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Shoppers pass by the closed Steve Wyrick Theatre in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood last month. Wyrick’s $34 million theater that seats 500 people opened in early 2007 — right before the recession reduced visitation to Las Vegas.
Monday, Jan. 25, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Sun Archives
- Miracle Mile Shops suing magician Steve Wyrick over rent (1-6-10)
- Steve Wyrick sued by performers after shutting theater (12-11-09)
- Miracle Mile tenants in legal battle over promotion deal (11-3-09)
- Strip performer sued; Earth Hour leaves power grid unharmed (4-7-09)
- Steve Wyrick files lawsuit over failed July 4 stunt on Strip (7-28-09)
Steve Wyrick.
Map of Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood
Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood
3663 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas
Most places, it’s customary to turn the lights out when you leave. Not here; not in Las Vegas.
Last month, the grandly titled Steve Wyrick Theatre and Entertainment Complex went out of business — went dark, as they say in showbiz.
But the lights are still on, night and day, blazing away. You’d never know that the theater is financially drained, and that the acts it housed, including Wyrick’s own “Real Magic,” have vanished.
But that’s part of the illusion in Vegas entertainment — “we’ll be right back, folks!”
Wyrick’s empty theater is emblematic of the state of entertainment on the Strip in early 2010. The keyword: attrition. The last months of 2009 saw a slow leak of talent from the Strip’s showrooms, with acts from household-name headliners to has-beens and once-wases alike making for the exits.
It looks like business as usual at the Wyrick complex, embedded in the chaotic cacophony of the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Box office signs sparkle, backlit posters tout magician Wyrick, pictured astride a chopper, and a reunion of some configuration of the Platters, Coasters and Marvelettes. Like many Strip showrooms, the 500-seat theater was host to a variety of acts at different hours, from afternoon to late night.
Peer through the mesh curtain that encases the theater complex during off hours and you’ll see Wyrick-branded magic kits strewn on one countertop, the white marble countertop at Triq bar aglow from within, ready for customers. The only indication that something’s amiss is a small sign that reads “Unfortunately tonight’s performances are canceled. All refunds will be provided by our ticket provider/broker.”
The sign also provides a number to call. The chipper recording makes no mention of any difficulties. A click on SteveWyrick.com goes directly to a generic server page.
The first leaf fell from the Strip’s showbiz branch late last year: In September, Caesars Palace announced that its Comedy Festival would go dark in 2010, in what would have been its fifth year.
“Mamma Mia!” and was quickly replaced by “The Lion King” at Mandalay Bay. But the disappearing acts continued: Venerable “Folies Bergere” flew back to France before hitting its 50-year-mark, leaving its showroom sadly feather-free. The eternal and seemingly indestructible Charo put her open-ended gig at the Riviera on ice; the Riv’s figure-skating revue “Ice: The Show From Russia” met the same fate, leaving yet another casino showroom chilly and dark.
The Scintas split from the Las Vegas Hilton. Wayne Brady canceled all his fourth-quarter dates at the Venetian because of “vocal strain.” The cast of “Freaks” packed their broken-glass canapés and flesh-piercing spikes and slithered out of the upstairs room at O'Shea's. The Harmon Theater lost three of its variety shows, including Cashetta’s “Magic’s a Drag” and filed for bankruptcy reorganization last week.
Of course, these and other losses could be attributed to the normal cycles and churn that affect the entertainment industry. But it’s clear that the chilling villain is — duh, the economic downturn, which has distinctly dimmed the Strip’s showscape. Visitors are down — you can feel it in the traffic, in the parking lots, on the casino floors. And those who do come are gripping their ATM cards tighter, selecting their entertainment by what they can get for cheap or for free.
One-night bookings continue to appear — Caesars will surely find someone to fill the substantial Bette- and Elton-shaped holes in its calendar. But smaller-scale residencies are going begging, and more showrooms are likely to go — and stay — empty.
Strip properties may want to plug the holes, but with what? Who is going to invest in producing a new show now? What performer has the money to stake themselves? Mounting a show, after all, isn’t plug-and-play — choosing an entertainer, plopping them on a stage and turning on the “Now Playing” marquee.
Without the top-of-mind recognition and marketing muscle of a juggernaut like Cirque du Soleil or the Colosseum, and with an audience that’s looking for deals “uber alles”, the Strip is a bleak environment for starting and nurturing new shows, even for troupers suffused with a “Hey kids, let’s put on a show!” spirit.
Bundle up and brace yourself: The losses aren’t over. More Strip acts are certain to vanish—or just never happen.
— Originally published in Las Vegas Weekly, a sister publication of the Sun.
