Priscilla closing in Vegas 4 weeks early. - Page 2

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/6/13 at 9:15pm

Jesus save me, but MAMMA MIA ran at the Mirage for years. Doesn't that count as "The Strip"?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/6/13 at 10:59pm

Yes, Mamma Mia was considered pretty successful, running for six years at the Mandalay Bay (not the Mirage), which is the southern most casino/resort on the strip. I believe that it had recouped when it closed. I also think Mamma Mia was the first Broadway musical to attempt an open-ended run in Vegas (please correct me if I'm wrong).

Phantom ran for just over six years, but I believe it did not recoup due to the cost of building the theatre at the Venetian.

The Lion King only lasted a little over two years, taking over the theater in the Mandalay Bay when Mamma Mia closed. I don't know if that production recouped or not.

Avenue Q, Spamalot, and Hairspray all had much shorter runs than anticipated and closed without recouping.

I seem to remember a sit down of Chicago happening there after Mamma Mia opened and it seemed like the idea of an extended run of a musical could work there, but I can't find any info on it at the moment.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/6/13 at 11:37pm

I think Vegas was the only production of Phantom that never recouped.

What about Jersey Boys? I assume they have recouped already, but I don't know if I ever read anything confirming it.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/6/13 at 11:57pm

I don't know about Jersey Boys, but I would be curious as to what kind of deal was involved with them moving theatres there, since their original home, the Jersey Boys Theatre, was built for the production at the Palazzo, and their current home, at the Paris, is owned and operated by a different corporation.

You can also add The Producers, which played for just over a year at the Paris, and, I assume, also failed to recoup. David Hasselhoff opened that production and was replaced by Tony Danza.

[beaemma]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 12:01am

Regarding CHICAGO in Las Vegas, I saw it at Mandalay Bay at least a year or two before MAMMA MIA played there. I think CHICAGO was meant to be an open ended run, but it didn't catch on. Chita Rivera played Roxie, and Ben Vereen was Billy Flynn. It was an excellent production, certainly comparable to the Broadway. A friend who lives in Las Vegas said she found the show too weird and negative. Don't know if that reaction was typical.

I happened to be on vacation in Las Vegas, staying at the Palazzo, a couple of weeks before PRISCILLA started at the Venetian. (The two hotels are linked properties.) I didn't see any promotion around town, but they were promoting it within my hotel. They had music and commercial announcements about it playing continuously in the elevators and a huge replica of the giant shoe in the middle of the casino. I was given a discount coupon for it when I checked in. The announcements and the coupon said where to buy tickets, but didn't state the opening date. I finally asked the concierge when the show would open, and he gave me the date but had no idea what the show was about. I saw and enjoyed it in New York and and described it to him, which he appreciated. I have no idea why PRISCILLA didn't catch on in Las Vegas, but most Broadway shows don't.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 3:52am

dramamama, I don't get what was confusing about my statement. It's a show that, if promoted well, could have done well. Famous tunes, cute storyline, dazzling costumes. Perfect for Vegas. If it was promoted well, it could have run a lot longer.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 10:02am

Has a show featuring drag queens ever done well in Las Vegas?

The Vegas audience seems to be exactly that portion of America that would still prefer to beat up drag queens rather than applaud them.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 10:09am

Right after posing that question, I came across this sweet article about a performer is the drag show Divas Las Vegas:


VEGAS HEADLINER 'DIVA' FRANK MARINO GETS ENGAGED ON STAGE: VIDEO

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 11:10am

"Dramamama, the key word is "CAN" do well. Meaning not necessarily but possibly could do well."

"dramamama, I don't get what was confusing about my statement. It's a show that, if promoted well, could have done well. Famous tunes, cute storyline, dazzling costumes. Perfect for Vegas. If it was promoted well, it could have run a lot longer."

I was confused by the original post as well. Your most recent explanation seems a bit clearer since you are bringing up if it had been promoted well. I didn't read that in the original statements. I could see why there was confusion, even with the word CAN as darreyl mentioned.

Updated On: 7/7/13 at 11:10 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 11:30am

Yes, with the ADDED info, it makes more sense, initially it didn't, so thanks for the back-up, Millie.

