<\/p>\n
All that Kelly Warnell wants is to sail the high seas of Las Vegas, metaphorically speaking. Well hear shouts of \u201cAhoy!\u201d once more from the Strip, if the self-dubbed \u201cmischief maker\u201d has her way.<\/p>\n
Warnell plans to bring back the original \u201cThe Battle of Buccaneer Bay\u201d pirate show at Treasure Island. She has visions of reviving the dragon show outside Excalibur. She fancies a revival of \u201cMasquerade Show in the Sky\u201d at the Rio.<\/p>\n
Warnell is not to be underestimated. The woman clad in a green-velvet, superhero-fashioned pantsuit on Tuesday at The Overlook is the lead creator of HallowScreamCon and HallowScreamFest, which will debut in Oct. 1-4 in Las Vegas. The former will be staged at Las Vegas Convention Center South Halls and Luxor\u2019s Hyper X Arena. The latter will spread with attractions across the city, including Area15, the Arts District and Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign.<\/p>\n
Warnell and her creative team unspooled some of the details Tuesday at The Overlook at BLVD. More than 20 full-scale, Halloween-themed activations are planned. Warnell stayed at 30 hotels over the years, beginning 27 years ago at Excalibur, and ending there for Tuesday\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n
After the formal presentation, the visionary coyly said, \u201cSome of the things we\u2019ve been talking about \u2014 I don\u2019t know if I should be telling you this, really \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Go for it!<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been speaking to MGM about bringing back the moat okay, we\u2019ve been speaking to MGM about bringing the dragon back up out of the moat for the first time in 22 years,\u201d smiled Warnell, who has been working on this project for three decades. \u201cWe\u2019ve already greed to bring the pirates back, all on the second of October, one night only.\u201d<\/p>\n
Warnell reps some members of the original pirate-show cast. She\u2019s enlisted veteran stunt pro Simon Rhee (whose credits range from \u201cPresumed Innocent\u201d to \u201cNaked Gun\u201d). Less certain is her interest in \u201cShow in the Sky,\u201d where she says only, \u201cWe\u2019re looking at the Rio, to bring back the floats.\u201d<\/p>\n
This all amounts top a massive renovation project. The original Pirate show at T.I. closed in 2003 after opening with the hotel in 1993. Kenny Ortega-directed \u201cSirens of T.I.\u201d followed and shut down in 2013. As Warnell noted, the dragon show at ExCal closed in 2003 (my hand up, I don\u2019t recall ever seeing it). \u201cShow in the Sky,\u201d under the direction of veteran Vegas entertainment pro Blair Farrington, shut down in 2013 after a 16-year run.<\/p>\n
The folks at Rio would need to be on board. Hotel President Patrick Miller said Wednesday he was not yet aware of the concept, but he does love fun ideas. Warnell\u2019s team will be dealing with vintage, or even ancient, equipment. But Warnell will not be dissuaded. \u201cI want to bring it all back,\u201d she says. \u201cI love this town, and I have for a very long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Trump\u2019 is back<\/span><\/p>\n John DiDomenico returns his Donald Trump personal to Randy Rainbow\u2019s show at Westgate\u2019s International Theater on Thursday night. The comic performer will introduce Rainbow, probably interact with the headliner and beat it. Rainbow has built a web empire with his series, \u201cThe Randy Rainbow Show,\u201d filled with mock interviews with newsmakers in his musical-theater style.<\/p>\n DiDomenico recorded a clip for Rainbow, which is usually presented on tour. But since he\u2019s in Vegas, we\u2019re doin\u2019 it live. DiDomenico says he\u2019s a little uneasy about rolling with Trump in a decidedly anti-MAGA performance, but says, \u201cI can use the same line to a pro-Trump or anti-Trump crowd, and somehow they both laugh,\u201d he says. DiDomenico has been performing as Trump since the \u201cCelebrity Apprentice\u201d says, and says, \u201cI cannot believe I\u2019m still doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n where he \u201cinterviews\u201d public figures using edited clips of real footage. His fame grew during the 2016 presidential election as his musical parodies skewering candidates went viral.<\/p>\n Cool Hang Alert<\/span><\/p>\n A show we really enjoyed some time ago at The Duomo at the Rio has returns to Notoriety Live at 5 p.m. Friday. The Cotton Club Revue<\/strong> \u201cScatz n Hornz!\u201d interactive show is back. Created by Renee Davis Walters, the show throws it back to the Roaring \u201920s at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem. The show showcases Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald and Sammy Davis Jr., among others. The show also features the comedy of Moms Mabley, and the Cotton Club Dancers. Intel at NotorietyLive.com.<\/p>\n John Katsilometes\u2019 column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com.<\/a> Follow @johnnykats<\/a> on X, @JohnnyKats1<\/a> on Instagram.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n