A Smash Hit!

Tony Award nominee and Broadway's first Annie, Andrea McArdle, and Las Vegas’s First Lady of Jazz, Michelle Johnson, to Headline a Star-Studded Cast for the Las Vegas Production of 

FOLLIES, the Seven-Time Tony Award® winning

Epic Landmark Broadway Musical with Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

The Show will Feature a Cast of 45 Dazzling Performers,

the 26-piece JOI Jazz Orchestra with Strings, and a Dozen Legendary Las Vegas Showgirls

This production of FOLLIES will be presented over 50 years after the musical made its triumphant arrival on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre

Six Performances Only: April 11 – 14, 2024 

at the Access Showroom at Aliante Casino + Hotel + Spa

Tickets are available now at https://showgirlscomehome.com/tickets

With a mammoth cast and crew of over 80 talented professionals, FOLLIES will include a mind-blowing collection of 45 dazzling performers, a dozen legendary showgirls, a live 26-piece orchestra and many of Las Vegas’s best singers, dancers and performers

FOLLIES will feature special appearances by Tonight Show icon and comedian Pete Barbutti, singer, songwriter and quintessential entertainer and Grammy® nominee Clint Holmes and his wife, the sensational singer/performer/comedian Kelly Clinton-Holmes, Four-time Grammy® winner and First “Pip” Merald “Bubba” Knight, internationally renowned opera sensation Frederica von Stade, Broadway legend Ted Chapin, and an introduction by legendary impressionist Rich Little.

FOLLIES will bring a dozen legendary Las Vegas showgirls back into the spotlight, including the first African American showgirl on the Strip and dancers who toured with the incomparable Gypsy Rose Lee and the immortal fan dancer Sally Rand

The score for FOLLIES features many of Stephen Sondheim’s most brilliant theatrical creations, with iconic songs such as I’m Still Here, Broadway Baby, Losing My Mind, Waiting for the Girls Upstairs, and Beautiful Girls. It will be brought to life by the 26-piece JOI Jazz Orchestra with Strings headed by Musical Director, Dave Loeb, who is also the director of the Division of Jazz and Commercial Music at UNLV.

FOLLIES is produced in partnership with JOI Jazz Orchestra, UNLV College of Fine Arts, The Showgirl Legacy Foundation and its Historical Advisor, The Neon Museum

This production of FOLLIES is dedicated to the memory of Las Vegas music legend Bill Fayne.

Press Contact:

Tom Michel

Metropolis Theatricals Las Vegas LLC

702.533.0075

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LAS VEGAS, NV (December 5, 2023) – Metropolis Theatricals Las Vegas LLC Producers Tom Michel, David James Robinson and Sean Stephenson announced today that the brilliant Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman Tony Award® winning Broadway musical, FOLLIES, will be presented in Las Vegas – the preferred address of the Showgirl - from April 11-14, 2024 at the Access Showroom at Aliante Casino + Hotel + Spa.

ABOUT FOLLIES

FOLLIES is a masterpiece Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (Into the Woods, Company, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along), book by James Goldman (The Lion in Winter), orchestrations by EGOT-winner Jonathan Tunick (Sweeney Todd, Company, A Chorus Line), co-direction by Hal Prince (Phantom of the Opera) and Michael Bennett (A Chorus Line), and choreography by Mr. Bennett. It premiered on Broadway in 1971 and won seven Tony Awards®, including Best Original Musical Score.

While the musical’s plot revolves around glamorous showgirls, talented entertainers and the oft bittersweet realization that – like so many things in Las Vegas – all good things must come to an end, these performances bring FOLLIES to Las Vegas over 50 years after it made its triumphant Broadway arrival.

THE PLOT

FOLLIES, which features one of Stephen Sondheim’s most brilliant scores, tells the story of a famous impresario – (i.e., Florenz Ziegfeld, or in Las Vegas, Donn Arden or Jerry Jackson) who holds one last reunion of the casts of his annual FOLLIES productions before the theatre bearing his name is to be torn down to make room for a parking garage.

On the stage of the old theatre, the performers gather for one more look back at their glory days, the grand music, lavish spectacles, the baggy pants comedians and beautiful showgirls. The theatre is also haunted by ghosts of the past who reappear to watch as these past FOLLIES performers bring the theatre to life again – even if just for this one last night.

Among the party guests are Sally, Buddy, Ben and Phyllis, double-dating pals from the old FOLLIES days. For each, their lives have turned out very differently than what they had originally thought. There are old wounds, unfinished business, bitter outcomes and regrets and reconciliation. The past collides with the present as these four characters ask, “Did I marry the right person?,” “Are my best days behind me?,” and “Do I like who I’ve become?”

