Mad Apple – the newest Las Vegas production from live entertainment leader Cirque du Soleil – celebrated its mad debut at New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas last night. Mad Apple is a high-energy cocktail of comedy, music, dance and high-flying acrobatics that delivers New York’s wildest night out under the Vegas lights.
Notable entertainers and athletes joining to fête the new production on opening night included: GRAMMY Award-winner Anderson .Paak, Vegas Golden Knights players Reilly Smith, Deryk Engelland, Shea Theodore and Laurent Brossoit; and Discovery+’s Ghost Adventures stars Aaron Goodwin and Jay Wasley.
Featuring stand-up comedy, a first in a Cirque du Soleil show, Mad Apple’s headlining comedians Brad Williams and Harrison Greenbaum, and freestyle comedy rapper Chris Turner entertain guests with on-the-spot, often rowdy improvs. Featuring a live musical tour-de-force celebrating the best of NYC music past and present led by musical director Xharlie Black, five lead vocalists and a five-piece band; six daring acrobatic acts; and 48 cast members from around the world, the show blurs the lines between circus, live entertainment and New York nightlife culture.
“We are thrilled to get the joyous Mad Apple party started in Las Vegas,” said Simon Painter, Mad Apple’s co-creator and executive producer. “From the moment guests enter the theater, they are whisked away to one of the most beloved cities in the world with a show that fuses hilarious acts from multiple comedians and daring acrobatics with the entertainment and eclecticism of New York City. It’s a crazy celebration straight away, and we can’t wait for guests from around the world to see it.”
Eric Grilly, Cirque du Soleil president of resident and affiliate show divisions, said, “Mad Apple is a completely new approach to Cirque du Soleil entertainment. It’s an action-packed experience designed for today’s audience, who increasingly want to consume entertainment as they do content – in an exciting, highly compelling and ever-shifting manner. With Mad Apple, you never know what’s coming next – from vocals, off-script comedy, and live music with our horns and drum line to acrobatics – all wrapped in an incredibly fun party atmosphere that differentiates it from other shows.”
Mad Apple entertains guests before the show even begins. Forty-five minutes before the curtain rises, guests are welcomed into the theater for a pre-show party with a modern-day Studio 54 vibe complete with boozy libations at the DownStage and UpStage Bars, flair bartenders, up-close magicians and entertainers, and live music.
The set of Mad Apple takes audiences through all five boroughs of NYC – from Uptown to Downtown, to the tips of skyscrapers and everything in between. Featured at the top of the stage and shown throughout the show is a 31-foot-long crown structure inspired by Lady Liberty’s signature headpiece. The star of the set is the DownStage Bar, which acts as a functioning bar pre-show, then is transformed into the stage at showtime. Guests will notice the Chrysler Tower as the backdrop to the DownStage Bar. Two bars on stage – the UpStage Bars – are designed to look like an upscale NY club and available to guests during the pre-show party. Approximately 600 bottles lining the UpStage Bar are filled with an illuminated LED liquid that changes colors throughout the show.
