Since the days of Liberace’s Las Vegas residencies, which began in 1944, the Las Vegas Strip has been the world’s top entertainment destination.
The Strip’s entertainment has evolved over the years from the early years of hosting Nat “King” Cole and Ella Fitzgerald in the 1950’s, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack in the 1960’s and Elvis Presley at the International Hotel beginning in 1969.
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Top performers continue to book residencies on and off the Strip. Sphere Entertainment’s (SPHR) Sphere at the Venetian Resort opened on Sept. 29, 2023, with superstar headliner U2 and has signed huge rock band The Eagles for 16 shows from Sept. 20 through Dec. 14.
Lady Gaga wrapped up her Jazz & Piano residency at MGM Resorts International’s (MGM) Dolby Live at Park MGM on July 6, and Adele’s Weekends With Adele residency at Caesars Entertainment’s (CZR) Colosseum at Caesars Palace will wrap up its 100-show schedule with 10 more shows Oct. 25 to Nov. 23.
Broadway musicals have been staged on the Las Vegas Strip over the years as well, dating back to the 1960s and 1970s when guests could see Frank Sinatra and Susan Hayward in “Mame,” Juliet Prowse in “Sweet Charity” or maybe Tony Randall and Mickey Rooney in “The Odd Couple,” all produced on the Caesars Palace stage.
Since the beginning of the 3rd millinneum, guests could see “Phantom of the Opera” at The Venetian, “Hairspray” at the Luxor or maybe “The Lion King” or “Mamma Mia!” at Mandalay Bay.
“Jersey Boys” arrived on stage at The Palazzo Theatre at the Venetian on the Strip in 2008 before moving to Paris Las Vegas in 2011 and closing in September 2016 after more than eight years in two residencies.
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Off the Strip, Downtown Las Vegas currently offers Broadway-style shows at The Smith Center, where guests can take in weeklong productions of shows, such as musical comedy “Mrs. Doubtfire” July 30-Aug. 4, new musical “The Cher Show” Sept. 17-22 or “Back to the Future: The Musical” Oct. 23 to Nov. 3.
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The short-term Broadway musical engagements at the Smith Center are more geared toward local Las Vegas residents. However, “Jersey Boys,” which musically tells the story of the iconic 1960’s rock band Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, returned to Las Vegas just off the Strip this year for a longer run at the 850-seat Showroom at The Orleans Hotel & Casino.
The run began with a dress rehearsal on Jan. 25, 2024.
The regular run of “Jersey Boys” began Jan. 26, and producers had planned for the musical to run for three years, according to a statement in January. The musical was billed as the first long-term residency show at The Orleans and the musical’s only U.S. residency, the show’s producer said.
Jersey Boys Las Vegas
Warwick Saint/Jersey Boys
‘Jersey Boys’ cast gets some bad news
Ivory Star Productions, which produced the “Jersey Boys” musical at The Orleans, launched casting calls in New York, Oct. 2-5, 2023, and Las Vegas, Oct. 6-7, seeking a new cast for the residency. The new “Jersey Boys” cast consisted of Joey Barreiro and Jared Chinnock as Frankie Valli, Kit Treece as Bob Gaudio, Tyler Matthew Burk as Tommy DeVito and Jonathan Cable as Nick Massi. Rehearsals began in November 2023.
Unfortunately, the “Jersey Boys” cast received notice on July 3 that their performance on July 7 will be their final show in the residency at Orleans Showroom, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
The show apparently was unable to generate profits at the off-Strip hotel-casino resort.
“We are all incredibly saddened to have to say goodbye to this wonderful show,” the musical’s producer John Bentham said in a statement to the Review-Journal. “The cast is arguably the best to have ever hit the Jersey Boys stage and performs night after night with brilliance. The band rocks the house every night and the phenomenal crew pulls off the hundreds upon hundreds of cues and other elements flawlessly.”
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