The Best Las Vegas Shows

1. The Beatles Love

Location: The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109
Performances: Tuesday–Saturday 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
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Experience the music of The Beatles in an entirely unique way with this musically immersive, kaleidoscopic show.

A cast of Cirque du Soleil aerialists, acrobats and dancers infuse the show with vibrant energy and mesmerizing moves that bring each of this iconic band’s music to life in ways you might not have imagined. Notable songs include “Black Bird,” “Twist & Shout,” and, of course, “All You Need Is Love.” An added bonus: The soundtrack of the show has been remixed by music director Giles Martin, the son of Beatles producer Sir George Martin.

2. Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil

Location: Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89119
Performances: Thursday–Monday, 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
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A tribute to the King of Pop, this show is visually and rhythmically stimulating.

Not to be confused with Cirque du Soleil’s earlier production, “Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour,” this immersive, state-of-the-art visual and audio experience conjures the singer’s creative genius through the use of vivid choreography, cutting-edge technology and pyrotechnics. Guided and inspired by Jackson’s music, the cast of performers pays tribute to the King of Pop through interpretations of some of his most revered hits, including “Thriller,” “Bad,” “Billie Jean,” “Smooth Criminal” and “Beat It.” Fans of Cirque shows may be disappointed by the lack of acrobatics, but Michael Jackson devotees will delight in this celebration of his lasting musical legacy.

3. Blue Man Group

Location: Luxor Hotel & Casino, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89119
Performances: Nightly, 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
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It’s a show with comedy, theater, a rock concert and dance all rolled into one!

Blue Man Group is an artistic collaboration best known for theatrical performances that blend music, comedy and dramatic effects to create a unique entertainment experience. Wearing blue suits and blue paint on their faces, three performers make use of a variety of percussion instruments, multimedia theatrics and even food to produce a collection of humorous as well as thought-provoking skits that touch on an array of social and cultural themes. Different sized tubes are used throughout to create music during the show in addition to musicians that accompany the three blue men. Performances run up to one hour and forty-five minutes long without an intermission, and shows vary in each city based on the size of the theater and the cultural circumstances of the community. Although each spectacle may differ from place to place, all shows include the participation of the audience as well as an explosive finale with strobe lights and billowing strands of paper rolls, leaving guests thrilled and surprised.

The show is as much recognized for its costumes as its on-stage spectacles. There’s the custom-made suit along with a bald cap to cover the hair and ears. Next is the signature blue paint that goes all over the head. The world-famous colored paint is specially made for Blue Man Group and takes an hour to fully dry to ensure it won’t run during the show.

The show’s universal appeal stems from the fact that the performers are completely silent throughout the show. Language isn’t used to communicate; the group speaks through its drumming and physicality. Although there are three men, they are meant to act as one unit or one body. (Perhaps that is why it is called Blue Man Group and not Blue Men Group.)

4. Absinthe

Location: Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109
Performances: Nightly, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.
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A show where cabaret meets carnival.

This acro-cabaret variety show from Spiegelworld is sexy, funny and unabashedly raunchy. It features wild, provocative and outlandish acts in a theater-in-the-round with unobstructed sightlines. The show is a blend of carnival and spectacle, as the eccentric cast performs gravity-defying stunts and amazing feats of strength, balance, danger and unfathomable flexibility. The acts range from a sexy burlesque number to world-class acrobatics. Hosting the production is a slick-haired, foul-mouthed ringleader known as Gazillionaire, who sets a raucous tone for the evening. Staged in a colorfully decorated faux-tent just outside the entrance to Caesars Palace, “Absinthe” is an intimate affair that brings the action mere feet from guests’ seats.

5. David Copperfield

Location: MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109
Performances: Sunday-Saturday 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.; Saturday Matinee 4 p.m.
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See the master of illusion in action.

One of the world’s most recognized magicians, David Copperfield has been described as the “greatest illusionist of all time.” Some of his more audacious stunts include making the Statue of Liberty disappear, walking through the Great Wall of China, navigating the rapids of Niagara Falls and levitating over the Grand Canyon.

A Guinness World Record-holder with 21 Emmys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Copperfield continues to amaze live audiences at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino ‘s theater with his ever-growing repertoire of mind-boggling feats. Audience participation is incorporated into each act as he attempts impossible escapes, predicts the future, levitates and moves through impenetrable objects. Unlike other sleight-of-hand masters, Copperfield doesn’t rely on scantily clad assistants or fancy production elements, and instead lets his magic do the talking.

