Sir Elton John plans New Year’s Eve celebrations; ‘Rock of Ages’ to close Jan. 1
There is good news and bad news today. The good news is that Sir Elton John has announced, on the day that he returns to his residency “Million Dollar Piano” at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace, that he will celebrate New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day here.
Sir Elton has agreed to four shows at The Colosseum on Dec. 28, 29 and 31 and Jan. 1. Tickets for the New Year’s shows go on sale Sunday at noon. Sir Elton’s current run continues through Oct. 30. Doubtless he’ll be popping the bubbly at his lounge Fizz in Caesars as “Auld Lang Zyne” is sung at the countdown into 2017!
It won’t be anywhere near as fun a celebration for the talented cast of “Rock of Ages” at The Rio. The bad news is an official confirmation of my Wicked Whisper + Racy Rumor tweet Tuesday night that they’d been notified that after rocking Sin City for four years, their beloved, big-haired musical will belt out ballads and rock anthems of the 1980s for the final time Jan. 1.
It’s now the fourth Base Entertainment show to close since the end of summer, joining “Puppet Up!,” Frankie Moreno and Paul Zerdin. I’m tipped that Base is hoping to bring in a version of the Carole King musical “Beautiful” to The Venetian in the former “Rock of Ages” theater there with a companion, late-night “Absinthe”-type show, but as of yet there’s no second confirmation.
“Rock of Ages” opened at The Rio in January after a three-year run at The Venetian. It tells the story of small-town girl Sherrie and a guitarist filled with dreams from Detroit both wanting to make it big on L.A.’s famed Sunset Strip in 1987. It was an era of big bands, big guitar solos, big egos and even bigger hair.
The hilarious, feel-good love story celebrated the great rock songs of the 1980s, including sing-out-loud songs such as “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” “I Wanna Know What Love Is,” “Here I Go Again” and “Don’t Stop Believin.’ ”
Meantime, the new Base production “Magic Mike” by actor Channing Tatum planned for The Hard Rock Hotel next spring is already amassing record box office sales.