Strip performer playing with fire
"Bite" replaced its lord vampire, but the former one will "Ignite" the Greek Isles with a new revue.
Antonio Restivo leaves a big cape to fill as the star who always kept his scary-horror game face amid the campy topless shenanigans surrounding him in the Stratosphere late show.
Restivo says he found out his contract wasn’t being renewed when a security guard offered his condolences, having apparently overheard the news in a post-show cocktail gathering. The new lord vampire is dancer-choreographer Russell Hines.
But Restivo still has his other bad-guy gig as the villain in the "Tournament of Kings" at Excalibur, and will test his mettle as a producer with "Ignite." He and his brother, Joey, operating as the Restivo Brothers, launch the dance revue with pyrotechnic effects and illusions at the Greek Isles March 13.
"Fire is my real passion," Restivo says. "I eat, breathe and spin fire (the latter by swinging balls on chains)." And he traveled the world doing that as a specialty act before settling into the vampire gig. When the fire marshal pulled the pyro from "Bite" two years ago, "I kind of lost a little of my drive."
The Greek Isles showroom has been empty since "The World’s Greatest Magic Show" closed in September; the casino hosts "The Soprano’s Last Supper" in a separate area. But "Ignite" still won’t start until 11 p.m., giving Restivo time to drive over from the Excalibur.
"Soprano’s" producer Maggie Cupp says it is business as usual for the interactive dinner show despite last week’s news that the small casino is now in the hands of a court-appointed receiver and new general manager. …
One Motown revue wrapped it up last weekend, but another Motown-intensive act is said to be the lead candidate to replace "Legends in Concert" at the Imperial Palace.
An Australian vocal group called Human Nature built a teen following comparable to ‘N Sync or the Backstreet Boys in the 1990s, when they opened concert dates for Michael Jackson and Celine Dion. The quartet reinvented itself in 2005 with a big-selling Motown covers album, and more recently teamed with the Sydney Symphony for an album and concerts.
A residency at the Imperial Palace isn’t a done deal, but is said to be in higher consideration than Las Vegas shows looking to relocate or displaced ones that already had a shot on the Strip, such as "Stomp Out Loud."
"Hitzville" closed at the Harmon Theater/Krave nightclub last weekend, citing a previously contracted tour. Producer Bill Shack plans to bring it back in May. …
Still no word on when the interactive "Shear Madness" will open at Town Square shopping center. The producer cited construction delays that have pushed the opening to, at last word, mid-March. But there seems to be more to it than that.
In the meantime, fans of interactive theater can check out "Tony ‘N’ Tina’s Wedding" in its new home at Planet Hollywood. It’s in a high-visibility mezzanine that used to be the Aladdin’s London Club, and there’s a nightly "commercial" when some characters run down to the casino slots.
The new gimmick is bringing in weekly guest stars, and some of those booked are either perfect for the campy show or D-List enough to make you wonder why they bothered: wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper, singer Tiffany, Barry "Greg Brady" Williams and former Howard Stern sideman Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling. ….
Longtime local TV host Tony Sacca and Charo host a private event today to offer a preview of an upcoming PBS special that will be offered to affiliates for pledge drives in May. Sacca and the cuchi-cuchi gal taped new introductions to "greatest hits" from his 15 years of local interviews with the likes of Billy Ray Cyrus, the Smothers Brothers and Donna Summer.
Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.