Jubilee! All Access Backstage Walking Tour

Donn Arden's Jubilee! has been entertaining Las Vegas audiences for more than 25 years and continues to be a top draw on the Vegas Strip. Featuring 85 statuesque showgirls and showboys, the critically acclaimed topless revue dazzles and delights with seven acts that are so colorful and over the top, you won't believe your eyes.

The classic production holds true to what made it a staple in Vegas history, keeping acts that have been part of the show since the beginning. Since its opening in 1981, Jubilee! has featured numbers with complicated sets, lighting and effects. More than good looking girls and guys, Jubilee! consists of singers, specialty acts, storylines and elaborate numbers with special effects like "The Sinking of the Titanic" and "Samson and Delilah." Bright feathers on the dancers move in unison, painting a kaleidoscope on the giant stage among the high-flying synchronized kicks.

Now audiences are able to see what goes on behind the curtains of Jubilee! with the All Access Backstage Walking Tour. The backstage tour reveals the secrets of this long-running show, from the massive set pieces to the colorfully plumed wardrobes. The tour, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, is guided by a Jubilee! showgirl and details the inner workings of this extravagant production.

"This is a tremendous vehicle to showcase our production, giving the public the very rare opportunity to see how a show of this magnitude functions on a nightly basis," said Joel Mann, music director and group sales manager for Jubilee!

The one-hour tour begins on the gigantic stage, where the guide explains the history of the showgirl, the show itself and stage mechanics. Visitors will see everything from the 75 sparkling backdrops to the complicated system of elevators that are used to lift heavy set pieces, as well as performers, onto the stage. Then, guests journey down a few flights of stairs into the basement where the dressing rooms are located. Descending the steep stairs, one can only imagine the stability and balance the showgirls, who do it in high heels, must possess.

In the dressing areas, colorful costumes made of rich fabrics and dozens of fishnet stockings hang along each performer's designated area, which is labeled with their name. The wardrobe area is lined with boxes of sequins, rhinestones and wigs. Guests are also given a close-up view of the enormous Titanic and Samson & Delilah set pieces.

Sarah Glover, a dancer in Jubilee! for nearly four years, explained the differences between covered (nicknamed bluebells) and topless performers and detailed the required specifications for performers. Because of the weight and size of costumes (and the sheer magnitude of the stage) female dancers must be at least 5 feet, 8 inches tall and males must be 6 feet tall. She also revealed the secrets that are involved to keep the beautiful costumes in perfect condition night after night.

Special precautions are used to protect delicate costumes and "quick change rooms" are provided at stage level to keep the performers from having to climb the steep stairs that lead to the basement. Some costumes are stored high above the stage, protected in a sheet, so a performer can simply step into it on her way to the stage.

Guests are welcome to get a better look at all of the details, from the Swarovski crystals to the thousands of feathers that adorn the colorful headdresses, which range from ostrich, pheasant, goose and rooster to even vulture.

Some dancers wear "backpacks," which are strapped onto their bodies and contain feathers and sequins and usually rise high above their heads; others wear cuffs with feathers and jewels. "If you don't have a backpack or cuff, you're in trouble because that means you're wearing a hat," Glover explained. And that means a showgirl is balancing a tall and heavy headpiece, such as the aptly named Mohawk, which is made of vulture feathers and weighs a hefty 16 pounds.

Glover also explained how performers layer costumes and how pieces can be transformed to easily transition into the next act. She also talked about the strenuous demands of being a showgirl. For example, at times during the show, performers must make their costume changes in as little as three minutes. All dancers are also required to be trained in jazz, ballet and tap and they must re-audition every six months for their position. Makeup application among the women is identical and dubbed the "Jubilee! look." The ladies apply their own makeup, after only being shown the correct technique once.

And we can't overlook the guys -- they too have many wardrobe changes that include perfectly pressed tuxedos, sparkling suits, colorful robes and rhinestone studded g-strings.

Renowned designers Bob Mackie and Pete Menefee are responsible for many of the elaborate fashions. While most pieces have been in use since the start of "Jubilee!," each outfit is tailored to each performer's body. A crew of 26 wardrobe people maintain approximately 1,500 costumes and keep them in pristine condition.

At the end of the tour, guests are given the opportunity to ask questions and take pictures with the showgirl who conducted the tour.

Experiencing the Jubilee! backstage tour puts the spectrum of colors and magnificence of the production into perspective. Guests are able to take a sneak peak into the lives of the celebrated Vegas performers and learn that backstage runs just as smoothly as the show itself.

-- Review by Mandy Hoskison