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The top spectacles on the Strip

Valaer Murray February 20, 2007

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Due to her enormous success at Caesar's Colosseum, Celine Dion may have joined the ranks of Vegas greats like Wayne Newton and Burt Bacharach after she signed on to yet another year of concerts in 2007. An exhausting five nights a week, her show, "A New Day…" continues to be a big draw, due in part to its rambunctious staging, originally envisioned by Cirque director Franco Dragone. When she's on break, Elton John's "The Red Piano," takes over the theater in a typically over-the-top show produced by celebrity photographer and director David LaChapelle.

Beyond these two towering talents, an increasing roster of pop stars has begun staging their shows in Vegas resorts to much acclaim. In November, Prince debuted at the Rio and performs weekly in his sexy, low-key venue, Club 3121, a type of supper club where you can reserve a dinner package for $350.76 per person. Not to be forgotten, Grammy-winning singer Toni Braxton has taken up residence at the Flamingo, and rumors are rampant that Michael Jackson is planning a Vegas show as well.

See our slideshow of The 10 Hottest Vegas Tickets.

As the longest-running Broadway production in Vegas, "Mamma Mia!" continues to be its most popular and successful musical. Jennifer Leo, founder of the blog LasVegasLogue, recommends the show because it's "good, all-around fun." Calling the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino its home, the show still runs at full length in the same venue that it opened at in 2003. Cast member Rick Negron, who plays Sam, attributes the musical's success on the Strip to its worldwide appeal. "People from all over the world know what it's about. When people come to Vegas, they want to go for the sure thing."

Broadway West is fertile ground to new shows that have enjoyed recent success in New York and on national tours. With former Baywatch star David Hasselhoff in the flamboyant role of Roger DeBris, "The Producers" at Paris Las Vegas is generating a lot of buzz, and even fellow actor Negron concedes that he pulls it off well. The truncated, 90-minute version has been getting really positive reviews since opening on February 9 -- easy to imagine, considering its record-breaking number of Tony awards. Yet another surefire showstopper is Monty Python's "SPAMALOT," opening at the special Grail Theater in the Wynn on March 8 and freshened up by a star turn from John O'Hurley and award-winning director Mike Nichols. Looking even farther ahead, a production of "Jersey Boys" is supposed to open in spring 2008, and a handful more will likely test their Vegas staying power in the seasons ahead. More...

See our slideshow of The 10 Hottest Vegas Tickets.

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