The cast of “The Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue” playing Westgate on Saturday is supposed to meet me near the entrance. I don’t know them. I only know they will be in costume.
But even expecting to see these guys dressed as ladies of a certain age, the four principals blend into the casino decor. It’s as if they are moving, camouflaged, to their next gambling destination. But their mission is not to the Huff & More Puff machine. It is to promote the show playing 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday at International Theater.
The group finally arrives at a high-top table near the International Bar. Slices of cheesecake are delivered, a delicacy popular in the sitcom. Unable to resist, I welcome the actors with, “I’ve done a lot of interviews in Las Vegas, but this one takes the cake.”
The dessert fits the scene. These characters are in character. Fans arrive to take photos. They approach the group with smiles that reveal nostalgia over the hit sitcom from 1985 to ‘95, co-starring the iconic cast: Bea Arthur as Dorothy, Betty White as Rose, Rue McClanahan as Blanche, and Estelle Getty as Sophia.
All of those cast members have since passed, leaving the “Golden Girls” legacy to such productions as this touring show.
”Our audience is like white women who watched the show with their mothers,” says Vince Kelley, who plays Blanche. “The technical answer is between the ages of 45 and 65. But we get a great mix, especially in the meet-and-greets, where you see this, ‘I brought my daughter, and I brought my grandma,’ and a lot of guys are like, ‘I was dragged here, and I had a great time.’”
Veteran stage actors Chris Kamm (Sophia), Adam Graber (Rose), Chris Davis (Dorothy) and Kelley perform the co-starring roles. Cindy Fee, the original singer of the relentlessly catchy theme song “Thank You for Being a Friend,” will appear at each performance to perform the tune live. Tommy Favorite — and yes, that is his real name — plays the lone male characters of Stanley and Burt.
The plot is set for today. As the show’s advance material informs, Sophia is out on bail after an unexpected run-in with the law. Blanche and Rose have launched a risqué new business venture for seniors. Dorothy is navigating a new romance.
“We still dress like this, but we have cell phones,” says Kamm, dressed convincingly in a high white wig as Sophia. “We have laptops. But everything is there, from the original show. There are a lot of Easter eggs.”
The production is risqué, restricted to ages 18 and over, and contains adult language. The “Girls” have been reviewed as “R-rated hilarity” in previous tour stops. The leading drag-queen and LGBTQ+ theatrical tour company, Murray & Peter, presents the show.
The hotel has set up a vintage “Golden Girls” set at the hotel entrance, with the same sofa and many costumes from the sitcom. It shares territory with the Elvis sign, statue and memorabilia at the hotel.
Fans of the show and movie buffs know that Quentin Tarantino played an Elvis impressionist in the two-part “Sophie’s Wedding” episodes in 1988. Blanch is the president of the “unofficial” Presley fan club in the storyline.
Owning that historical relationship, the cast posed at the Elvis statue and the lighted sign spelling his name near the hotel entrance.
“The girls loved Elvis on the show, so there are many connections here,” Graber says. Kelley adds, “I think it is like a good fit. Elvis fans, and fans of the Westgate, are going to instinctively be fans of our show.”
Cool Hang Alert
I often say I believe Patrick Hogan was born in the 1950s; he just does not physically age. The young showman with a vintage soul is a terrific and rare talent, a singer-pianist-composer-conductor of great virtuosity. The former Mayfair Supper Club mainstay kicks off “Late Night Cool” from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays at Bootlegger Bistro. This is so cool, it has “cool” in the title. No cover. Let’s hang.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
What: “Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue.”
Where: International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas.
When: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday.
Ages: Restricted to 18-over (adult-themed comedy).
Tickets: $25-$129.
Information: Ticketmaster.com.