These days, superstar entertainers and long-running shows don’t get honored with a key to the city in Las Vegas. They get a key to the Strip, presented by the Clark County Commission. And while recipients are always appreciative, the acknowledgment might have meant a little bit more to Katy Perry.
The pop singer and songwriter opened her Resorts World Las Vegas residency show Play in December and received overwhelmingly positive reviews for the eye-popping production, which continues Friday, June 10, and Saturday, June 11, at Resorts World Theatre. Under the sizzling sun at the resort’s AYU Dayclub on Wednesday, Perry was presented with her key and a proclamation from the county declaring June 8 Katy Perry Day, compliments of commissioner Tick Segerblom along with Resorts World President Scott Sibella and AEG/Concerts West Vice President John Nelson.
Katy Perry gets the key to the Strip at Resorts World Las Vegas.
“I have a lot of roots here, and this just feels so natural to be here,” she said, as the massive hotel tower LED screen broadcast the presentation live for Vegas visitors to see. “My aunt was a showgirl here, my grandma was a seamstress here, my dad grew up here and ended up being a chauffeur. My parents met here and got married here, so it’s only natural that I would be onstage here eventually. But I did not think I would be getting a key to the Strip, which I hope unlocks some better HVAC. It is really hot.”
Sales and buzz for Play have been similarly hot. New residencies in recent years have seen popular artists creating exceedingly theatrical visions behind their music, and perhaps taking greater risks than headlining stars have in the past. Perry has certainly done that with her show, and the strategy was intentional, she said.
“I think there is a through-thread in my whole career of just being a little OTT [over the top], and that’s exactly what Las Vegas is, so it’s a perfect match,” she said. “When I sat down to create the show with my team, the first question was: Who is my Las Vegas audience? You’re not on tour, it’s not based off one record, and it’s not going to always be just my hardcore fans.
“It’s going to be a real hodgepodge of wonderful people, people that are just passersby, people that are here celebrating something special, from their bachelorette to their 21st birthday,” she continued. “Maybe they’ve seen something online about the poop puppet [in the show], and they’re putting it together that this looks strange and fun, and it looks like we can escape a little bit. And that’s what I set out to do.”
That family connection to Las Vegas, bolstered by having spent a lot of time visiting when she was younger and then partying here when she got a little older, has clearly given Perry a deep understanding of how things work on the Strip. She’s taken advantage of that wisdom while creating a show that has generated word-of-mouth buzz. It’s on the must-see list, even if you’re not a fan of her music, simply because it’s a lot of fun.
“It’s a 90-minute show of song after song after song with a light storyline, and it transports you and helps you escape, and that’s something I think we can all use every once in a while,” she said. “And that’s really why I think people come to Las Vegas. They want that stimulation, that dopamine, that escapism, and that’s what the show is. It’s a lot of joy, and I’m so happy to be synonymous with that word.”
After this weekend, Play will return for 10 more summer dates beginning on July 16, and eight more concerts in October were just announced last week. Perry also hinted at continuing her Vegas run into 2023, saying, “I’ll keep doing this show for as long as it makes me happy … and for as long as it brings joy to my fans.”
