Las Vegas is a city of performers playing the streets, clubs and major productions from Cirque du Soleil to Nevada Ballet. Cirque du Soleil offers eight different shows at Las Vegas Strip resort theaters.
‘Michael Jackson One’ is the latest Cirque du Soleil production opened May 2013 at Mandalay Bay. I am not much of a Jackson fan, however, about half the songs were familiar to me including major dance routines for Bad and Thriller involving trampoline and rope bounces and zombies to wow the audience.
I’ll give you one tip for the show. The audience is subjected to some paparazzi treatment before the show begins. Avoid the aisle seats if you don’t want to be flash mobbed by photographers in your face.
There was a show for the IPW Press Brunch condensing acts from several hotel theater shows into a single 45-minute show at the Smith Center for Performing Arts.
Matt Goss performs at Caesars Palace. Apparently his backup women are called ‘The Dirty Virgins’. His website offers several reviews suggesting he is a British Frank Sinatra.
Rock of Ages at the Venetian offers 80s big hair rock songs like this performance of Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead or Alive.
This was a musical production I could relate to even though these were songs I primarily know from 1980s MTV when they weren’t playing videos by Springsteen, U2, Peter Gabriel, Madonna and Michael Jackson.
One aspect of Las Vegas I do enjoy is the classic rock soundtrack played in most casinos. The daytime tunes playing above the sounds of slot machines and in the lobby level hallways are mostly 70s and 80s classic rock, while the nightclub scene is primarily dance music for the 35 and under crowd.
Tiny Dancer
Ballerina, you must have seen her, dancing in the sand.
Elton John – Tiny Dancer
The highlight of the performances is one where I found myself with the best seat in the house. Well, actually, I was on my feet in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts trying to get unentangled from the crowd by working my way to the center of the lobby near the windows.
I just happened to be standing in the right place at the time when the Nevada Ballet Theater dancers began performing during the IPW Press Brunch.
Frankie Moreno, who performs at the Stratosphere, rocked it on piano with Mary LaCroix and another Nevada Ballet dancer performing during his song.
Frankie Moreno playing piano with Mary LaCroix on piano.
The emcee for the IPW Press Brunch show said they were most worried about how the dance would play out during the Frankie Moreno number since the Nevada Ballet dancers had not had the opportunity to practice their dance on stage before the show.
I think they nailed it myself.
And I found myself leaving Las Vegas having gained quite a bit of theatrical cultural exposure for a small-town guy who rarely visits a theater. I have found a new enjoyment for ballet and dance.
Blogger Disclosure: These performances were special shows exclusively for IPW Las Vegas 2013 and complimentary for media attendees at the IPW Press Brunch and a performance of Michael Jackson One for the IPW press attendees.
Ric Garrido, writer and content owner of Loyalty Traveler, shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests.
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