NOT EVERYTHING STAYS IN VEGAS: Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who is something of a closet impressionist, met the gambling capital's No. 1 impressionist, Danny Gans, backstage at The Mirage before settling into his seat to watch his longtime favorite. "I feel like a shrimp," quipped the singer-entertainer upon meeting the 6-foot-7 mayor. Needless to say, the mayor chortled, applauded and cheered Gans as he did a range of voices, including a marvelous Johnny Carson — as the psychic wit Carnac the Magnificent. And Gans loved the cigar lei he received. ...

Over dinner one night at the Flamingo Las Vegas, Hannemann demonstrated his own prowess at impressions as he mimicked former Gov. George Ariyoshi and U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye. There's candor and admiration in Hannemann's sound-alikes. ...

In Vegas for five days, we saw (besides the Society of Seven at Flamingo) many shows, including Celine Dion's "A New Day" at Caesars Palace and "O" at the Bellagio. Dion was in fine form the night we visited; a few days later, throat problems forced her to cancel more than a week of performances. She's in countdown mode, finishing her four-year contract at the Colosseum next year. The buzz in Vegas is that Cher will inherit Dion's slot in 2007, followed by Hawai'i's Bette Midler. Both pop divas would have drawing power equal to that of Dion. ...

Onofrio Colucci, a clown in "O," performed a couple of years ago in "Slava's Snowshow" in Hawai'i. We met for lunch one day, and he graciously led a backstage tour to see the marvel of the watery production from behind the scenes. Ran into Polynesian fire-knife dancers Steve Silulu and One Tovo, formerly of Hawai'i (with ties to Tihati Productions), who are part of the magic of "O." And they requested we extend aloha to ex-mentor Cha Thompson. ...

BITS 'N' PIECES: Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera," ensconced in a spectacular theater at the Venetian, is amazing in scope and in execution. Though edited to run 90 minutes without intermission, you wouldn't notice the trims because of the powerful acting and the alluring sets that include a mammoth chandelier in four parts that sways and assembles over the orchestra before falling. Lloyd Webber was spotted dining at Postrio, and he must've snuck into a performance without being noticed. ...

Cirque du Soleil's latest extravaganza, "The Beatles: Love," is off and running at The Mirage. Its circular arena setting, with theatrics overhead and at stage level, is very '70s in motif and costuming, with Cirque's trademark imagination visible in projections galore, characters with dreamlike aura and modern injections such as speeding skateboarders who elude collisions like trapeze artists on wheels. A great night of enchanting fun. ...

Abba's music is featured in "Mamma Mia!," the Beatles fare in "Love" — it's no surprise that the next Cirque show, destined for the City Center being built by MGM Mirage, will focus on the songs of Elvis Presley, minus an impersonator. These productions click because the tunes flesh out a story line that depends on tunes and concepts that trigger the imagination. ...

THE LOCAL ANGLE: Anthony Ruivivar, son of Tony and Karen Ruivivar of the Society of Seven, could not make his dad's momentous Las Vegas Walk of Stars ceremony last week. But the younger Ruivivar, formerly of NBC-TV's "Third Watch," had a good reason: He's in Canada taping episodes of a new ABC mid-season replacement drama called "Traveler" in which he portrays a Homeland Security FBI agent. Could be a January launch. ...

SOSer Ruivivar might have coined a new moniker for the Honolulu-based spinoff group, the Society of Seven Las Vegas, which he dubbed "Society of Seven Latest Version," at the recent Walk of Stars ceremony attended by Richard Natto and John Salvatera of SOS LV. Hmmm, sounds valid. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.