Let’s put to rest the rumors about pop princess Britney Spears’ residency of her show “Britney: Piece of Me” at Planet Hollywood. New dates for her fall shows at Axis at Planet Hollywood will be announced shortly, with tickets going on sale early spring.
Her residency definitely continues to the end of this year, marking the successful conclusion of her current two-year contract. Discussions and negotiations are already underway about adding two more years to the pact.
“She’s very comfortable and happy with the Axis showroom at Planet Hollywood and living part time in Las Vegas, so we’re guessing that’s where she’ll want to stay,” I was reliably told.
“You have both parties who want a deal to work for another two years, so it deserves to happen.”
However, the Grammy Award-wining “Toxic” hit singer has to consider other opportunities that have been presented to her while in Las Vegas the past year.
She has a major touring offer to consider in 2016, and incredibly I’ve heard an amazing Wicked Whisper & Racy Rumor that another hotel on the Strip is ready to swoop in and sign her for a new two-year deal if Planet Hollywood negotiations break down.
Meantime, Caesars Entertainment executives are planning to sign Jennifer Lopez for a string of nearly 30 shows to program in and around Britney’s new dates planned for next year. J.Lo would start next January.
From another very reliable source, I am told that her management team and Planet Hollywood have agreed to contract terms. Only performing dates have to be decided upon around Britney’s new deal, and the contract is then ready for signature.
Britney’s four months of dating TV producer Charlie Ebersol is still going strong. At Saturday’s show that I watched, she proudly wore her leather-sequined jacket spelling out “I Love Charlie” for two dance numbers for everybody to see and share.
“At 33, she’s in a very happy place in her life with Charlie,” one of her show colleagues told me. “She’s really the happiest she’s been in a long, long time. He’s 32 and a great guy, and they make a perfect match. We are all — her family, her business colleagues, her cast and crew — personally thrilled that Charlie is in her life.
“He’s made a great difference to her comfort zone, too. He really looks out for her, and she does the same for him. Everybody loves seeing them so happy together.”
There is a fresh look to “Piece of Me” with lighting changes, wardrobe and costume changes, new choreography and additional dance numbers. Additionally, little-person entertainer Donny Davis from Beacher’s Madhouse is now featured in the “Circus” segment, which has been boosted into a major Las Vegas show spectacular in its own right.
“Britney insisted on a lot of tweaks to improve the experience for her fans, and they’re loving it more than ever,” I was told. “She’s moved into being very comfortable with the show and having much more fun doing it rather than having to concentrate during each number of what’s coming up next. It’s a fast-paced, nonstop show, and there’s no room for mishap. She’s finally totally relaxed with it .
“There were four months of studio rehearsals before the show began its run. Then once it’s up in the theater, you can start making adjustments and have the time to make improvements. Britney said she wanted fire, water and snow, and she got her wish for all three in the production. In a sense, it’s all happened gradually over time so you don’t notice that it’s a complete change until you come back and see it new again.”
I noticed the changes, improvements and entirely new video content treatment in “Circus” adding to its spectacle. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the show for a second time a year after its opening, and it’s obvious watching Britney, who is talking more to the audience, that she’s found the “comfortable slippers” of her show and has complete, relaxed fun onstage.
The Axis theater was packed with another sellout crowd, and Britney had people from ages 8 to 80 on their feet singing along, applauding and cheering for her. Tickets are still selling out briskly every time Britney announces new performance dates.
This is the place to watch bachelorettes party hearty and girls go wild! The show is now a stress-free and cool, razzle-dazzle, entertaining variety spectacular from start to finish and still includes the “slave number”; her bungee-jump toward the audience from an oversized tree; and falling snow.
She dances through fire, fountains and rain curtains, and the confetti guns fire off more paper copies of gaming chips than any other show on the Strip. It’s a veritable avalanche for Britney’s party.
Britney added a dance break between “Baby One More Time” and “Oops!…I Did It Again.” In the “Perfume” number where she sits solo onstage to sing, she added two dancers to perform a modern dance that acts out the lyrics of the song to show the start, middle and end of a love relationship. “Britney: Piece of Me” is a must night out.
And now it looks as if she’ll be staying here at the end of the year for another two years. I hope the romance with Charlie stays strong so that my next update can be their engagement and setting up house here for a lot longer.