BAZ Las Vegas

My fiancé’ surprised me with this show for our date night and it was absolutely amazing! I had not been to a life performing arts show in years and this one blew me away! It has all of the great love stories wrapped up into one and they do a beautiful job of seamlessly molding them together! Great job!

The actors/​singers/​dancers were awesome. All very talented!
Some things I wish I knew about the show prior to attending:
1. It is a musical mash-​up of Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and The Great Gatsby.
2. Sit towards the back and sides to see everything, otherwise you will be straining your neck having to turn around to see everything.
3. Make sure you enjoy these 3 Baz movies before you go.
4. It’s 2 hours long.
Tip: if you are going through a divorce, break-​up, or aren’t in the mood to celebrate love, I would pass on this.
Another tip:
2-​for-​1 online.
I wish the show was more interactive, where instead of watching the actors party, they partied with you. They call this a party before the party (the show takes place inside Light nightclub), but how do you bridge the ending of these tragic love stories (where the characters die in the end) into a party after?
I have to give credit to the cast though, they did sound amazing.

This was an awesome show! Baz is my favorite director. I really enjoyed how the movies and their songs and storylines were all mashed up together. It worked geat. The energy was fabulous and the venue was perfect, small and intimate. I’d totally go see it again :)

Incredible incredible show!!! I cannot believe this show is getting shut down and has been poorly promoted. It was an outstanding show. Fabulous talent and up close and personal immersion into the show. Honestly one of the best shows I’ve seen in Vegas. See this if you can!!! I wanted to bring people back to see it and am so sad it is being discontinued.

All the accolades this cast, crew, and production team are getting are well deserved. The cast is crazy talented, the writing was spot-​on, and the use of the theater and space was very clever. These 3 Baz Luhrman movies (Moulin Rouge, Great Gatsby, Romeo and Juliet) were masterfully re-​told for the musical theater. I could easily see this show on Broadway actually and would probably do very well! This was a high energy show with incredible vocals, a tight live band, and a few really talented dancers. It’s heavy material (not exactly uplifting) and perhaps writing in a bit more humor would ensure an even longer run. I would encourage anyone considering this show to go! Sit anywhere — the cast uses the entire space.

loved this show and my 4 girlfriends, who did not even know they were going when I brought them could not stop talking about how great it was after. vocal and dance performances were amazing. creative off the charts. I was a afraid to take the risk and bring others along because it was so new, but very glad I did. we sat on the second tier off to the side. I think the best seats seem to be second tier right in front of the bar.
the show was continuous drama with no pause. the waitress never came by to take our drink order and everyone was too glued to their seat to get up to the bar (that’s a good thing). I won’t blame drink service on the show, but I hope the management gets it’s act together, because it would be a shame if small things like that would keep the show from being a success. if the club wants to make some money from drink orders, they need to figure that out. Drink prices were as expected in vegas.
also the promo video and video posts on the internet are not very good. The reason I gave it a go was because I heard it was a hit in LA. I miss Rose Rabbit Lie, and this was another (but very different) try to do something similar. This was much more theatrical than RRL. It’s more like a funky musical with world class talent in a more intimate setting.
also ive never seen moulon rouge or Romeo & J, I’ve seen Gatsby but I was able to follow it. The movies were my girlfriend’s favorites.

THE SHOW: .:. A little party never killed nobody .:. That’s the opening and closing song of For The Record: BAZ.
A mixing of Baz Luhrmann’s three films, based on literature of yore, reformatted for the stage by way of the movies. The Great Gatsby, Romeo & Juliet, and Moulin Rouge meet, make amends, fall in love, die and throw glitter, in between. You may need to shake some out of your hair, and don’t forget to catch the fake 50s thrown your way, if you’re near the stage.
There’s humor, drama, jealousy, intrigue, sex, lust, love, heartbreak and loss — all the things that make up a Greek tragedy. Plus, good ol’ fashioned cabaret and flapper girl moxie.
The scene is intimate and there’s a certain rawness to the show, unlike other more polished ones you’d come to expect from touristic venues. It’s apparently only been in Las Vegas since June of this year (2015) after a good reception in Los Angeles. Baz Luhrmann said the show is ”f**king awesome” and I have to agree.
All of the cast are bonafide actors, dancers and performers. Ruby Lewis as Daisy in The Great Gatsby delivers incredible vocals — she deserves her own concert. Ciarán McCarthy (Gatsby), Zach Villa (live narration, opener), and the rambunctiously delightful officiator of ceremonies, Jason Paige are all applause-​worthy. James Byous (Romeo, the Duke) and Olivia Harris (Juliet) are in a league of their own. Derek Ferguson, Briana Cuoco (also sister to Big Bang Theory actress, Kaley Cuoco), Ginifer King (courtesan Satine) and Payson Lewis never seem to tire between dancing and singing and comedic interludes and breathless romance. Amy Ryerson as Sting’s ”Roxanne” is stunning and physically expressive, embodying the song fully. And of course, the band shan’t be left out! They’re apart of the show, and yet melted into the melodies they produce — making them like starlight, twinkling in the background, shooting sound across the stage.
Some of the sound is super loud, and vocals are not for the faint of heart or easily noise-​affected. Lighting is intense and you may find yourself momentarily blinded, and yet it feels like that’s how it was meant to be. To feel filled with light, a head full of glitter.
You may need owl-​like neck capabilities, as the cast makes use of the entire space, jumping over barriers, dancing, striding, singing and swinging down the aisles, even kissing seated audience members, breezing down the stage. Section 302 seems to have easiest viewing, but section 103 allows up close & personal experiences with the cast.
If you’re a theatre geek, cinephile, music hound or lit lover, or all of the above, like myself, BAZ is for you, too. The show uses classic Shakespearean lines and modern song favorites from Lana Del Rey, Sting, Nirvana, Prince, Garbage, Elton John, The Beatles and others, as is the Baz Luhrmann cinematic style — bridging the refined and avant garde. If none of these plays or films or singers ring a bell, I’d recommend a little research pre-​show. The whole thing will fly right over your head and may not even make sense, as it’s fast-​paced and like time, waits for no one.
THE NUMBERS & PARTING BITS:
Tickets are $ 70 to $ 95, per person.
As it’s in the LIGHT Nightclub, 21+ only, with ID.
”Dark days” meaning no shows are Tuesdays.
All shows I’ve seen listed are only for 8:00 p.m.
Photography & video are encouraged, but never use flash.
If you choose to order drinks from the cocktail waitress, keep in mind, it’ll be triple what you might normally pay. Come hydrated.

