For Vegas’ star couples, it’s time to play at The Space

Wheeling around VegasVille, where love is in air for an all-star lovefest, and we recall Wayne Newton jamming with Night Ranger:

OPENING ‘LOVE LETTERS’

The performances of A.R. Gurney’s play “Love Letters” at The Space from Feb. 10-14, mentioned in this space Monday, are intended to be as unvarnished and organic as possible. The Space proprietorMark Shunock is asking the couples to refrain from extensively rehearsing the material.

As Shunock says, “We want an honest telling. Simple. Let us take you back to a time when this was how we communicated. I’m very excited to direct this show with these amazing couples.”

The series opens with Penn and Emily Jillette, who have never appeared onstage together . “The crazy thing is, I’ve never seen nor read it,” Emily Jillette says of the play. Following the Jillettes are other beloved Vegas couples:

■ Bob and DeLee Lively-Torti:Torti is late of “Rock of Ages” at Venetian and Rio, and Lively-Torti has extensive stage experience, including a 1995 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress for her role in “Smokey Joe’s Café.”

■ Graham Fenton and Nicole Kaplan: Fenton co-starred as Frankie Valli (swapping nights with Travis Cloer) in “Jersey Boys” at Palazzo Theater and Paris Las Vegas. Kaplan was a principal singer through the entire two-year run of “Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers,” which closed New Year’s Eve.

■ Josh Strickland and Todd DuBail: Strickland, who starred in “Tarzan” on Broadway and “Peepshow” at Planet Hollywood, is a lead in “Vegas! The Show” at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. DuBail was a member of the “Jersey Boys” ensemble at Paris Las Vegas.

■ Clint Holmes and Kelly Clinton-Holmes: Clint and Kelly have performed across the city for years, with Holmes just closing “Between the Lines” at Palazzo and set to release his new CD, “Rendezvous,” next month. Clinton-Holmes is a regular host on Mondays at Bootlegger Bistro and Wednesdays at Piazza at Tuscany Suites.

THE TOBY-WAYNE SPECTACLE

Presidential inauguration concert headliner Toby Keith’s connection to the Strip is obvious: his Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill at Harrah’s. In September, the second-floor tavern and restaurant celebrated its 10th year of burning nightlife action (the country-rock band Cash Presley routinely fills the place).

One famous November night in 2007, Keith performed at the venue with the rock band Night Ranger. Keith then impulsively invited his buddy Wayne Newton , who was headlining at Flamingo at the time, to join him onstage.

Newton accepted, was escorted along the Strip and was mobbed as he waded into the club.

“Toby had no idea that I played guitar,” Newton said after that night. “So he was saying to everyone around, ‘You’re on keyboard, you’re on drums. … He looked at me, and I said, ‘Guitar! … I’ll tell you, I can’t remember having more fun than on that night.”

Keith is also tight with Luxor headliner Carrot Top, who appeared with Keith at the 2012 “Academy of Country Music Awards” telecast at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The prop comic was along for the ride as Keith entered the arena to “Red Solo Cup.” Topper still uses that clip in his stage show.

NO FIGHT YET SET

Though Chris Brown and Soulja Boy have been caterwauling on social media that they will fight (each other) somewhere in Las Vegas or Los Angeles in March, the promotional company that would stage the fight hasn’t confirmed it will happen.

On Tuesday, Mayweather Promotions spokeswoman Nicole Craig said, “We are fully engaged in events on our calendar. We have nothing to confirm, or not confirm, at this time.”

Brown has posted that he is to be trained by Mike Tyson, and Soulja Boy has said he has partnered with Floyd Mayweather Jr., for a three-round bout staged by Mayweather Promotions. The two have been butting heads for a couple of weeks now, after Soulja Boy commented with a heart-eyed emoji on an IG post by Karrueche Tran, Brown’s model ex-girlfriend. Once more, social media follies have led to public conflict.

Monday, Soulja Boy told TMZ that he’s concentrating on cardio workouts during his early training sessions.

“I’m focused on my breathing, getting my wind right, because I smoke a lot — I had to put down the weed,” said Soulja Boy, adding that Mayweather has told him the fight would take place here (most likely) or possibly L.A. Tyson has also posted that he will train Brown and to expect “every dirty trick in the book.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.