‘Dita Las Vegas’ dusts off the Strip showgirl spectacle

Dita Von Teese is reviving “Jubilee,” in spirit and — with the use of the show’s costumes and sets — in fact.

The “International Queen of Burlesque” is premiering “Dita Las Vegas: A Jubilant Revue” Oct. 5 at Jubilee Theater at Horseshoe Las Vegas (the former Bally’s and, prior, MGM Grand). The show runs 9 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; go to ticketmaster.com/DitaVegas for ticket and schedule intel.

Von Teese’s application of “Jubilant” in the name of her show certainly plays off the “Jubilee” title. She was a fan of “Jubilee,” the last traditional showgirl production on the Strip when it closed its 35-year run in March 2016.

The burlesque star has been making the scene recently in Vegas. She was at the 500th performance of “Ru Paul’s Drag Race Live” at Flamingo Showroom. RuPaul was on hand for the event, creating a mashup of adult-revue iconography.

Von Teese visited “Jubilee” many times over the show’s fabled run, “Never getting enough of the feathers and rhinestones,” and the designs of Bob Mackie and Pete Menefee.

Von Teese has access to many of the original show’s famous costumes and sets, still stored at the theater. The announcement of the show promises “the most lavishly staged burlesque production ever, anywhere.”

The new show won’t be totally topless, as was “Jubilee,” but these Strip performers will strip to pasties. From the show’s description, “Dita Las Vegas” is to deliver “the art of burlesque at its most bona fide and beautiful embodiment—from choreography to costumes, stage production to razzle dazzle.”

We can only hope the razzle-dazzling, kitschy and totally unique Titanic and Samson & Delilah numbers return to the fore. “Jubilee” was elegant, but it was also (sometimes unintentionally) funny.

Word of Von Teese’s interest in the show surfaced around the Vegas entertainment community about a month ago, when she was checking out the “Jubilee” costumes and sets and reviewing options for a show at the venue.

“It’s been my dream to create a show that honors the great American art forms of burlesque and the showgirl,” Von Teese said in a statement. “After many tours across Europe, Australia, the U.S. and Canada, to secure a home in Las Vegas—the showbiz capital of the world—and with the vaunted ‘Jubilee’ legacy, well, I couldn’t be more ecstatic.”

Veteran entertainment pro Michael Schwandt is among the creative officials working with Von Teese, as the show’s director and executive producer. In Las Vegas most recently worked on Cirque’s short-lived “R.U.N” at Luxor.

Schwandt also worked on the hit network-contest series “The Masked Singer” and on the Miss Universe pageant, World Cup, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Olympic telecasts. His touring partners include Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande, Diplo, Katy Perry, Bush and Janelle Monae.

The show’s booking partner is international entertainment powerhouse Live Nation. The company presented Von Teese’s “Glamonatrix” theater tour in 2019 and 2022-23, and also her shows at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay in 2018.

Live Nation Las Vegas President Kurt Melien has been especially optimistic about a Von Teese production on the Strip.

“Dita Von Teese is an iconic, universally loved performer and the perfect person to breathe new life into ‘Jubilee’s’ sets and costumes,” Melien said in a statement. “ ‘Dita Las Vegas’ will fill the gap in what Las Vegas entertainment has been missing over the last few years -– a classic showgirl production — and bring something new and fresh to audiences with Dita’s unique take on the original show.”

Officials at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas learned of the new show as news of the production hit Thursday morning. It is not clear whether BHoF, the largest collection of burlesque memorabilia in the word, will be involved with the incoming show.

“‘Jubilee’ was the closest thing to a traditional burlesque show on the Strip before it closed, and I’m glad to see it come back in some form,” BHoF Executive Director Dustin Wax said in an e-mail, “but I don’t know now whether or how BHoF might be involved.”

The original “Jubilee” is and was a historic Las Vegas production and brand, but attempts to refresh the show and boost lackluster ticket sales fell short in its final two years. A clumsy revamp headed up by choreographer Frank Gatson (famous for his work with Beyonce) only seemed to hasten its closing.

It seemed then the show, which prospered for years under legendary company manager Ffolliott “Fluff” LeCoque and famed showgirl/director Diane Palm, would be the last traditional showgirl show to ever play the Strip.

For an indication of Von Teese’s sense of history, the green-feathered dress she donned in the show’s promotional photo was the finale costume worn by Palm for 15 years.

“Jubilee’s legendary counterpart, “Folies Bergere,” closed at Tropicana in 2009, ending a 49-year run.

But Von Teese, a classic performer, is ready to advance the cause.

“Like burlesque, the showgirl is no relic of the past,” she said. “It’s powerful to see this art form evolve and thrive, and that includes beauty and gender standards within it. I speak from experience: I never fit the height, figure or age standards to be a ballet dancer, or a Crazy Horse cast member, or even a showgirl. But I’ve always been about shattering expectations. This Vegas residency will be no different.”

Von Teese plans to use the historic venue’s entire scale and technical apparatus, its famous lifts and platforms and passerelle. The show is to run 75 minutes, nonstop, as “Dita and Company conjure the verve of the Vegas showgirl in a re-imagined way as only she can.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.