CORRECTION: A reference to Zowie Bowie folding its act was removed from this story. | (January 25, 2010)
The men and women who control the Las Vegas properties have the ability to turn the tide on the tourist visitation problem we are experiencing right now. All they need do is to go BACK to the proven formula which has attracted the masses to this town since it's inception. I'll say it one more time.. Cheapen the rooms and food to near giveaway prices, loosen up the slots, and let the free drinks flow.. Haven't gotten it yet corporate idiots ?
YOU HIT THE SPOT ENVIRONPROTECTOR. it all about greed in corporate america and wall street they don't care about working people n
When ticket prices adjust to normal levels, we will start seeing shows again. We recently went to Tony & Tina's wedding at Planet Hollywood using free ticket we won in a promotion. Had we had to pay full price, it would have cost $400 plus tax, fees and tip for our family of five to go. Sure it was fun, but is it worth $80 a person for a small plate of lukewarm food (dinner is served on a salad plate), a 1" sliver of cake and a bunch of people running around pretending to be drunk (and flipping each other off in front of my 10 year old)? And for most of the show, you could hear the music thumping through the wall from the show next door. Tacky.
Vegas needs to return to the model of the 70s and 80s. Cheap food & free shows.We often go to hear bands for free at locals casinos. In turn return for the free entertainment (which is far superior to the canned shows on the strip) we will gladly spend $$ on dinner, drinks and maybe even a movie or game of bowling.
You said it environprotector,, go back to what was working and worry about hpw much money you make some other time.....
Are you saying you want the Corporate exec's to give up anything to the public?
My god then they would have to downsize their lifestyle and be millionaires instead of multimilllionaires
Oh No! Mr Bill
Say it isn't so.
Clarification: Zowie Bowie continues to perform at the Lance Burton Theatre at Monte Carlo on Sundays at 9 p.m.
For the last few years, the shows just don't seem to grab out attention. Pricing is just through the roof. The free shows at places such as the Orleans and bars at Venetian are really good and fun. Why pay $200 a ticket when you can enjoy a free show. I agree 100% with ATVDAD1, the more I have to spend on food and shows, the less I gamble. Which do they want more? Now just one more thing to add. The secret to finding deals in Vegas has remained the same. Just ask. You never know what they will give you, but you will get nothing if you don't try. We try to see how many 2 for 1 or free buffet coupons we can get and factor that into our budget. If you watch for coupons and deals, you can make things less expensive and more fun. Enter free tournaments if offered. You have nothing to lose, and some will give you a free gift upon registration. I will be honest, one free gift was a nice book. Sold it on eBay for $30.
"The shows that closed were lower tier"
Or the entertainers' contracts were up.
asleepatthewheel :
How old are ypu? If you are at least in your thirties,and have lived here for the past fifteen years at least, you would know how that formula worked. The rooms and meals are ancillary to the CASINO! get attrition working for you in the casino and you will make piles upon piles of legal tender. I find that some of the younger bloggers here never experienced this, so they think that what we have today is the norm.. Once upon a time there was value offered here to get you here!
Very nice article. I agree, the crap must die. The time for real art, or nothing. And the prices should be no more then 70 dollars. To keep the showroom occupied, the casino must financially take it under there wings. Off course they should follow low expenses to produce and hi level of art to receive.
Internet changed the world for ever. Nothing excites audience anymore. All shows based on jumping around. Even Cirque Du Soleil becomes artistically outdated. All there shows based on expenses. 20 years ago they have production "NOVELLE EXPIRIENCE"- very artistic production. Only with 30 performers, for 3 years it opened the doors to USA, Europe, Japan and Las Vegas. Before that, no body new about Du Soleil. "NOVELE EXPIRIENCE" not exist anymore because it was based on real art. Now they have about 100 performers in each show, all of them interchangeable, but the show has no art-heart. It become manufactory. The show "KA" is example. Big budget, 90 performers, but you will walk out with no personality memories, (even if you sleep with some of them) The personality art, is the only thing that audience after.
So, If there is any nice theater in Vegas, that struggling for art, I can help. For 25 years I work for three major companies. (Including Las Vegas) Never failed. I have a project with a budget of 2 millions, that will compete 100 mill productions of Du Soleil. It's completely different style and it's a heart crasher"
Really good article. The only shows I can afford to see are the under $50 shows, like "Bite". Those cheaper shows are incredibly small-scale productions, with like 5 dancers and recorded music. That's okay--I'm only there to check out the cute girls in their fancy costumes. "Scarlett Princess of Magic" was a similarly small-scale show. The same thing has apparently happened to ballet. If you see a production of the Nutcracker during xmas, there will be only a few props on the stage and even recorded music--lavish productions are a thing of the past.
