I recently had to take a trip to Las Vegas for work. Since I had never been to Sin City , like a good type-A homosexual, I began to meticulously plan my trip. After a quick search online, I found out that Cirque du Soleil had four shows in residence there. I got to work and had tickets to three of them within a week. What would draw me to see three shows when I had only three nights in Vegas? Three words – Cirque du Soleil.

I have been to four other Cirque shows in various cities around the country and loved them all. I have heard good things about the shows in Vegas – including a brand new one and one that was described as “Zumanity - The Other Side of Cirque du Soleil” Intrigued? I was…

Well the first night involved a walk from our hotel room in Caesar’s Palace across the walkway to the Bellagio. “O” was the beginning of our Cirque Sin City experience. The trademark of “O” is that the majority of it takes place underwater. This is incredibly hard to describe but let me just say one word – breathtaking! The entire stage is a huge pool that can go from one minute being shallow enough to walk over to another minute being deep enough for someone to high dive into. The action is nonstop with acts ranging from theatrical clowns and acrobats to synchronized swimming. “O” is something that is hard to describe but one of the most entertaining events I have ever seen.

The next night was “The Other Side…” We walk into a New York , New York casino and hotel, into the theater specially designed for “Zumanity.” Immediately, we know we are in for entertainment with the red velvet walls and the “in the round” seating including cabaret stools, red velvet couches. Meanwhile, 300 pound twins walking around in fishnet body stockings, bras, panties and stilettos, feeding the audience chocolate covered strawberries. After a parade of drag queens, androgynous men in corsets and stilettos, and tiny bare-breasted women with whips and canes, the fun only gets more intense. A drag queen MC starts off the show that includes women on women scenes, men on men scenes, and a huge orgy-like sequence at the end. Quite different than the normal Cirque mold – but in a good way that was suited for Las Vegas .

The third and last night was the one show that I hadn’t heard much about. “Kà” is a new offering from the Cirque world. “Kà” is at MGM Grand. It is different from the other Cirque shows I have seen in that it is truly a theatrical experience complete with a story and plot. The other shows are more like different acts with amazing performers, but not a cohesive vision. This show tells the story of two Imperial twins and the overthrow of their father’s empire. They are separated and eventually find their way back together. The show includes a huge stage on a hydraulic lift that becomes a beach one minute, a snow-capped mountain the next and then an underwater world. Complete with martial arts, acrobatics, puppetry and pyrotechnics, the show delivers in a big way.

You can check out the shows and even order tickets online at http://www.cirquedusoleil.com. Cirque du Soleil has worked to create a trademark and a niche in the theatrical world that no one else can come near. They employ more than 3,000 people, with more than 700 performers representing 40 nationalities. They embody ethnic and cultural diversity. If you are in Vegas and have one night to see a show – get tickets to one of these shows. You won’t regret it and will remember the experience for years to come. It’s a circus for adults, and don’t we deserve a little fun in Sin City we can tell our friends about? As for the rest of our trip – what happens in Vegas…