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Las Vegas charity show Mondays Dark rolls an 8 at Virgin

Updated December 11, 2021 - 4:10 pm

NEW YORK — Mark Shunock is sharing sushi in a restaurant just a short jaunt from Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, where later he’s taking in a performance of “Company.” He’s prepping for the upcoming Vasiliy Lomachenko-Richard Commey fight for Top Rank Boxing at Madison Square Garden, which he’s announcing.

Shunock is punching out messages on his iPhone, while talking eagerly of Mondays Dark in Las Vegas. The charity show is celebrating its eighth anniversary Monday night at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Shunock finally sets his phone aside, for a moment, at the end of the meal. He does this because table mate Emily Jillette has asked him to.

But Shunock can’t relax. As he speaks, he unconsciously folds a napkin into a tight square, as if punctuating his point.

“We have 21 charities, ready to announce for next year. That magnet for your refrigerator, listing them all, is ready,” says Shunock, always the multitasker. “We have never repeated a charity in eight years, and I think there are over 300 on our wait list. It’s incredible how many nonprofits are in Las Vegas.”

The show is set for 8 p.m. Monday at The Theater, formerly The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, where every Mondays Dark anniversary party has been staged since 2014. Tickets sold out a few hours after Shunock folded his napkin, but you can livestream the event at MondaysDark.com.

The entertainment is led by Shunock as emcee, naturally. Kenny Davidson is back as music director, with Jassen Allen and Paige Strafella as the regular featured singers. Travis Cloer, Franky Perez, Skye Dee Miles and the cast of “iLuminate” at The Strat are among the performers.

Shunock is moving fast to 2022, returning to the Mondays Dark home at the Space for twice-monthly events. The capacity is capped at 250, a bit more spaced out than the original design, which Shunock says felt like “a sardine can.”

As for this Monday, the event founder says, “The response has been so strong, we’re making it all about the fundraising and celebrating these charities. The fact that we’re still here, about two years through the pandemic, is important. Now we’ve got to raise some money and end on a high note.”

Downtown’s shot

Column fave Amy Saunders, who created the Miss Behave persona and improv game show of the same name, is taking over Cheapshot project on Fremont East. Saunders describes the 3,000-square foot nightspot as a mix of “comedy, variety, burlesque, circus, dirty disco and drag.” Better update the wardrobe.

Saunders is looking for artists from around the corner and around the world for the Corner Bar Management project. She’s posted as much on Instagram. So, if you can juggle chainsaws, squeeze into a thimble or swallow a machete, opportunity knocks.

We expect more details as this project takes form in January. But it’s clear we are a long cry from Bally’s, where Saunders’ “Miss Behave” once held residency. The show’s creator has always seemed a better fit for downtown.

Clearing the confusion

Despite an Instagram post saying he was due back at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay this week, Carlos Santana is still set to be back Jan. 26. The rock superstar recently underwent a heart procedure and canceled all of his December dates. The post was an errant, automated update for social media.

Santana’s manager Michael Vrionis, president of Universal Tone Management, said Saturday that Santana would be back. “He’s feeling much better and is ready to come back, stronger than ever.”

Finding Falcone

Danny Falcone, in New York over the weekend with Bob Anderson’s “One More For The Road” Frank Sinatra show at Carnegie Hall, has been around legends since he was a kid. His late father, Vince Falcone, was Frank Sinatra’s music director for a decade. Danny even referred to Sinatra as “Grandpa.”

Falcone, a master trumpet player, contracted the musicians for the Anderson show and is also onstage. Over the years he’s been a mainstay in Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns and has backed several superstars, including Celine Dion and Lady Gaga. He told the New York Post’s Page Six, in Friday’s edition, of the difference between the two headliners.

“Celine likes hard rock,” Falcone said. “We would do sound checks, and she would want to sing Metallica and AC/DC.”

Gaga, Falcone said is “very committed” to the jazz format “and paying homage to the people who’ve done it before her.” Gaga’s legacy with Tony Bennett is evidence enough of her passion for jazz artistry.

Falcone’s comment about Dion brought to mind the VHI “Divas Las Vegas” show from May 2002. Dion performed a cover of “You Shook Me All Night Long” that night, along with Anastacia. For the uninitiated, that’s an AC/DC classic, and let’s have it in the set list at Resorts World Theatre.

Tease this

A major rock act is planning a museum in a prominent Vegas resort. More on this when I clear the decks.

Cool Hang Alert

The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas is moving back to a later time slot, 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at Myron’s at The Smith Center. As it happens, many of the composers are getting back to work, not able to consistently hit the 7:30 p.m. mark. This is good. Host and co-founder Keith Thompson welcomes ace composers Dennis Blair, Bernie Banks, Joe Chavira, Adam Dunson, Rylan Leo Helmuth, Chadwick Johnson, David Wachs, Tymara Walker, Camden West, Mark Wherry and Justin Young. At least one of these composers have performed in underwear onstage. Giving it the old college try, as we say. Check out the deets at TheSmithCenter.com.

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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