Since its opening in 2021, the Resorts World Theatre has been home to some of the best performers in the world. This year, the venue welcomed the brand new “David Blaine: IN SPADES” residency to its impressive roster of renowned talent. We were invited to attend the grand opening of the show and were impressed with the show itself and the venue that appears to transform itself for each performer it hosts. Fans of Blaine’s television performances will recognize some of his tried and true illusions and stunts, which are even more awe-inspiring when seen up close.
A Look at “David Blaine: IN SPADES” at Resorts World Las Vegas
Unlike other performers who remain on stage for nearly the entire show, David Blaine takes his show to the audience with various stunts and illusions performed throughout the space. “We have an incredible team in various areas to make sure the show is a magical experience for every guest. We have a team of magicians, crew, stunt coordinators, and other production members who work on the different aspects of the show. We have a creative and musical director to help bring David’s vision to the stage,” Jim Shumway, Senior Project Manager for TAIT, said of the use of the space at the Resorts World Theatre. “Everything in the show was designed specifically by and for David. We worked with Tait, the company that brings vision to life, with their engineers, technologists, and production team. They work with everyone from concerts and the Olympics.”
One of the greatest illusions in the show is the stunning transition of the performance. “David wanted the show to transition seamlessly from stunts to tricks and back again as though there was never a major theatrical set change happening,” Shumway explained. “This was most notably a challenge on getting the 18,000-pound Waterbowl on and offstage in a timely and seamless manner for David’s famous breath hold stunt. TAIT designed a new low-profile base for the Waterbowl to sit on to allow for better viewing from all angles. This base is mounted to a custom-designed wagon with specific caster technology to both spread this 18,000 pounds safely across the Resorts World stage and allow for a minimal team to easily move and precisely place the Waterbowl on stage.”
The precision and thought behind the scenes are only part of what makes the show one of a kind. “David pushes the limits of what’s possible. The show moves swiftly from things such as a deck of cards to acts of endurance, including aspects and pieces from some of his most unique previous events, including an 😯 foot pillar, to a breath hold in a water tank,” Shumway told us. “David has been on television for years, and people have always related to him. He likes to bring people together with this magic. A few years ago, David produced and performed a show that toured for the first time, and this show is built on that. When David saw this theater at Resorts World LV, he knew it would be the right place to perform his dream show.”
“David Blaine: IN SPADES” currently has dates scheduled at Resorts World Las Vegas through March 11, 2023.
