The Helpmann Award-nominated costumes and props, such as a 4.5m motorised stiletto from those past shows, have been waiting in storage for their post-pandemic revival.

“We started creating the actual story, creating the show early this year and we didn’t want to be going back in time, like the Rat Pack, or doing a tribute show or anything of that nature,” Bahoudian says. “We decided to create a brand new show from scratch, without introducing any impersonators. Primarily, it’s all about the glitz and the glamour of Las Vegas, of yesteryear and also today.

“It is over the top. I mean, a show of this magnitude is very expensive. We are fortunate enough that we’ve had the costumes in our warehouse for years and years from all our previous shows. They were well-designed, they’re all pure crystal jewels, and some of the gowns and the frames of the headgears are gold-plated. So they’re very well done to last a lifetime.”

The show features a cast of 22 singers, dancers, illusionists and aerialists, and performers including master illusionist Sam Powers and singers Jonathan Guthrie-Jones and  J’aime Holland, who will salute several of the famous icons who have graced Las Vegas showroom stages.

Bahoudian says returning to The Star has brought back fond memories for himself and his costume designer partner Nina Bahoudian.

“We were lucky enough to be chosen to do four shows there (Star Casino) originally, and we lasted eight years with them,” he says. “We got known globally through all the productions we’ve done at Jupiters Casino. It really has changed a lot. The auditorium itself, it looks really, really lovely, the way it’s laid out. I think people, when they come and experience a show of this nature, they’re really going to appreciate it.”

Club Vegas – The Spectacle proved so popular in Melbourne that some high-profile personalities asked to be included in the show. There are possibly some surprises lined up for The Star, too.

“Melbourne lapped it up. They really loved it,” Bahoudian says. “Some well-known performers want to have cameos in the show and they’re saying, ‘We have to be part of the show. Can you fit us in somewhere?’”

He is confident the response has shown that there is still a hunger for this style of high-end cabaret.

“You have to do it right. There are a lot of cabaret shows out there and some of them do the best they can with the resources they have and what they can achieve and do,” he says. “But if you’re going to try to achieve the Las Vegas style of production, then you’ve really got to step up the notch.

“You’ve really got to take it to the next level because you can’t fool the public any longer. You just can’t go there and have a couple of showgirls with feathers and call it the Vegas show. You have to be different. You’ve got to be out of the box. You can’t copy stuff. You’ve just got to do it properly.

“I’m honestly and truly very blessed with the cast we’ve got. They all worked hard. They’ve all put their heart and dedication into it, and they all believe in it.

“The reality is you need to be original and you’ve got to create an original show so you can be noticed.”

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