I suppose the thought is with a different approach couldn't ANY show have different chances? I am not in the Vegas area, don't know how much ANY bway type show is advertised/promoted. (Truth be told, I went to Vegas once and hated nearly everything about it. Except for the shows I saw. This is why I vacation in NY.)

I guess I'm always surprised when shows that didn't flourish in NY DO flourish on tour. How many shows CAN say that?

[wicked4l]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 12:12pm

Legally Blonde was a much bigger hit on the road than it was in NYC. That show comes to mind.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 12:16pm

That's the one that sprang to my mind as well.

[beensince1987]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 12:38pm

I thought lots of shows playing Vegas is trimmed down to 90-minute 1 act. does that still happen? Was Priscilla 90 min?

[DAME]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 12:56pm

I think this press release explains a lot.
http://m.lvsun.com/news/2013/jul/06/priscilla-queen-desert-end-run-venetian-after-5-w/

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 1:08pm

I thought lots of shows playing Vegas is trimmed down to 90-minute 1 act. does that still happen? Was Priscilla 90 min?

No, because it was a tour stop. Vegas sit-downs are often shortened, but not all the way down to 90 minutes. Jersey Boys Vegas is shorter than all the other JB productions around the world, but it's not that short.

[Playbilly]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 1:22pm

I'm with Joey. Why put a show into Vegas this time of the year? Not the smartest booking.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 1:45pm

Quick question: anyone know if there were major changes between the Broadway and touring versions of the show? After it not lasting long in NY and some poor reviews, I was surprised at how much I loved the tour in Los Angeles!

[kadu335]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 2:03pm

I'm not sure about the tour, Sir Robin, but the production they did here in Brazil last year was identical to the Broadway production, the only major differences was a Brazilian disco song (called Dancin' Days) added after the finale and the fact that they cast a 18 y.o. actor to play Adam/Felicia, which made the character more likable and his actions more understandable in my eyes.

Updated On: 7/7/13 at 02:03 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 7:04pm

The cast as a whole is far superior on the tour (imho) . The hotels in Vegas struggle for business in the summer. In Los Angeles we are bombarded with offers for free night stays and extreme discount all the way thru August. I am sure it was a calculated risk the Venetian took in booking the tour for this long a stay. It just didn't work out. I imagine the company still gets paid and they now get to have a few weeks off to go home and re-energize.

Updated On: 7/7/13 at 07:04 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 7:26pm

I think it's weird that the inside of the theatre still has all of the Phantom/ Paris Opera house theme. I thought they would have redesigned it after Phantom closed.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 7:38pm

The show is basically an exact copy of Broadway- The bus is just somewhat smaller and dose not have lifts on it. The Heel on top of the bus comes out and over the audience on Broadway, but doesn't on Tour, On Broadway there was a stiletto that doubled for stairs that the three leads along with Marion, Shirley and Cynthia walk down for their bows. The Stairs used for A Fine Romance were cut out/ scaled back from the tour version. Only Costume that was cut out that I noticed was Felicia's green robe that he wears when the three leads are playing Truth or dare- instead he just keeps his Go West outfit on.

The Tour cast is near Perfection. My only feeling is that I enjoyed Nick Adams a little bit more then Bryan West as Felicia. Not because of his singing, because I feel Bryan's vocals are better, but because of his personality- it just seemed to me that he put more into it/ was more energetic.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 8:20pm

^ gotcha. Thank you!

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 9:26pm

PJ, Kenny Kerr's BOYLESQUE ran for 20 years or so on the strip. Of course, that was the OLD Vegas which was less "family friendly" and more a place for Midwesterners to go to be titillated by the milder vices. At least that how it seemed when I saw it in the early 1980s.

Thanks for the correction, AEA: Mandala Bay, not the Mirage. Except for the Luxor and Venetian, I really can't tell one hotel from another nowadays.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 11:01pm

Those were a different kind of "drag show" in a different era--the kind that appeals to straight people without any equality messages. I don't think La Cage and Priscilla (or Kinky Boots either) would go over with the current crop of Las Vegas visitors.

Updated On: 7/7/13 at 11:01 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 11:22pm

I'm still amazed Wicked hasn't set up a production in Las Vegas.