FOLLIES answers these questions with an uplifting, realistic resolution while bringing back the glory days of an earlier time through a cornucopia of thrilling music, dazzling costumes and electrifying performances.

THE LEAD CHARACTERS AND THEIR YOUNGER SELVES

The cast of FOLLIES features a plethora of magnificent entertainers, including Michelle Johnson (Las Vegas’s First Lady of Jazz, appearances with Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney and Elton John), Randal Keith (Les Miserables, Spamalot, Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers), and Sam Holder (Oklahoma, Grease, South Pacific) in the lead roles.

Playing the roles of Young Ben and Young Buddy are Nicolas King (Broadway’s Beauty and the Beast, A Thousand Clowns, and Hollywood Arms, directed by Hal Prince) and Seth Sikes (Seth Sikes Sings Judy Garland, The Band’s Visit), respectively. The role of Young Sally will be portrayed by Cynthia Nesbit, and the role of Young Phyllis is yet to be cast and will be announced shortly.

FEATURED LEGENDARY PERFORMERS

Numerous internationally renowned performers will showcase their incredible talents in FOLLIES, including opera legend and Grammy® winner Frederica von Stade (making her Las Vegas theatrical debut), four-time Grammy® winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Merald “Bubba” Knight, 67-time Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson guest and comedy legend Pete Barbutti.

Also featured will be singing sensation and Grammy® nominee Clint Holmes and his brilliantly talented wife, singer/performer/comedian Kelly Clinton-Holmes (Nunsense, The Sit-In with Kelly Clinton, appearances with Wayne Newton and Englebert Humperdinck) and the incomparable impressionist Rich Little, adding his talents to kick off the performances in his extraordinary way.

BROADWAY’S TED CHAPIN: FOLLIES COMES FULL CIRCLE

This production of FOLLIES will feature theatre and Broadway legend Ted Chapin in the role as the theatrical impresario, Dimitri Weissmann. Mr. Chapin – at the ripe young age of just 20 – found himself in the role of Production Assistant on the original production of FOLLIES as it wound its way from its early days in New York to Boston previews and back to Broadway. 

After FOLLIES, Mr. Chapin went on to oversee the prestigious Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization for over 40 years, working directly for Mary Rodgers and Alice Hammerstein on every aspect of their fathers’ robust musical catalog.

In 2003, Mr. Chapin compiled his notes about FOLLIES and wrote an award-winning theatrical tome about his adventures with the show and its creation/evolution entitled EVERYTHING WAS POSSIBLE: The Birth of the Musical FOLLIES. It is available on Amazon.com and via other publishing outlets.

Now, more than 50 years later in a “full circle move,” Mr. Chapin will himself appear in a production of FOLLIES for the very first time, the show which he watched, helped build, and has loved from its very inception.

ADDITIONAL MULTI-TALENTED CAST MEMBERS

This production of FOLLIES will also star a bevy of amazing singers and actors in stand-out roles, including the electric Skye Dee Miles, beloved Las Vegas performers Denise Rose, Patrick Hogan, Linda Woodson, Tim Molyneux, Katy Monroe, Gabriella Versace, Jennie Malcomb, Michelle Marshall and opera and musical theatre vocalist Kate Kinhan.

A number of multi-talented Las Vegas dancers of today– all with vibrant performance backgrounds – will help to round out the 45 person cast, including former Jubilee principal dancer Brooke Brown, Becs O’Hara (Jubilee), Jennifer Jordan (Vegas the Show, BurlesQ), Alyssa Sims (Disney, Vegas Golden Knights Showgirl), Alejandro Domingo (Jubilee, BAZ, Vegas the Show), John Marr (Legends, Vegas the Show), Eric Michael Morgan (Jubilee, Vegas the Show), and Avree Walker (Dreamgirls, Once on This Island).

A DAZZLING DOZEN OF LEGENDARY LAS VEGAS SHOWGIRLS

While often performed by actresses in other productions, the Las Vegas premiere of FOLLIES will also feature a dozen actual legendary Las Vegas Showgirls – each with astonishing work resumés from the Las Vegas Strip of the past.  

Included are Showgirl Legacy Foundation founder Lou Anne Chessik, Joni Sailon, Lauri S. Thompson, Diane Michelle Varney, Suzanne Jipson, Marla Gomes, Teri Thorndike, Sheri Mirault, Terry Ritter, Ramona Shaw, and Cindy Doumani whose family operated The Tropicana and built the El Morocco and La Concha motels (the La Concha’s lobby is now the entry to The Neon Museum).

Also featured will be legendary 97-year-old Anna Bailey, the first African American showgirl ever to appear on the Las Vegas Strip.

