The Onyx Theatre Premieres SHOWGIRLS THE MUSICAL

The Onyx Theatre is proud to present the most important theatrical event in the history of Western Civilization. Inspired by the groundbreaking work of cinematic genius, Producing Director Troy Heard and Second City's Derek Shipman have collaborated to bring Showgirls the Musical to lascivious life.

"Showgirls is hands-down the quintessential Las Vegas story. An innocent drifter stumbles into town with huge dreams, and she achieves it by climbing the ladder of success wrong by wrong," says co-writer and director Heard. "And the only thing it costs her is her soul."

The 1995 movie written by Joe Eszterhas and directed by Paul Verhoeven followed on the heels of their megasuccessful thriller Basic Instinct and was poised to make a star out of ingenue Elizabeth Berkley playing wannabe dancer Nomi Malone. Instead, the film crashed and burned at the box office and ruined Berkley's career. It instead achieved cult status upon its DVD release and has inspired Rocky Horror-esque midnight screenings. More recently it has been the subject of several scholarly critical studies.

"It's seriously so-bad-it's-good," says co-writer Shipman. "However, we've watched it enough times, we're starting to see the genuine good within the bad. I mean, who sets out to make a bad movie, really? Or maybe that just Stockholm Syndrome setting in..."

Although there have been several different parodies of the movie performed around the country, this is the first production to feature actual Vegas showgirls. "Our cast members have been featured in shows such as Folies Bergere and Show in the Sky," says Heard. "My wife Kady, who plays Nomi, was a dancer in Jubilee for several years. And, like Nomi, she has discovered there's a benefit to sleeping with the director."

He reassures that the notorious pool scene does make an appearance and will necessitate the addition of a splash zone.

Performances of Showgirls the Musical will be September 10 through October 3, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm. with a Sunday matinee on September 20 at 5 pm. Tickets are $25 for General Admission and $25 for VIP, which includes splash zone seating. Tickets may be purchased online at www.onyxtheatre.com or at the Box Office an hour before show time.

SHOWGIRLS THE MUSICAL

Written by Troy Heard and Derek Shipman

Directed by Troy Heard

Choreography by Tracey Langran Corea (Broadway: "The Who's TOMMY," "Rent," "Aida")

The Onyx Theatre is located at 953 E. Sahara Ave. #16B in Commercial Center, Las Vegas, NV 89104. Nearby dining options include Komol (Thai and vegetarian-friendly); Cornish Pasty Co.; and the world famous Lotus of Siam. Off-Strip Productions, the resident producing company of the Onyx, is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit company.

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