Back when the D was Fitzgerald’s, I saw a couple of shows at their “showroom,” which sounds like the same place; but it was pretty small and struck me as a second-tier operation. Also a few at the Plaza, which had the best and biggest showroom downtown; and “Downtown Gordie Brown” at the Golden Nugget–well presented and a nice room, but also pretty small. Four Queens also once had a popular musical venue. But I agree that entertainment downtown has always been sort of an afterthought. OTOH, there was “Girls of Glitter Gulch.”
I didn’t know there were any dinner shows left. The last one I saw was more of a “snack bar” show at the Tropicana about 1990. It had all the charm and ambiance of a 1960’s drive-in movie, complete with paper-pulp drink carriers.
And finally, I once saw “Defending the Caveman” at the Pantages theatre in Toronto. It wasn’t “Phantom of the Opera,” but it wasn’t THAT bad. Maybe the Vegas version lost something in translation.
I wish the Plaza would make a better effort to book a meaningful show. It would be nice to have something happening downtown that doesn’t involve standing around with pot smokers listening to a concert band on an outdoor stage.
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