The revue style of entertainment for which the Strip was known for decades re-emerges this month with 'Extravaganza: The Vegas Spectacular," opening March 14 at the Jubilee Theater in Bally's Las Vegas.
"Jubilee!" (1981-2016) on the same iconic Bally's stage and "Les Folies Bergere" (1959-2009) were the longest running of the productions that featured the feathered headdresses and skimpy costumes of showgirls.
"Extravaganza" boasts showgirls and more, promising to take the genre into a new decade of glamor, passion and thrills.
The production begins when the show's hero -- who just found out he's lost his job, girlfriend and dog -- gives a panhandler an umbrella in a rainy depot reminiscent of New York's Grand Central Station. In return, he receives a one-way bus ticket to Las Vegas, triggering an up-tempo series of acts.
Dancers, acrobats, aerialists, skaters, ventriloquists and comedians follow the hero on his journey. The Globe of Death, in which up to three motorcycles race tightly in an enclosed, 15-foot-wide, see-through sphere, is one highlight.
"It's this 24-hour crazy roller coaster of events for this man when I salute and pay tribute to the most amazing things in Vegas then and now," said Hanoch Rosenn, the 90-minute production's creator and director. "A whole big adventure with dancing and costumes and music and many acts combined."
More than 30 artists perform on huge sets with large LED screens. There is also 3-D animation and holograms of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and others in a nod to Vegas' legendary past.
"I give tribute to the past, but it's in a very modern way,," said Rosenn, who also created "WowThe Vegas Spectacular" at the Rio. "It's very fresh and very fast. And visually stunning. What does Vegas mean? It means Elvis, it means the showgirls, it means the casino, the money, the clubs, all the beautiful girls."
"Extravaganza: The Vegas Spectacular" will be performed at 7 p.m. nightly (except Wednesdays) with an additional show at 9 p.m. Saturdays. Tickets are $50 to $110 (plus tax and fees) and may be purchased at BallysLasVegas.com.