Michael Jackson tribute moving into Strip venue

The entertainment mosaic, and Mosaic, is shifting on the Las Vegas Strip.

”Kyle Martin’s Piano Man,” a tribute to Billy Joel and Elton John, is on pause at the live-entertainment annex Mosaic on the Strip. Venue operator Dean Coleman of SPR & Promotions says the show is down because of a “disagreement between them that was causing a problem.”

A dispute over which character wears the rhinestone glasses, maybe?

Coleman has not specified the problem, though cast members departed the production over the weekend. Martin has not returned questions asking for an update. Typically, if a show is running a profit, internal issues can be sorted out without taking the entire production off the stage.

“The Mosaic is doing a lot better in ticket sales, but is still inconsistent,” Coleman said. “We are moving forward.” He also promises an innovative ticketing platform in the coming weeks.

The show’s final performance (for now) was Saturday night. The show is scheduled to be back Feb. 1, though Coleman hopes it can return as soon as Jan. 22.

On deck at the venue is “M.J. The Evolution” Michael Jackson tribute, which is now in rehearsals. The show stars M.J. impressionist Daniel Atanasio, with choreography from Michael Knight. According to its website, the show plans for a cast of eight backing dancers. Rehearsal video shows the central figure performing to tracks.

The show has, evidently, drawn an endorsement from the Jackson family, or at least Jermaine Jackson. He’s quoted on the site, speaking of Atanasio, “My God, he looks and moves like my brother.”

No start date has been set for the “M.J.” show, and likely won’t be until the “Piano Man” issues are sorted out. Mosaic is still a busy venue, staging “Queens of Rock,” starring vocalist Elyzabeth Diaga; and the masked male revue “Aussie Heat.”

All performances in the Mosaic showroom are set to socially distant for audiences of 50, in a venue with a total fire-code capacity of 1,446. Seating for a production show is usually about 500. The venue sits across the Strip from the Park MGM marquee, in the Strip mall anchored by Walgreen’s and north of Showcase theaters.

Over the years, Mosaic has been the Metz, Utopia, Empire Ballroom and Tommy Wind Theater. It remains the only stand-alone entertainment venue on the Strip.

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.