Dita Von Teese, the queen of burlesque, rules Las Vegas with new show

Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s network of contributors

The night air in Las Vegas crackles with a little more magic now that Dita Von Teese has claimed her throne at the Venetian’s Voltaire Theater.

Known for her erotic performances and old-Hollywood glamor, Dita’s new residency is a spectacular homage to the art of burlesque, drawing guests into a sultry, dazzling world that feels part Parisian cabaret, part fever dream.

Her stage? The lavish Voltaire, which seems less like a grand ballroom than a theater, one that Gatsby himself might have designed had he held a key to Las Vegas. The theater, lined with plush velvet and pure sleek design, is the perfect backdrop for Dita’s world of cocktails, corsets, and theatrical escapades.

Newsweek spoke with the starlet to discuss her new show, where she confessed “I love being at Voltaire, it just feels like home. It’s such a beautiful room. When people walk in you really get the feeling… you’re enveloped in glamor and beauty. I love the art deco references. It feels like the perfect place, and those Bob Mackie costumes they really sparkle! When I tour we play these big theaters, I just felt like – it wasn’t ever going to be my touring show, I wanted to do something special just for Vegas, that you can only see in Vegas.” But this isn’t a mere show; it’s an invitation into Dita’s realm — a place where sequins and secrets are the currency of the night.

Dita is known for her iconic acts, and at Voltaire, she revives her signature martini glass routine, but with a twist that’s purely Vegas. As she steps into that oversized glass — dripping with crystals and radiating star power — she transcends the stage, delivering a performance that feels intimate, enticing, and undeniably glamorous. Costumed in the finest couture via the legendary Bob Mackie –– including plumes of feathers and Swarovski crystals that catch every flicker of light — she is a vision of femininity and strength, blending classic burlesque with modern charisma.

Speaking on Mackie, she relayed, “I wouldn’t come back to Vegas and do a residency without having that touch of Vegas, and of course I’m like, I’m not doing it unless I can do it really right. I wasn’t ever going to say like ‘oh I’ll just make some feathery looking showgirl costumes.’ NO. Anyone who really knows anything about those kinds of costumes, will know the difference. There’s no costumes like that on stage anywhere else in the world. It’s crazy. Those are the ultimate showgirl costumes made by Bob Mackie, when the budgets were crazy. The costume I wear for the finale is very very big and at first I was so afraid of it and it was so so daunting, and now I feel like I’ve made it my b**ch.”

But Dita isn’t just performing; she’s curating an experience. Each act is a page from a diary that only she could write –– drawing you in with a glance, holding you there with a wink, and leaving you utterly captivated. “The reason I have such a big female following when I do these shows all over the world, and a big LGBTQIA following, it’s just very burlesque and striptease turned into something that it never even historically was. Together with my collaborators Catherine D’lish and all the people that worked on the show, it’s just always been the goal to create something that has never been seen ever historically in Burlesque.”

In a city where excess is the rule, Dita’s residency is something richer, something rare — a glimpse of an era when glamor and mystery danced hand-in-hand, inviting the audience to step into a world of elegance and allure. As she puts it, “It’s the highest level of striptease, its haute couture striptease.”

The only question left is, can you handle it? At the Voltaire Theater, under the spell of Dita Von Teese, you’ll be tempted to find out.