‘Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas,’ a staple on the Strip, closes
The “Divas” are sashaying out of The Linq Hotel.
“Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas,” starring the Las Vegas drag legend as Joan Rivers, has closed at the Las Vegas Strip resort. The cast was informed Saturday the show had ended its run at the Linq. The show’s final performance was Tuesday night.
Marino, “Divas” producer Adam Steck of SPI Entertainment, and Caesars Entertainment officials said tonight the decision to shut down was mutual between the show and Caesars Entertainment.
“Caesars Entertainment and Her-Larious Entertainment have mutually agreed to close the long-running show at the Linq,” Caesars Entertainment spokeswoman Celena Haas said in a statement tonight.
Her-Larious is Marino’s production company and a subsidiary of SPI Entertainment.
In a text message tonight, Marino said he was traveling to Chicago with his partner, SPI Entertainment Chief Operating Officer and Vice President Alex Schechter. The two are celebrating their 25th anniversary as a couple. In a text, Marino said, ‘Like Scarlett O’Hara said, I will think about this tomorrow, tomorrow is yet another day.”
One of the longest-running production shows ever on the Strip, “Divas Las Vegas” opened as “An Evening at La Cage” at the Riviera in 1985. The show moved to the then-Imperial Palace (now Linq) in 2010. The 54-year-old Marino notched his 25,000th performance on the Strip in 2014. His 33-year run as headliner of a Strip production show is a record for longevity in Las Vegas.
With Marino fronting the show with his classic Rivers impression, the “Divas” all-male cast has performed tributes to such superstars as Diana Ross, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Madonna, Cher, Pink, Beyonce and Tina Turner.
Over the past three years the show has shared its theater with magician Mat Franco, for whom the venue is named.
Marino and other sources familiar with the production have said the production is to relocate this fall. The show is reportedly going dark at least through September.
Nonetheless, there has been no official announcement of a future home, or a general strategy, to bring the“Divas” back to the stage.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
