Entertainment awaits in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is truly The Entertainment Capital of the World, and the variety of offerings is unparalleled in the areas of celebrity, food, nightlife, music and entertainment.

Here’s what is new in town when it comes to entertaining music and nightlife shows.

Gwen Stefani ain’t no “Hollaback Girl,” but the singer-songwriter announced April 10 her residency, Gwen Stefani: Just a Girl, at Zappos Theater, formerly Axis Theater, at Planet Hollywood. Three days later, Stefani was officially welcomed to the Las Vegas Strip with a ceremony outside Planet Hollywood attended by country singer-songwriter boyfriend Blake Shelton. She joins The Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Lopez, Lionel Richie and Pitbull as headliners at Zappos Theater. The fun kicks off June 27, with other shows announced through March 16, 2019.

3667 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, 855.234.7469, caesars.com/planet-hollywood/shows/gwen-stefani

Spiegelworld, the creators of Absinthe at Caesars Palace and Vegas Nocturne at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, has blasted off with a new show, Opium, which celebrated its grand opening April 8 in the former home of Vegas Nocturne. Opium is a wildly entertaining show and out-of-this-world weird in the best way possible. The cast includes drag queen chanteuse Dusty Moonboots, Captain Ann Tennille, Lieutenant Lou Tenant and cruise director Leslie, and acts include sword-swallowing, a cute little dog, bananas and a lot of adult humor.

3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, 866.973.9611, spiegelworld.com/opium

The original musical Marilyn! The New Musical, written, directed and produced by Tegan Summer, is set to debut at Paris Theater in Paris Las Vegas on May 23, with a grand opening June 1, Monroe’s birthday. Marilyn! features 20 original musical numbers and classics including “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” and “My Heart Belongs to Daddy.” Ruby Lewis, who starred in Cirque du Soleil’s first Broadway production, Paramour, and slayed in Baz, first at Mandalay Bay and now at The Palazzo, has been cast as the legendary Hollywood icon.

3655 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, 702.777.2782, caesars.com/paris-las-vegas/shows/marilyn-the-new-musical

Just in time for Solo: A Star Wars Story, which arrives in theaters May 25, The Void and ILMxLab’s virtual-reality attraction Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire opens to the public April 27 at The Grand Canal Shoppes in The Venetian. Your mission is to travel to the molten planet of Mustafar and recover Imperial intelligence vital to the rebellion’s survival. The Void is a full-sensory, immersive experience — location-based entertainment incorporating interactive sets, real-time effects and technology — with additional locations at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and Glendale, Calif., and London, England.

3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, 702.414.1000, thevoid.com/dimensions/starwars/secretsoftheempire

While the EDM world mourns the sad death of Avicii, 28, a former Las Vegas headliner, the BPMs go on. Omnia at Caesars Palace hosts Zedd and country singer Maren Morris, who perform their top-hit and heavily played collaboration “The Middle” live for the first time April 28, and Intrigue at Wynn Las Vegas celebrates its second anniversary with The Chainsmokers on April 25, Galantis on April 27, and the official celebration April 28 with Dillon Francis.

Omnia: 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, 702.785.6200; Intrigue: 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, 702.770.7300, intriguevegas.com

Don Chareunsy, editor at TheModern.news, has been based in Las Vegas as an arts and entertainment editor and reporter for the last 10 years. Before moving to The Entertainment Capital of the World in 2008, he worked at The San Diego Union-Tribune from 2002-2007.