HAMILTON -> Las Vegas?

[macbeth]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 8:32am

https://www.casino.org/news/las-vegas-rumor-mill-hamilton-coming-to-caesars-strip-resort/

Vegas is one of my favorite cities on the planet so visit so part of me hopes this true, but I also can't see how they'd cut this one down to an intermission-less 90 minutes?

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 8:41am

Is it possible that it won’t be cut? Has a full length show ever played the strip?

[ArtMan]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 8:50am

I don't think so.  Vegas has some "rule" that they don't want a show to go over 90 minutes so people will get back to gambling. As far as Hamilton, this could be successful to those who just want to say they saw it.  However, for true theater lovers I would never go see it.  I would feel like I watched the edited for time and content tv version.  Huge pass for me.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 8:57am

It’s a rumor but I’m not so sure about this. Could Hamilton break the Broadway/Vegas curse?!? Hairspray, Avenue Q, Jersey Boys and Phantom all ended their runs early and were considered a disappointment. All shows struggled to sell tickets and often played to mostly empty houses. Hairspray and Q were huge flops. Fortunately the casinos had money to burn.

Attendance at Vegas shows has been going
down most years even prior to the pandemic. Concerts do best. I can’t see Hamilton appealing to the buffet crowd. Also if they think they are gonna charge Broadway prices then they should just pack it in now. No one in Vegas will pay that and especially not post-pandemic.

I think it’s a risk but if these casinos wanna bet on it, then go for it. Maybe Hamilton can break the curse.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 9:14am

Alexander Lamar said: "Is it possible that it won’t be cut? Has a full length show ever played the strip?"

Yes, a full length show has in fact played Vegas. When Disney mounted a production of The Lion King in Vegas it was, I believe (though could be misremembering) that they did the full length show. 

However, I know for sure that, when Mamma Mia played Vegas, they didn’t truncate it either. 

And, it’s true, Vegas sees shows as something fun to do in between periods of gambling or hitting up the buffet etc. Also, when Avenue Q played Vegas, didn’t it start out with the full uncut version only to be shortened to 90 min later on? 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 9:32am

Not sure but I mean it’s hard to compete with Celine Dion or “O” - so I can see why a simple a Broadway show with no real spectacle would flop.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 10:02am

ArtMan said: "I don't think so. Vegas has some"rule" that they don't want a show to go over 90 minutes so people will get back to gambling. As far as Hamilton, this could be successful to those who just want to say they saw it. However, for true theater lovers I would never go see it. I would feel like Iwatchedthe edited for time and content tv version. Huge pass for me."

There's no official rule that a show has to be 90 minutes or less, however most Vegas casinos have learned that having a show over 90 minutes is a bad idea.  Like you say, it takes away from people gambling, eating, etc. and the casinos lose money in the long run.  Plus the reality is that the majority of audiences for shows on the Strip are tourists looking for a brief escape from the heat and are looking for something quick and thoughtless to enjoy (and realistically many have had quite a few drinks before going into the show).  So doing a full 2.5-hour production of Hamilton doesn't seem like it would have a ton of success.  But it's certainly possible they could still do it.

Updated On: 3/1/21 at 10:02 AM

[Kev]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 11:35am

Is it possible that it won’t be cut? Has a full length show ever played the strip?

 

CHICAGO ran just shy of a year at the Mandalay Bay; full length form, no cuts.

AVENUE Q. also began without cuts, before it was shortened to 90 minutes.

Updated On: 3/1/21 at 11:35 AM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 1:24pm

Wrong town for it.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 3:17pm

Would kind of be brilliant if they did cut it 90 minutes or mashed some songs together, because Hamilton fans around the world would clamor to see a “new” version of it.

[nealb1]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 3:29pm

Yes, the runs of "Avenue Q" and "Hairspray" were not successful, closing shortly after opening.  Other shows were big hits.

"Jersey Boys" opened in May 2008, and closed in September 2016, playing over 3,300 performances.  In 2014, it became the longest running Broadway production in LV, surpassing "Mamma Mia!" and "Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular."

"Mamma Mia" opened in February 2003, and closed January 2009, after more than 2,200  performances.  When the show returned in May 2014 at The Tropicana, the run only lasted 2 & 1/2 months. 

"Phantom - The LV Spectacular" opened in June 2006, and closed Sept 2012, with more than 2,700 performances.

