Imagine pitching “The Empire Strips Back — A Burlesque Parody” to potential Las Vegas production partners.
“We have Han Solo and Chewbacca dancing to ‘It’s Tricky’ by Run DMC, and also Jabba The Hut Jabba rapping ‘Hypnotize’ by Notorious B.I.G., while Princess Leia snakes across the stage. Also, she is wearing a chain leash.”
“This better be good,” would be the answer.
And “ESB,” in short, is good, really good. The show celebrates its year anniversary at the Rio on May the 4th (be with you, yes).
This week the production added a Tuesday night performance, and is now swinging the sabers nightly, with nine shows (two on Fridays and Saturdays) per week.
Like Luke Skywalker (spoiler alert!) blowing up the Death Star, production hits the target with its mix of sexiness and comedy.
“It’s funny, how it works,” producer David Foster says, unintentionally blurting a possible billboard blurb. “The burlesque and comedy fuse in a way where it becomes a really funny show. You see a dancer, very sexy, and all of a sudden R2-D2 shows up. That combination works.”
The production has blasted through more than 400 shows at the Rio after taking over for the Chippendales’ male revue. The theater might itself be a good-luck charm. The Chipps headlined the space for 22 years before hustling away in December 2024.
“The thing is, it’s done well everywhere it’s been,” Foster says, as the touring show is currently playing Boston on its way to Denver. “You don’t have to be a fan to enjoy it. But real fans don’t look down their noses at it. Everyone seems to find fun in it.”
We are Loco
Banana Ball is coming back to Las Vegas on Thursday and May 1-2. But the Savanna Bananas are not playing. Their two offspring teams, the Party Animals and Loco Beach Coconuts are taking the field at Las Vegas Ballpark.
I say this because I ran into a buddy at the Raiders draft party at Kaos at the Palms who asked if I was seeing the Bananas in Vegas. Not exactly. But these teams fit the spirit and are similarly beloved.
The Bananas’ empire has become one of the hottest tickets in sports. All games have sold out for months, with a lottery system used to issue tickets. The references to Bananas’ appearances are “shows” rather than “games.” Watch one of these games, I mean shows, and you’ll get it.
Cool Hang Alert
You might remember Ashley Loren from the cast of “Baz” in Las Vegas, before the show shut down and she took off for “Moulin Rouge: The Musical” on Broadway. She is back for a 7 p.m. Saturday headlining show at Myron’s at the Smith Center.
Featured on Season 8 of “American Idol” in 2009 (when Kris Allen topped Adam Lambert for the championship), Loren has been cast in “Sweet Charity,” the Broadway revival and national tour of “Jekyll & Hyde,” and Green Day’s “American Idiot” in L.A. Expect a that lineage displayed at The Smith Center (go to thesmithcenter.com for intel).
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.