Donn Arden’s Jubilee! closes at Bally's Las Vegas today, February 11, 2016, after more than 34 years as a celebrated staple of Las Vegas entertainment. This award-winning production has sparkled on the Las Vegas Strip since its opening in 1981. Set in seven acts featuring original songs, dances, and costumes designed by Bob Mackie and Pete Menefee, Donn Arden’s Jubilee! featured sequences not found on any stage in the world, including amazing aerial stunts, “The Sinking of the Titanic.” and “The Destruction of the Temple by Samson.” Jubilee! was relit by Ken Billington and Jason Kantrowitz in 2004.
“In relighting Jubilee!, we brought a sense of clarity and updated freshness to the show,” Kantrowitz told Live Design at the time of redesign. “Our experience with large-scale musical spectaculars has taught us the importance of helping direct the audience's focus. Sitting in a large theatre, watching a huge stage jam-packed with a hundred performers, tons of lavish costumes and scenery, in a whirlwind of symphonic music can be overwhelming. The show is fast paced, and the light cues had to support that energy, but lighting helps the gorgeous showgirls and the amazing costumes look even more glamorous. It makes the scenery feel even more spectacular. It helps transport the audience into a more romantic and exotic time in Las Vegas.”
Read more about the lighting re-design.
