‘Stomp’ closing in January

"Stomp Out Loud" will beat its last trash can at Planet Hollywood on Jan. 4, though producers hope to move the percussive revue to a smaller venue.

"We've done pretty well there, but it's a big theater," says Scott Zeiger, whose Base Entertainment owns and operates the 1,500-seat theater inside Planet Hollywood.

The show is doing respectable numbers at one-third capacity, but "it really belongs in a smaller, more intimate space," Zeiger says. "Stomp" is adaptable to other showroom options around town -- the Rio? Harrah's Las Vegas? -- because it doesn't require a fly loft.

The Planet Hollywood edition opened in March 2007, expanding the set design and cast size of the long-running off-Broadway hit (called simply "Stomp"), which runs in a 400-seat venue. But only in a couple of moments did the new version really flare out into Vegas-sized spectacle and take advantage of its expanded staging.

Zeiger says Base soon will announce a new show for the theater next spring, "something that more properly fills the space." He wouldn't spill the beans, other than to say it's not Mariah Carey, who has been linked to the property.

Producers are so confident in their ability to reopen "Stomp" by the end of next year that they are storing all the junkyard bric-a-brac that adorns the theater and lobby in a local warehouse.

"Stomp" closes the same day as "Mamma Mia!" at Mandalay Bay. Zeiger predicts winter will be a cold season for Las Vegas entertainment. In fact, he's afraid it's going to be "scary bad."

"I hope I'm wrong," he adds. But either way, "We don't need to drib and drabble on" through the slow months. ...

A lower-profile production, "The Soprano's Last Supper," also has given its closing notice for Nov. 18 at the Riviera. The audience-participation comedy will reopen Dec. 2 at the nearby Greek Isles, which most recently hosted "The World's Greatest Magic Show."

"Soprano's" has shown amazing resilience over the past three years in tough locations. Moving into the Riviera Comedy Club in February was a step up in terms of visibility, but the trade-off was having to separate the dinner option into a separate restaurant, thus losing one of its main distinctions. The Greek Isles will offer the choice of dinner in the room. ...

Monday brings "The $1,000,000 Vegas Game Show" to a 2:30 p.m. time slot in the V Theater in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. It's co-produced by Jeff Gitlin, who also oversees "Tony 'N' Tina's Wedding."

Matthew King of Game Show America hosts the production that will call contestants to the stage to go in "money shower" booths like you see in nightclubs, or games such as "Crack the Safe for $2,500." It will be the third show that asks ticket-buyers to put real money on the line for a game format, joining "The Price is Right" at Bally's and the interactive poker show "The Real Deal."

"I can't give away a million dollars a day, no one could," Gitlin says. "But all the contestants will win something," be it cash, show tickets or prizes. ...

John Stuart Productions filed for protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court last week. Stuart was the original producer of "Legends in Concert" but he no longer is involved with that show and doesn't have any others currently on the Strip. ...

Herman Matthews and Friends, aka Tom Jones' backing band, does its own thing in a late show that starts around 11:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bootlegger Bistro. ...

Finally, magician Dixie Dooley is wondering if his annual Halloween attempt to contact Harry Houdini via séance paid off this year. Dooley claims a power failure generated a loud popping sound "right as I called on the spirit of Houdini," scaring him as well as the audience.

"It was loud and really weird. ... It's the first time anything like that has ever happened. You can tell by my expression alone how real the moment was," he says.

The video cameras continued to roll, and Dooley was planning to post the footage on YouTube, allowing you to judge for yourself.

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