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Celine Dion return might not happen until fall 2022

Updated December 3, 2021 - 7:26 pm

The Theater at Resorts World Las Vegas is officially a player on the Strip residency scene. Carrie Underwood’s smash-splash opening of “Reflection” at the regal venue, to be followed by Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, has assured the Theater will be an international destination for the long term.

What is not in focus is when Celine Dion, her performances shelved for health concerns, will perform in at the Theater. Her status is still uncertain. We can’t yet even confirm that she’ll headline the venue next year.

Asked Wednesday if there was any update to Dion’s scheduling plans at the Theater, Concerts West CEO John Meglen said, “No, there is nothing to update. I mean, when she’s ready, she’ll be ready.”

AEG Presents, Concerts West’s parent company, manages the Theater and takes the lead on booking its headliners. Dion announced in October that she was canceling her Vegas dates, citing severe muscle spasms.

“Everything else is totally on schedule,” Meglen said. “Celine’s not going anywhere.”

That’s true when addressing Vegas residency schedules, but Dion is scheduled to go somewhere in March. Her delayed world tour is set to resume March 9 at Ball Arena in Denver. She’s on the road in in Canada, the U.S. and U.K. through September.

Dion’s manager, Dave Platel, said in text Friday, “Nothing to add at this point. Our March schedule is intact as of today, and we’re hopeful that all will be good.”

Given that time horizon, and the fact that Perry and Bryan have taken up dates in January and February, the earliest Dion would likely perform at Resorts World would be October.

This would be after at least three headliners (and four, counting the yet-announced Michael Buble) have already played the Theater. Celine’s is a certainly a schedule to watch, especially if her tour dates are again postponed.

AEG and vax

The Theater at Resorts World and the Theater at Virgin Hotels are not requiring proof-of-COVID vaccinations for fans entering those facilities. Ticket-holders are required to follow the state’s mask mandate, which will be in place through early 2022.

AEG Presents manages both venues, which are owned by their host resorts.

Also, Encore Theater, where AEG has a booking partnership, is also following the state mask mandate and not requiring vaccination proof. In August, AEG announced it was enforcing a proof-of-vax policy at venues it owns and operates. The company has ruled to follow the state’s rules in those venues it manages in Las Vegas.

‘After Dark’ after Mars

Brian Newman says of his upcoming shows at NoMad Library, “There is nothing crazy-new for now, just more of the same beautiful-ness.”

Newman is returning his “After Dark” late-night hang to the Strip’s library of the arts at 11:30 p.m. Dec. 17. Additional dates are Dec. 30-31. Newman follows Bruno Mars at Dolby Live for all of those dates (Mars is also booked Dec. 18).

“We will be doing some holiday stuff on the 17th,” Newman said during a phone chat from New York on Friday. “It’ll be a one-night-only kind of a thing. ”

Newman was most recently featured in the Sunday CBS telecast of the Tony Bennett-Lady Gaga concert at Radio City Music Hall. The show was filled with amazing, center-of-the-universe performances.

In Vegas, Newman’s burlesque-star wife, Angie Pontani, is back as the featured strip-tease artist. Jaclyn McSpadden, Skye Dee Miles and Mikalah Gordon are among the singers Newman has lined up for the three shows. Murray Sawchuck is always available, with his partner-wife, Dani Elizabeth, for a magic interlude.

Also, the towering, operatic clown comic Puddles Pity Party is making himself available. He posted “I’m ready!” to Newman’s Instagram announcement from the show.

Newman had performed his previous series right after playing Gaga’s “Jazz + Piano” shows at Dolby Live. It made for a long night of music.

“I’m looking forward to playing the shows when I’m rested,” Newman said. “I’m excited to close out this year with a bang and hopefully add dates for 2022.”

A time to ‘Bond’

Jonathan Cain says Journey has some untapped, movie-theme potential.

“I’d like to see more Journey in movies,” the composer and multi-instrumentalist said during a media session Tuesday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, where the band is continuing its six-show residency this weekend. “I don’t really think they have mined our catalogue at all. We have so many great movie songs.”

I asked Cain if a particular song leapt out. A Bond theme, maybe?

“That’s funny you say that because there is song called ‘Eyes of a Woman’ that is very James Bond,” Cain said. “That could be the opening song of a Bond movie. It’s very haunting, and very different for us.”

It’s from the 1986 album “Raised on Radio.” Give it a ride. Cain is right.

This is Great

The Opportunity Village’s Great Santa Run returns with in-person and virtual options beginning Saturday. The in-person event kicks off at 8 a.m. Saturday. Chippendales at the Rio are the grand marshals, with appearances by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, the O.V. Elvi dance team, singer Gabriella Versace, and performers Fit4Mom and Rialcris. FOX5’s Jason Feinberg and Alyssa Deitsch are pre-race emcees; yours truly is the start-line emcee, introducing “Fantasy” singer Lorena Peril; and AJ (Sunny 106.5) and MoJoe Roberts (95.5 The Bull) as after-party emcees. The virtual run runs through Dec. 26. Go opportunityvillage.org for registration and related info.

Cool Hang Alert

Stirling Club is bubbling up — bubbling, I tell you! — with holiday cheer, with “An Intimate Holiday Affair” starring Kelly Clinton-Holmes with her special guest, husband and housemate, Clint Holmes. The event runs 6:30-10 p.m. Friday. . This is a fancy five-course dinner with sterling entertainment. Stirling Club, the party and recreation annex at Turnberry Place, has a chock-full entertianment program that is open to the general public. Go to thestirlingclub.com for all of it.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.

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