzle-dazzle showmanship than they do the rarified heights of serious theater. That does not mean, however, that the fine arts receive short shrift. Plays, concerts and dance performances are presented at several area locations. Neon magazine, the entertainment guide included with the Friday edition of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, carries listings of cultural events.
Production Shows
Following is a representative sampling of current production shows that are scheduled to run for the foreseeable future. For show times, ticket prices, reservations, showroom policies and other information, contact the hotel box office.
"The Beatles LOVE" (The Mirage) combines the innovative performances of world-class Cirque du Soleil artists with the timeless sound of The Beatles. The rock group's original lyrics are interpreted through a series of scenes involving aerial acts, extreme sports and urban dance. The production's original score was created by using the master tapes at Abbey Road Studios. A custom-built theater featuring 360-degree seating along with high-definition video projections will have the audience experiencing The Beatles in a whole new way. Phone (702) 792-7777 or (800) 963-9634.
"Blue Man Group: Live at The Venetian" (Blue Man Theater, The Venetian) is a wild and weird combination of performance art, highbrow humor and percussive music centered around three bald men in blue greasepaint. The trio silently creates a theater experience that is, despite the lack of dialogue, quite loud, thanks to their homemade instruments and a 16-piece band. Phone (800) 258-3626.
"Céline Dion" (The Colosseum, Caesars Palace) headlines the show, accompanied by some 70 dancers, acrobats and musicians. Directed by Cirque du Soleil creator Franco Dragone, the show features stunning visual effects, including a piano that soars into the audience. The 4,000-seat theater, modeled after the ancient Roman amphitheater, was specially built to accommodate the production. All seats are within 120 feet of the stage. Phone (702) 866-1400.
"Danny Gans" (Danny Gans Theatre, The Mirage) is a fast-paced act focusing on impressions. The multitalented Gans, whose long run of sold-out shows makes him one of the city's top entertainers, impersonates a mind-boggling variety of celebrity notables, from singers to presidents to cartoon characters. His Elvis impression stands out in a town full of them. Phone (702) 792-7777.
"An Evening at La Cage" (Mardi Gras Showrooms, Riviera) is one of several female impersonator revues playing in Las Vegas. This one, although it contains some bawdy humor, is pitched at mainstream audiences. Frank Marino emcees in the guise of Joan Rivers, sashaying out in a different gown to introduce each "lady." The performers lip-synch to recorded music. The impersonations of Patti LaBelle, Cher, Céline Dion, Judy Garland, Bette Midler, and Michael Jackson (the only male portrayed) are amazingly persuasive, and there is a wickedly funny take on Madonna by a rotund cast member. Phone (702) 794-9433.
"Folies Bergere" (Tiffany Theater, Tropicana), still going strong after nearly 40 years, is one of the few old-fashioned shows left in town. This exuberant musical variety production celebrates turn-of-the-20th-century Paris and features lavishly costumed (and topless) showgirls, chorus lines, comedy routines and a salute to American music that includes gospel, swing and big-band numbers. Phone (702) 739-2411.
"Jubilee!" (Jubilee Theater, Bally's Las Vegas) is a typical Vegas spectacle--outsize props, stunning costumes (including enormous feathered headdresses worn by topless showgirls) and lavish set pieces loosely built around a tribute to Tinseltown (the show opened in 1981 at the old, Hollywood-themed MGM Grand Hotel). Highlights include a re-creation of the sinking of the Titanic and the fiery destruction of a temple that climaxes a sultry interlude between Samson and Delilah. Phone (800) 237-7469.
"KÀ" (KÀ Theatre, MGM Grand) is storytelling at its best. The show combines martial arts, acrobatics, puppetry, multimedia and pyrotechnics to chronicle the adventurous, but perilous journey of separated twins--a boy and a girl--to fulfill their destinies. Guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult; under 5 are not permitted. Phone (702) 531-2000 or (866) 774-7117.
"Lance Burton: Master Magician" (Lance Burton Theatre, Monte Carlo) performs in a specifically designed theater that echoes the turn-of-the-20th-century opulence of the Monte Carlo itself. He specializes in the classic tricks of the magician's trade--sleight of hand, levitation, escapes--and is backed up by dancers and beauteous showgirls. Phone (702) 730-7000.
