BWW Reviews: Pawn Shop Live! Offers A Look At TV's 'Pawn Stars'

In the last couple of years, many of us who live in Las Vegas have noticed that - along with Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon and The Strip - visitors have expressed a desire to visit Gold & Silver Pawn, the shop made famous on History Channel's highly rated (1.3 million viewers each week) Pawn Stars. The family that owns the shop - Rick Harrison and his father Richard (the "old man"), his son Corey ("Big Hoss"), along with Corey's childhood friend Austin ("Chumlee") Russell - have become familiar to people across the country and, now, they even have their own stage show in Las Vegas. Pawn Shop Live! opened at the Golden Nugget.

It's billed (probably just to clarify the fact that there's no buying and selling as on the TV show) as a "Broadway-style comedy." Not quite Broadway level, but it is very entertaining and a quick, casual survey showed that one doesn't have to be a regular viewer of the TV show to enjoy it.

The stage show features actors playing the the people from the TV show. Sean Critchfield is Slick Harrison, Gus Langley is Li'l Boss, Garret Grant is his fried Chump and a huge puppet, operated by Enoch Scott is Old Fart.

Derek Stonebarger is credited as the show's creator/producer and, along with director Troy Heard, as co-writer.

In addition to being Old Fart, Enoch Scott plays multiple roles (and just about steals the show). Anita Bean, also plays many parts. Kady Heard and Sydney Kounkel appear as showgirls.

They tell the back story of the Harrisons and the genesis of the shop, There are videos and flashbacks that take us to Rick's childhood, through the rigors of getting a license to operate a pawn shop. Much of the material is, we are told, taken from the lives of those involved.

Pawn Shop Live! is lots of fun. It plays in the Golden Nugget's Gordie Brown Showroom Tuesday through Saturday at 4 p.m. Tickets are $24.95, $29.95 and $39.95 (tax and fees are additional) or by phone, 866-946-5336 or online at http://www.pawnshopshow.com

Photo: The cast of Pawn Shop Live! and their real-life counterparts at the after-party on opening night. They are (from left in photo above) Enoch Scott ("Old Fart" puppet/multiple roles), Richard "The Old Man" Harrison, Rick Harrison, Gus Langley (Lil' Boss), Garret Grant (Chump), Austin "Chumlee" Russell and Corey Harrison. Photo: Bryan Steffy, WireImage/Getty Images

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