Referring to Dita Von Teese as a burlesque artist is a bit like calling Dame Shirley Bassey a singer or RuPaul a drag queen. Yes, while true in the most general sense, these individuals have—through discipline, tenacity, style, and savoir-faire—transcended their respective forms and mediums to something more elevated. Thanks to her residency show Dita Von Teese at Voltaire at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, the woman dubbed “The Queen of Burlesque,” now reigns from a variety of thrones including a quilted mechanical bull with bedazzled horns, a champagne coupe filled with sudsy water, and even a gilded birdcage. The self-proclaimed “glamour evangelist” proselytizes to her legions of fans in a dazzling display of decadence from the pulpit of Voltaire’s stage and catwalk, proving that sometimes an artist and her venue can be so ideally aligned that they combine to present something approaching perfection.
Conceived by Michael Gruber (Chief Content Officer, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas) and designed by award-winning production designer, Derek McLane (Moulin Rouge!), Voltaire is an intimate venue that seats only 1,000 guests and is designed to allow performers to stage immersive productions that give audiences a far more up-close-and-personal experience than in larger, more classically designed showrooms.
With its keyhole-themed contemporary Art Deco flair—brass, chrome, and mirror elements, velvet upholstery, a rich palate of violet, mauve, and crimson—Voltaire’s gorgeous vibe makes it the ideal venue for Von Teese and her spectacularly glam troupe of dancers and neo-burlesque artists to do that voodoo that they do so well. Her guests include the delightfully outrageous Dirty Martini (winner, Miss Exotic World 2004) and the hilariously campy and comely Jett Adore. Transparent orbs suspended from the ceiling are raised and lowered at intervals, evoking Champagne bubbles.
The show, much of which is composed of Von Teese’s existing acts from the last 24 years—including Strip, Strip, Hooray! (2013-2016), The Art of the Teese (2017), Dita Von Teese and the Copper Coupe (2018) and Glamonatrix (2019, 2022-2023)—were created by Von Teese and her longtime collaborator, Catherine D’Lish (a two-time Miss Exotic World winner), with the lighting for the show developed by Von Teese’s lighting director for the past decade, Alex Goldberg.
Beyond its irresistible fizzy glam, Dita Von Teese’s show is ideally scheduled so you can build a night from it. Where the many shows that start at 7 p.m. necessitate eating dinner either at 5 p.m. (before) or 9 p.m. (after), guests attending Dita Von Teese at Voltaire, with its start-time of 9:15pm, can enjoy dinner at one of the Venetian’s lovely restaurants (think: Chica, CUT, Wakuda, etc.) without having to rush through their meal. And following the show, TAO beckons for those night owls looking to get their grooves on, while Rosina Cocktail Lounge offers a more intimate cocktailing experience.
Due to an incredible response by showgoers, and to the delight of Vin Teese and her troupe of artists, Dita Von Teese at Voltaire has been extended through Spring 2025, with shows on select weekends.
Says Von Teese, “I’m over the moon to announce even more dates for my residency in Las Vegas! I LOVE performing in the breathtaking Voltaire theater... I couldn’t have dreamed up a more glamorous home for this revue. I’m also excited to feature a parade of authentic Las Vegas showgirl costumes, created by Bob Mackie when the budgets for showgirl revues were endless! Bringing my life’s work in burlesque together with a dazzling dose of Las Vegas history is something I’m very proud of.”
Shows on select Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights through May 11, 2025.