Among the Las Vegas spectacles in which these legendary ladies performed are Follies Bergère (Tropicana), Lido de Paris (Stardust), Hallelujah Hollywood! (MGM Grand), Jubilee (Bally’s), Casino de Paris (Dunes), and at the Moulin Rouge, Thunderbird, Flamingo and Showboat hotel/casinos, plus others.

Lou Anne Chessik commented, “As founder of the Showgirl Legacy Foundation, I’m thrilled that this production of FOLLIES is going to feature a dazzling collection of Las Vegas’s most legendary showgirls. The showgirl was – and continues to be – the heartbeat of the city. Having an on-stage reunion of these incredibly talented women who brought so much excitement, glamour and happiness to millions of Vegas visitors over the years is definitely going to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience to everyone who attends FOLLIES.”

MAKING MUSICAL MAGIC: THE 26-PIECE JOI JAZZ ORCHESTRA

Stephen Sondheim’s brilliant score for FOLLIES will be magnificently brought to life by the 26-piece JOI Jazz Orchestra with Strings, with Musical Direction by Dave Loeb. 

Comprised of some of the most talented musicians in this or any city, JOI Jazz Orchestra was founded by Las Vegas native and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra member, Kenny Rampton. It continues to expand its presence throughout the Las Vegas metro area via an extensive jazz outreach program for young people and its multiple live appearances featuring some of Las Vegas’s biggest and brightest stars. 

Mr. Loeb, who is a member of the JOI Jazz Orchestra, has an incredible background as a pianist, composer, conductor, music director, orchestrator, and arranger for some of the biggest stars and entertainment companies on the planet. He is also the Director of the Division of Jazz and Commercial Music at UNLV.

THE DIRECTOR, DAVID JAMES ROBINSON

FOLLIES will be directed by David James Robinson. In addition to his responsibilities for FOLLIES, Mr. Robinson has directed and produced over 75 theatrical and nightclub productions in New York, Seattle and Las Vegas.  

He received his education as part of the Conservatory Theatre Elite Training Program, at the Cornish Institute of Allied Arts, at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, and at the BMI/Lehman Engel Music Theatre Writers' Workshop.

Mr. Robinson created and wrote segments for "15 Minutes with Andy Warhol" for MTV.  He also wrote and produced a 16-episode cooking series entitled "Learn How to Cook...and Eat Your Mistakes," and appeared in over 60 live cooking segments on NBC-TV in Albany, NY.

In Las Vegas, he was the co-creator, Executive Chef and Owner of three hugely popular supper club venues: The Vegas Room, The Nevada Room Piano Bar & Bistro, and The Nevada Room Showroom. The Vegas Room was named “Best New Arts & Entertainment Venue in Las Vegas” by Las Vegas Weekly in 2021.

Mr. Robinson was also a close friend of composer Stephen Sondheim for many years, making his tie to FOLLIES – and his desire to mount the production in Las Vegas for the first time – that much more personal and important.

About FOLLIES, Mr. Robinson said, “To have the pleasure of bringing Steve’s masterpiece to Las Vegas is such an honor.  Glorious and gothic, FOLLIES has no category or peer.  The cast and crew are so phenomenally talented, and to be able to tell this story in Vegas — the preferred address of the showgirl — is a flabbergasting joy!”

ADDITIONAL EXTRAORDINARY PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBERS

Choreography for the production will be staged by Sarah LeClear (Vegas the Show, BAZ, Donny and Marie, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines), with Costume Design by Lou Anne Chessik (Showgirl Legacy Foundation, Jubilee) and Brandy Erickson (Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ, David Copperfield), Lighting Design by Catherine M. Pratt (UNLV Department of Dance, Opera Las Vegas), and Sound Design by Sean Stephenson (Vegas and Nevada Rooms). 

Allen Bracken (Lance Burton’s Masters of Illusion, David Copperfield, Doug Henning) is the Production Manager for FOLLIES and producer/performer Tim Molyneux (Dolly Parton, Celebrity & Crystal Cruises, BITE Las Vegas) is the Company Manager. 

Producer Tom Michel has a wide and varied background in the arts, having held the primary marketing position at some of the nation’s most prestigious organizations, including The Public Theatre & Shakespeare in the Park, the New York Film Festival, The Metropolitan Opera, and New York City Ballet. Having been responsible for the sale of more than seven million tickets across his career, Mr. Michel’s earlier work background includes senior management roles at MTV Networks, Bravo and Time Warner.

