Tag: Michael Jackson
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Here It Comes: Michael Jackson ONE Starts Moonwalking
You won't be bored. Cirque du Soleil previewed four Michael Jackson ONE production numbers to the press, opening the doors of their Mandalay Bay theater for the first time since December 2011. Four songs and lots and lots of stuff going on. And, lots to review.
We personally forgot what we had already told you: Michael Jackson ONE plots "four misfits" on a "transformative adventure." Took us a minute to work out the roles of the three geeky dudes and a teenage girl on the stage. But, then it all made sense. Last month, we were first to show you artist renderings of the production. And, they looked exactly the same as the scenes unveiled before our very eyes. But, with more lights and lasers. Lots more. This might be brightest show we've ever seen.
The show's premise is rooted in the "spirit and energy" of Jackson and, pondering the notion, if you possessed the spirit of his hat, his glove or his shoes what could you do? Could you fly? (We thought sell them on eBay, but...)
The preview began with paparazzi characters running through the audience and harassing spectators with lights, cameras and microphones. If you've never warmed to Cirque clowns approaching you, these camera guys make perfect sense. We then watched four numbers choreographed to Jackson's songs. These numbers are played all the way thorough. No 60 second K-Tel greatest hits commercial edits.
"Tabloid Junkie" faces head-on the Jackson newsprint rumor factory. Headlines projected on the walls write of his attempt to buy the "Elephant Man's bones" and Joseph Merrick's skeleton stands there on the stage. Michael's supposed oxygen chamber is also wheeled across the stage. "Stranger in Moscow" spotlights a flown-in crescent moon lady and an aerialist. Behind him drifts snow and ghostly images of Liz Taylor, Michael and Diana Ross. "Bad" is a more literal re-imaging of the music video, with a kind of street gang, a New York subway backdrop and graffiti and B-Boy stances. And, you'll also learn the correct spelling of Cha'mone. "Smooth Criminal" includes a group synchronized leaning you'll be puzzling over for days.
Shows / Entertainment / The Man / Michael Jackson / → All Tags
Wow... Hear About The Rival To Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson Show?
We're not sure whether to file this under cockeyed optimism or bug nuts crazy. Four people close to Michael Jackson want to stage not just a musical, but a Jackson inspired “dram-ical,” right here in Las Vegas. Titled "The Man" it concerns a music manager, The Man (we're thinking Colonel Tom Parker in Viva Elvis), and his superstar client's topsy-turvy life and career. This singing character, The Man, just talks, and the superstar is a hybrid of Michael Jackson, Elvis and Whitney Houston. Mostly Michael, we're betting.
Press reports proclaim the necessary budget will be $35 million. They don't have it. Or, the finished music. Or, the venue. Or, star. Mere details, we're sure.
Openings / Shows / Entertainment / Michael Jackson / Michael Jackson ONE / Mandalay Bay / Cirque du Soleil / → All Tags
Cirque Du Soleil Got Us Revved Up About Michael Jackson ONE
Oh, Cirque Du Soleil. How you fooled us all. Mid-point through a standard press conference launching the name, logo and ticket information for their forthcoming Mandalay Bay "Mega Show," out of nowhere they unleashed the performers. And, unleashed a wave of enthusiasm for Michael Jackson ONE that we'd found markedly lacking locally, after the less than stellar reaction to Zarkana.
We've collated as many details we could glean from the event, including the first look at three sets of costumes from the production. And, uncover a special hint at the direction of one musical number. But, first the basics regarding the Michael Jackson-themed show taking over the theater at Mandalay Bay.
Openings / Michael Jackson / Cirque du Soleil / Mandalay Bay / LIGHT / Shows / Entertainment / → All Tags
Mandalay Bay's Michael Jackson Theater Is Starting Something
Something mega is happening behind these walls at Mandalay Bay. This new construction plywood is covering the resort's theater, box office and will-call desk in preparation for the May arrival of Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson-themed show. A "Mega Show," they call it. And, the other new word of the day is "egress" as visitors walking past the sports book, or on the way to THEhotel or Mix, are currently navigating a temporary tunnel.
Vegas Observations / Michael Jackson / Mandalay Bay / Cirque du Soleil / Shows / rumjungle / The Lion King / → All Tags
Anyone Else Notice Michael Jackson Is Everywhere These Days?
Michael Jackson lives. Again. This week, Wacko Jacko would have turned 54 years old. Yet, in death, he haunts Vegas with a renewed vigor. And, it will slowly get worse. Like a song you can't get out of your head, once you start to notice, you'll be seeing Jackson 'round every corner, from single-glove bedecked impersonators panhandling on The Strip and progressive slots to the building publicity for the arrival of an all-new Michael Cirque du Soleil show next year.
We've cataloged the rampant scary attraction theme that is currently sweeping this town, but we've also noticed Michael Jackson a great deal. Cirque's Viva ELVIS closes this week, ushering in a new era of celebrity hagiography. Appealing to a subsequent generation that was too young for The King, but now adulates a King Of Pop.
Michael Jackson / Mandalay Bay / Cirque du Soleil / Slot Machines / → All Tags
Mandalay Bay's Michael Jackson Obsession Is Growing
The signs, they are a chang-ed at Mandalay Bay as Cirque's upcoming Michael Jackson show has hakuna matata'd theater marquees. Now Showing: A New Michael Jackson Show, except that it's not yet "Now Showing" since as the sign says it premieres in 2013.
Oops.
This is Where Michael Jackson Lives On - just hopefully not in a creepy Walt Disney type of way.
