James McClendon:  

s). 54-inch high-definition televisions have premium cable channels, Oncommand video, and pay movies. Air-conditioned rooms also include coffee/tea makers, blackout drapes/curtains, electronic check-out, and electronic/magnetic keys. Housekeeping is offered and guests may request hypo-allergenic bedding. Cribs (infant beds) and rollaway beds are available on request. Guestrooms are all non-smoking. Notifications and Fees: There are no room charges for children 17 years old and younger who occupy the same room as their parents or guardians, using existing bedding. The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out. Pet fee: USD 50.00 per stay Pet deposit: USD 250.00 per stay Deposit: USD 150.00 per day Rollaway bed: USD 30.00 per day The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change. You'll have to see it to believe it Criss Angel Believe Jorge Labrador What would a magician do when his act gets mixed reviews for having too much going on and too much filler? He'd make those parts disappear, of course. And in true magical fashion, he makes them re-appear as something much better. The recently revamped "Believe" brings out more of what Criss Angel's fans have been clamoring for in the first place: magic. This Cirque du Soleil production has seen some significant changes in response to feedback from guests and critics alike, and the end result is a highly focused and entertaining show. "Believe" takes Criss Angel's illusions and stage presence, combined with the flair and artistry Cirque is best known for -- with just enough of each to make fans of both happy. Although the magic acts in "Believe" form a loosely-connected narrative, this story is secondary to wowing the audience with illusions. From levitation to "how'd-he-do-it?" disappearances, Angel brings out all the acts he has made famous on "Mindfreak" and then some, along with some more traditional illusions with an added "Mindfreak" twist to them. From the theater itself to the set pieces used during Angel's performance, the whole atmosphere is dark with gothic accents, reminiscent of old-fashioned circuses and carnivals with a morbid twist. Angel's back-and-forth interaction with the audience throughout the show keeps things interesting, but his bumbling assistants -- four "ushers" named Maestro, Luigi, Slim and Lars -- ensure that the whole experience, from start to finish, inspires both awe and laughter. Expect lots of dark humor, as Angel has snappy commentary to accompany many of his illusions. "You're applauding this woman being cut in half. Really, that's horrible. Just horrible," he says with a sarcastic grin, after a scaled-up take on the classic "saw a woman in half" trick. We've never thought about it like that, but Angel generally has an entirely different way of thinking about these illusions than your average magician does. If you've ever wanted to be a part of a larger-than-life, stage version of Criss Angel's "Mindfreak" program -- "Believe" is the show to see. The Lion King There's a new king in Vegas By Caroline Fontein Adapted from the popular animated movie, Disney's The Lion King is a visually-stunning masterpiece that takes audiences on a spectacular journey through the African pridelands and into the life of a young lion, Simba. Just as Simba is beginning to embrace his role as the future king, his father, Mufasa, is killed as part of his uncle Scar's evil plot. Scar tricks Simba into believing that he's to blame for Mufasa's death and convinces him to run away from his home at Pride Rock. Simba ends up meeting Timon, and Pumbaa, a meerkat and warthog, who live in the jungle. They teach Simba that the best thing in life to do is not worry about anything or dwell on the past when you can't change it. Meanwhile Scar, the real culprit for Mufasa's death, assumes the role as king and allows hyenas to live at Pride Rock. Eventually Nala, a lioness and Simba's childhood friend, discovers him in the jungle. She tries to convince Simba to return to Pride Rock and take his place as the king. After a visitor from his past, Simba decides to return home and confront Scar. A cast of more than 40 actors and innovative costumes designed by Julie Taymor bring animals and the savanna to life in this Tony-award winning Broadway sensation. Along with the actors there are more than 200 puppets in the show that represent about 25 different kinds of animals, birds, fish and insects. The puppets and costumes are showcased in a song called "Circle of Life" where Mufasa, Sarabi and Rafiki gather at Pride Rock to celebrate the birth of Simba. As they ascend to the peak of the rock, performers representing a giant elephant, giraffes, antelopes and other animals make their way through the audience. At 13 feet in length, the elephant is the longest animal in the show. The elephant