"Legends in Concert" (Imperial Theatre, Imperial Palace) has been wowing audiences since 1983. Instead of female impersonators, a talented group of celebrity impersonators offer remarkable imitations of such entertainers as the Blues Brothers, Buddy Holly, Liberace, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Roy Orbison and a host of others. The roster varies from show to show (although Elvis always makes an appearance), and the performers sing (not lip-synch) and play their own instruments. Phone (702) 731-3311.
"Mystère" (Mystère Theatre, TI-Treasure Island) just might be the most distinctive show in town. Although it takes place within a single ring, "Mystère" in no way resembles a traditional three-ring circus. For one thing, the audience becomes intimately involved with this show. The music and lighting effects are ethereally beautiful, and the international cast of acrobats, clowns, jugglers, trapeze artists, dancers and musicians are uniformly superb. Suitable for all ages, this is a must-see. Phone (702) 796-9999 or (800) 392-1999.
"O" ("O" Theatre, Bellagio) is Cirque du Soleil's first venture into aquatic theater. In what may be the troupe's most innovative show yet, an international cast of 81 performs in, on and above a 1.5-million-gallon tank of water. By combining circus art, drama, choreography, aerial acrobatics and synchronized swimming, the show pays tribute to the age-old magic of theater. International music performed by a 10-piece orchestra accompanies the 90-minute show. Phone (702) 796-9999 or (888) 488-7111.
"Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular" (The Venetian) is a 95-minute musical featuring every song from the original Andrew Lloyd Webber "The Phantom of the Opera." Performances are held within a $40 million theater designed to look like a 19th-century Parisian opera house. The show boasts a series of special effects including a replica of the crashing chandelier. Phone (702) 414-7469 or (866) 641-7469.
"The Scintas" (Sahara Theater, Sahara Hotel & Casino) are a family of four entertainers whose act features musical numbers, comedy and celebrity impersonations. Intermixed with Motown and popular music hits are impressions of Billy Joel, Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra and others. Phone (702) 737-2515.
"Second City" (Bugsy's Celebrity Theatre, Flamingo Las Vegas) features the Chicago-based comedy company whose name is synonymous with innovative humor. Working with minimal props, staging and costumes, the unadorned comedy shines through in a series of fast-paced skits and improvisational acts. Some of Las Vegas' most flamboyant real-life and fictional characters are lampooned. Phone (702) 733-3333.
"Tournament of Kings" (King Arthur's Arena, Excalibur) is a family-oriented dinner show continuing the hotel's medieval theme. There are jousting matches, sword fights, costumed knights and ladies, equestrian stunt riding and fireworks. Dinner is eaten with the fingers. This show is similar to other medieval-themed dinner attractions that have opened in various U.S. cities over the last decade. Phone (702) 597-7600.
"Zumanity" (Zumanity Theatre, New York-New York ), known as "The Human Zoo," is Cirque du Soleil's creative approach to desire, love, passion and a celebration of the human body. Eclectic performers from around the world wrap delight, excitement and surprise into 90 minutes of acrobatics, dance and uninhibited costumes. Due to the mature nature of the show, under age 18 are not permitted. Phone (702) 740-6815.
Other Shows: The hotel showrooms that don't feature ongoing productions continue the Las Vegas tradition of presenting celebrity headliners, along with rock concerts and occasional sporting events. Major venues include the Jubilee Room at Bally's Las Vegas, the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand and the Congo Room at the Sahara.
A different kind of nightly show can be found at the Fremont Street Experience, which boasts a canopy of more than 2 million lights arching across a four-block expanse of downtown Las Vegas. This pedestrian gambling mall features animated sound and light shows--for 6-minute periods each hour the glittering casino lights are turned off and visitors are treated to themed productions of computer-generated graphics and music. Also lighting up Fremont Street are classic neon signs from the 1940s, '50s and '60s which have been restored and installed at various locations through the efforts of the Neon Museum, which is dedicated to preserving Las Vegas' high-wattage history. Placards provide a brief description of each sign.
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