Definitely something worth seeing.
Only downside is drinks at the bar are pricey.

Wow!!! I am not going to lie, when the show first started I thought to myself «there’s no way anyone can do these 3 great movies justice». I was completely wrong. The cast was absolutely phenomenal! What I found so amazing about the entire cast was how they could completely change character in a blink of an eye and all of their voices were incredible. If you are a fan of Baz’s Moulin Rouge, The Great Gastby and/​or Romeo and Juliet or just have an appreciation for great talent, this is a must see! The only complaint I have is that the venue isn’t the best for this show, if you are sitting on the sides you will not be able to see certain parts of the show so make sure you pick your seats in the middle.

Satine and Christian, Romeo and Juliet, Daisy and Jay – star-​crossed lovers destined to sad endings all.
I am a huge fan of Baz Luhrmann’s movie Moulin Rouge and I also enjoyed his version of the Great Gatsby. When I saw that this show was opening, I bought a tickets and attended last night. I was blown away by the talent – great singers, dancers, a fine small band – all making for a very fun show!
There are a couple of things with the theatre that make the staging both good and bad depending on where you sit.
The largest part of the 100 minute show focuses on characters from Moulin Rouge. before the show begins, Christian’s typewriter is center stage waiting for him to sit down and start writing his love story of his time at the Moulin Rouge. From there, the show mixes parts of Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet and his Great Gatsby.
Since the show is performed in the Light nightclub, the seating and staging are very different from most shows. The room is wide but doesn’t have a whole lot of depth as it’s set up for the show. There are two runways that come out into the audience and there are stairs in the middle of the floor seats. Throughout the entire show, performers move up and down those steps and the stairs in the nightclub seating area also. There is action going on throughout the entire nightclub area at different times. You have to turn around and look behind you at times to see some action and if you’re in a booth facing the wrong direction, you’ll have to turn around. Such are the limitations of doing a show like this in a space designed for another purpose. My seat was against the right runway and I was very pleased with where I sat!
Songs features from Moulin Rouge are: Sparkling Diamonds, Your Song, Elephant Love Medley, Come What May, El Tango de Roxanne et. al. The costumes were well done and it was interesting to see Juliet wearing angel wings.
Photography is welcome as long as you don’t use the flash. Video is also permitted. This show could easily become my new Phantom. I will have to return and return to enjoy this music and the stories that are so good!
If you have not seen Moulin Rouge, I’d recommend watching it before coming to this show. If not, watch it after you’ve seen the show and things may be a bit more understandable. And note, you must be 21 to see the show. Unless you’re a gray hair like me, you’ll be carded before entering Light!
#BazVegas

This show was amazing. We sat right next to the stage on the side and next time I want to be in the middle. The mash ups of the stories & songs were done so well and the talent– all of them– was Spectacular Spectacular! I am happy to know it is here for the long run and will be bringing back all of my friends! Cheers to musical, Broadway, dance in Las Vegas and what a great use of the space at Light night club.

Just saw this show with my wife tonight and we could not wait till we got home to post a review. We both went into this show not knowing what to expect and we were blown away. The actors and actresses display great passion and you could really feel their emotions.
It amazes us how they integrated three stories into one show. There isn’t a bad seat and expect to allow your eyes to wander so you see the action on and off the stage. This is a nice gem the Mandalay Bay has. I hope it is a success.