stands just over 11feet tall and is nine feet wide. Guests seated in the aisles can get an up-close view of this amazing creation as the actors march toward the stage. Instead of having the performers dress in animal suits, Taymor's unique costume designs include African-style masks with fitted headpieces and other movable costume parts that help physically transform the actors without entirely concealing their faces and body movements. This allows the human characteristics of the characters to be conveyed along with their roles as animals. Bunraku Puppetry, founded in Japan by Uemura Bunrakuken, is used for characters like Zazu and Timon where both the puppet and puppeteer are visible. Weighing 15 pounds, the Timon puppet is especially impressive to watch. It's incredible to see the actor playing Timon act, sing and dance while simultaneously manipulating the puppet in response to the storyline. As Simba grows from a young cub into an adult, he travels over various different landscapes. First it's the grassy pridelands, followed by an elephant graveyard and the gorge. Watching how Taymor interpreted each scene from the animated movie and transformed it into a live production is another exciting part about experiencing this show live. One of the most thrilling moments in the show is when Simba gets caught in a stampede, and it looks like thousands of wildabeests are running from a distant mountain top toward him and the audience. For this effect, wildabeests were painted on a canvas scroll and different sized rollers were fitted with sculptures of the animals. The sculptures were made increasingly larger to make it appear as though the wildabeests are getting closer to the audience. Creating a stampede on stage seems impossible, but it's just one of the many astonishing scenes in the show that Taymor was able to achieve. Aside from all the technical aspects of the show, Disney's The Lion King has all of the endearing qualities of the animated movie. The highly talented performers bring new life to the beloved characters and their songs like "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" and "Hakuna Matata." The incredible imagery paired with the captivating music, including Elton John and Tim Rice's Oscar winning song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," creates a spectacular revue that has wowed audiences all over the world. Now people in Las Vegas have the opportunity to experience this amazing show live. LOVE Cirque du Soleil Love is in the air at the Mirage By Kristine McKenzie If you're looking for a show that's a fusion of acrobatics, dance and visual effects, accompanied by a classic rock 'n' roll soundtrack, then all you need is LOVE. Show Director Dominic Champagne calls Cirque du Soleil's LOVE a "rock 'n' roll poem." The show is a slightly psychedelic journey through the trends and politics of the '60s and most importantly, The Beatles' history, told through nearly 30 of the group's songs. LOVE started out as a collaboration between George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil's Guy LaLiberté. After Harrison's death, the remaining Beatles and the families of the late group members helped bring Harrison's vision to life, sharing their ideas about song selection and song order for the show. The music director for LOVE is none other than Sir George Martin, who is best known for his work producing The Beatles' music. Martin's son, Giles, is also a music director for the show. Although LOVE features some well-known Beatles songs, it is not meant to be a greatest hits show. The journey starts with the energetic "Get Back" at the scene of The Beatles' farewell concert and then flashes back to Liverpool during World War II when the band members were young children. No journey through the '60s would be complete without a trip through the era of Beatlemania. Acrobats and tumblers on trampolines perform, accompanied by "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "Drive My Car." "Help" serves as the soundtrack for four extreme sports athletes who take the stage leaping 11 foot ramps on inline skates. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Octopus's Garden" are the perfect backdrops for Cirque's famous aerial ballet moves. The show even features a "jam session" created from authentic recordings of the four band members. All of the audio clips and music in the show are from actual recordings from The Beatles' Abbey Road studio. The show concludes with its namesake "All You Need is Love," as a montage of photos of The Beatles plays on huge screens, leaving the audience with a feeling of nostalgia for a bygone era. Besides The Beatles, the other star of the show is the 2,000-plus seat theater itself, which features 360-degree seating. There is not a bad seat in the house and the farthest is only 98 feet from the stage