Majestic Repertory Theatre turns 'Showgirls' into Musical Parody

Showgirls Gets the Musical Treatment It Always Deserved

Let me tell you, when I heard that Majestic Repertory Theatre was turning the hot mess that is Showgirls into a musical parody, my first thought was “finally.” That 1995 Elizabeth Berkley trainwreck has been begging for this treatment for three decades. The show opened yesterday at Majestic Repertory Theatre, and honestly, I'm here for every sequined, over-the-top minute of it.

Troy Heard wrote the book and lyrics while directing this beautiful disaster, with James Edwards handling the music. Edwards has worked with The Second City, so you know this thing's gonna be sharp. The choreography comes from Sarah Lowe, who's done work with Spiegelworld - which means the dancing better be as extra as the original movie's ridiculous pool scene.

Real Vegas Showgirl Energy

Here's what got me excited: Kady Heard is playing Cristal Connors, and she's an actual former Jubilee showgirl. Real talk, that‘s the kind of authenticity this production needed. She knows what it’s like to wear those headdresses and work those stages. Elaine Hayhurst takes on Nomi Malone, and I‘m curious to see how they handle that character’s... intensity.

The timing couldn't be better either. With Pamela Anderson getting Oscar buzz for “The Last Showgirl” and everyone reassessing how Hollywood treated women in the '90s, this parody lands right in the cultural sweet spot. Vegas has always been about reinvention and chasing dreams, even when those dreams are messy as hell.

Camp Meets Commentary

What I love about Majestic Repertory is they don‘t do anything halfway. This isn’t gonna be some sanitized, tourist-friendly version - they‘re promising “unapologetically loud, proudly profane, and theatrically fearless.” That’s exactly what a Showgirls parody should be.

The original score apparently mixes '90s pop pastiche with showbiz bombast, which sounds like it‘ll capture both the movie’s cheesy earnestness and its unintentional comedy. And yes, they're including Versayce costumes - because what would a Showgirls parody be without that iconic mispronunciation?

The Greatest Line in Film History (Showgirls 1995)

Worth the Hype?

I haven‘t seen it yet, but everything about this production screams “exactly what Vegas theater should be doing.” We’re a city built on spectacle and dreams gone sideways - Showgirls is basically our origin story. The fact that Heard admits to having Stockholm Syndrome from watching the movie so many times tells me he gets it.

Majestic Repertory Theatre has never been afraid to push boundaries, and turning cinema's most notorious flop into musical comedy gold feels like the perfect fit. I’m absolutely not missing this one - sometimes trash becomes treasure, and I have a feeling this show knows exactly what kind of treasure it's sitting on.

Get your tickets for Showgirls Now!