More than 10 million people have seen the production show “Jubilee!" during its 25-year run at Bally’s. Photos by Craig L. Moran. Paula Allen, a principal dancer in 'Jubilee!’ for the past nine years, gets ready for a recent performance. The show is celebrating its 25th anniversary at Bally’s. Some of the headdresses worn by the showgirls weigh up to 35 pounds. 'Jubilee!’ showgirls must be at least 5 foot 8 inches, while showboys have to be 6 feet or taller. Not much has changed during the 25-year history of 'Jubilee!’ Guests come to see “Jubilee!" for the statuesque girls and the colorful, flashy costumes, said company manager Fluff LeCoque.

When "Jubilee!" opened in 1981, it stood out among Strip shows for using cutting-edge technology to stage what could have been just another local production featuring showgirls.

Now, 25 years later, "Jubilee!" still stands out, insists company manager Fluff LeCoque, for the simple fact that it does feature showgirls.

In recent years, Las Vegas has gone through an entertainment transformation that has led to the dying out of a Las Vegas icon: the statuesque, feathered and sequined showgirl who, at one time, could be found on nearly every Strip stage.

"This show is representative of what Las Vegas used to be. When this theater opened... 'Jubilee!' was the thing to see. I think the impact it has now is as great as it was when it first opened. People will always want to see beautiful girls in costumes," LeCoque said.

But the show almost didn't happen. On Nov. 21, 1980, the day performers were set to rehearse for the first time with a live orchestra, the MGM Grand, now Bally's, experienced a devastating fire that took 87 lives. The show's scenery, costumes and showroom went up in flames. Performers were released from their contracts and invited to come back once the show started rehearsals. That day came in April 1981.

Looking back at the show during the 25th year of its existence, LeCoque said it is much as it was in the beginning. It has had some fine-tuning along the way, snipping a number here, replacing outdated material there. The cast, 127 strong at its largest, was scaled back to 85 in the late 1980s. The number of female principal dancers went from five to three in the mid-1980s and the live orchestra was replaced with taped music after a musicians' strike in 1989.

In 1997, major changes were made to the show, including removal of a tribute to black-and-white movies. But for the most part, not much has changed.

"I think it has become a gem. It's like wine; sometimes it gets better as it ages," LeCoque said.

Twice a night, six nights a week, a scaled-down replica of the Titanic sinks; that in itself is a technological marvel that still wows audiences, said assistant company manager Diane Palm.

The re-enactment of the tragic love story of Samson and Delilah is another number that stands out but the show finale is the piece de resistance. That's when the entire cast of 85 does the "Jubilee!" walk with men in ties and tails and the women in feathered and sequined showgirl costumes.

That is what the audiences pay to see, said Bally's entertainment director Chris Nelson. More than 10 million people have seen "Jubilee!" during its history and most nights, the 1,035-seat theater is packed, LeCoque said.

"Customers are just amazed at how ornate the costumes are and how striking the women are," Nelson said, adding that management is committed to staging "Jubilee!" for years to come.

"Over the last 10 years we dedicated our focus to elevating the show in terms of its production value and celebrating it as vintage Vegas," Nelson said. "We saw that as a market we could own. As far as longevity, we do have a master plan."

Incorporating celebrity appearances, such as Joan Lunden's in 1997, reaching out to Hollywood and frequently inviting the media backstage have helped make "Jubilee!" a contemporary show, he added. Celebrities such as Tyra Banks and Jim Belushi have filmed episodes of television shows incorporating "Jubilee!" The E! reality show "Nearly Famous," which allowed cameras to follow a showgirl in her professional and personal life, helped them develop a younger audience, Nelson said.

"We're world-renowned," said Paula Allen, a principal dancer for the past nine years. The biggest changes she has witnessed during her tenure are the faces of fellow cast members. "I would say if it's not broke, don't fix it."