For most of the show I was wondering what the heck was going on. The sound system was so bad that I couldn’t understand a word of what they were saying or doing. The band was really loud, especially the drums so it drowned out the singers.
The lighting was terrible too. A lot of the time there were just a bunch of people running around on a dark stage. Then they would back-​light them with a spotlight that shined directly into my eyes.
I thought I had bought the best seats in the house but it turns out that some of the show is behind the seating so we couldn’t see what was happening behind us. If you are going to go, then buy in section 301. Those seats seem to be better.
The actors reproduce scenes fro 3 tragic love stories weaving between Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and The Great Gatsby. I liked all 3 movies so I found some pleasure in the beat of the music although I could not understand the words. Some of the singers had really good voices. Juliet in particular was spectacular. She could win one of the singing shows on TV or have a solo career. I’d go to a show of just her.
If the production manager and director could get their act together this could be a 4 star or better show. They have the talent in the cast it is just managed poorly.
Also the drinks are pretty awful. We had 2 cocktails and 2 waters for $ 60.
PS: bring a sweater. It is pretty cold in there.

Being a fan of musical theatre and seeing the trend of these pre-​nightclub shows, I was very curious to see how this show would work in its setting. I’ve seen all three of the movies featured in the show, and Moulin Rouge is one of my favorite movies ever. I don’t think you have to be familiar with the story lines to enjoy the show, but it definitely helped. I thought the Moulin Rouge portion worked best because it is the only one of the three that is a musical, and they could have done the whole show with just that and I would have been happy.
The cast was relatively small and characters had to overlap between storylines but I thought overall it worked very well and the singing was incredible. My only real complaint is that this nightclub was not built with a stage production in mind. When I sat down in my «seat» which is really just a booth, I almost walked out because a giant speaker was obstructing my view. I looked around for other potential spots and noticed the only other option was to sit behind a giant column. You know it’s bad when the introduction to the show recommends that if you can’t see, stand or sit on the backs of the seats. They do try to move throughout the room during the show to give different angles and but most of the action happens on stage so I really wouldn’t go see this show again unless I was sitting center or on the floor.
However, this show was really awesome I enjoyed everything else about it and even though the seats weren’t great, you get sucked in immediately with the music and emotion. I think it’s a great idea and everyone seemed to be having a great time.
One last thing: it’s FREEZING in there. I get that it’s a nightclub about to pack in sweaty dancing bodies but until then the AC doesn’t need to be blasting.

Something new and different in Las Vegas? AWESOME! I highly recommend going to see this show. Seriously.
This could definitely be a 5 star experience. Why only 4 stars? The show is taking place inside Light Nightclub, which isn’t the best option, seating wise. We were seated in Section 302, in a large booth. There was plenty of seating available, yet we were placed in a booth with 2 other people. We were also facing away from the stage and would’ve been quite uncomfortable if we hadn’t moved.
That being said, they make it clear at the beginning of the show that you are welcome to move to better seats if they are available when the show starts. We decided to move back instead of closer to the stage, and sat in a large booth in section 402. They also welcome (and ask) you to take pictures and videos during the show, which is refreshing and a smart marketing tool.
Now for the good stuff — this show is AMAZING! If you are a fan of Baz Luhrman or musicals of any kind, please do yourself a favor and go see this! The performers are immensely talented… The writing/​choreography and music are beyond fantastic.
Basically, this is a combination of Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet and The Great Gatsby. There are scenes from each of them, mashed into each other and combined with current music. Sounds crazy, huh? Trust me, it was really well done. There were times where we got the chills or were standing up and clapping.
If you are looking for a unique show, I strongly suggest checking this out. Words can’t express how impressed I was with it! I believe it’s only here for a short time, so don’t miss out!
Side note: You must be 21 to attend the show, as it is inside the night club. Although there is no food avaialable, the bar is open and there are servers going from table to table as well — but expect nightclub pricing on drinks. Also, I am not sure where would be the best place to sit. There were front row tables along the stage, but so much happens during the show (they utilize the entire area), you’d spend a lot of time looking behind you. I would almost say sitting at one of the ends would give you the best overall view.

If this show were solely being rated on talent and performance alone, no question it would be a perfect 5 stars. The caliber of acting, dancing, and singing was breathtaking, the cast was absolutely first rate. I feel compelled to write this hoping someone from the production side of the show will take it to heart. The show deserves to have an amazing success, but in my opinion, the lack of detail on the production side will hinder its chances.
First, we couldn’t hear anything. The sound system was so terrible and muffled that the beauty and tone of the vocalists was completely drowned by a second rate system that surely was just borrowed from the DJs at the Light Nightclub. It made me so upset because I could hear how gorgeous the singers were, but couldn’t understand barely anything they were saying or singing.
Second, the costumes and hair. Wigs had tons of real hair coming out of them, the outfits had panty lines running through them and wrinkles caused by underwear, seams on dresses were poorly hemmed, costume colors were completely mismatched and terribly distracting. This is fine if you are at a little cabaret in the middle of nowhere, but at a show that you pay upwards of 60 dollars to see in one of the nicest hotels in Vegas? The attention to detail must be fine tuned. Especially for a show that (for most people who don’t know Baz Luhrmann by his first name) will rely on its reputation. Once again, I am writing as a fan who wants to see this go far and wishes the whole production every success.