The Las Vegas Strip has been the home for unique and unusual performance residencies for decades, entertaining hundreds of thousands of visitors over the years.
One of the most popular long-running residencies on the Strip was master illusionists Siegfried & Roy who began their unique show in 1967, featuring elephants, lions, tigers, cheetahs and macaws, illusions and daredevil acts. In 1989, the duo began a residency at the Mirage, which lasted until Oct. 3, 2003, when Roy Horn was attacked on stage by the show's white tiger Mantecore, almost ending his life. The duo came back for one last show in 2009.
Magic and illusion are Las Vegas Strip traditions
Magician and illusionist David Copperfield has become a Las Vegas Strip icon since starting out in the 1980s with his 15-year residency at Caesars Palace before signing on with the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, where he still performs today.
Penn & Teller's magic, illusion and comedy act arrived on the Strip 30 years ago before switching over to the off-Strip Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in 2001. The classic Vegas duo just signed an extension for their act until 2026.
Popular magician, extreme illusionist and stunt artist David Blaine opened his first "In Spades" Las Vegas Strip residency on Sept. 30, 2022, to sell-out crowds at the 5,000 capacity Resorts World Theater at Resorts World Las Vegas and continued his engagement through March before extending the show to April, May, June and July 2023.
Unfortunately, Blaine needed to cancel some of his shows in the extended residency after suffering a dislocated shoulder performing one of his stunts on March 12, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The star stunt artist injured himself in the opening of his act where he does an 80-foot free fall into a stack of cardboard moving boxes near the left side of the stage.
On that particular night, Blaine missed his mark and landed awkwardly, dislocating his right shoulder. Doctors in the audience came to his aid on the stage to put his shoulder back into place right in front of the audience. The magician and illusionist subsequently removed the stunt from his act while he recovered, but said he is trying to insure his act so he can bring it back to his show.
Image source: Wynn Resorts.
David Blaine brings his popular act to the Wynn
Fear not, David Blaine fans, the spectacular entertainer will bring his act back to the stage, but at a different Strip hotel casino. Blaine has signed on for a new 12-show residency "Impossible" at the 1,480-seat Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas that will begin New Year's Eve weekend Dec. 29-31 and continue Feb. 14, 17-18; March 27, 29-30; and May 8, 10-11. Tickets for the residency, priced at $69.95, go on sale Sept. 15, 10 a.m., Pacific, at Ticketmaster.com.
A limited number of “David Blaine: Impossible” VIP experiences will also be available for purchase. VIP package includes Premium Reserved seating within the first three rows of Encore Theater, a photo op and close-up magic experience with Blaine, an autographed limited-edition custom print, a commemorative VIP show laminate, on-site venue concierge, VIP entry, and a VIP beverage voucher. VIP packages can be purchased at WynnLasVegas.com.
