Red Carpet Report: Celine Dion fan, scam; ‘Hamilton’ dates; ‘Mondays Dark’; top pastry chef, restaurants

Ramona Almirez attended 119 “A New Day” shows when Celine first performed in The Colosseum starting in 2003. To date, she’s seen Celine’s new production, “Celine,” more than 100 times. Ramona has retired and moved here for the sole purpose of being able to see more Celine shows more often.

Meantime, Celine’s manager Aldo Giampaolo says that the singer was ripped off when an Italian Barbie doll manufacturer made one in her image wearing an Armani gown without official approval. He said that neither Celine nor he OK’d the doll, describing it as a “horrible disaster.”

One of Armani’s tailors from Italy brought the doll to Las Vegas with him for a friend, wanting a photo of Celine holding it. Being as nice as she is, Celine agreed, only to discover to her and Aldo’s horror that it was being used in Italy for social marketing purposes.

Aldo called Armani headquarters in Milan to protest and reported that the fashion designer was as embarrassed as Celine and Aldo over the scam. Legal efforts are underway in Italy to prevent the Celine doll being further exploited. Celine wears the full-length version of the Armani gown in her Caesars shows.

‘HAMILTON’ DATES

I’m hearing on the QT that the long-awaited Las Vegas performances of the smash-hit and Tony Award-winning musical “Hamilton” will close out the final Broadway production of the 2017/18 season at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

‘MONDAYS DARK’

Only two “Mondays Dark” fundraisers remain at Vinyl in The Hard Rock Hotel before the January move to its own theater complex, The Space. Mark Shunock, who produces the shows for Las Vegas charities, tells me that the opening of the 9,000-square-foot The Space will be Jan. 7 in time for the first “Mondays Dark” of the New Year on Jan. 9.

To date, the monthly variety show with headliners from Strip shows giving up their night off, as their shows are dark Mondays, has hit his target of more than $10,000 each time. Now with its own home, he hopes to nearly double it from 12 to 22 charities in the New Year.

TOP 100 RESTAURANTS

More than 20,000 restaurants across the USA were analyzed by more than 5 million reviews on Open Table for the new Top 100 listing released today. Congratulations to Le Cirque at The Bellagio as the only Las Vegas restaurant to make the Top 100.

PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to pastry chef Brigette Contreras of STK at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for being named Pastry Chef of the Year by the Nevada Restaurant Association. The annual event honors Las Vegas’ most innovative chefs and restaurateurs for their continued commitment to their craft and the community.

The award recognized Brigette for her artistic and multi-inspirational style and continued passion, dedication and commitment to advancing the pastry industry as a whole through sharing her expertise, skills and knowledge with younger generations.

SOUL TRAIN SPECIALS

Four days and nights of Soul Train Awards events are set for Mandalay Bay and The Orleans Arena from Nov. 3-6. The rundown: Toyota sponsors Monica, Jazmine Sullivan and Yuna in concert at House of Blues in Mandalay Bay on Nov. 3. The Soul Train Music Festival with Jill Scott, Tyrese, Anthony Hamilton and Tish Hyman is at Mandalay Bay Events Center on Nov. 4.

The Soul Train Party at Daylight Beach Club at Mandalay Bay with Kid Capri and Bell Biv DeVoe is from noon to 6 p.m., and The Comedy Get Down with Cedric The Entertainer, Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy is at Mandalay Bay Events Center, both on Nov. 5. The awards are at The Orleans Arena on Nov. 6.

W LAS VEGAS UNVEILING

Executives of the W Hotel group will be on hand Friday morning to unveil the company’s W marquee sign on the SLS tower that’s being transformed into a 289-room boutique W Las Vegas with rooftop Wet pool and deck. W Las Vegas opens Dec. 1, and various phases follow until the official grand opening in February.

Click here for tips on Tonight and Tomorrow in L.V.