Q:
Years ago, I saw a show at the Stardust, which I think was called "Enter The Night." It featured a variety of acts, including a caged motorcycle act and a superb laser light show (which seemed to be the "thing" in Vegas shows at the time). Can you give any information on the show, including where some of the acts are now? This show impressed me as being one of the best I saw here.
A:
By the early 1990s, the Lido de Paris at the Stardust, which had debuted as Las Vegas' first-ever topless revue back in 1958, was definitely showing its age, and on February 28th, 1991, the curtain fell for the last time.
Lido was replaced by a new show called Enter the Night. As a company spokesman for Boyd explained at the time, "It's not going to look like the old typical burlesque or vaudeville format where it's production number, curtain act, production number, curtain act."
The vision was for a fusion of old and new, in the form of a topless showgirl revue with a Broadway sensibility, with live singing instead of lip synching -- it was the era of Madonna-style headset mics. The show had a 62-member cast and cost $10 million, including a complete overhaul of the Stardust showroom's lighting and sound systems. It opened in August 1991 to mixed reviews, with negatives often directed at Bobby Berosini, the controversial primate trainer whose act was the only one brought over from the days of the Lido. He left the show soon, due to the furor involving PETA and the performer's alleged ill-treatment of his animals. He's now presumed to be living with his wife in South America (see QoD 8/10/12).
Enter the Night performed until 1999, when it was replaced by Wayne Newton. A number of the featured acts had changed over the years, but here's the lowdown on some of those cast members who were performing when Enter the Night closed.
- Lead showgirl "Aki", the so-called "Showgirl of the 21st Century" whose iconic image advertized the show, even adorning the tail of Western Pacific Airlines' Las Vegas-bound planes, next performed in Jubilee! for awhile, but she studied on the side and went on to graduate from UNLV's Boyd School of Law. Today Akke Levin is a commercial litigator with a Las Vegas law firm, in addition to being a wife and mother.
- Lead vocalist Jennifer Page was first hired by Wayne Newton -- one of the few to transition from one show to the next -- and went on to perform in various other Strip productions, including Folies Bergere, Storm, and Sirens of TI. Today, according to her Linked In page, Page is a vocalist with Cirque du Soleil, where she's been since June 2010.
- As to world champion ice-skating pair Burt Lancon and Cindy Landry, the last we read Lancon is now a is a high-level skating instructor in Canada, where he lives with his wife and their dogs. The family are ardent supporters of the Winnipeg Humane Society. We couldn't find any up-to-date information about Landry, but the last we read she was still living in Las Vegas.
- Popular mariachi act Los Huincas Gauchos has kept busy since Enter the Night closed. Last September they were doing double duty, performing in both Jubilee! at Bally's and Nathan Burton's Magic Show at the Flamingo. There followed a sold-out run in Reno earlier this year, plus a new show for Costa Cruise Line.
- Finally, dancing duo The Scott Brothers, who refer to their robot-like moves as "cartoon dancing," are still going strong and are currently contestants on Season 7 of NBC's "America's Got Talent," where they've advanced to the semi-finals and will perform in Round 1 (August 28–29).
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