Best Vegas Shows

Best Las Vegas Production Shows

 

Here are our top recommendations regardless of kind of show with O at Bellagio and Jersey Boys at Venetian the highest rated.

 

We categorize shows as Broadway, Cirque (both Cirque du Soleil and the Franco Dragone created Le Reve), Comedy, Headliners (Recurring), Magic and Topless. Usually Headliners are 1 night only shows but Vegas has recurring Headliners.

 

Broadway

 

These are our top rated Broadway shows. Our warning is that you can see these shows in other cities so they may not have as much appeal as a Vegas only show such as O and KA and the comics and headliners who live and perform in Vegas.

 

Jersey Boys is in New York and Chicago and internationally in London, Melbourne and Toronto with a tour. Phantom is in New York as well as 6 international cities plus a tour out of Melbourne. Menopause the Musical is in 3 other cities wtih an extensive tour coming up as well. Even though Phantom has been seen in other cities, a true fan will still want to see the Las Vegas production given the highest production values.

 

Lion King will appeal to fans of highly clever costuming.  Music and plot are not as engaging as other plays but is perfectly fine for kids.  The show is on tour as well as resident in the New York Minskoff theater.

 

 

 

Cirque

Acrobatics, moody music, non-story line plots and unique costuming and staging characterize the Cirque type of shows. Franco Dragone left Cirque du Soleil to work independently and created Le Reve. These are across the board, the best shows in Vegas. O, KA and Le Reve will be unique to Vegas given the staging requirements so we can always recommend these shows even to visitors who travel to many other cities with production shows of their own.

 

One of the better values may be Le Reve which is still recovering from its poor opening reviews. It did not have as far to recover as Believe which is actually better than the terrible reviews. Many viewers have seen Believe based on the extremely high expectations for both Cirque and Criss Angel which were not met.

 

Viva Elvis is an okay show that does not feature the King's voice as much as you would expect with several songs sung by women instead.  Unlike other Cirque shows that have a number of "Wow!" moments this has just 1.  It is likely to improve over time and could be a top notch show someday but late preview shows were less than overwhelming.  For a more tribute oriented show, Trent Carlini will be starting up at Hilton on Mondays (march 22) and he is our top choice for impersonators.

 

We think O, Mystere and KA will meet your expectations for amazing entertainerment. If you are a big fan of the Beatles, Love is highly recommended.

 

 

 

Comedy

 

There are Stand-Ups, Impressionists, Comedy Clubs and a variety of other acts that combine humor with magic and audience participation. We have divided them into sub-categories.

 

Stand-Up Comics

 

We think the funniest is Carrot Top with his wry observations and successful use of props. He is much better than what you remember of him on the old phone company commercials. Rita Rudner is perfect for those who prefer clean comedy. If you don't care as much about clean comedy, drop her rating about a half grade. Vinnie Favorito is not as well known as most other stand-ups but will remind you of Don Rickles--on Rickles' best day. Yes, Favorito is that good.

Impressionists

 

Judging strictly by talent, these are some of the best in all of Vegas entertainment but you also have to evaluate by audience connection which is routinely broken in an impressions act that spans generations. It is much harder for an impressionist to keep an audience with young and old enthralled continuously since they may not know who is being impersonated.  This is especially true for Larry G. Jones whose opening act is a Red Skelton tribute.

 

Terry Fator has livened up his already strong act for the Mirage.  It is clearly aimed more for the typical Vegas adult audience but even his old standbys are at least as well done as before.  Fans of his old Hilton show will not be disappointed and may find it superior if they prefer a more grown-up spin.  Gordie Brown still has the high energy of before but some of his newer impressions are less convincing.  Frank Caliendo is probably the top talent in accuracy but needs to show more diversity and better material.

 

 

Other

 

Some acts combine magic, hypnosis, audience participation, and non-verbal humor into their acts. We love Blue Man Group but they also have shows in NY, Boston, Chicago, Orlando, Berlin and Tokyo. If you will visit those other cities, their show may not be a must-see while you are here in Vegas.

 

If you need an afternoon show, Mac King is highly recommended. He has a goofy persona but his personality (like a Terry Fator) will win you over. His show is much cheaper than the night shows and is the best value for the money.

 

Comedy Clubs

 

Quality varies with lineups. The most you will pay is $30 and usually less than $20 with some of the free magazine discounts so the value can be very high. Although some clubs like Tropicana might tend to get better acts it seems rather hit or miss.

 

 

Headliners (Recurring)

 

Cher and Santana are recurring headliners who don't have a regular schedule but appear at the same venue for repeated runs. Check our headliners link for the irregular schedules of these acts.

 

The big news is that Celine Dion will be returning to Vegas at Caesars from Mid-March to Mid-April with only a few days break in that range.  There will be a gap then more shows starting back up in the summer and fall for a total of about 70 appearances though that could change.  Barry Manilow is also coming back at the Paris starting in March.

 

 

 

Magic

Some magicians use hand skills to pull off Close-up magic. Some such as David Copperfield design illusions that can then be performed by anyone who understands the trick although maybe not with the same flair. Some are very capable of both such as Lance Burton who we think is the top pure magician in Vegas. He can be stiff to adults and his venue may be a bit large for his magic.

 

Mac King is not a pure magician but he we like his cornball humor. More edgy is Penn and Teller who we also recommend highly. Discount tickets are often available for them too. Although Siegfried and Roy no longer make their exotic large cats appear and disappear over and over again, you can still see these beautiful animals at Dirk Arthur's show. We hope that the usual improvement that a Cirque show goes through will be evident with Believe. Criss Angel is an incredible magician but his show is not a showcase.

 

 

Adult Shows

 

Topless Revues

Some topless shows are basic with small/medium sized casts such as Crazy Girls at the Riviera but some have high production values such as sinking the Titanic with many performers involved. We don't think this is a great entertainment category overall. At Strip Clubs, topless is prominent and pure. You also have high production values at other shows.

 

If you want the Old Vegas, Jubilee is our top recommendation. It is a good blend of variety, production values, and some topless. Sin City Bad Girls is a very modest production with a good singer that overachieves in contrast to Peepshow which is a much more expensive production.  An edgier show is Zumanity but ballerina topless is not everyone's idea.

 

 

Male Revue Shows in Vegas

 

Althouth there are difference in the male revue shows in Vegas, if the crowd has had a few drinks it almost does not make any difference.  The standard show is a group routine(s) followed by costumed solos with some group participation (remember the scene from When Harry Met Sally) and a $20 after show photo opportunity. Crowds can get very loud with lost voices a common hangover effect.

 

Chippendales has a bigger cast, slightly better group dancing and more production values.  American Storm is very strong for hard bodies and Thunder from Down Under will appeal to those who like Aussies.  Men of X benefits from a small stage and higher dancer to audience mix.

 

The strip clubs (Olympic Garden and Sapphire's) depend more on the lap dancers' skills and appear to be cheaper but the hustle factor is very high for tips.  You could end up spending much more at the strip clubs than at the shows.

 

When not busy there may only be 3 dancers on a shift at the strip clubs.  Be prepared to be firm in your lap dance choices and only tip those you really want.  You see more at the strip clubs and can get lapdances but the audience participation and screaming factor is higher at the shows.

 

 

 

Tickemaster for Las Vegas