Limited-run shows on Strip get into Christmas spirit

You hear it said that native New Yorkers never go up the Empire State Building. Likewise, you have to wonder: Vegas Elvis is so much a kitschy symbol of our town, but how many people have really bothered to see one perform?

Why not now? It's "dead week" on the Strip, that special time of year when locals can cruise the boulevard like Dan Tanna and get a good parking spot in a casino garage. And if you're hosting out-of-towners, more reason still to take them to one of three limited-run Christmas shows on the Strip, each carrying their own form of tradition.

'Legends in Concert'

Nothing is more of a Vegas tradition than this durable impersonator revue -- now the city's second-oldest show -- and its rousing Elvis finale. But this is the year the family decided to break with the past and go on a cruise instead of fixing Christmas dinner at home.

The holiday edition of "Legends" experiments with two Elvi; Matt Lewis holds down the jumpsuit in the traditional finale Thursdays through Sundays. But Mondays to Wednesdays bring Victor Trevino as young rockabilly Elvis -- no jumpsuit, or post-'50s hits -- in the first featured act after Marva Scott introduces the show as Whoopi Goldberg. And what a dynamic one he is.

Sure, Trevino looks a little more like the Kurt Russell TV-movie Elvis, but the lack of creepy cosmetic surgery didn't stop the gals from screaming when the hips went into hyperspace during "All Shook Up." "The more you scream, the more I shake," he instructed to "all you cougars out there."

"Legends" was early to the costumed tribute format that now borders on overkill. But Trevino reminds you why this crazy genre is so popular and makes you grateful "Legends" has greater choice when it auditions now.

Another nod to modern times isn't so welcome. Just because they can sync a live performance to a real star's music video, such as Carrie Underwood's "All-American Girl," doesn't make it a good idea. The screen distracts your eye from Sara Hickey and undermines her performance, reminding you she doesn't look that much like Underwood.

So how do you replace "Viva Las Vegas"? This month, it's a finale of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," fulfilling a bucket-list wish of anyone who wanted to see Toby Keith, Donna Summer and Bobby Darin team up on a song. Josh Ward as Keith is the only one who didn't attempt a Christmas song on his own this night, but Art Vargas as Darin swung enough on "Jingle Bells" for the both of them.

Rick Thomas

The wandering magician comes home for Christmas -- and, he hopes, for a longer stay in 2012 -- to the Tropicana, where many Las Vegans came to know him in a seven-year run.

There's not much of a nod to Christmas, just sexy Santa suits for his three female dancer assistants. But isn't every show a holiday when you have a show loaded with goodies such as motorcycles, birds, a white tiger and youngsters called to the stage?

Thomas hasn't changed his show in ages, but that doesn't keep you from seeing "The Nutcracker," does it? If your youngsters haven't seen a magic show, there's no better display of the traditional illusions in a traditional style. (David Copperfield being twice the price and in a league of his own originality.)

Some of the cabinet tricks may be pushing their expiration dates, but variations on the classic levitation and splitting a woman in half (with crowd members invited onstage to help) are as good as you will find.

And when Thomas is not dressing down the crowd like a parent pushed too far at Chuck E. Cheese, he offers year-round Christmas sentiments such as, "I remind myself to say better things about people," or "The future belongs to those who believe in the strength of their dreams."

'Santa's Magical Circus'

One thing about Vegas magic shows: As many as we have here, you never have to see a magician work a kid's party.

At least not until now. The small fry in this hastily assembled concoction at the V Theater are as tough a crowd as any Improv stand-up ever faced. "Nobody wants to marry you!" a precocious young lad shouts at magician Max Clever as he vies for attention with sippy cups equipped with flashing lights.

Ah, but when Tiny Bubbles as Mrs. Claus draws a picture on a tablet that comes to life? Heckler Kid is suddenly reduced to the eternal question: "How did he do that?" As they say in the TV commercial, priceless.

What's the tradition here? That of the working entertainer, the often unheralded Bob Cratchits of the entertainment world, who join forces for a solid kid's show: Clever brings the cute doggies, Anthony Rais works the puppets and wacky Bruce Block delivers the talking bunny. There are even two female illusionists, Holly and Jolly, to keep the dads a bit less restless.

The eye candy is welcome on this barren, gloomy stage. I'm told some burned-out lighting could be fixed by the time you read this. If producer David Saxe raided Snoopy's doghouse for some trimmings to brighten things up, this fun little effort could see a Charlie Brown-like transformation.

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