Where Did Las Vegas Go Wrong.

I don’t think there is any shows from Broadway on the strip?

They tried bringing Broadway to Vegas with heavy hitters like: The Producers, Spamalot, Hairspray, The Lion King, Avenue Q and The Phantom etc, but all went the same way and flopped. Even if a tour goes to the Smiths Centre a week is enough normally and doesn’t pull any tourists in. Shows like The Book of Mormon, Moulin Rouge or Wicked that could do well on the strip haven’t bothered.

I haven’t been to Vegas since before the pandemic, this is unlikely to change, as I like entertainment, I hear now Vegas has gone very pricey now with resort fees, buffets expensive and not much free drinks if pumping those machines (I don’t gamble.)

So where did Vegas go wrong? I hear they are investing a lot in sport now?

You answered your own question.

"They tried bringing Broadway to Vegas with heavy hitters like: The Producers, Spamalot, Hairspray, The Lion King, Avenue Q and The Phantom etc, but all went the same way and flopped."

The Vegas vibe has just never meshed with theatre. Some of the 'concerts presented as musicals' could probably run there... but being in Vegas is all about running around, causing mischief. It's just not a 'sit and appreciate a classic American art form' kinda town.

I saw A Chorus Line there a million years ago and it was atrocious. Hairspray was fun - but it still didn't blend well with our Vegas shenanigans.

BrodyFosse123 said: "All the Broadway shows that choose to play in Vegas are required to have a running time of 90 minutes or less so extensive trims to the shows are required.

HAIRSPRAY in Vegas had no intermission and along with song verses and scenes being trimmed, many songs were completely cut like “The Legend of Miss Baltimore Crabs” and “Velma’s Revenge” (yup, the role of Velma Von Tussle became a non-singing role!), as was “Cooties” and the entire prison sequence along with “The Big Dollhouse” and the “Good Morning Baltimore (Reprise)”. The creators referred to it as HAIRSPRAY Lite."

That makes sense. I saw Starlight Express in Vegas back in the 90s and it was only 90 minutes.

I wonder if a show like SIX would work in Vegas?

I’d love to see Starlight Express back in Vegas some day and I think Moulin Rouge would work well if it was cut down to 90 minutes.

The purpose of shows in Las Vegas is different from on Broadway.

In NYC the show is the product. Everything is about getting people in to see your show & hopefully turn a profit.

In Las Vegas everything is about getting people into the casino to gamble. Entertainment & dining & the resorts & pool parties & everything is there to draw people in & hopefully they'll drop a bunch of cash gambling. That's why the entertainment is either concerts by big name performers or spectacle style shows with not much in the way of plot. The shows are not the end product.

I don't gamble, but I'm signed up with both MGM & Caesars to look at better room rates. I usually end up staying at smaller offf-strip places that fit my budget better. I don't need anything fancy, just as long as there is a decent pool. I'm going the October Canadian long weekend because weather will likely be gross here but chances are still 90-100°F in LV. Even without a gambling history, MGM send me weekly marketing emails. This summer the offers have included free Cirque tickers with minimum stays. If I had a gambling history with them I'd be getting free room & free food offers as well. Rooms, food, & shows ultimately don't matter to the bottom line. Gambling revenue is all that matters to Las Vegas casino operators

Which means that when tourism is down & sales are on, so much the better for me. The biggest mistake I'm making on my next visit is traveling on a Canadian long weekend, so airfare was higher.

Updated On: 8/24/25 at 10:43 AM

Yes, the Vegas model for Broadway shows was to "abridge" them. The earliest Vegas version of a Broadway musical I ever saw felt like one hour and change. The Cirque shows, on the other hand, seem lengthy in comparison.

In terms of even abridged Broadway musicals finding an audience in Vegas I have no idea when they "went wrong" but probably decades ago.

Contemporary Vegas went wrong after the pandemic severely cut into its profits and casinos started nickel and diming their guests to claw back some of that lost revenue but it is now in a death spiral because tourists from Canada and other parts of the world don't want to be subjected to Trump's sadistic caprices.

Updated On: 8/24/25 at 11:54 AM

Off the strip but in the area, Vegas does have Majestic Theatre, which is possibly the best-known non-equity and/or alternative theatre in the country since Starkid is more of an institution now.

They did Scream’d and The Craft, plus their Ride the Cyclone went majorly viral. All the way in Pittsburgh, I see art referencing their zombified doll Jane Doe design.

Atlantic City is thriving during the summer time

Sutton Ross said: "Vegas is for gambling, eating and whores."

NAH

uncageg said: "darquegk said: "Off the strip but in the area, Vegas does have Majestic Theatre, which is possibly the best-known non-equity and/or alternative theatre in the country since Starkid is more of an institution now.

They did Scream’d and The Craft, plus their Ride the Cyclone went majorly viral. All the way in Pittsburgh, I see art referencing their zombified doll Jane Doe design."



Just went to their website. Their theater looks like a lot of fun. A friend and I are thinking about goingto see "The Wizard of Oz" at the Sphere. May have to check them out if we go.

"

If you go during the Halloween season, they’re reviving The Craft; it’s got a jukebox score of goth-pop and witch-pop songs and artists. Probably the only place you’ll hear Marianne Faithfull songs in a musical.

Idiot said: "uncageg said: A friend and I are thinking about goingto see "The Wizard of Oz" at the Sphere. May have to check them out if we go.

Seeing this next Saturday... finally an excuse tosee that facility do its thing!"



Please PM me with your thoughts after seeing it. Enjoy!

Do you think that shows being cut to 90 minutes is what damaged the show and if they did the full length show as on Broadway the shows would’ve faired better?

I get Vegas is all about gambling, but would’ve thought you can win a lot of money in 5 minutes, but then again you can lose a tonne in an hour, do casinos expect people to be on the machines or tables for more than an hour?

When I was in Vegas I went for the famous buffets and lived lvery well, eating Baring Sea King Crab which isn’t cheap, but the buffet was, I hear it is very different now?

As for touring shows, I would’ve thought Vegas would be the same as Los Angeles or San Francisco and sit down for a good month, but they don’t and are done in a week.