Ivan Kane’s legendary burlesque nightclub, Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce, is making its highly anticipated return to the Las Vegas Strip, debuting on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, in its original location inside Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. After 16 years, founder Ivan Kane has completely reimagined the venue, promising a sensory spectacular that elevates the immersive burlesque experience to a new level.
Forty Deuce 2.0: The Immersive Evolution
Ivan Kane is credited with reinventing the burlesque genre by integrating a highly produced theatrical show with the traditional energy of a nightclub. For this return, dubbed Forty Deuce 2.0, he has leveraged cutting-edge technology to create an unparalleled sensory environment.
A New Standard in Sensory Entertainment
“Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce was launched in 2002. The show has always had a live band with burlesque dancers that are all hand-selected by Ivan Kane under contract to Forty Deuce,” states Ivan Kane. “Over the years, we have introduced more sophisticated lighting and sound.”
The new production is designed to be an entirely immersive experience:
- “For this new Forty Deuce Burlesque Nightclub… I have added multiple colored smoke jets, a huge laser light show and show control lighting, all DMXed to the music (in other words, synced to the BPMs),” Kane explains.
- The most exciting addition is the visual display: “What I’m most excited about, though, are the huge high-res LED walls behind the stage with custom environments for each of our burlesque shows. Think the Sphere in a closet (remember this is an intimate Nightclub, only 5,000 square feet).”
- The overall effect is a fusion of artistry and technology: “The whole sensory up-close experience, i.e., design, show control, lighting and lasers, custom environments, couture costuming, live rock n roll band, and six dancers, creates a huge experiential show that is unparalleled and unequaled.”
Honoring the OG While Wowing the New Generation
The club’s return aims to satisfy long-time devotees while capturing a new, younger audience.
“For those who fondly remember the OG, they will definitely be wowed by the scale of the production and the redesigned venue, which has been tricked out and totally reimagined,” Kane confirms. “As far as the next generation of guests who will experience Forty Deuce for the first time, I think these same aspects will inform the guest experience with something they never knew existed, having only been to traditional nightclubs. That’s what keeps guests coming back, it’s a night that can’t be found anywhere else. Remember, our demographic spins 21- mid-forties, because we spin open format and the music is relatable. Forty Deuce is a PARTY, never a staid environment.”
The Theatricality of Nightlife
As a veteran actor and screenwriter with a Broadway background, Ivan Kane approaches club design not as a business venture, but as a nightly theatrical production.
Broadway Finesse in the Ballroom
“I spent the better part of two decades as a performer in film, TV and on stage. I have a dance background, having done many musicals, and I’m hyper aware that you need to connect with your audience on a personal level and not cater to them,” Kane shares. He attributes his approach to longevity: “The wow factor and the guest experience that make people talk about Forty Deuce is what drives me. That comes from having to produce a Broadway-caliber show every night for almost thirty years.”
His design philosophy is centered on comfort, not intimidation: “Also, my design aesthetic of high/low allows the guest not to be intimidated in the room. I purposefully do not import every piece of marble from Italy. That’s not what makes a guest comfortable. I want the guest to feel instantly at home. Believe me, no cost was spared, but it’s how you put it all together that creates the magic. Also, I never give it all away at once. It’s always a magical mystery tour. There’s a tunnel that guests must pass through, instantly immersing them in Forty Deuce’s sexy environment. I’m not going to give away what happens in the tunnel, but suffice it to say it’s HOT!”
The Audience Becomes the Experience
The club’s design—featuring six dancers, two live bands, and multiple stages—is key to creating the “kaleidoscopic spectacular” where the audience is part of the action.
“Most guests are used to seeing a show in a proscenium theater… In that environment, you are not part of the experience; you are witnessing it,” Kane says, contrasting it with Forty Deuce. “Because we are a nightclub and not a theater, the show is right in front of you, around you, behind you and over you. You are literally inches away from the dancers and the musicians anywhere in the room, whether in VIP or on the dance floor. Guests are part of the show! The energy that flows between the guest and the performer heightens the energy in the room tenfold. You can’t look away; it’s virtually impossible… That’s what Forty Deuce does better than anyone, if I say so myself.”
Coming Home to Mandalay Bay
Ivan Kane expressed delight at reopening in the original location, citing the intangible energy of the space that housed Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce. “It’s a magic room. It’s hard to quantify that sort of energy, but it just is,” he states.
The location’s discreet nature is perfect for their exclusive brand: “Also, even though we are not a Speakeasy per se, the fact that we are discreetly hidden behind an escalator just off the casino floor makes it an ‘in the know’ type of destination. That kind of vibe is consistent with the celebrity clientele that has always been a mainstay of Forty Deuce. It just adds a mystique, which is sexy…”