MJ fans that can't wait till next year can get a peek at the King of Pop now. Across from Mandalay Bay's theater doors is a white Michael Jackson. Err... MJ dressed in white. A white MJ plastered in white? How about we just run the picture and allow readers to describe as they like? We just hope this display really isn't where Michael Jackson lives on. Since that would mean say say say...somebody's watching me.
Slot Machines / Michael Jackson / Cirque du Soleil / Shows / The Mirage / Mandalay Bay / New York-New York / Bill's Gambling Hall / → All Tags
Beat It To The Casino Floor For Michael Jackson Slots
You won't have to wait until Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson show makes its permanent home at Mandalay Bay next summer to hear the King of Pop in Vegas. Now you can be regaled with the music of Michael just by feeding a few bills into a slot.
Michael Jackson slot machines are finally making their way to the Vegas casino floor after first being unveiled at the Global Gaming Expo last year. You can insert your joke, disgust or enthusiasm here as fans of The Mirage and Mandalay Bay are doing the same on Facebook upon hearing that the resorts offer the machines.
Cirque Week / Cirque du Soleil / LOVE / Beatles / The Mirage / Michael Jackson / Mandalay Bay / Zumanity / → All Tags
Things We Learned During Cirque Week
Cirque du Soleil brought the 2011 edition of their 10-day fan appreciation experience back to Las Vegas this December and this time we were in attendance.
Cirque Week enticed dozens of hardcore “super fans” looking to receive a “behind the curtain” view into the inner workings of the entertainment juggernaut. Many had seen multiple productions, multiple times. And then there was this VegasChatter correspondent. Yes, drawn by the cat-nip promise of backstage intrigue this reporter is now forced to admit to only ever seeing one previous Cirque production. This week that was changed. And, change we did, as we drank the Cirque du Soleil Kool-Aid and became a true believer.
Price of admission to Cirque Week began at $165 and included two show tickets. At the top end, it was $561 for seven different shows. Combined with hotel rooms during the 10 days, and coinciding with the often premium hotel rate incurred during Rodeo Week, this could have been a pricey commitment. That was certainly reflected in the look of the Cirque Week attendees. Skewed slightly older than imagined. Quiet. Polite. Reserved. Often charming. Often fun. But, universally intelligent. These are smart folks who are passionate. And, ask really smart questions. Some had even witnessed the early origins of the company when they were still street performers back in Canada.
Along with your tickets, came the opportunity to wear, from your registration goodie bag, a souvenir tee, a VIP lanyard, a flashing Cirque electronic luggage tag (that seems destined to cause airport havoc for some poor attendee) and witness 10 behind-the-scenes events. And, boy, were they good. Well-rehearsed, impeccably presented and filled with genuine behind the scene tidbits. Like, secret stuff! Ok, maybe not so secret if they're telling us, but you get the drift.
They even told us the names of the equipment manufacturers. So, if you had the 180 million dollar budget of the Beatles LOVE, you could go out and make your own version. Tommorow! If you had any interest in theatre, or the workings of an unusual, but massive company, you walked away from these sessions filled with ideas and inspiration. Corporations, take note. Send SPIES! You’ll get some insight into business culture that could serve you well.
Michael Jackson / The Immortal World Tour / Cirque du Soleil / Shows / Events / Michael Jackson Fan Fest / Mandalay Bay / → All Tags
Who's The Smooth Criminal at Mandalay Bay?
There's a smooth criminal at Mandalay Bay, and it's not just Cirque du Soleil's tribute to Michael Jackson.
Apparently, a lover fan of Michael Jackson has been hanging out at the hotel's Eyecandy casino bar for the last few months -- sequined gloves, red leather jacket, (sometimes a black-sequined one paired with a white tee), and all.
Events / Michael Jackson / The Immortal World Tour / Mandalay Bay / Music / Cirque du Soleil / → All Tags
Pay To See Michael Jackson 'Immortal' at Mandalay In Month, Or Free on TV Next Week
One month from now, Michael Jackson will touch us once again (from beyond the grave, minds out of gutters, please) when Cirque's Immortal World Tour stops in for almost a full month at Mandalay Bay.
Though, tickets went on sale ages ago, we've great news for procrastinators. There's apparently plenty to still go around, as long as you don't mind spending close to $200 per. But, take heart, at least now there's a 10 percent discount if you buy them online.
G2E / Global Gaming Expo / Gaming / Slot Machines / Michael Jackson / Elvis Impersonators / → All Tags
Confessions From A G2E Virgin
With just a bit of an interest in Las Vegas and the industry that keeps its lights on, this VegasChatter member looked forward to his first steps inside the Global Gaming Expo earlier this week. Unlike other events for which we like to map out an attack, we went into G2E without a playbook in order to see where our eyes and ears led us.
As our resident gambler reported, G2E is obviously filled with slots, slots, and more slots but the show also had plenty more going on. Behind all the suits, jewelry, and fake n bake tans, we spotted transaction analysis software, security firms, marker destroying companies, ATM machinezzzzzzzzzz.....
Cirque Du Soleil / Michael Jackson / Openings / The Immortal World Tour / Mandalay Bay / → All Tags
The Michael Jackson Cirque Show Is Awesome. And, Frustrating. And, Dazzling.
The one thing you can always count on from Cirque du Soleil is that its shows will evoke a visceral reaction. You will love it. Or, loathe it. Think it's the best ever or the absolute worst. You will be riveted or bored to tears. Very rarely will you find someone who gives any Cirque show a simple meh. And, so it is for Cirque's newest production, Michael Jackson: The Immortal, which kicked off its 47-city world tour in Canada on Sunday.
Toronto.com calls the tribute "spectacular" while the Toronto Sun labels it as "uneven." The Montreal Gazette hails it as "dazzling" while the Globe and Mail informs us that it is "fittingly wacko."
