‘Jubilee!’ one of a kind

That funny old "Jubilee!" was to celebrate its 30th anniversary last night, an amazing feat for a wonderful show that was behind the times from the day it opened, and never tried too hard to catch up.

It’s a retro haven for Samson and showgirls, who are now more essential as a symbol than a hot ticket. And it’s our only way to see how Vegas rolled in the pinkie-ring era.

"Jubilee!" didn’t open until 1981, but the Strip was stalled in time then. Creator Donn Arden took his cues from Busby Berkeley-era Hollywood, oblivious to this thing called MTV that launched two days after his show opened.

I have often asked in these pages why "Jubilee!" has been left alone to wallow in its camp and lip-syncing. It seems quite possible to laugh with it, not at it: inject more performance value while preserving, even celebrating, the retro spirit. Several rivals over the years, from the Stardust’s "Enter the Night" to the current "Peepshow," point the way to a loving, yet post-modern celebration of the showgirl.

The "if it ain’t broke" mentality may have a lot to do with a less obvious reason why "Jubilee!" stands as a curious oddity. But don’t look for it amid the feathers. It’s there by the time clock. "Jubilee!" is now an extremely rare case of a show’s being wholly owned by its host; cast and crew are Bally’s employees.

This used to be standard. Only in the second half of the show’s 30 years did the model change. Now almost every other title in town is funded by independent money ("Le Reve" at Wynn Las Vegas is also an in-house effort, and producer Patrick Jackson runs "Tournament of Kings" on an MGM Resorts guarantee.)

While the new model has opened creative doors to blue men and Jersey boys, most producers envy the old ways. Let’s start with "no rent." Talk to the producers of 16 other shows at fellow Caesars Entertainment properties about that huge head start.

The titanic props are long paid for. Royalties? No monthly checks to Andrew Lloyd Webber or Paul McCartney here. Advertising and marketing costs? They can be spread throughout the budget. Need a showgirl at the slot tournament? She’s already on the payroll.

Remember, too, that shows almost always fare better if the host property has skin in the game, a vested interest that forces the landlord to care.

Sadly, though, the death of the old model also meant the death of future showgirl spectaculars. If a casino won’t sink $100 million-plus into a production, who besides Cirque du Soleil will? Any big money that comes into town now is usually a branded success such as "The Lion King."

So sync along with Samson and celebrate that showgirl. She’s truly one of a kind.

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.