Tropicana’s showroom plans up in the air

Give the Tropicana wiggle room on its long-range plans, as short-term ones seem to change quickly.

After Wayne Newton wrapped it up recently, Paul Rodriguez had been booked, complete with Spanish-language Cinco de Mayo show, as an interim headliner until the classic showroom was ready to be remodeled.

But that one hit a snag, and now "Paul Rodriguez and the Whole Enchilada" is set to start May 17 instead, possibly until the end of the month.

During a Walk of Stars ceremony last week, Gloria Estefan hinted that she would be "doing something big in Vegas" very soon, and husband Emilio was seen with Tropicana executives. A Tropicana spokesman says management is neither confirming nor denying it.

An Estefan-themed production certainly fits the hotel's new direction. The resort seems infatuated with all things Miami and South Beach, including a planned Tuesday event to announce a partnership with the Nikki Beach upscale pool clubs.

There also is talk of comedian Brad Garrett lending his name to a comedy club in the smaller room that long hosted The Comedy Stop and currently houses "Hypnosis Unleashed." Not sure how this would affect his ongoing gigs at The Mirage. ...

The Society of Seven will be on the road again after Memorial Day, but co-founder Tony Ruivivar is too excited about his new 15-year-old singing discovery to be depressed about wrapping up a Gold Coast run on Memorial Day weekend.

The veteran show band and its female star, "American Idol" finalist Jasmine Trias, have no immediate plans to return to the Strip. But they've managed to relocate the show several times since 2001. "We still have a lot of mileage left in us," producer Mendrei Leeland says.

"You've got to bend like a bamboo," says Ruivivar. He and a partner are taking over the showroom at the Outrigger Waikiki where the group was based before its move to Las Vegas, so some homecoming shows aren't out of the question.

Ruivivar praises the Gold Coast staff, but says it was hard to pull customers from the Strip and the Hawaiian-heavy California and Fremont hotels downtown. And as a locals casino, the Gold Coast has to feature promotions on its outdoor signage. "They can't keep our name up there constantly."

Trias has an outside booking this weekend, so the group is giving 15-year-old Arshiel Calatrava her first chance to perform on the mainland. "She's full of energy and we're like, 'OK, we've got to keep up with her,' " Ruivivar says. ...

The "La Cage" name lives again, but you'll have to go to Palm Springs, Calif., to see a limited run of the drag show on select days May 19-27 at the Spa Resort Casino.

Norbert Aleman still holds the name for a potential return to the Strip, but for this one he gave a letter of permission to Jimmy Emerson, a former cast member turned producer.

While Aleman "waits until the time is right" in Las Vegas, he said he was happy to "keep the boys working" with the Palm Springs production, Emerson reports.

The only surprise here is that Emerson didn't hold back any harsh words about Aleman when "La Cage" closed without notice or severance pay at the Riviera in early 2009. Seems like Aleman would have a long memory about that one, and that Emerson's future was limited to the rival "Divas Las Vegas" spun off by Frank Marino.

"That's showbiz," Emerson says. "I try to get along with everybody."

Emerson's Starr Pro Productions also made an unlikely long-distance runner of "Naked Boys Singing" at the Onyx Theatre, thanks in part to generous terms by theater operator Michael Morse.

"Some weeks we make money and some we don't," Emerson says of the revue that's closing in on a year's tenure. But he notes, while early audiences were 80 percent male, the show now draws 75 percent women.

Emerson also plans to open a drag show called "Un-Boy-Lievable" next month in the Bible belt resort town of Branson, Mo. "It will be a very G-rated version: Reba and Dolly," he says. ...

Finally, hey kids, do you have a substitute today? Or does your teacher find it hard to hear your answers? Could be they took up the Las Vegas Hilton on Wednesday's offer to see the tribute band Led Zepagain in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week.

Promotional offers are getting more creative. Used to be shows simply offered military discounts to active personnel. Now "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular" will actually give a ticket to Nellis and Creech Air Force bases for every full-priced ticket you buy in May. Who knew a British musical could be so patriotic?

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