A Las Vegas performer is bringing the full arc of Taylor Swift's musical eras to an 850-seat theater off the Strip this Saturday, working through 24 songs, a dozen costume changes and four backing dancers in a single 90-minute set. Christina Shaw wrote, produced and stars in “The Eras of Taylor — Christina's Version,” which starts at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Orleans Showroom.
The show is designed to emulate the quality and energy of Swift's tour, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, which reports that Shaw created all the tracks and visuals herself and moves chronologically through Swift's catalog. The production traces Swift's evolution from early country hits through pop reinventions to indie-folk tracks, all performed live, per Vegasful, which notes the staging aims to recreate signature looks and choreography from each phase of Swift's career.
Shaw isn't going it alone. Matt Bowman and Denny Hechevarria play guitar in her backing band, Ryan Harrison handles drums and Brian Triola is on keys, per the Review-Journal's account. Thomas Nanthavongdouangsy, vocalist for These Guys Worldwide, also appears in the show.
A Career Built on Impersonation
Shaw has spent 15 years building a Las Vegas performing career, according to the same reporting. Beyond her Swift homage, she has paid tribute to Faith Hill, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera over the years. She currently performs in “Zombie Burlesque” at the V Theater on Wednesdays and Fridays, according to The Bash, which traces her professional singing career back to 2000 and her move to Las Vegas in 2010 after getting her start doing backyard variety shows in Philadelphia.
Shaw has also carried the Swift and Aguilera impersonations into the established “Legends in Concert” franchise, including a July showcase at Harrah's Fiesta Showroom in Laughlin, according to Legends in Concert, one of the longest-running celebrity impersonator franchises in Las Vegas history. Saturday's Orleans date isn't her first there either — she performed the same tribute at the venue in May before returning for this encore engagement, the Review-Journal notes.
Inside an Off-Strip Tribute Hub
The Orleans Showroom itself carries some entertainment pedigree. It was originally designed at the request of Coast Resorts founder Michael Gaughan by Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers, who went on to headline the venue before later reuniting with Gaughan at the South Point. Located roughly 0.8 miles west of the Strip at The Orleans Hotel & Casino, the venue seats 850 across orchestra and mezzanine levels inside a resort that has catered heavily to locals since it opened in December 1996 as a $173 million property, according to Wikipedia.
Shaw's show is part of a broader 15-act tribute series the venue launched this year, produced by SPR & Promotions and XS Entertainment, with acts like “MJ The Evolution,” “Led Zepagain” and “Prince Again” and tickets starting at $39. Producer Dean Coleman used onthestripticketing.com to keep ticketing fees low and offered two-for-one discounts for audiences catching double-feature dates, the outlet reports. Tickets for “The Eras of Taylor — Christina's Version” are also available through onthestripticketing.com.
Riding a National Swift Tribute Wave
Shaw's residency lands amid a broader surge in Taylor Swift tribute acts nationwide following Swift's global Eras Tour. Productions like “Twist on Taylor” and “Love Story – A Tribute to Taylor Swift” have spread into concert halls and municipal summer series across the country this year, a trend Hoodline has tracked in Concord's free music series and at a free outdoor concert in Indian Trail. The Orleans has also hosted other major tribute programming this year, including the DREAM Awards' return to the venue in October.