"The Lion King" ran from May 2009 through December 2011, playing for 31 months, and 1,078 performances.  Aside from New York, it's the longest run of the show in any American city, eclipsing the record breaking 27 month LA run which concluded in 2003.

"Spamalot" opened March 2007, and closed July 2008, with 519 performances. 

"Chicago" opened February 1999 and played for 1 year at Mandalay Bay, closing 2000.  Chita Rivera played Roxie Hart. 

Updated On: 3/2/21 at 03:29 PM

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 4:08pm

I’ve only seen Jersey Boys in Vegas. Was that a shortened version of the original Broadway production?

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 4:08pm

I’ve only seen Jersey Boys in Vegas. Was that a shortened version of the original Broadway production?

[nealb1]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 4:14pm

I believe JB was a 90 minute version. 

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 4:17pm

The article says a Caesar’s or Wynn property. I think Wynn would be a great fit since they recently closed Le Reve. I could see this taking the old ShowStoppers theatre. Wynn is a little more upscale and may have the clientele that would pay the high ticket prices.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 4:35pm

Broadway61004 said: "

There's no official rule that a show has to be 90 minutes or less

I knew that, which is why I put the word in quotes.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 6:36pm

I saw Jersey Boys many times in Las Vegas. From what I remember, it was not 90 minutes — they maybe shaved off 10-15 minutes off the full show. They cut a verse of a few songs and some dialogue, and paced it faster, but that was about it. No full songs were cut. There was an intermission, but it was called a "short pause" and was about 8 minutes long, with an onscreen countdown.

[DWalk]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 6:44pm

I've seen several of the shows mentioned in Vegas (Mamma Mia, Jersey Boy, Avenue Q) but I actually liked the shortened version of Phantom more than I did in New York.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 3/1/21 at 7:02pm

Nah, It was last on the strip, Vegas doesn’t do serious shows, I give it a year at most.

I would have thought Wicked or Book of Mormon would be better shows and surprised they’ve not sat down there.

Still waiting for Spider-Man to open, after being promised by the producers.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/2/21 at 1:14am

I loved the Vegas Phantom. I wish that would be the one they'd reopen Broadway with.

[redizer]

Posted: 3/2/21 at 5:34am

macbeth said: "https://www.casino.org/news/las-vegas-rumor-mill-hamilton-coming-to-caesars-strip-resort/

Vegas is one of my favorite cities on the planet so visit so part of me hopes this true, but I also can't see how they'd cut this one down to an intermission-less 90 minutes?"

Las Vegas is a city known for its bright lights and vibrant energy. It is the perfect place for vacation and supposed to be relaxing and fun, especially a trip to Las Vegas.

[windowwaving]

Posted: 3/2/21 at 11:50am

LizzieCurry said: "I loved the Vegas Phantom. I wish that would be the one they'd reopen Broadway with."

I've seen Phantom on Broadway, The West End, on tour and Vegas and by far my favorite version was the shortened Vegas version. That chandelier during the overture is so magical and I found the pacing to be perfect. I especially liked the transition of where the intermission would normally be.

I do feel that 90 minutes is all Vegas can handle, but who knows. Maybe Hamilton will be the exception. 

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 3/8/21 at 10:23am

Have you seen Vegas's demographic... Especially lately? No. Wouldn't work.

I can't imagine a ton of conservative, middle America, personal freedom fighters wanting to sit through a predominantly black musical that doesn't have pyro or a falling chandelier in it.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/8/21 at 12:03pm

LizzieCurry said: "I saw Jersey Boys many times in Las Vegas. From what I remember, it was not 90 minutes — they maybe shaved off 10-15 minutes off the full show. Theycut a verse of a few songs and some dialogue, and paced it faster, but that was about it. No full songs were cut. There was an intermission, but it was called a "short pause" and was about 8 minutes long, with an onscreencountdown."

And my favorite part was that when it hit 7 o'clock, that show started right then, no delay.

I'm of the felling that if they did Hamilton for like a year, it would be a smart idea. With Cirque's return right now a multi-month rollout, Le Reve closed, who knows when residencies will resume, and a lot of things up in the air, Vegas needs a guaranteed hit to bring people to town. I'm sure Caesars will pay a fortune for it, but it'll be worth it. The only thing I can think of against it that there's the Los Angeles production what was just about to start when the pandemic started.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/8/21 at 5:09pm

Yeah if Hamilton LA isn’t up and running, I could see lots of LA people making the drive over.