Strip show on the Las Vegas Strip celebrates 25th anniversary | Cats | Entertainment

Some time ago, in an earlier millennium, I saw a show in Luxor called Midnight Fantasy. It was the first topless show I had seen in VegasVille. I saw the performance after interviewing the wonderful impressionist Bill Acosta, who headlined earlier.

I stayed for this new Midnight Fantasy show and walked out at 2 a.m. and thought, “That was great and it’s late.”

That was in 1999. “Midnight Fantasy” soon moved to the 10:30 p.m. time slot and was renamed “Fantasy.” Since then, choreographer and producer Anita Mann’s chic production show has continued. Together with carrot Greatwhich would arrive in November 2005, “Fantasy” anchored the Atrium Showroom on the hotel’s second floor.

The show officially celebrated its 25th anniversary this week. This is the opportunity for a “25 at 25” list, which refers to the city’s currently longest-running adult revue.

These are not in any particular order. Keyword “Last Dance”, the new finale of the song:

25. Before “Fantasy,” Mann produced the family musical “A Blast from The Past” on the Riviera. It premiered in January 1986, her first Vegas production.

24. Mann was a background dancer in the Elvis films “Spinout”, “Speedway” and “Clambake” as well as in Presley’s ’68 comeback special.

23. Mann choreographed the Solid Gold Dancers on the syndicated music show Solid Gold from 1981 to 1985.

22. Man danced along Miley Cyrus when Cyrus debuted “Younger Now” at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards.

21. Singer for the last six years Lorena Danger has sung the national anthem at 45 sporting events.

20. Peril won an open competition against 3,000 other singers to perform the anthem at the 49ers’ 2012 season opener against the Detroit Lions at Candlestick Park. The team hosted and staged the event at California’s Great America theme park, near the team’s headquarters in Santa Clara, California, where Levi’s Stadium is now located.

19. Former “Fantasy” singer Stephanie SanchezShe, who was known as “Singer” during her nine years on the show, attended the 25th anniversary with her daughter. Shelby Jordanwho is six months pregnant and also a former “Fantasy” actress.

18. Featured Dancer and Co-Producer Mariah Nieslaniks Aunt, Marcia Kennedywas my fifth and sixth grade teacher at St. Anthony’s School in Pocatello, Idaho.

17. Nieslanik’s first job in Las Vegas was at age 18, as a cast member in “Show in the Sky” at the Rio.

16. As of October 16, Nieslanik appeared in 3,978 “Fantasy” shows, the longest tenure of any “Fantasy” cast member.

15. Last year, Sting attended the show and applauded Peril’s version of “Roxanne.”

14. The show employed 122 dancers, 39 singers (including swings), 21 mid-show guest stars and 16 aerialists.

13. Each artist has nine earrings and necklaces to change into per show.

12. There are 14 songs in the current version of the show.

11. The cast has been the focus of 14 calendar shoots over the years, with 168 cast members serving as models.

10. Since 1999, the cast has applied more than 91,000 eyelashes, worn 8,730 pairs of fishnet stockings and performed 910,000 costume changes.

9. Rock star as a teenager Adam Lambert worked for Mann on the Holland America Cruise Line, his first stage experience.

8. Former performer Yes, Burgess Isa Member of the entertainment team at Voltaire at The Venetian. She returned to choreograph two numbers in the updated show.

7. Burgess is married to Vegas stage performer Troy Burgess, who played Dennis DuPree in “Rock of Ages” at The Venetian, the same place where Voltaire was developed.

6. Renowned choreographer Mandy Moore shuttled between Strictly Come Dancing, the British version of Dancing With the Stars, and Strictly Come Dancing, the British version of Dancing With the Stars; and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour shows at Wembley Stadium to work on the show’s new opening and finale.

5. District 78which provided new arrangements for “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “The Masked Singer” and “America’s Best Dance Crew,” reworked the music for the anniversary upgrade.

4. The “Fantasy” cast does 135 commercial appearances per year.

3. In the current show there are 54 different cast combinations, depending on which dancers are working on a given evening.

2. “Fantasy” has performed 10,000 shows.

1. In a quarter of a century, “Fantasy” performed to more than 2.5 million guests.

Cool hang alarm

Jeff Leibow is a former “Jersey Boys” cast member whose philanthropic work has outlasted the Las Vegas show. Its 14th annual NF Hope concert is Sunday at Myron’s at 1 p.m. (the lobby opens at 11:30 a.m. for the silent auction). Leibow is a founding member of The Fourmers Ensemble of former “JB” artists booked at the South Point Showroom November 28-29.

On Sunday Leibow is accompanied by his wife, Melody; and her teenage daughter, Emma; who has battled neurofibromatosis most of her life. Emma is now a student at the Las Vegas Academy.

Chet Buchanan from KLUC-FM and lead actor Mikalah Gordon Co-host. Appearances include Peril, Carnell “Golden Pipes” JohnsonEmmy Award-winning singer/songwriter Steph Payne; and Grammy winner Delicious Kennedy from All 4 One.

Funds raised will go toward the fight against neurofibromatosis, commonly known as NF, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow in the nervous system and skin without warning. Tickets start at $56.40 (including all fees). The event will also be broadcast via livestream. For more information, visit smithcenter.com/nfhope.

John Katsilometes’ column appears daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” The podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.