Critically praised ‘Shear Madness’ to end run, in Las Vegas anyway

LEILA NAVIDI / LAS VEGAS SUN file

Bruce Jordan, who helped create “Shear Madness,” demonstrates the script’s thickness last year at Las Vegas’ Fern Adair Conservatory.

By Joe Brown (contact)

Thursday, July 16, 2009 | 2 a.m.

“Shear Madness,” the interactive murder mystery at Town Square, calls itself “America’s longest-running comedy.” That may be true in Boston and Washington, D.C., where the show is still running after more than 20 years.

But the Las Vegas franchise of the farce, which opened in May at a custom-built 300-seat theater in the shopping center, is turning out the lights after just 11 weeks.

“Madness” was greeted with positive reviews when it opened — the production was directed by co-creator Bruce Jordan, who has overseen dozens of U.S. and international companies, tweaking the script and adding in-jokes for local audiences in each location. But its Las Vegas debut was perhaps a matter of wrong time, wrong place.

Mostly wrong time, local “Shear Madness” producer Terrence R. Williams says.

“It’s been almost the perfect storm, in terms of circumstances,” says Williams, explaining the difficulties of mounting a new show in an off-Strip venue without casino backing. “There’s the economy, of course. Entertainment spending is down, as anyone will tell you. We’re located where we are (at Town Square) and our marketing budget has been tight. And this is a show that’s not cheap to operate, because this is an Equity (professional) cast.”

Tickets for the remaining performances of “Madness” have been reduced to $29.99 for all seats, and are available by calling the box office at 949-6123 or by visiting

ShearMadnesslv.com. It’s a funny show, and the Vegas cast is very quick with the ad-libs, so catch it if you can, before it’s gone.

The “Madness” showroom is in a sweet spot, right across from the hopping Yard House bar and restaurant, and Williams says he will continue to program and produce entertainment in the venue, beginning right away with performances by Matt Donnelly’s Celebrity Tarot Lounge.

It will feature such celebrity guests as Teller (of Penn & Teller) and comedians Kristen Schaal (“Flight of the Conchords”) and Carrot Top on Monday, and “Coraline” author Neil Gaiman and “X-Men” writer James Asmus on Tuesday. Tickets are $19.95-$49.95 at TarotLounge.com. An improv show called “Free Beer!” will take the stage at 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.