A ‘Sexxy’ sendoff: Topeless show spun to 1,000 perfomances at Westgate

Jennifer Romas stood successful beforehand of an adoring assemblage astatine Westgate Las Vegas connected Sunday night, spelling retired the finale of the amusement she delivered to the edifice much than six years ago.

Romas talked of her clip with that production, “Sexxy.” She praised the cast, the unit astatine the hotel, and (especially) her parents, the ever-present John and Judi Romas.

“This has been a rollercoaster of astonishing journeys, and memories …” Romas started.

The prima of the show’s dependable past wavered. She stopped, and walked a choky ellipse to regain her composure. Breaking down emotionally successful nationalist is not Romas’s style. There would beryllium nary of that arsenic she took her past steps connected the “Sexxy” signifier astatine Westgate.

Romas, the producer, dancer, manager and visionary of “Sexxy,” had informed her squad past Thursday that the amusement was done. Westgate officials made the last call. There is nary announcement of a caller amusement astatine Westgate. That determination volition beryllium made lone aft a measured, meticulous reappraisal of options. But we tin number connected a four-wall accumulation arsenic the hotel’s adjacent residency astatine the Cabaret.

The amusement that could

“Sexxy” was the underdog accumulation that played for much than 1,000 shows dating to January 2015. It’s an awesome tally by immoderate measure, particularly successful this onshore of five-week residencies. But for Westgate Resorts laminitis David Siegel, institution COO Mark Waltrip, Westgate Las Vegas President/GM Cami Christensen and Entertainment Director John Peer it was simply clip to determination on, to effort thing new.

The amusement had its stock of off-stage drama, to beryllium sure. That rollercoaster Romas talked of was real. But it would person been acold much singular if a topless amusement successful Vegas was wholly devoid of drama. The accumulation had conscionable been done a three-week, forced-pause related to the company’s COVID information policies. The authoritative explanation: “They were not successful enactment with the hotel’s established protected-space protocols.” The amusement filled conscionable six performances aft its return.

The sendoff code from @JenniferRomas @sexxyshow closing @WestgateVegas. “It’s lone the beginning.” #RJNow @reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/tD5RhdkmCV

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) October 18, 2021

But edifice execs person been gracious successful “Sexxy’s” sendoff, mounting the signifier for Romas to observe her Sunday nighttime finale. Romas displayed sizeable people and composure successful her last bow, too, thanking everyone who helped marque it each possible.

Westgate’s entretaimment squad volition present absorption connected reinforcing the existing shows successful the venue, with magic headliner Jen Kramer, the “Soul of Motown” R&B revue, and just-opened Bronx Wanderers connected the residency roster. George Wallace’s instrumentality is inactive successful the TBA/TBD class (though Wallace is expected to beryllium successful municipality adjacent week).

Kramer, the engaging magician from Yale who opened successful May 2018, abruptly finds herself arsenic Westgate Cabaret’s longest-running existent headliner. “Soul of Motown,” tirelessly grooving though R&B classics, has go a accordant sellout. The Bronx boys, who person forged a loyal locals’ following, people their ceremonial Westgate premiere Tuesday night. Find them connected a rolling billboard adjacent you.

Finale photos of @sexxyshow, closing aft six-plus years, 1,000-plus shows @WestgateVegas. The fiery amusement generated ample enactment from @JenniferRomas’s friends successful the #Vegas amusement community, and besides the big hotel. Now connected to parts uncharted. #RJNow @reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/A3uiDoFFTW

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) October 18, 2021

It each adds up to a solid, and varied, postulation of productions. And that is without noting superstar headliner Barry Manilow, inactive hosting his “Copacabana” enactment astatine the International Theater. Hotel officials and Manilow’s squad are already charting shows done 2023.

The household effort

A mentation of “Sexxy,” meanwhile, volition proceed to execute astatine Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club portion Romas maps the show’s future. The amusement creator has mentioned a caller venue for her adjacent production. She inactive owns the “Sexxy” brand. She present has a six-run Vegas residency connected her resume.

Romas has inherent resilience and tenacity, too. As she mentioned successful her post-show speech, the classically trained dancer suffered 3 genu surgeries (after a autumn from the silks successful the ill-fated “iCandy” amusement astatine Saxe Theater successful August 2012). She thought her signifier vocation was finished.

Instead, she worked feverishly to recover, and came backmost to the stage. Romas was the dancer successful Jason Tenner’s Purple Reign Prince revue astatine Westgate successful November 2015, soon aft Siegel took implicit the company.

None different than the precocious celeb journo and property Robin Leach had been nudging Siegel to speech to Romas astir processing a caller show. The edifice magnate soonn reviewed Romas’s transportation and told her to get to work. By January, “Sexxy” had opened arsenic the Westgate’s archetypal topless revue.

The city’s performers knew of Romas’s combat to get backmost to the stage. Over the years, they stepped up for “Sexxy.” Such apical Vegas amusement pros arsenic magician and originative advisor Doug “Lefty” Leferovich and maestro showman Earl Turner added dimensions that kept the amusement moving forward.

Westgate brass took connected Romas’s visions for “Sexxy” marque enforcement astir the hotel. For a clip you could find a slope of “Sexxy” slot machines successful the casino (where 3 Romas symbols won a $16,000 jackpot), stacks of “Sexxy” $5 casino chips, blackjack felts and big-spin wheels. Emily Simpson of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” rolled throught the edifice to larn immoderate moves and enactment with Romas’s show.

At its peak, specified luminaries arsenic Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Las Vegas Raiders proprietor Mark Davis ventured to Westgate Cabaret. I erstwhile caught the amusement with a radical that included Joey Fatone of N’Sync and The Space proprietor Mark Shunock.

Bowing it out

Before what was the last show of “Sexxy” connected Sunday nighttime astatine Westgate Cabaret, I felt a pat connected my arm. It was a bling-masked Judi Romas. I asked however she was feeling, arsenic “Sexxy” had 1 past dance. She conscionable chuckled, mentioning that she’d conscionable learned she’d seen her daughter’s amusement much that 1,000 times.

Amazing, but not surprising.

Certainly, each clip I’ve watched “Sexxy,” John and Judi were seated adjacent the backmost of the room. I often hung retired with them, catching up during the performances. Over the past six-plus years Judi has acceptable the candles connected the tables, laid retired the merchandise, repaired costumes and performed an assortment of unusual jobs.

The household has hosted large Thanksgiving parties astatine their Las Vegas home, creating a genuine consciousness of assemblage astir the “Sexxy” formed and crew. This is the broadside of the Vegas amusement country you won’t spot successful immoderate tourism commercials, but truthful rewarding to those who marque the metropolis their home.

At the extremity of the last night, Judi offered an authoritative “Sexxy” changeable solid “for FizzyWater.” I’d carried to the Westgate Cabaret bar, saying goodbyes, and bumped into someone. The solid fell to the level and shattered. Romas’s beau and (for the last respective shows) creation partner, Rico Bozant, was connected the country and we knelt to prime up the pieces.

Judi was accelerated to with a caller changeable glass, telling maine to clasp this 1 firmly. It was a metaphor for this show, and this performer. Romas insists There volition beryllium different time, different night, and different playground for “Sexxy.” As we said much than six years ago, we’ll spot you connected opening night.

John Katsilometes’ file runs regular successful the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast tin beryllium recovered astatine reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him astatine jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats connected Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 connected Instagram.