If you are a fan of the classic TV series I Love Lucy (and who isn’t?) Harrah’s Resort has great news. The casino will be presenting I Love Lucy Live on Stage from July 3 to July 21.

The show is a musical comedy based on the iconic series which starred Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez as fictional versions of themselves.

Tickets go on sale beginning tomorrow, April 30, at 10am. Showtimes are Wed. 3 & 8pm; Thurs., Fri. 8pm; Sat. 5 & 9pm and Sun. 3 & 8pm. Tickets range from $29-$59 plus taxes and fees.

Caesars Entertainment employees "blow bubbles for autism" on Thursday, April 26, on the Boardwalk.

ATLANTIC CITY — On Thursday, April 26, the four Caesars Entertainment properties — Caesars, Harrah’s Resort, Bally’s, and Showboat — attempted to break the Guinness World Record for most bubbles blown simultaneously in support of April as Autism Awareness Month.

Caesars Entertainment employees and Legends in Concert cast members all participated on the Boardwalk between Bally’s and Caesars blew bubbles to support Faces 4 Autism — a local Ventnor organization dedicated to autism education and support. Members of the Legends in Concert cast that participated were Tina Turner, the Blues Brothers, Liza Minnelli, Elvis, Debbie Gibson and Ray Charles.

'Legends in Concert' performers Debbie Gibson and Tina Turner blow bubbles for autism.

Autism Awareness Month encourages everyone to accept and value the diversity of individuals impacted by autism.Bubbles have significance in the early childhood to adult years of those affected by autism. They are used in activities for skill development and the figurative expression of feelings of isolation.

Through understanding bubbles and their many forms for an autistic individual, it is hoped that Blow Bubbles for Autism will help the community understand and accept those impacted by autism.

Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie, show or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or what’s happening in the region. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly.

It is shaping up to be a fantastic summer in Atlantic City with the opening of Revel leading the way. One of the best aspects of the Revel hype is the expansion of top entertainers coming to the city this summer. Revel surely has more surprises up its sleeve but so far they have announced Maroon 5 as the band opening Ovation Hall on May 18, followed by the Black Keys on May 19 and Beyonce Memorial Day Weekend May 25-27.

Phish: June 15-17, Bader Field.

The city government has approved Bader Field to host four music festival shows this year as a follow up to the successful Dave Matthews Band Caravan last summer. So far we know that Phish will perform June 15-17, and that the Metallica Orion Music + More Festival takes place June 23-24 with Arctic Monkeys, Avenged Sevenfold, Modest Mouse, Eric Church, Hot Snakes and the Jim Breuer Heavy Metal Comedy Tour among many other entertainers.

Rumors have been swirling that either the Sept. 22-23 dates or Sept. 29-30 dates at Bader Field are being reserved for a country music festival topped by Kenny Chesney, but so far that is just a rumor.

(more…)

ATLANTIC CITY — To celebrate the second year the Boardwalk Rodeo (March 30-April 1 at Boardwalk Hall) many of the local casinos and community partners will be offering their own special Rodeo themed promotions and events.

Borgata will be hosting an exclusive giveaway for a chance to win an overnight stay as well as a pair of tickets to see Keith Urban on Saturday, Aug. 25. Rodeo attendees can enter to win by signing up for My Borgata Rewards or by swiping their existing card at Borgata’s table at the Atlantic City Boardwalk Rodeo on Friday or Saturday, March 30-31.

Caesars Entertainment’s Atlantic City Country Club will be offering a Rodeo themed special on Thursday, March 29, for anyone that mentions booking code “Cowboy.”

Jeans as well as cowboy and cowgirl get-up will also be permitted as proper attire for golf and clubhouses on this day only. Special guest Butch Kirby, the 1978 World Champion Bull Rider and scratch handicap golfer, will also be in attendance on this day. The Atlantic City Country Club will also be hosting exciting giveaways as well as offering a special Country Rodeo Barbeque menu. Main course selections and prices include a char-grilled 6 oz. Angus sirloin burger for $14, a char-grilled jumbo hotdog for $8, BBQ baby back spare ribs for $16, and campfire BBQ chicken for $14. To reserve your tee time, call (609) 236-4411 or book online by going here.

