Magic Mike Live — Local services in Las Vegas

The biggest draw of Magic Mike Live XXL is simple: these men can dance. And I don’t mean “white guy with rhythm” dance—I mean actual, technically proficient, professionally trained movement. There is a noticeable difference between the dancers who happen to be hot and the hot guys who were taught to dance, but even those in the latter category hold their own. And then there are the standouts—like one tattooed performer whose movement quality belongs on a world-class contemporary stage.

What makes this show work is its ability to balance high-caliber performance with sheer entertainment. There’s a clear effort to subvert traditional male revue tropes. Instead of cartoonish uniforms and corny role-play scenarios, the show leans into a sex appeal that’s more accessible—think white T-shirts, blue jeans, and easy charisma.

And then, there’s the moment.

The water act is, without exaggeration, one of the best pieces of entertainment I’ve seen—not just in this show, but in Vegas as a whole.

Everything about it is flawless. The song choice is impeccable. The choreography deserves an award. The male and female leads have a chemistry that pulls the audience into their world. It’s sensual without being excessive, erotic without being crass. And unlike many moments in the show that play into audience expectations, this number transcends them.

Every toe is pointed, every line is intentional. The female performer, in particular, is operating on another level—her technique and presence deserve more recognition than a Las Vegas revue might typically afford. I don’t use the word perfect lightly, but here, I'll use it a hundred times. I truly cannot find a single flaw in this act. It is, hands down, the best number in the show.

Following the high of the water act, the show takes a detour into aerial arts—because, apparently, every Vegas production feels the need to check that box. Unfortunately, it doesn’t land quite as well.

While the female aerialist is strong and polished, her male partner looks uncomfortable in the apparatus. He manages to keep his form in check most of the time, but compared to her fluidity, his performance feels hesitant. This is a prime example of how men and women performing the same job are often at vastly different levels of expertise. It’s still an engaging act, but after witnessing near perfection in the water number, the drop in quality is noticeable.

Despite being a standout in the Vegas entertainment scene, Magic Mike Live XXL isn’t flawless. A few things keep it just shy of a perfect score:

Sound Mixing Issues – The lighting design is spot-on, but the sound needs work. Some songs lacked the necessary power, and the MC’s mic was tuned too sharp, making certain moments grating. Whether it’s a speaker issue or a mixing problem, it was distracting enough to be a downside.

Aggressive Ushers – The moment the show ended, we were shoved out the door. No lingering, no basking in the post-show glow. When we mistakenly took the wrong exit, my friend was grabbed by the wrist and pulled in the right direction—completely unnecessary and unprofessional.

A Missed Opportunity for Homoeroticism – Half-joking, but also… not really. The show plays into so many classic hetero female fantasies, but completely avoids any male-on-male tension. Leaning into that just a little would add another layer of excitement to an already dynamic production.

Despite its minor flaws, Magic Mike Live XXL is easily one of the most exciting shows in Las Vegas right now. It’s sexy, it’s fun, and it’s executed with a level of skill that most productions of its kind don’t...

June 29th 1992 was the release date for Magic Mike starring Channing Tatum. I was in an auditorium in Columbus Ohio with 399 other people as the theater set 400 capacity. There was one man there. That would be me. Tonight I saw Magic Mike live at the Sahara. My history sort of repeated itself because I was in an audience tonight with 300 women however there were a couple of other guys somewhere in the crowd. Professional. Perfection. Profound. This entire experience began with a great sense of hospitality earlier in the day meeting Leslie who informed me that I could get a seat for $50 which is a substantial discount as I am a guest at the hotel. The red ambience in the lobby is stunning definitely setting the mood. The show? Beyond perfection. From other comments I had read I knew this would not be a typical strip show which is one of the reasons I attended. I kept hearing and reading about the excellent dance routines which it turns out they are with great syncopation. I'm a 67 year old gay man. I have watched the evolution of the gay experience from the early seventies when gay bars were outlawed. I saw the advent of AIDS and lost over 30 friends in the early eighties. I have been thrown out of five churches because of my orientation which I never told them in the first place. And now you can even marry somebody of your same gender. I say all of this history because the Magic Mike audience and cast especially are all inclusive and all embracing. I felt completely welcome although I arrived with mystery as to what my very presence may convey. If someone told me these were Broadway dancers I would believe it. The female MC is fantastic and very comical while the other female member of the cast is probably the most erotic dancer I have ever seen in my life. The rain number left me spellbound. Wouldn't you think that I would love to see tons and tons of flesh from these men? Of course. Which is wild that my favorite number was when they were all wearing suits doing the most fantastic synchronized dance on a staircase. I want to thank the various male dancers who came down the aisle as I was on the end seat of the center section and they would tap me on the shoulder and nudge me which provided a great sense of ease, being accepted and I could even sense that they were glad I was there. Everyone is welcome. And like a typical gay man I had to wipe tears from my eyes at the end. During their standing ovation I was overcome at how far my life experience has taken me from the closed doors with no names for the gay bars in New York City to the exuberant enthusiastic men of Magic Mike. The man with a tattoo on his left shoulder and arm needs to contact me as soon as possible and you can get my number from the box office. LOL. Finally I came to Vegas because I want to see it before I die. And according to my oncologist that is probably going to occur before the end of summer. It's hard to live with. This entire production give me a reprieve from stress with a jolt of skyrocketing joy. ...

We were in Section 208, Row A, seats 1 & 2 which was in the section back from the one around the stage. They were really good seats considering that there was room in front for various guys to dance and the exit for the dancers was to our right, so they ran past us with about two men stopping to high five me. They were about $174 for the two seats.

The venue was small, informal (reminded me of a cowboy saloon) and more intimate than the big theater for the Chippendale's show, but the theater style seats where we sat were narrow. My thin husband thought they were the smallest he has been in. I think if you have a more queenly shape, the chairs or couch would be better.

Overall, the audience was cheering and clapping and I was too. There was a few numbers when they took off their shirt or costumes and danced well. The ones where they were wearing jeans and normal shirts, I guess they were looking like an every day guy, just did not do too much for me, like they did not bother to dress up to dance for us. I liked the costumes in Chippendale's better, more of the thematic fantasy.

I had watched the "Magic Mike" movie and the entire series and part of the series was to teach the men confidence and how to make the woman they were dancing for feel beautiful and important. I really did not get that from their performances or when they pulled up both audience members located near the stage celebrating bridal showers or birthdays, or the planted dancers in the audience, or their quick impromptu dances by the audience. They felt more rehearsed and the simulated oral sex poses with the audience women with their legs spread wide while they sat in a chair made me glad I was not celebrating something. Doing that for the 86 year old grandmother celebrating her birthday, I am sure was memorable for her, but I know my mother would have slugged him.

I do agree with the other reviewers on the female host or MC being annoying. She did a good job faking enthusiasm and getting the audience going, but less talk and more dancing would have been better. In the first 15 minutes between her and the initial male host, the talk was so raunchy that I felt like getting up to leave.

There were a few singing numbers which made for a good time to go for a bathroom break. The waiter was good in getting our before show drink order and checking back but not too often to disrupt the show. Given I had my credit card numbers stolen at another restaurant, it made me uncomfortable to give him our credit card for the first round and for him to keep it the entire show and not give it back to the end. I would bring cash if I came again.

Overall, I had a good time, although I was bit taken back by some of the raunchiness and would not have wanted to go on stage. My husband summarized it as "Just some guys who work out more."

I think for the right audience, the...