Early risers can witness wedding madness

Las Vegas being a ’round-the-clock town, Al Roker should have plenty of company when he goes live Tuesday from The Venetian for NBC’s “Today” — at 4 a.m. (That’s 7 a.m. on the East Coast; we West Coast types have to wait for the 7 a.m. rebroadcast.)

At least “it won’t be 180 degrees in Las Vegas at 4 a.m.,” the weathercaster reasons. “If it is, there’s probably something on fire.”

In keeping with ” ‘Today’ Throws a Martha Stewart Wedding” — which culminates in October with a live on-air ceremony — Roker will open the broadcast from a Venetian wedding gondola.

“Why not?” he says of Las Vegas’ status as the series’ kickoff city. After all, “it’s the wedding capital of America.”

In addition to a “running of the brides” wedding-gown grab at 5 a.m. at St. Mark’s Square, where costumed performers will promote the nuptial theme, Roker’s also scheduled to whip up wedding entrees and desserts with celebrity chefs David Burke and Tom Moloney and stop by the poker room for a round of Vegas wedding trivia.

“Any time you get out there and help people make their dreams come true, it’s great,” Roker says of the wedding tour, which includes stops in Miami and Chicago before returning to New York.

“This time, whatever happens in Vegas won’t stay in Vegas,” quips Roker, who’s off to Miami following the whirlwind Vegas visit.

Magic touch: English-speaking magicians assure audiences, “Nothing up my sleeve.” Spanish-speaking magicians say “Nada por aqui,” which roughly translates as “nothing here” — and inspires the title of Spain’s “Nada X Aqui,” during which magicians Jorge Blass (director and host), Jandro, Yunke and Inés Molina will visit Harrah’s headliner Mac King during a six-day Vegas shoot.

King plans to perform a trick in which “I catch fish out of the air” and “spit a live fish out of my mouth,” he explains. (Nothing fishy there …)

Casting about: The comedy “Tales From the Catholic Church of Elvis,” based on Mercy Malick’s play about growing up Catholic in Sin City, plans a weeklong shoot starting Aug. 1, according to producer Eric Mofford. The production needs locals to fill four pivotal supporting roles: Jesus (complete with long hair and beard); Elvis Presley (in his jump-suited Vegas years); an over-65 former showgirl to recall dancing on the Strip; and a 10-year-old boy able to go from sweet-and- innocent to “a mini-Hugh Hefner” with a bikini’d babe on each arm. Interested? E-mail resumés and photos to ElvisCasting@yahoo.com.

Another project starting Aug. 1, the horror outing “Satan’s Little Sister,” needs day players, reports writer-producer Joshua Sofer. To schedule an audition, call Talent Services International at 795-0487.

Carol Cling’s Shooting Stars column appears Mondays. Contact her at 383-0272 or e-mail her at ccling@reviewjournal.com.