Although many Las Vegas shows are geared toward adult audiences and display overt sexual themes and/or nudity, not all of them do. In fact, a surprising number of shows don't include either.
Afternoon comedy shows such as the Mac King Comedy Magic Show at Harrah's and Ronn Lucas (ventriloquism) at planet hollywood [sic.], are good options. We haven't seen it ourselves yet, but The World Famous Popovich Comedy Pet Theater at the V Theater (planet hollywood), with its cast of crazy furry performers, sounds like a lot of fun, especially for younger kids and animal lovers. A couple other good choices include Lance Burton (magic) at Monte Carlo and Tournament of Kings (a dinner show featuring a medieval jousting match) at Excalibur.
Cirque du Soleil shows that would be good for young teenagers are Mystère and KÀ -- an LVA staffer took his 12-year-old son to the latter not so long ago and it's now his favorite show ever. Also, even a couple of the city's classic Vegas-style (topless) revues, such as the Folies Bergère and Jubilee!, offer a regularly scheduled covered performance for all ages.
But for our money, the best all-around show for the underage crowd is Blue Man Group at the Venetian. Wacky, avant-garde, and just plain weird, the Blue Men put on an energetic, percussion-driven, anything-can-be-art show that's both simple (just right for the younger set) and sophisticated (it's never a bad idea to put kids in a little over their heads). Young adults will definitely get off on all the audience participation, especially the stuff tossed into the audience from the stage (the first few rows of seats are known as the "poncho section"; ponchos are provided to protect the audience from foods, liquids, paints, and other wet things), along with all the paper that this show seems to generate. Best of all, the shows are family-oriented, meaning you don't have to worry about anything dirty going on. Your kids won't soon forget this spectacle.
For information on selected family-oriented shows, along with other kid-friendly entertainment in this adult-oriented town, check out our Kidding Around Las Vegas: A Parent's Guide to Las Vegas.
