Home Based Travel Agent - October 2008 - (Page 55)

PHOTOS BY JOAN MARCUS are increased pyrotechnics and a twostory-high chandelier that moves much faster than its Broadway counterpart. Visit www.phantomlasvegas.com. For those who like their classic music a little less classic, two so-called “jukebox musicals” have found success in Vegas, sitting firmly on the border between traditional book musical and rock revue. The least “jukebox”-y of the two is Jersey Boys at The Palazzo, which tells the surprisingly dark story of the Four Seasons’ rise to musical stardom in the ’50s and ’60s against a backdrop of their hit songs. Through such pop standards as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes OffYou,” the audience follows the 40year friendship of four kids from Newark who become Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. (As the production warns, however, “Jersey Boys contains smoke, gun shots, strobe lights,‘authentic Jersey language’ and is not recommended for children under the age of 12.”) The production runs slightly over two hours, trimmed from its Broadway running time. Visit www.jerseyboys vegas.com. On the lighter side of the “jukebox” spectrum is Mamma Mia!, which has racked up more than 2,300 performances at the Mandalay Bay Theatre and has been extended (again) through to 2009. The musical uses such popular ABBA songs as “Dancing Queen,” “Gimme Gimme” and (of course) “Mamma Mia” to tell the story of a young bride’s reunion with her three possible fathers. This show is identical to its Broadway counterpart, running a full 2½ hours and maintaining its intermission. Visit www. mamma-mia.com/lasvegas/lasvegas.asp. Way Off Broadway Several of the hit shows in Las Vegas are based on long-running off-Broadway shows, offering the kind of variety one Phantom—The Las Vegas Spectacular, a 95-minute distillation of the longrunning musical, is playing at The Venetian usually can only find in New York. Like Phantom, Blue Man Group also got a theater at The Venetian built exclusively for its show when it moved from the Luxor. The Group has been wowing theatergoers with its unique blend of music, comedy and props for almost three years since. Visit www.blueman.com. Stomp Out Loud, an extended variation on offBroadway’s Stomp!, celebrated 500 performances at the Showroom at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in August. The production includes sequences created exclusively for the Vegas engagement.Visit www.stompoutloudvegas.com. Of course, it wouldn’t be Vegas without spectacle. Cirque du Soleil has been a Vegas presence since Mystère opened at Treasure Island in 1993. Today, there are no fewer than five Cirque du Soleil shows running throughout the city: Mystère at Treasure Island; O at the Bellagio; Zumanity (the company’s first adults-only show) at New York, New York; KÀ at the MGM Grand; and LOVE, the troupe’s tribute to the Beatles, at the Mirage Hotel and Casino. A new collaboration with illusionist Criss Angel, entitled Believe, is scheduled to open this month at the Luxor. Visit HB www.cirquedusoleil.com. O CTO B ER 2008 Home-BasedTravelAgent 55 http://www.phantomlasvegas.com http://www.jerseyboysvegas.com http://www.jerseyboysvegas.com http://www.blueman.com http://mamma-mia.com/lasvegas/lasvegas.asp http://mamma-mia.com/lasvegas/lasvegas.asp http://www.stompoutloudvegas.com http://www.cirquedusoleil.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Based Travel Agent - October 2008

Home Based Travel Agent - October 2008 Contents Editor’s Note Publisher’s Note Your Lifeline Agent Profile New Technology Industry News Hot Deals Charging Fees Cover Story: Divers’ Destinations For the Traveler - Cruise - Groups For the Agent - Cruise - Groups Top Hotels in Italy For the Traveler - Destinations - China For the Agent - Destinations - China For the Traveler - Destinations - Caribbean For the Agent - Destinations - Caribbean For the Traveler - Destinations -Las Vegas For the Agent - Destinations - Las Vegas Home-Based Agent Expo New Products

Home Based Travel Agent - October 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.