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By Scott Roeben
You don’t become the longest-running headliner in Las Vegas without having a few tricks (and treats) up your Bob Mackey-designed sleeves.
Frank Marino, star of the “Divas Las Vegas” drag show at Imperial Palace (soon to get a new name, The Quad Resort & Casino), has pretty much done and seen it all during his 27 years as a Vegas performer. But he’s still coming up with new ways to keep his show fresh and relevant and drawing in legions of new fans.
In the spirit of Halloween, the funny, irreverent female impersonator will kick off the first “Frank Marino’s Disco Divas Bingo” in the showroom at Imperial Palace on October 25, 2012.
“This isn’t your grandmother’s Bingo game!” says Marino. “There’s nowhere else in the world where you can play Bingo with drag queens breaking out in dance on your table, while yours truly hosts. This Bingo will be anything but a drag!”
Marino will play host at the wild event, and he’ll be joined by a DJ and members of the “Divas Las Vegas.” Prizes will be in plentiful supply, of course, with free slot play valued at up to $500 being given to lucky winners. The free slot play comes in the form of “Reel Rewards,” from the folks Total Rewards, the loyalty program of Caesars Entertainment, the parent company of Imperial Palace.
Reel Rewards can be used at any casino in the Caesars Entertainment family of destinations: Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Paris Las Vegas, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Flamingo Las Vegas and Bally’s Las Vegas, in addition to Imperial Palace (The Quad).
Given that the stars of “Divas Las Vegas” dress up every night in their show, guests taking part in “Frank Marino’s Disco Divas Bingo” are encouraged to dress up in their finest Halloween garb for a costume contest. Prizes will be awarded for the top three “Best Disco-Themed Costumes.”
The “Disco Divas Bingo” event is just one of the ways Frank Marino has piqued the interest of Las Vegas visitors, often updating his comedy patter to reflect shifts in our culture as well as bringing on new talent to his show, culling through hundreds of hopefuls to choose those who can most uncannily depict music’s greats.
For example, the newest additions to “Divas Las Vegas” include celebrity impersonators taking on the personas of Rihanna, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga.
The show also includes a spot-on Katy Perry impersonator, Andrew Ryan, recently featured in Today in Las Vegas. Ryan performs the Perry hits “Hot n Cold” and “I Kissed a Girl.” Yes, it’s a guy portraying a girl singing a song about kissing a girl. Talk about a mind-bender!
Of course, “Divas Las Vegas” continues to pay homage to superstars like Cher, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Bette Midler and Madonna. Each performer gives their all to emulate the signature look and dance moves of these iconic entertainers beloved by millions around the world.
As for Frank Marino, he provides a running commentary for the show each night, contributing comic relief and impressively changing elaborate gowns (many designed by the aforementioned Bob Mackey) between each of the 17 performers. Marino estimates he’s done a staggering 350,000 costume changes during his record-smashing streak on The Strip.
Among his other accolades, Frank Marino is the only performer in the history of the Las Vegas Strip with two stars on the city’s Walk of Fame. He also appeared in the feature film, “Miss Congeniality 2,” with Sandra Bullock, and even has a Las Vegas thoroughfare named after him, Frank Marino Drive. “It also goes both ways,” quips Marino.
Rest assured, Frank Marino has more surprises in store as he continues to defy expectations and cleverly invents new ways to keep his show top-of-mind with fans. An example: Watch for a “Diva Dancer Calendar” for 2013 featuring the buff male dancers in “Divas Las Vegas,” stars in their own right.
Find out more about the unstoppable Frank Marino at FrankMarino.com.
Frank Marino’s “Divas Las Vegas” performs six nights a week (dark Fridays) at 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $39, $69 and $79 (plus tax and fees) and are available at the Imperial Palace box office, or online at ImperialPalace.com or by calling (888) 777-7664.
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