The end of an era: Say goodbye to Folies

March 26, 2009 by Shane Collins 

Original showgirls to take final bow Saturday

Glitz and glamour, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, mobsters and sexy showgirls paint the picture of old Las Vegas.  It was a classy era that redefined tourist attractions.

However, the last piece of classic Vegas is about to have its final curtain call, signifying the end to a showgirl dynasty.  Folies Bergere will end its 49 year run on the Strip this Saturday and the UNLV community is directly affected.

“The mark Folies [Bergere] leaves in Vegas is that they are the original showgirls,” student Felice Garcia, principal female singer in the show, said. “It is the classic showgirl extravaganza.  They are beautiful, graceful and tastefully topless.”

In the show, Garcia has five songs, including a solo originally sung by Kelly Clarkson, and is one of the only roles without dancing.

Janu Tornell, UNLV Spanish teacher, lead showgirl and line captain at Folies Bergere, is in charge of rehearsals for her group of showgirls and show line-ups.

“When speaking of the [showgirl] legacy, I am [a legacy] because my mother was a showgirl also back in the 60s,” Tornell said. “She is Cuban born and was a showgirl in Cuba and left her island, was a traveling performer and ended up in Vegas.”

“It is very sad that they have decided to do away with one of only two shows that offer this glamour in Vegas.”

Garcia agreed that the showgirl legacy is one to be cherished in Vegas’ short history.

“Showgirls have a special place in Las Vegas history just like Elvis,” Garcia said. “They were around a lot longer than Elvis!”

Folies Bergere originally came to Las Vegas in 1959 after Lou Walters, father of Barbara Walters, brought the show to the U.S. and the original cast was made up of French dancers, as the show had foundations in Paris, Tornell explained.

“That means it will end just shy of our 50 year anniversary,” Garcia added.

Folies Bergére started in Paris and was at its height of popularity from the 1890s through the 1920s.  It was originally called Folies Trévise, derived from the Latin “foliae” meaning “leaves,” depicting an outdoor entertainment venue.

“The show originated at the end of the [Franco-Prussian War] in 1871 and was one of the first shows to hit [a French] music hall,” Tornell said. “Helene Martini was the originator of this extravaganza.”

After a prominent nobleman with the last name Trévise complained that his name was connected to an obscene dance show, so they changed the name to Bergere.

After coming to Vegas, the show changed to match the energy of the Strip and the desire of the audience.  The showgirl costumes changed to ornate feather headdresses, bejeweled bras and bottoms and high heels.

Since then, the show has played to nearly 40,000 audience members a month and features anything from traditional Can-Can numbers to scintillating mambo pieces. 

Jerry Jackson has been the Vegas show’s creator, choreographer and producer since the show came to the U.S., Tornell said.

“He has been able to create a show that has entertained people from every part of the world by presenting to them a journey through time of music, dance and beautiful, glamorous women,” she said.

Garcia’s experience with the show began in May 2008 has been anything but forgettable.

“Getting a job as a lead singing role in a show on the Strip when you’re going to college for music, is such an incredible experience,” she said. “You can tell your other classmates what the ‘real work world’ is like.”

Tornell joined the show in 1995, and this May would have marked her 14 years anniversary.  She reflected on the many changes the show has seen in her time.  She said hotel moves, casting changes and changes to the show itself have dotted her stay.

“I understand that nothing is forever and that change is good, but the reality of the legendary Folies Bergere closing is a hard one to accept,” she said.

UNLV is doing all it can to preserve the rich history of Folies Bergere with the new showgirl exhibit on the third floor of Lied Library.

Su Kim Chung, manuscript librarian at Lied, said the show’s demise is what prompted the assembly of the exhibit.

“The case highlights materials that have been gathered by special collections,” Chung said.  “Items include original show programs from 1959, original cast photos and documents from the Tropicana.”

Special collections has been dedicated to preserving Las Vegas entertainment history and holds materials on showgirls, original hotels, shows and entertainers like the Rat Pack, Chung said.

As for the future of showgirls in Las Vegas, Tornell said she hopes they are never forgotten because they have a firm place among the Vegas greats.

“I hope that people will demand that the beautiful women remain an integral part of the Vegas lights and glamour,” she said. “If anything, I know in my heart that the Vegas Folies Bergere showgirls will never be forgotten.”

Dolly Kelepecz, UNLV dance teacher and former showgirl, said Vegas is in an entertainment flux and moving toward a new definition of beauty.

“The younger generation thinks beauty is in the burlesque-type shows,” Kelepecz said.  “The Strip is moving toward entertainment that is more retro and cool.”

She added that there is nostalgia in an original showgirl production leaving Vegas, but that it is time.

“Showgirls are going to be Vegas legends and it’s time for the change,” Kelepecz said.

Ex-showgirl and published author Vicki Pettersson once said, “The Vegas showgirl is living art.”  Tornell said this quote sums up the handprint Folies Bergere will leave on the heart of Las Vegas.

“We are the icons who are and will always be associated with Vegas,” she said.

 

In your words…

With the closing of Folies Bergere, what will happen to the showgirl legacy?