Now playing at Mandalay Bay is the visually stunning The Lion King musical

Like Broadway and the West End, Las Vegas has a rich heritage of showmanship. It’s here that many headliners became entertainment icons. Liberace, Frank Sinatra, Wayne Newton and Elvis Presley transformed this sleepy desert town into the live entertainment capital of the world.

This fall that tradition continues. A host of new permanent and short-run shows are upping the ante. Here are some highly recommended shows for this season.

Terry Fator

One of the most unlikely of success stories, ventriloquist Terry Fator has made it to the top. Though his form of comedy peaked in the 1970s with the likes of Wayland Flowers’ Madame, Fator won America’s Got Talent in 2007. Now he’s winning rave reviews for his comedy show Terry Fator & His Cast of Thousands, which opened at Mirage earlier this year.

Included in the show are impressions, new celebrity voices, puppets such as Vikki the hot-blooded “cougar,” and The Beatle, the “original” member of the legendary band, fan favorites Winston, the Impersonating Turtle, and Emma Taylor.

Tickets are priced at $59, $79, $99 and $129, plus tax and service fees. The $129 ticket includes preferred seating, a photo souvenir and front-line access to a meet-and-greet with Fator after the show.
Meet-and-greets take place nightly inside the Terry Fator Retail Store. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Terry Fator Theatre.

Tickets can be purchased at all Mirage Box Office locations, by phone at 702-792-7777 or 800-963-9634 or online at Mirage’s website.

Frank Caliendo

When it comes to impressions, Frank Caliendo has quickly reached the stratosphere of popularity. A long-term performer on such shows as MadTV, and his own FrankTV, Caliendo just signed a 10-year deal to star in his own show at Monte Carlo.

 

Frank Caliendo

Frank Caliendo has signed a 10-year deal to star in his own show at Monte Carlo

Starting October 12, Caliendo will don the voices and personalities, nightly, of such celebrities as Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, John Madden, Dr. Phil, Jay Leno, former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and dozens more. The show will also include live music, video sketches and other surprises.

Ticket prices begin at $59, including tax and service fees. Performances are Monday to Tuesday and Friday to Saturday at 9:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or from the Monte Carlo Box Office by calling 702-730-7160 or 877-386-8224.

Peepshow

One of the most unlikely shows to be winning positive reviews, Peepshow at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is just that. In our conversations with Las Vegas insiders and visitors alike, we were told this sexy, sizzling burlesque show is worth the price of admission.

The show combines sensuous stripteases with high-level production values in a modern showgirl-free topless show. Originally envisioned as a showcase for rotating headliners, its latest star, Holly Madison, recently signed a one-year deal to keep her in stilettos through next summer. Madison is a star of the TV series The Girls Next Door and has been on Dancing with the Stars. In Peepshow, she plays Bo Peep, a modern woman who has yet to find her own confidence and sexuality.

Peepshow plays eight shows weekly at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

Tickets range from $65-$100 plus tax. A VIP package is available at $165 plus tax per person, which includes exclusive cabaret front and center seating with private wait service and a complimentary double cocktail. For $100 per person, an exclusive Holly Madison Meet & Greet Upgrade is available as an add-on to a ticket purchase in any price level and takes place following the Sunday-Tuesday and Thursday performances.

Tickets for Peepshow can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. For groups of 10 or more, contact Base Entertainment (702-785-5394 or 866-633-0195, [email protected]). For more information, visit www.LasVegas Peepshow.com.

The Lion King

Mandalay Bay has replaced one Broadway sensation (Mamma Mia!) with another. Now playing is the visually stunning The Lion King. One of the most successful stage shows ever, it’s still running strong in New York. But now you can see the mesmerizing Disney show every night of the week (except Fridays) in Las Vegas, with two shows each on Saturday and Sunday.

Everyone knows what this show is about since it’s based on one of the highest-grossing films of all time, but the tale of lion cub Simba is still highly recommended for its imagery, which has redefined the animated feature into a staged musical. The show is dark from December 7-20.

Tickets cost $113.50, $86, $53 and VIP packages are available for $168.50 (tax and service fee inclusive). Agents should contact Mandalay Bay by calling 877-632-7400.

Cirque Du Soleil Meets Elvis

No article on Las Vegas shows would be complete without Cirque Du Soleil. Creators of some of the most successful shows ever, and the masterminds behind Love, which plays at Mirage and features the music and style of The Beatles, are now looking to another musical icon for inspiration: Elvis. Their new show is set to debut toward the end of the year at ARIA, CityCenter’s resort casino.

Details about the show are sketchy as it’s a work in progress, but what we do know is that it will combine live music and singing, projections, dance and the latest in multimedia sound and lighting technology.

 

Cirque Du Soleil’s Love, featuring the music and style of The Beatles, plays at Mirage