6. O by Cirque du Soleil

Location: Bellagio Hotel & Casino, 3600 S, Las Vegas Blvd,, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Performances: Wednesday-Sunday, 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
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Witness a surreal aquatic circus unfold before your eyes.

The aptly named “O” by Cirque du Soleil is a phonetic play on “eau,” the French word for water. The water theme, which is the leitmotif of the Bellagio — with its lake and the pools — is glorified in the “O” show by the versatile artists of the Cirque du Soleil, who display their talent on a unique stage, a marvel of engineering. Twenty-five feet deep, it contains 1.5 million gallons of liquid and transforms itself endlessly within seconds. The aquatic-themed production wows audiences with watery stunts such as synchronized swimming and 60-foot high dives, as well as acrobatics, trapeze, martial arts and contortion. The massive spectacle requires 80 performers and 150 stagehands from across the globe to bring the magic to life.

Starting on a circus template, “O” opens up into a celebration of life integrating the different forms of art by which the human body and mind can express sensations, reflections, emotions and vibrations. While water is the source of life, its antagonist element fire is the other element that conditions our existence.

Taming the flames as well as mastering water are the two great victories of mankind that made us able to survive. The magnificent and flamboyant entertainment is not only a circus show that fills us with wonder, it also opens the door to reflecting and dreaming. Guests are transported to an enchanted world through colorful imagery, special effects, imaginative costuming and an innovative soundtrack performed by live singers and musicians. We enter into a surrealist flight where all is possible: gravity seems to be abolished and pianos surge from the bottom of the oceans oozing melodies while cavaliers gallop on the waves. Our human limitations are bypassed. We are angels and fly, we are fishes and swim. Difficult to return to reality even in the sumptuous lobby of the Bellagio lit by a colossal Murano multicolored flower chandelier.

7. Penn & Teller

Location: Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89103
Performances: Select nights at 9 p.m.
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This odd couple of magic performs stunts and magic tricks that will make your jaw drop to the floor.

Since joining forces in 1975, funny men magicians Penn & Teller have racked up quite the resume: TV shows on Showtime and The CW, wildly successful runs on Broadway and a perennially popular Vegas production at the Rio. Part of the duo’s appeal is their counterbalance and rapport, with the larger-than-life Penn doing all of the talking, and the diminutive Teller communicating through facial expression and body language. Their edgy act is unlike any other magic show, boasting a mix of death-defying escapes, sleight-of-hand tricks and macabre stunts that will leave viewers completely mystified. The show relies heavily on audience interaction, as several guests are chosen to assist in illusions and help confirm the authenticity of the magic. The show ends with a bang, as the pair simultaneously fire guns at each other and catch the bullets in their mouths.

8. Terry Fator: The VOICE of Entertainment

Location: New York New York Hotel & Casino, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109
Performances: Sunday-Thursday 7:30 p.m.
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One man, so many voices! You won’t believe the impersonations that come out of his mouth.

Terry Fator first vaulted to fame after winning “America’s Got Talent” in 2007, demonstrating his mastery of ventriloquism. Today, more than one million guests of all ages have witnessed his vocal acrobatics in person. His hilarious range of characters includes Winston the Impersonating Turtle; Emma Taylor, the little girl with the big voice; and lounge singer Monte Carlo. Backed by a live band, Fator showcases his versatility by combining comedic banter with spot-on vocal impressions of musical superstars such as Garth Brooks, Dean Martin, Aretha Franklin, Lady Gaga and Kermit the Frog.

9. Tournament of Kings

Location: Excalibur Hotel & Casino, 3850 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109
Performances: Monday & Friday 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday 6 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
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Get ready for action-packed medieval entertainment.

One of the few remaining vestiges of the Vegas dinner show, “Tournament of Kings” is also one of the longest-running productions in Sin City, dating back to 1990. In this reenactment of an Arthurian pageant, guests travel back to the Middle Ages to watch valiant knights prove their honor amid dazzling special effects, dancing, singing and pyrotechnics. The seating is divided into seven “countries,” as well as the “Dark Knight” section, which is reserved for followers of King Arthur’s nemesis, Mordred. Audience members are encouraged to cheer on the knight representing their realm as the warriors go head-to-head in various competitions, including horse races, jousts, sword fights and gladiator-style battles with lances, swords and axes. The dinner is a hearty three-course meal of soup, Cornish game hen, vegetables and dessert, in which diners must use the original utensil — their hands.