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One Year Later - Has 'V THEATER' Gotten Its Sh*t Together?

SamNovak

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One Year Later - Has 'V THEATER' Gotten Its Sh*t Together?

VEGAS 411 revisits the sadly-decayed venue for a 12-month update...

One year ago, our former correspondent Clay Bushes published an exposé on the sad state of David Saxe's V Theaters. A two-level complex of three auditoriums, it's located inside Planet Hollywood's MIRACLE MILE SHOPS. The purpose of this update is to compare Clay's visit last year to the state of things now. So before you read on, please click here. We'll be ready when you return.

Welcome back! What a disappointing mess, wouldn't you say? An insider notified VEGAS 411 that when Clay's article was published, David Saxe, the owner/operator of all three venues, apparently reached out to each of the shows under his banner with promises to address the issues we uncovered.

David Saxe sits in the middle of....some other mess...

Of course, we take all unproven information with a grain of salt, but it stands to reason that Mr. Saxe would want to hold onto the "tenants" he currently has. After all, word spread in 2023 that a few productions fled V Theater due to nonpayment of ticket sales. Our previous article demonstrates that Saxe has been sinking in a sea of controversies for years. How much bad press does one dude need? [video width="2336" height="1080" mp4="https://vegas411-images.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/10052805/20240116_184611.mp4"][/video]

The Jets 80s and 90s Experience is sheer perfection

So, this writer visited V Theaters on January 16th, 2024, to attend The Jets 80's and 90's Experience. And, of course, to do some follow-up research. What I found was that things had improved, but still a far cry from the period leading up to its COVID shutdown.

Back in the glory days

First off, the second-level bar was back in operation. A convenient spot to grab a cocktail and hang out before being seated, the veranda bar was shuttered during 2022. That required purchasing cocktails or soft drinks at Showgirl Bar on the first floor (cash only) and then carrying them up the steps.

January 2023

January 2024

While the 2024 photo above suggests that the veranda bar was empty, it was filled with dozens of people a few moments earlier. They had just entered for a 6:30 pm performance of The Jets 80's and 90's Experience, hence the impression of emptiness. As for that opening in the wall outside of auditorium three....the one with visible exposed wiring? It's no longer there, although the patch job isn't exactly professional-quality handiwork. It's been reported to me by several sources, including a former handyman for the organization, that Saxe likes to do things "on the cheap".

2023

2024

Down the opposite hall, a corridor leading to the V2 Theater had exposed studs through another opening in the wall. I took a look at that and compared Clay's 2023 photos to my own.

2023

2024

2023

2024

Well, no changes there. But a big question lurked above all others. Were the second-level bathrooms back in operation? At the time that Ms. Bushes visited, both the men's and ladies' rooms were cordoned off, and had been that way for several weeks. Even more weeks reportedly followed before they were repaired and reopened. The thing is, those bathrooms had been a disgusting mess for a long time leading up to the closure. They were downright filthy, with lots of neglect evident.

In late 2022, the men's room

January 2023

It seems that the restrooms got some TLC in the past year. Everything was functional and much cleaner. The men's room had been supplied with boxes of tissues and an automatic air freshener, too.

Once again, not befitting a renowned destination, but better. The thing is, an informant at the Saxe team had plenty of gripes about the way things are handled behind the scenes. They spoke on the condition of anonymity, expressing frustration at corners being cut: "David needs to get on the ball and make everything good again. He has the money to fix everything. The theater needs a lot...very old and just needs new stuff. Even if little by little, he should be able to do it. He doesn't replace (anything), just tries to fix and it still breaks again."

2023

2024

"The restrooms make everything in the theater start smelling. For about five months, we had an issue where the water came up from the sewer and into the bathroom every time you flushed. There's a cracked toilet in the female restroom. They just patch it up, but the bottom keeps leaking water. The putty that they put around to stop the leak does not dry. It keeps leaking out."

Photos by Saxe Theater staffer The frustrated staffer continued to vent, claiming unsafe working conditions. They also described smelly mops, broken appliances, and other health hazards unseen by ticket buyers. They complained of mold and mildew, not just in the restrooms but in food-service areas: "The theater has lots of safety issues. Nobody cleans underneath the bar and it is really bad under there. Little flies by the bar. A couple of refrigerators are broken, stuff going bad like lemons, limes, and pineapple juice. Somebody's going to get sick." They also described an atmosphere of fear, where employees are reluctant to complain for fear of being terminated.

According to the informant, it has fallen on the shoulders of performers and showrunners to object to conditions at V Theaters. The staffer stressed that these people have been nothing but helpful. He or she doesn't want entertainers to suffer consequences from this article, and has a message for Mr. Saxe: "The people in the shows are always the ones trying to get cooperation and help. So never take it out on them." What this informant doesn't know is that two others have come to me, describing a faulty backstage exit door that has not worked properly for a VERY long time. They both fear that in the case of a fire, anyone in this area would be trapped and most likely die. How this situation, along with similar violations, has eluded inspectors for so long is a question worth a$king.

Many V Theater customers are unaware that the second floor has two small auditoriums because their most popular titles perform in the large floor-level venue. V - The Ultimate Variety Show has been playing there for many years and continues to draw sizable crowds. But the once-festive lobby, which held meet-and-greets with performers along with merchandise sales, continues to remain bleak and abandoned-looking.

2017

2023

2024

2023

2024

Once woefully understaffed, the V Theater box office had several agents on duty when I visited this week. Service was pleasant and efficient. It's worth noting that it was necessary this time to show my ticket before climbing the stairs, something I'd never encountered in over a decade of regular patronage.

Just down the same corridor of Miracle Mile Shops. the SAXE THEATER seems to be in tip-top condition. Its first-floor lounge was in full operation as I strolled by. In a brief conversation, the box office clerk informed me that the relatively new Eddie Griffin: Live and Unleased was doing big business.

The outward appearance of SAXE THEATER is dazzling and much more befitting the Saxe brand (and tourist expectations). So why is there such a disparity between it and V THEATER? Whether it's related to contracts, union matters, or the ego boost of having one's name on the marquee, this layperson can't say. But with only two productions performing at the Saxe and at least seven inside the V, the imbalance is quite troubling.

With the recently-announced closure of Suncoast Showroom (above) and a few more rumored to follow, live Vegas entertainment is in the crosshairs. Let's hope that a once-thriving V Theater will finally get the attention it deserves.

Photo by Carpenters Legacy via Facebook As Clay Bushes so eloquently stated to Mr. Saxe in 2023,

"As a man of undeniable vision and clout, you have the power and the obligation to provide a forum worthy of the talent you collaborate with. It’s time to take a good look at the three dumps you operate and restore them to their former glory."

Note – no current producers or directors of V Theater shows spoke to VEGAS 411, either on or off record, for this article.