Why has Wicked Never Played in Vegas!!- Page 2

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 11:27pm

I could see "Wicked" being done in Vegas as a sort of glitzy-glamor-Hollywood-type show, but it'd be weird (some songs; "One Short Day" would be cool like that, but "Popular" would be a bit strange). I'm sure that it will get there one day, after San Francisco transfers to Toronto in Summer '10 (ssh!)

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:14am

What's stopping the tour from performing at the Cashman? Sure, it's not on the strip, but Equity (and non-Equity) tours go to the Cashman on a regular basis.

It's unfortunate how many people assume "playing in Vegas" meant "shortened and on the strip."

Updated On: 10/6/08 at 01:14 AM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:33am

I think the two reasons have already been stated but in seperate threads. One reason a sit down production hasn't play Vegas is because of the sit down Los Angeles production. They don't want competing sitdowns in the same region.

Secondly, WICKED does have a core fanbase of audiences under the age of 21 and Vegas isn't exactly the top tourist market for families with young children.

[goldenstate5]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:37am

The real crime about Vegas? Aside from Rent, no other shows tour here, despite touring venues being available. It's extremely frustrating, and I've never gotten it other than the fact that many of the venues are near the Strip, which feature competition. But wouldn't people going just for the convenience of the show being there be enough? Rent was sold out for weeks before it arrived!...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:38am

Les Miz was at the Aladdin in 2001 and the Cashman in 2004.

[goldenstate5]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:48am

^Ah, yes! Les Miz is the other one besides Rent (knew there were two shows that come around), but absolutely nothing else comes. No Spelling Bee, no DRS, no Wicked, no...nothing!...

[maddiem]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 7:34am

Tons of people bring familys to vegas it would be a great place to open Wicked.

[dg22894]

Posted: 10/10/08 at 6:21pm

I think because they might need to have a bigger stage. I asked them that at the Emerald Curtan and the sets and stuff are too expansive for most of those theater and some might not have the flying stuff for Defying Gravity

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/10/08 at 6:51pm

You realize there's a touring set that could easily fit into any Vegas theatre, right? And that the "flying stuff" is brought in. Right?

[bwayfan9]

Posted: 10/10/08 at 8:57pm

I am going to have to agree with CATSNYrevival on that one

[Rotel1026]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 12:51am

I know Cats played the Aladdin theater a couple of years ago as well.

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 1:28am

The Peter Pans all sang while flying in a harness, I don't see why the Elphabas can't. And they sang longer than a bridge, a chorus and a coda..........!

[couldneverreallysing]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 1:42am

I think there are enough productions running that they don't want to cannibalize any of the other sit downs. There aren't other shows on the strip playing in LA and San Fran at the same time. Maybe one day, but I would guess it will be some time.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 1:44am

There will be next month when Phantom returns to the Orpheum.

[bwayfan9]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 11:09am

are LA shows shortened too

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 11:24am

Only for you.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 11:58am

"Vegas is trying to get away from the "family" reputation."

"Secondly, WICKED does have a core fanbase of audiences under the age of 21 and Vegas isn't exactly the top tourist market for families with young children."

Ok... explain Lion King...

But seriously, I'm suprised Wicked hasn't booked Vegas yet (as a sit down or a tour). I understand the whole regional competition idea, but Wicked in Vegas? I don't know, it just seems right. There are so many effects they could do in Vegas they couldn't even attempt to do on Broadway (including Defying Gravity).

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 1:23pm

Easy, Broadway does not belong in Vegas. Most Broadway shows in Vegas get cut severely or close very quickly. The audience and the casino owners in Vegas are looking for short, but big spectacle. The purpose of shows there is less for the art of the show, but more for bringing people in to spend money shopping and gambling.
It is true, Wicked will eventually get to Vegas, but it won't last long there. Mama Mia and Jersey Boys are very much like the typical review shows that Vegas audiences are used to seeing there, which is why they will get a long life there.
It is true that this sucks, but it is the trend there.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 1:32pm

"after San Francisco transfers to Toronto in Summer '10 (ssh!)"

That's not a secret.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 1:44pm

The purpose of shows there is less for the art of the show...

Well then Wicked would be perfect.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 2:15pm

Be nice now. Wicked is certainly of a higher caliber than a lot of other Vegas entertainment, whether you enjoyed it or not. LOL

[MrBundles]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 3:41pm

There haven't been any touring shows playing the Cashman since I believe the 2004-2005 season. The only reason they went there in the first place was because the Aladdin was changing owners to the Planet Hollywood and they wouldn't allow them to bring the shows there. The Cashman move proved detrimental because people just didn't want to go to "the ghetto," which is what many have said, to see theatre. When the season moved to Cashman, there was a big party hoping to attract season sunscribers. Turns out, only TWO people out of the whole city bought season tickets. Those two people were myself and my cousin.

Broadway Las Vegas, the company that used to handle the touring shows in Vegas were some of the most incompetent people I have ever come across. Many people purchased tickets for shows, such as Jekyll and Hyde that never ended up stopping in Vegas, therefore they did owe a lot of people money, which they never paid back. I did get my money back, although it was a huge process of trying to chase them down at their little closet office inside another business when half the time they were never there.

The last major touring show Vegas has seen was HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, which did go to Planet Hollywood, but other than that, Vegas gets nothing anymore and hasn't for a couple years.

The Smith Performing Arts Center scheduled to be completed in 2011 is going to be the host of all of the touring shows in the future.

Touring theatre just isn't a big draw here in Vegas. They brought HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL to Vegas at the very last minute hoping to attract the teen audience, and I ended up seeing it twice and there was maybe a couple hundred people at each performance I attended.

I'm hoping the new performing arts center will help to get more people exposed to some of these shows.

For me, I live in Vegas, but I do travel a lot. I was just in New York for 3 weeks, saw 28 shows, and I have to rely on all of the cities around here for the touring shows. LA, Costa Mesa, San Diego, Salt Lake, Tempe. Though, by the time Smith Center opens, I probably won't live here anymore.

Sorry for the long post!....and the grammar errors if there are any. I'm too lazy to check :P