Legal Representation for FOLLIES is provided by Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

ABOUT METROPOLIS THEATRICALS LAS VEGAS LLC 

Metropolis Theatricals Las Vegas LLC was formed as a non-profit 501©3  to present high quality, groundbreaking past and present theatrical works via local performers to as wide and varied an audience of Las Vegas locals as possible. It operates exclusively for charitable purposes, funded both by ticket sales and sponsorship revenue, which are critical to the presentation of these productions. It was founded by the former partners of The Vegas and Nevada Rooms (David James Robinson, Tom Michel and Sean Stephenson) and one of their key supporters, Peggy Shaner.

FOLLIES PRODUCING PARTNERS

JOI Jazz Orchestra - The JOI Jazz Orchestra, a subsidiary of the Jazz Outreach Initiative, is a professional big band comprised of some of the best musicians in Las Vegas and beyond. Founded in 2017 by Las Vegas native and member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Kenny Rampton, The JOI Jazz Orchestra’s mission is to produce exciting public performances to add to a vibrant jazz culture and community in Southern Nevada, to support Jazz Outreach Initiative’s many educational and outreach programs, masterclasses and clinics, and to bring the uniquely American musical form of jazz to the next generation of performers and music lovers alike. (JazzOutreachInitiative.org)

UNLV College of Fine Arts – UNLV’s Fine Arts program – currently with more than 2,500 enrollees - prepares students for professional careers by helping them to apply their talents in innovative and creative contexts.  Campus venues, including theatres, performance halls, studios and an architectural library, are available to students as they pursue their passions. The College’s Artist-in-Residence program brings preeminent thought leaders to UNLV while it also offers many public performances, exhibitions, and lectures every week during the academic year. Events vary from professional presentations from world-renowned artists to concerts presented by faculty and students, lectures offered by distinguished artists, writers, critics, exhibitions of student work in galleries, and the prestigious UNLV Film Series. (www.unlv.edu/finearts)

Showgirl Legacy Foundation – The Showgirl Legacy Foundation was created by former showgirl, Lou Anne Chessik, to preserve the historic significance of the iconic showgirl in the genre of performing art. Core to its mission is presenting and preserving for future generations the glitz and glamour of the legendary Las Vegas showgirl and her spectacular stage show productions. The Showgirl Legacy Foundation features past and current performers, while also providing educational presentations in schools, museums, conventions and other venues. It also uses a combination of traveling costume exhibits, historical videos, promotional literature and original works of art to showcase the legacy of the showgirl, the heartbeat of Las Vegas. (ShowgirlLegacy.org)

Historical Advisor: The Neon Museum – Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum is a non-profit 501©3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment. The Neon Museum campus includes the outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard, a visitors’ center housed inside the former La Concha Motel lobby and the Neon Boneyard North Gallery which houses additional rescued signs and is available for weddings, special events, photo shoots and educational programs.  In addition, The Neon Museum collection chronicles changes and trends in sign design and technology through pieces ranging from the 1930s to the present day. (NeonMuseum.org)

ABOUT IN MEMORIAM HONOREE BILL FAYNE

The much-beloved Las Vegas music icon Bill Fayne was a master composer, musician and singer who passed away in March, 2023. He was ever-present in the Las Vegas entertainment community, helping to foster new talent at every turn. Mr. Fayne and music legend Clint Holmes met while in college and had a friendship that spanned multiple decades. During his lifetime, he performed with stars from Diana Ross to Joan Rivers, in addition to being the Music Director for the Sporting-Monte Carlo Club in Monaco. Mr. Fayne had a deep love of the music of Stephen Sondheim and FOLLIES was the one Sondheim classic that he wanted to conduct, but hadn’t. For this reason – and because of the inspiration that Bill was for presenting our show, and for his help with so many performers over the years – this production of FOLLIES is dedicated to him.

ABOUT ALIANTE CASINO + HOTEL + SPA 

Owned and operated by Boyd Gaming, Aliante Casino + Hotel + Spa is situated on more than 40 pristine acres within the Aliante master-planned community at Aliante Parkway and Interstate 215. The resort features more than 200 hotel rooms and suites, five signature restaurants, the Access Showroom - a 650-seat state-of-the-art live performance venue, more than 100,000 square feet of gaming space, a resort-style pool, and a new 3,500-square-foot spa.  (Aliante.BoydGaming.com)

FOLLIES TICKET INFORMATION

Six Performances Only

Show Dates and Times:

Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 6:30 PM (Black Tie Opening Night)

Friday, April 12, 2024 at 7:30 PM

Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 2 PM and 7:30 PM

Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 2 PM and 7 PM

Access Showroom

Aliante Casino + Hotel + Spa

7300 North Aliante Parkway

North Las Vegas, Nevada 89084

Where to Get Tickets:

https://showgirlscomehome.com/tickets

For Additional Information, please visit ShowgirlsComeHome.com

All casting subject to change.

FOLLIES

is licensed by and presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). 

All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.