It’s never easy moving a production from one location to another, but for Chippendales, it was the smart move. The capacity at their new home inside The Linq Hotel is four times that of their showroom at the Rio Las Vegas, where they got up close and personal with patrons for more than two decades. Adjacency to The Linq Promenade means constant exposure to potential new audience members uninitiated in the ways of bowtie collars and cuffs.
The start of a new chapter for Chippendales also provides opportunities for new numbers and auditions for new male revue prospects. It’s an exciting time for cast members such as Jayson Michael, an eight-year Las Vegas Chippendale who dances, sings and hosts the show.
“The move has been great,” says Michael. “We did an amazing 22, almost 23 years at the Rio. We were known for that location. It was our own personal theater. We got to hold it down ourselves, but the transition to the Strip brings so much life to the show, because not only are we able to re-create and revamp a lot of the show, but it gives us the opportunity to grab audiences that we might not have had because of the location.”
Mid-Strip foot traffic helps fill Mat Franco Theater, which is similarly sized to the venues Chippendales schedules for tours. Birthdays and bachelorette parties predominate, but there are more pairs, couples and singles in attendance. The demographic skews younger as well, due to the popularity of the Promenade with Vegas visitors of all ages.
Chippendales was the only show of its kind when it first opened. Now there’s competition, with films and streaming television providing publicity for male revues on a scale that didn’t exist 20 years ago.
“You have to figure out what your niche is, what your brand is,” says Michael. “We were the first ones to do it. We do it in a way that we know works for us, which is very tasteful but also very risqué and seductive. Regardless of the competition, if we stick to what our brand is and what we do, and what we do well, there’s room for everyone to be successful.”
A tasteful tip: Chippendales collaborates with Chayo Mexican Kitchen + Bar at The Linq Promenade for a weekly “Chipps and Salsa” brunch and show package at 1 p.m. Sundays. Diners drink bottomless mimosas with shirtless Chipps on the side before 2:30 p.m. shows.
A daytime presentation does not detract from the dynamic atmosphere that depends as much on performance as audience response. Light bondage, live musicians, cowboy cool, cascading showers and onstage immersion for at least one lucky guest are highlights.
“The show works in a progression,” says Michael. “We start slow. We don’t give everything away in the beginning, and then as we start to ramp up the audience and the audience starts to get more involved, the numbers do get a little more risqué. … We want the energy and excitement to build.”
The Linq Hotel, 18+. chippendales.com
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