Question of the Day - 13 January 2012

There have been and will continue to be some big shake-ups on the entertainment scene of late, with several big-name shows relocating, plus a few closures.

We cover the show (and buffet) news every month in our newsletter (check out the online html version for the most comprehensive listings), but for all of you who aren’t LVA subscribers (really? there are still Vegas fans our there who aren’t members?), here’s a summary, in no particular order:

• Rita Rudner, who's been a Las Vegas fixture at several casinos, relocated from Harrah's to the Venetian and completed her scheduled run there. The comedian is still listed on the Venetian website, however, with the promise of more shows, but the box office has no dates, and Ticketmaster has no tickets, at time of this writing. We sent the lady herself a query on Twitter, but haven't heard back yet...

• Viva Elvis opened at Aria to lukewarm reviews at best, and immediately underwent some major adjustments. It seems that wasn't enough, however, and having first been announced that the show would go on hiatus for another overhaul, it's looking now that it will end its run this year, making it the first Cirque show in Las Vegas to close.

• Barry Manilow played his last concert at Paris on Dec. 11 and was rumored to be relocating to Harrah's. When his wrap party was hosted not by Paris or its sister property, but rather by execs from LVH (former Las Vegas Hilton), the new rumor was that the artist may be returning to his former Las Vegas home. Nothing has been confirmed as yet, but we'll keep you posted.

• Steve Wyrick, who mysteriously dubs himself the "Ultra Magician," failed to do any better at the Hilton than he did with his own showroom in the Miracle Mile Shops, which proved to be the kiss of death to any show that played there, including his own, and closed with horrible debts. Having spent a fortune on billboards advertising a Hilton show whose debut was repeatedly pushed back, an announcement was made in September that the ill-fated production was on indefinite hiatus.

• Brad Garrett's Comedy Club was resident for a short while at the "new" Tropicana, which has struggled with its entertainment lineup. Garrett is now relocating to the MGM Grand, where he's due to reopen in a custom-designed theater this April

• Venetian Exodus: After several years at the Venetian, Blue Man Group is due to move to the Monte Carlo this fall. On the back of that news comes word that Phantom: the Las Vegas Spectacular, is also set to end its run at the Venetian this September. Meanwhile, Jersey Boys closed Jan. 1 and is scheduled to re-open at Paris, in the theater that was formerly home to Barry Manilow, on March 6. No word as yet as to what, if anything, will fill the entertainment void at the Venetian.

• December 30 was the last date for Disney's The Lion King at Mandalay Bay. Cirque's Michael Jackson: The Immortal, currently on tour, is due to open in the space as a permanent fixture on May 13, 2013.

• It was all change at Caesars' Colosseum, where Bette Midler and Cher are out, but Elton and Celine are back, joined by Rod Stewart and later in the year, Shania Twain.

We think that covered all the major changes -- obviously, myriad smaller productions have been, moved, and gone this year -- but let us know if we missed anyone of note out.