The 3 figure show tickets severely limit the number of people willing (or able) to pay the cost of entry. For most of us we multiply the ticket price by 2, since I take my wife. Most people go with a date. I'd pay the price to see Manilow, Garth, or Elton John....ONCE. I just skipped an opprotunity to see Merle Haggard for $80 a ticket because I've seen him a half a dozen times and didn't want to spend the money. Bring some good $25 to $50 shows for short runs to the 500 seat places, and I'm there. Musicians like the Derailers, Joe Diffie, Dick Dale, Mel Tillis, Steve Miller, Junior Brown, etc. put on shows in venues of 300 to 500 seats or less all over the country at reasonable prices. Their names are strong enough to assure strong sales and get people like me to make the 4 hour drive for a day or 2 in L.V. If anyone of that caliber was playing while we were in town, I'd spend a hundred for 2 tickets. Most of the high dollar shows don't interest me. I've been to a few mid level shows comped because I knew somebody, but probably wouldn't have paid full price. Usually we go to Toby Keith's or B.B. Kings and watch the shows and have dinner. Total cost $40-60 including a very good tip.
go to see rick thomas before they shut him down again - his show is pretty cheap and I got it for buy 1 and get 1 - well worth it - went in october and maybe there were 50 people at the sahara for the show - vegas needs to get with the program - offer buy 1 get 1 - then people will come to the show - and while they are at the casino maybe gamble a little and eat... think they should hire us gamblers to run the places...
It's like a two-way street. First, it is the entertainers who demand such a high salary that the venues have no choice but to charge those high prices. But on the other hand - to get the top notch entertainers, the entertainer is going to be offered a hugh mega$$ deal to appear at such an such hotel, which in turn raises the ticket prices.
It's going to be interesting to see how the "resident entertainer" shows are going to do this year. I can see sell-outs of one night performances of various bands (ie Bon jovi, Rod Stewart) or a weekend stint of a big name entertainer, but the resident deals like Barry Manilow - I cannot see the venue turning a profit when ticket prices still remain about $200 for a seat. I know diehard Manilow fans who said "that's it" when one ticket, with taxes, etc, came out to be $240. No one can afford that kind of money these days.
I was traveling around the country in the very late 80's looking for construction work. There was a recession, not as bad as this one, but another Bush recession. So I ended up at the Marina. First time in Vegas. Loved it, they had a live band at 3pm, and met boxer Joey Maxim-he was a greeter. They had a lot of different slot games like horse racing and soccer.
And of course, the Marina was torn down shortly thereafter to make way for the MGM Grand parking lot. And the Mirage opened that weekend, so the New York and Boston thieves took over, and Vegas has never been the same ever since.
It's all gone now, the suits are in charge. But based on looking at City Center the other day, the high end owners may be in big trouble. Getting back their 9 Billion might take a long, long time. Good, good, good.
first thing...don't bring your 10 year old to vegas. what is WRONG with you?
and i'll give you a little hint...whatever show tickets the timeshare companies are giving away...STAY AWAY FROM THOSE SHOWS...like tony's wedding, for example.
magic is just so stupid anyway. it's just the same 12 - 14 tricks done over and over again.
the strategy of dedicating entire theaters and extended runs of one talent seems to not be working. vegas can be affordable by offering 2 and 3 week runs of GOOD and NEW 2nd tier acts, not once great acts that are now on the state fair circuit.
cher? bette midler?
really?
Remember when Robert Goulet had to close down his show because of the new "four-walling" policy of the casinos? (That means that the performer has to sell his own tickets and rent the theatre from the casino) This must make it extremely hard for many smaller acts to survive.
EnvironProtector:
I agree with you! Vegas needs to return to some of its 'old' ways. I have visited Vegas since 1976, as much as 4 times a year and as little as twice a year. I would always spend 7 to 10 days there and have a SUPER, WONDERFUL time. Although things have changed drastically over the past few years, I yet enjoy Vegas (my money doesn't go as far anymore). It was always great to have loads of fun, all day long, regardless of losing my budgeted money (probably only won 15% of the time). But it was a BLAST! I don't mind Vegas being 'upscale' with some hotel/casinos, but give me a break, we low/middle-income folk need OLD VEGAS; give me a few Stardust, Circus Circus, El Cortez, etc.
Stevem is right about magic shows. Seen one, seen them all. Kind of like a circus or a parade, they don't change much from one to the next. Hard to fill seats night after night with the same thing everyone else has done for decades. I'd rather see a cheesy Elvis impersonator, at least they're entertaining.