‘The Cocktail Cabaret’ closing at Caesars on Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas Review-Journal

6 years ago

Daniel Emmet, left, Maren Wade, Philip Fortenberry, Keith Thompson and Niki Scalera are shown at the opening of “The Cocktail Cabaret” at Caesars Palace on Dec. 17, 2017. (Ira Kuzma)

Philip Fortenberry and Keith Thompson are shown at the opening of “The Cocktail Cabaret” at Caesars Palace on Dec. 17, 2017. (Ira Kuzma)

We can’t call it the bums’ rush, if for no other reason than these folks are too well-dressed.

But the cast of “The Cocktail Cabaret” is looking for a new place to play, and soon. The show closes at Cleopatra’s Barge on Oct. 13.

A set list of recharted contemporary pop tunes mixed with standards and opera, “The Cocktail Cabaret” opened Nov. 30, hoping to nail down the hotel’s 5 p.m. slot. The show moved to 6 p.m. this spring.

The show is in the mix of Caesars Entertainment productions moving from venues as the company reshapes its live entertainment offerings. This week the company has taken over Windows Showroom at Bally’s with the plan to move magic productions into the second-level venue.

The shows vacating Windows by the end of the year, beginning with the legendary Wayne Newton, could well be reviewing Cleopatra’s Barge as a future home.

Meantime magicians are loading out of Sin City Theater at Planet Hollywood, starting with Murray Sawchuck, who has just opened for previews at the Laugh Factory at Tropicana.

“The company is looking at the numbers and looking at shows and asking, ‘Why are we doing it?’ ” co-producer Keith Thompson said today. “But we are really trying hard to move the show into another Caesars Entertainment room. They want us to flourish.”

Caesars Entertainment had actually been presenting “The Cocktail Cabaret,” helping offset production costs. Thompson says he believes that is still the plan. The show is certainly high in quality, with “America’s Got Talent” finalist Daniel Emmet (who never did return after he advanced to the show’s semifinals), Eric Jordan Young, Niki Scalera, Maren Wade and pianist Phil Fortenberry in its original cast. But its future is uncertain, being discussed even at the moment.

“We need time to retool,” said Thompson, a veteran of many Strip productions, including as music director of “Jersey Boys” through its nine-year run. “We’re all putting our best efforts into this.”

That’s a given. The variables are the where of it all.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter.