Featuring Chinatown

Longtime director tries his hand at a Chinese variety show

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Jerry Schafer, the man who has been producing, directing and creating Las Vegas shows for more than 40 years, unveiled "NO MSG: A Musical Variety Show in Good Taste" at the July 21 premiere in Chinatown.

"NO MSG" is a musical variety show fit for the entire family, performed in the new Chinatown showroom at 4255 Spring Mountain Road, also completely created by Schafer. The 94-minute show features the New Dynasty Acrobats from Wu Qiao County China, the Valentine Singers, a ventriloquist who uses a chicken and a parrot rather than the old staple of a wooden dummy, a man who performs the 3,000 year old practice of face changing and the Jamie Townsend Band.

Although showrooms and casinos are usually invariably linked, Schafer believes Chinatown is the perfect location.

"I always felt that the newest jewel in the crown of the city is Chinatown," Schafer said. "I feel it has certain cultural aspects to add to the city." Also, casinos won't need to worry about patrons attending a show in Chinatown, because there is no gaming, he said.

The show has many unique properties. A matre d' directs patrons to open seating, which consists of comfortably padded chairs with arm rests, about twice the width of a typical airline seat and a VIP section of plush black leather chairs and couches. Showgoers have the option of eating dinner before or after the performance, or on a different day, at any one of the five restaurants in Chinatown. Choices include Sushi Moto, Harbor Palace Seafood, Capital Seafood Chinese, New Shanghai and the Chinatown Empress.

"This gives people choices, something they've never had before," Schafer said. "It's never been done."

Janien Valentine, lead singer of the Valentine Singers, said she has high hopes for the show.

"Of course I hope it will be big, but I'm never a good judge of success," Valentine, a former singer in the Clint Holmes show, said. "We choreographed all of our own stuff, and that's really a fun process. Most producers usually don't let you do that." But then again, Schafer isn't the typical producer either, she said. Valentine wasn't even required to audition, she said.

The Chinatown Showroom was an idea sparked in March when Schafer went to what is now the showroom for a merchandise show/swap meet to buy a unique knife for a friend.

"(The room) was awful," he said. "But I was curious as to what they did with the room." After speaking to the owner of the mall, Schafer found out the room was used only sporadically. "I though this would could be a great showroom," he said.

The room was in disarray, Schafer said. "There was no carpet, just a plain cement floor, it looked bad." After signing a three-year lease for the room, Schafer immediately painted and carpeted it, and built the stage and dressing rooms. The stage is designed with red and gold Chinese patterns, black walls accented by a striking 60-foot mural of two dragons, and a large variety of nations' flags hanging from the ceiling.

"It's great, one of a kind," Schafer said. "We made it comfortable, we made it safe, and everything is first class."

Schafer said he hopes the show turns out to be successful in the long run, although the lasting presence of the theater is more important. "It's a nice thought to leave something behind that other people can get use of," he said. "Of course you have to be self-serving sometimes, but it's good to do things for other people, too. And that's what this (showroom) is."

There are two shows in the evening Tuesday through Sunday, the first beginning at 7:30 p.m. and the other at 10:30 p.m. The show is $75 per person and a 50 percent discount is offered for children. Show tickets include the price of dinner.