It’s been a while since we could say this, but Cirque du Soleil has a new show on the Las Vegas Strip.
Mad Apple is Cirque’s 11th Las Vegas creation. The New York-centric show combines Cirque’s famous physical performances with more traditional comedy and singing acts.
So it’s a themed variety show — but does Cirque pull off something so straightforward?
We’ll also get into the return of The King, Elvis, in the headlines; and is the era of the hologram concert already over?
Answering all of our hunka-hunka burning questions is John Katsilometes, columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and longtime local entertainment journalist.
Mad Apple recently opened at the New York-New York, at a much lower price tag compared to their last Las Vegas show, RUN, which ended soon after opening.
The show features not only acrobats, but traditional show performers such as singers and stand-up comedians.
"The risk isn't there, that financially, it's not as big a lift and so that gives the show a chance to play and and work itself out and find its audience and it's been doing well. Its sales have been way better than RUN and even better than MJ One when it opened," Katsilometes said.
He said it's important to note the show is adult in its comedy.
As far as Elvis is concerned, Las Vegas chapels with Elvis-themed weddings were sent a letter from the company who controls his image, essentially a cease-and-desist. Since then, both sides have come to an amicable agreement.
Katsilometes said 14 chapels will get contracts to use his image for $500 annually.
"It's just a rollover contract. There's some language to be worked out here. But if that were the case, I think a lot of these operators are saying 'that's palatable, we can do it. We're good,'" he said.
John Katsilometes, entertainment columnist, Las Vegas Review-Journal
