And off-Strip theater space, The Venue at Orleans, is being converted into a poker room, so four shows will close by March 16, 2025.
The displaced shows are “Laughternoon,” “The Conjurors,” “Marriage Can Be Murder” and “Late Night Magic.”
Mid-sized theater spaces for mid-tier shows are an endangered species in Las Vegas. You know, like 3-to-2 blackjack, diving boards and effective elected officials.
The Orleans Hotel & Casino is owned by Boyd Gaming.
While Boyd hasn’t confirmed plans for the Venue space, performer Adam London posted this on his Facebook page, “Laughternoon starring Adam London will close at The Venue at The Orleans on March 15. The Venue will become a high stakes poker room which forces out all of the shows. It’s been a wonderful four years here!”
London can’t catch a break. He was also booted from The D when its showroom closed. “Marriage Can Be Murder” was also nixed by that closure.
Orleans has always been an odd choice for productions. “Jersey Boys” made a go of it, but lasted just six months.
Casinos now consider mid-tier shows more trouble than the rent is worth. Back in the day, such productions and lounge acts drew gamblers and gambling revenue offset the cost of shows. Now, not so much.
Today, “four wall” arrangements are most common. Shows pay rent and they’re pretty much on their own with marketing.
The elimination of mid-sized live entertainment spaces in Las Vegas isn’t new, of course, it’s an ongoing trend.
Most recently, Boyd converted its showroom at Suncoast into a sportsbook.
The Duomo at Rio, host to “Raiding the Rock Vault” closed in 2023.
In 2021, Caesars Entertainment closed several live theater spaces: Cleopatra’s Barge (now Caspian’s lounge) and the Anthony Cools theater at Paris.
When Sin City Theater at Planet Hollywood closed, it lost “Tenors of Rock” and “Crazy Girls.”
There are probably more examples, but it’s unlikely you’ve read this far. Which is unfortunate. We sometimes have a really good joke at the end of our posts. Not recently, but we slayed in 2022.
“Late Night Magic” closes at Orleans on March 8, 2025.
We first learned about the Venue closure from Adam London’s post, but the story originally appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
We’ll let you know as these shows find new homes.
Sometimes, shows don’t find new homes. Sometimes, that’s for the best. Looking at you, “Defending the Caveman,” “Marilyn, The New Musical” and “Bat Out of Hell.”
