MADAME TUSSAUD'S: Stars are in at museum

Human cloning may be a long way off, but at Madame Tussaud's Las Vegas, wax artists create the next best thing -- virtual celebrities.

The museum inside the Venetian holds more than 100 wax portraits representing rock 'n' roll legends, movie stars, athletes and Las Vegas' past and present celebrities.

Each wax portrait takes up to six months to complete. Celebrity subjects undergo 250 measurements of their body, hands and face with calipers and cloth measuring tape. Then they're photographed from every imaginable angle. A sculptor models a clay portrait, which is then molded in plaster. From that mold, the body is cast in fiberglass for durability and the head is cast in wax.

No detail is forgotten. Each pair of eyes is crafted in acrylic. The iris of each eye is hand painted to match exactly, and red silk thread is used to create natural looking veins. Eyes alone can take up to 10 hours to complete. Real human hair is inserted strand by strand into the wax scalp. Costumes are frequently donated by the celebrity model. The pants on Nicolas Cage really belonged to the actor. The Whoopi Goldberg and Sean Connery figures are also wearing hand-me-downs from their real-life counterparts.

Maintaining the wax figures at Madame Tussaud's Las Vegas takes a full crew. Clothes must be removed and laundered. Because patrons accidently step on the wax portrait's toes, shoes must be replaced periodically.

"They get their hair washed and styled monthly," Las Vegas sales director Jo Ann Richard said. "We have a gentleman who does just hair and one who just does makeup."

Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt require the most maintenance.

"Poor Harrison, he sits out front and women kiss him and get lipstick all over him," Richard said.

Pitt got his wear on the road. He was dressed in a tuxedo, taken to a bridal show and set up under a wedding arch. Brides visiting the show got to pose with the wax portrait for a photograph.

Even at Madame Tussaud's, many visitors are surprised to learn the wax portraits are so accessible. There are no glass cases or red velvet ropes to protect the figures. Amateur paparazzi are encouraged to step right up, throw an arm over a shoulder and have a photo taken with their favorite stars.

"I think it's wonderful, especially for the guests. If the lighting is a certain way, you would never know it was a portrait," Richard said.

Many of the portraits are eerily realistic. A group of kids from the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas found that out firsthand when they were invited to have a sleepover in the attraction. It's one thing to be surrounded by stuffed stars by day, but when the lights go down, even the mildest of smiles can be a bit creepy.

"She's the creepiest," Jazmyn Glover said, pointing to Barbra Streisand's grinning portrait. "She's right by my sleeping bag and I think she's looking at me. I like Oprah though."

After a complete tour of the exhibits, most kids had a favorite. DT Carter liked Arnold Schwarzenegger, "Cause he's real strong."

Derek Lyons liked Schwarzenegger, too, but was a bit worried about a spooky soap opera actress with her arms outstretched.

"She looks like a witch, ew," Lyons exclaimed.

Devon Griffis loves Eddie Murphy, "Because he's in the movies."

Salena Wilde was most impressed with Siegfried & Roy, "because my mom knows them," she said.

Krissy Smith couldn't choose just one. The 11-year-old loved Murphy and Cage, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones and Lance Burton.

If spending the night under the stars sounds like fun, imagine being married beneath them. Madame Tussaud's Las Vegas now offers wedding packages. Patrons can be married in a private room or in any of the attraction's specialty rooms: "The Big Night," a recreation of a Hollywood gala; "The Sports Arena," a venue with a fantasy boxing ring and other sports settings; "Rock and Pop," the musician's realm; or "Las Vegas Legends," a space dedicated to Las Vegas notables ranging from Frank Sinatra to Wayne Newton.

Madame Tussaud's Las Vegas is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $13.50 for ages 12 and up and $10 for children four to 12. Reduced rates are available for Nevada residents and seniors. Children ages three and under get in free. For more information, call 367-1847.