(more…)

Katie Murdock at Britney Spears

ATLANTIC CITY — After breaking attendance records over the summer at Bally’s, Legends in Concert is back by popular demand to Harrah’s Concert Venue (Bally’s sister Caesars Entertainment property). The revue show will be in town through Nov. 17.

The show will include new customized musical arrangements, chic costumes, and multimedia components, and will feature tribute artists performing as Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones and others.

The show runs Sunday through Thursday nights at 8pm, and Saturdays at 7:30 and 10pm. No shows are scheduled for Friday nights, or the Saturdays of Oct. 8 or 15. Ticket prices are $30 with all seats reserved. Tickets can be purchased online by going here or calling 800-736-1420.

This week’s Legends’ Performer of the Week is Katie Murdock as Britney Spears. Katie grew up in Draper, Utah and has been singing since childhood. She joined the Las Vegas Legends in Concert show in 2005 at age 22, and has since performed in Legends in Concert venues across the United States. Go here for her full bio.

Fall performances at Harrah’s will appeal to all ages. For more information on Legends in Concert, go here.

Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie, show or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or what’s happening in the region. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly.

With Memorial Day weekend coming up, we all start thinking about the summer season. All the gloom and doom about dwindling casino revenues and on-going layoffs of casino employees gets pushed to the back burner. Instead we dream about hot days strolling the beach and boardwalks (in A.C., Ocean City and Wildwood), and sizzling entertainment at night. Everything just looks and smells nicer in the summertime.

Gov. Chris Christie pushed for his tourism district to be run by the state and this summer we will see if it works out as promised, attracting more visitors with the promise of a clean, safe environment.

Artist's rendering of the Golden Nugget renovations.

Christie’s plan did help revive the Revel project, which is back on track, but of course that won’t be a factor this summer.

What will be a factor is the official signing over of Trump Marina to Landry’s Restaurants Golden Nugget brand. It should happen very soon, maybe even this week. Renovations have been on-going at the property for several months and the Chart House Restaurant is scheduled to open on May 26.

Also in upbeat news, Caesars Entertainment will be welcoming three new restaurants from Stephen Hanson and B.R. Guest Restaurants into Harrah’s Resort and Caesars. The upcoming additions are Dos Caminos and Bill’s Bar & Burger at Harrah’s, and Atlantic Grill at Caesars. Later this summer Luke Palladino’s self-named new restaurant will also open at Harrah’s.

Resorts opened the first gay bar at an Atlantic City casino, Prohibition, a great idea that reminds us that before the casinos made things too expensive, there was a vibrant gay entertainment/nightclub scene in Atlantic City.

Summer also sizzles with top tier entertainment at the casinos and throughout the region. Keep track of what’s coming this summer by checking out both the print and web versions of Atlantic City Weekly.

If you think your family has a chance to be great at the TV game show Family Feud, now is your time to find out. The casting team from Family Feud is coming to Atlantic City to search for contestants.

Auditions will take place Saturday and Sunday at Harrah’s Resort for the chance to play the game on TV, hosted by Steve Harvey. Auditions are by appointment only for teams of five family members. Call 323-762-8467 or e-mail atlanticcity@familytryouts.com for more info and available times.

Le Ombré: Season of Love is a new dance and acrobatics show opening at Harrah’s that only occasionally unfolds in front of the curtain. That is because the show presents traditional shadow art by using silhouettes of the various artists projected onto a large screen coupled with multi media, lighting, special effects and live vocals.

Go here for the story and a really cool video.

It was a different kind of performance at The Pool at Harrah’s Saturday when Alizma, a violin-playing group of triplets (Alizma is a fusion of their three first names, Aleksandra, Izabela and Monika) played the club in a special Pool After Dark event.

The three Okapiec sisters are classically trained violinists from Poland who have performed extensively around the world and now have another A.C. gig under the belts.

Harrah’s sent us these pics and we’re running them because … well, look at them.

Enjoy.

I had a chance to enjoy the “mythmusters of magic,” Penn & Teller, at their Saturday night (Nov. 6) performance at Harrah’s Resort.

Go here for my review of the show and here for my interview with Teller.