{"id":66,"date":"2009-05-18T11:39:00","date_gmt":"2009-05-18T16:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2009\/05\/divas-of-the-desert-las-vegas-ladies-sing\/"},"modified":"2016-12-17T12:02:04","modified_gmt":"2016-12-17T18:02:04","slug":"divas-of-the-desert-las-vegas-ladies-sing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2009\/05\/divas-of-the-desert-las-vegas-ladies-sing\/","title":{"rendered":"Divas of the desert: Las Vegas ladies sing!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Las<\/a> By E.C. Gladstone<\/em><\/p>\n

Even though Mother\u2019s Day has come and gone, the occasion inspired me to want to pay tribute to our many great female performers, young and old. Las Vegas may host the world\u2019s most beautiful women, but it also has many of the most talented. If you want to see a Grand Dame put on a show, I can\u2019t think of any place with more choices than the Las Vegas hotels<\/a><\/strong>. The list is always changing, but take a look at who\u2019s on the boards these days\u2026<\/p>\n

Cher, Caesars Palace<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Cher\u2019s own self-styled career tribute is as much a Bob Mackie fashion exposition as it is a concert. \u201cDon\u2019t I look great in person?\u201d the age-defying diva cracks. \u201cIt only took me five hours to get this way!\u201d With a full troupe of tight dancers and aerialists backing her, Cher\u2019s Colosseum show is clearly meant to be crowd-pleasing though it also includes more video than you might expect. Still, her retrospective duet with Sonny on \u201cThe Beat Goes On,\u201d<\/strong> her equally effective takes on Pat Benatar\u2019s \u201cLove Is A Battlefield\u201d and Thelma Houston\u2019s \u201cDon\u2019t Leave Me This Way\u201d are all pleasant surprises. Despite rumors, Cher is staying at Caesars at least through 2010<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Vegas\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Holly Madison in Peepshow, Planet Hollywood<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

While it may be premature to consider her a Diva (and don't expect her to be belting out "Nessun Dorma"), it's just been announced that Holly Madison (of "Girls Next Door" and Playmate fame) will be taking over the lead of PH's music & topless dance revue Peepshow at the end of June (sharing space with \u201cScary Spice\u201d Mel B and other female talents) . I'd say that makes it a must-see…<\/p>\n

Bette Midler, Caesars Palace<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alternating weeks with Cher, Bette\u2019s \u201cThe Showgirl Must Go On\u201d is a genuine Vegas revue — a comedy and musical career retrospective<\/strong> with a self-aware layer of gloss, plenty of glitz, and showgirls. With cameos by her overgrown tweener character Delores Delage, the American Idol judges and her synchronized handicap mermaids, it\u2019s easy to forget Bette can belt it out, but we get everything from \u201cBoogie Woogie Bugle Boy\u201d to \u201cWind Beneath My Wings\u201d too. Though the Colosseum seats 4,000, I strongly recommend paying for the best seats you can<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n

Rita Rudner, Harrah\u2019s<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Rita is not a singer, but still a diva in her own way. With her deft dry wit, the Strip stalwart jokes about aging, men vs. women, marriage and of course, Vegas<\/strong>, \u201cWherever you\u2019re from\u2026 Vegas is the opposite of it,\u201d says the classy comedienne (quite true). All the while, Rita naturally looks fabulous, underscoring her genuine love of retail (She\u2019s no stranger to the Fashion Show Mall across the street — I\u2019ve spotted her there myself.) \u201cNow that the economy\u2019s slowed down,\u201d she confesses, \u201c\u2026I\u2019m shopping for my country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyonce and beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a special engagement to plan a Las Vegas vacation around, there are certainly a few well worth noting: Beyonce<\/strong>, for one, appearing July 30-Aug 2 at Wynn<\/a>\u2019s Encore theatre<\/strong> (at under 1,500 seats, by far the most intimate and elegant venue you could see her in)\u2026 Broadway legend Patti Lupone<\/strong> is debuting a one-woman show "The Gypsy In My Soul," at the Orleans<\/a> showroom June 20<\/strong>\u2026 and watch for other larger-than-life ladies from Vegas resident Gladys Knight<\/strong> to the unsinkable Debbie Reynolds<\/strong> appearing every few months at the Orleans, Sun Coast<\/a> or South Point<\/a><\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n

There are also a few resident performers at Las Vegas hotels worth spotlighting: While you probably know about Marie Osmond<\/strong> (with her big brother Donny at the Flamingo<\/a><\/strong>), and might recall my mention of Zowie Bowie\u2019s Marley Taylor<\/strong> here<\/a> a couple weeks ago, you might also want to check out Filipino star Lani Misalucha<\/strong> (with Earl Turner in \u201cVoices\u201d at the LV Hilton<\/a><\/strong> (7 p.m., Mon-Sat)\u2026 Bellagio<\/a>\u2019s<\/strong> almost-legendary Fontana lounge performer Dian Diaz<\/strong> (nightly from 10 p.m., Wed-Sun) \u2026 or Harrah\u2019s<\/strong> fierce and fabulous (nightly from 9 p.m., Tues-Sat) Twin Keys dueling piano girls<\/strong>. Believe me, it beats the karaoke bar\u2026<\/p>\n

Insider Tip<\/strong>: Wine events are becoming more and more common in Vegas — and not just for snobby locals anymore! A couple worth noting are the five-course Scarbolo dinner at Simon, Palms Place<\/a><\/strong> (Thurs, 5\/21) and the three-day wine weekend with Master Sommelier William Sherer at Aureole, Mandalay Bay<\/a><\/strong> (June 12-14). Veni, Vidi, Vino!<\/p>\n

Related Orbitz resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n