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LaShonda Reese sings at the Mayfair Supper Club at Bellagio on New Year’s Eve.
Thursday, April 16, 2020 | 9:45 a.m.
Texas-born singer LaShonda Reese made her big Las Vegas debut on the innovative stage at Bellagio’s Mayfair Supper Club, and she’s talking all about her journey to the Strip and why the new venue is such a different experience on the latest episode of the Sun on the Strip podcast.
“I never really had an opportunity to see a show in Vegas, so to hear so many people say Vegas needed something like this, it’s such a great thing,” she says of the early acclaim garnered by Mayfair, which incorporates elements of fine dining, energetic nightlife and live performance. “Because of the help of Bellagio and MGM [Resorts] and all the work everyone did to put the show together, it was received so well, and it’s nice to be part of something people really appreciate.”
Reese was living and working in New York City when she got the opportunity to audition to be part of the Mayfair cast, and she almost didn’t make it to the tryout. She had to decide between the audition and taking an exam to earn a real estate license. “I was just at a point where I just wasn’t feeling music,” she says.
Once she landed the role and moved to Las Vegas, her life became a whirlwind of rehearsal and preparation — and she wouldn’t want it any other way. “I think because I had so much respect for Vegas entertainment, I did not allow myself to get caught up in the hype. I said to myself, just make sure you can do everything you can do to be as good as you can be. We had very long rehearsals and they really pushed us.”
Preparation was intense because the show at Mayfair is so carefully choreographed. The music, dancing and vibes change throughout the evening, and several times every night, the live performances are synced with the iconic Fountains at Bellagio. That’s just one of the elements that makes Mayfair a unique entertainment experience on the Strip.
“It is definitely completely different for me,” Reese says. “I’ve been singing and performing [for a long time] and done a lot of stage and musicals, but nothing like this. It’s so special.”
Listen to this and more on the Sun on the Strip, also available at Apple Podcasts.
