Memphis may be the home of Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate, but Las Vegas is home to the King himself… well, hundreds of wannabes anyway. You can’t walk a block in Sin City without passing an Elvis impersonator. Whether they can carry a tune or not, they are out there shaking, rattling, and rolling. So it comes as no surprise that Vegas would be chosen to host an Elvis Presley-themed extravaganza.
Just a few days ago the legendary Cirque du Soleil announced it plans to open an Elvis-themed show on the Las Vegas strip. The Quebec-based circus troupe known for its extravagant theatrical performances combining live music, dance and acrobatics, is teaming up with Elvis Presley Enterprises, to create the show.
The show’s creators say the production will celebrate the life of Elvis in a place “where he truly rose to iconic status.” Presley, whose singles include “Viva Las Vegas,” performed at the Hilton hotel-casino in Las Vegas 837 times from 1969 to 1976.
Cirque du Soleil’s founder says he is thrilled to offer this opportunity to the throngs of Elvis fans that circle the globe. He went on to say: “Elvis has a unique relationship with his adoring fans in Vegas and a large part of our mission is to recreate the excitement and the spirit of joy he generated here.”
The Cirque du Soleil Elvis show will have a permanent home at MGM Mirage’s CityCenter hotel-casino when it opens in November 2009. European and Asian tours also are planned in the next 18 months, as well as an “Elvis Experience” museum opening in 2008. Production schedules and museum sites have yet to be announced.
My mom and grandmother love Cirque du Soleil and have seen a number of their live productions in Las Vegas during their trips there. I am curious to see if my 90-year-old grandmother would be interested to see the Elvis-theme show. If she does make it, I’m sure she won’t be the only granny in the audience rocking to the King’s tunes.