I just saw a wonderfully spiritual and exceedingly inspirational show today. Did I have to travel to another city for this? No, I saw it right here in Las Vegas – yes, right here in so-called Sin City. And in a casino no less! 

It was “Praise,” on stage at South Point, which I attended this afternoon with my sister, Starr. It is advertised as “An Irreverently Reverent Gospel Experience” so you might think this might be too “religious’ – too narrow in its viewpoint to appeal to anyone but a small niche of evangelicals. But that fear was addressed and allayed in the first few minutes when Larry Hart, the producer and main performer, emphasized the universality of the spiritual search. “Faith is the fabric of humanity,” he said. 

“Praise” had many of the elements that make a Vegas variety show entertaining: skillfully staged musical numbers; well-choreographed dancers, lavish costumes. But what set this show apart was the spiritual message throughout. It was front and center in the serious songs, like “God’s Watchin’ Over Me” and “Amazing Grace.” But it was there in the comedy too – “Big Hair Gets You Closer to God” and “Gonna Stomp my Prada.”   The audience laughed and clapped their hands with the music and many times spontaneously rose from their seats during the two-hour celebration of faith. 

It was indeed an uplifting afternoon and I would recommend it to anyone who treasures special spiritual experiences. PBS was filming today’s show and there is the hope that this show can be expanded to one that will make it to Broadway. In the meantime, there are plans in the works for “Praise” to return to South Point, perhaps on a regular basis in the future.   Starr and I will be watching for it - and look forward to experiencing it again! 

And a special note of love for you who are nonbelievers, a quote from Larry Hart:   “Remember, if you don’t believe in God, God still believes in you.”

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I just saw an ad in the Las Vegas Review Journal promoting free tickets for shows at the Primm Valley Casino Resorts the rest of the year. If you go to their Web site, you can get the skinny on this great offer. There is a long list of free shows that are either “available now” or “available soon.”   Be sure to read the fine print at the bottom of the page: “A 3.55 Ticket Master processing fee may apply,” but almost free is almost as good as free! 

I read about another very reasonable entertainment option on the Vegas Coupon Forum: 

Everyone is invited to enjoy “Broadway Our Way Revival 2008,” a showcase of songs and dances from famous Broadway musicals, on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 4 p.m. at the Reed Whipple Cultural Center. An energetic group of 20 artists known as the Encore Follies will perform the show. All between the ages of 57 and 93, these former New York and Las Vegas professional entertainers will use spectacular costumes, dazzling showgirls and dancers, talented singers and comedic interludes to keep the audience enthralled. Tickets are priced at $7 for all seats, available by calling the center at (702) 229-6211 or at the center's box office. Reed Whipple Cultural Center is located at 821 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Box office hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

The Encore Follies have been performing for conventions, trade shows, and charity events in the Las Vegas area for more than four years, and their shows are entertaining for all ages.
 

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