ClosingsEntertainmentShows / ConcertsVegas Unfiltered

Farewell to THE BEATLES LOVE – A V411 Exclusive

Former company manager Kim Scott reflects on her years at Cirque du Soleil’s landmark production…

Las Vegas is always changing, but some things seem likely to remain indefinitely. The Bellagio fountains. The Luxor pyramid. And of course, Cirque du Soleil‘s acrobatic musical extravaganza The Beatles LOVE at the Mirage. Or so we thought. In this exclusive, former company manager Kim Scott reflects on her experiences at the landmark production, which has now closed forever.

Of all the Cirque du Soleil productions, The Beatles LOVE was the first to forge an artistic collaboration with existing music and imagery. And what an incredible blending of the arts it was! Its success paved the way for joint efforts with the Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley estates, Criss Angel, and filmmaker James Cameron.

The Beatles partnership enabled Montreal’s circus troop to break away from its stigma of “creepy clowns” and gibberish lyrics. The result was a universally embraced mega-production that appealed to every generation and demographic. LOVE seemed likely to go on forever…until music-based hotel chain Hard Rock Hotels purchased the Mirage. They gave The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil an eviction notice, and the shock will linger for years.

The final public performance of LOVE took place at 9:30 pm on Saturday, July 6th, 2024. Two thousand fans filed in to attend, and the line stretched from the theater entrance through the casino, across the atrium, and into the reservation area. The Mirage parking garage reached capacity, and payment gates were lifted to allow free access in and out. It was truly a landmark Las Vegas event.

At the time of its conception, LOVE was an enormously risky undertaking. Massive financial start-up costs included acquiring music rights and building a state-of-the-art theater with cutting-edge sound, lighting, and mechanical systems. MGM/Mirage, Apple Records, the surviving Beatles members, and two widows all had to approve the artistic elements.

On top of all that, this would be no traditional song-and-dance show. Situations, themes, and characters from a vast collection of Beatles films and songs needed to become living things. The production would cover heady subject matter like aging, war, drugs, various forms of spirituality, the death of loved ones, loneliness, and the sixties free-love movement. It never should have come together, yet LOVE exceeded the wildest expectations.

As a longtime fan of The Beatles LOVE, this writer was honored to cover the 10th anniversary of the show. After being granted media credentials by Cirque du Soleil, I photographed Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, and Olivia Harrison (widow of George Harrison) along with dozens of other celebrities on the red carpet. The show had just undergone a reimagining (see my review here) and the excitement was electric.

Then, as a fan, I viewed the show using a ticket I’d purchased when a rumor of the event began circulating. Once the gala was officially announced, ticketing was closed to the public. Members of the press had to wait outside, but I had my golden ticket. After the performance, Starr and McCartney took to the stage and addressed the audience. It was a truly spectacular evening.

It was by chance that I met Kim Scott on the way to my balcony seat. Ms. Scott was the Company Manager for LOVE at that time. We struck up a conversation in the elevator and have been friends ever since. I contacted Kim to share memories and thoughts about The Beatles LOVE for this article, and she kindly agreed.

Kim Scott (Enchant Christmas, KA, BeLIEve, Universal Destinations and Experiences)

“When you reached out to me to offer my thoughts and memories on the closing of The Beatles LOVE, I had to pause for a moment. It was at the opening of The Beatles LOVE in 2006 that I began my career with Cirque du Soleil.”

“My husband and I were seat fillers. Standing in the back hallway alongside catering trays and hotel towel bins, we anxiously waited for the words “two more” to be called so we could advance. We were lucky enough, and I remember climbing to the top of the 2,000 seats and wedging ourselves in a jam-packed theater.”

“Piggy” greets two thousand fans for the final public performance of LOVE

“In anticipation, I heard “Piggy” (a LOVE lead character) walk out on stage, and from that moment my career with Cirque du Soleil began. It was in 2016 when The Beatles LOVE went through a refresh. I had assumed the responsibility of Company Manager. I was no longer standing in a hallway but responsible for welcoming Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison, and Yoko Ono. The list of celebrities that evening went on and on.”

Ringo Starr (far left) and wife Barbara Bach on the 10th-anniversary red carpet

Actor/director Ron Howard

Actor Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games, Five Nights At Freddy’s)

“The most impactful moment was when I walked out to the lobby and saw my family standing there. My husband Michael and two boys Luc and Matthew had gone through this journey of their mom being part of the entertainment empire at Cirque du Soleil.”

“(There were) many nights spent at the theater, missed holidays as I needed to oversee operations, and missed football and lacrosse games. But my family knew this was my passion and provided all those things for them to enjoy.”

Assistant Company Manager Becky Jones (left) and daughter Riley Barron with Kim Scott (right)

“I have worked with some of the world’s best technicians and brightest artists. I had one of the most incredible management teams: Paul Reams as Operations and Production Manager, Melanie LaLande as Artistic Director, Becky Jones as Assistant Company manager and the list goes on and on and on.”

“How many times does a farm girl from Nebraska get to sit in her office and listen to the brilliance of Giles Martin? He shared how the music came about, and what he and his father talked about with the Beatles when composing the unique soundtrack to the show.

Some of my fondest memories are of Giles visiting to check on the music, walking around with him, and seeing the impact of his presence on the artists, technicians, and management team.”

Kim Scott Beatles LOVE

“There were highs and lows with the partnership at Mirage, but as with any great artistic endeavor, there always are. My last show at The Beatles LOVE ended with me walking in the final parade with my artists. That is a memory I will hold onto forever. A moment in time, too many lessons learned. And a network of true friends and colleagues that I will cherish every day.”

Kim Scott Cirque

“LOVE was a family affair when I ran it. Everything I learned at Cirque du Soleil prepared me to be an even better leader and general manager for Universal Studios’ UNIVERSAL HORROR UNLEASHED (coming to Las Vegas next year). But The Beatles LOVE and its music will forever play in my mind.”

Cirque du Soleil rigger Luke Esenwein shares his experiences as a Beatles LOVE crew member in another VEGAS 411 exclusive. You can read it by heading here.

Luke Esenwein

Mirage Hotel Casino will close its doors on July 17th, 2024. The landmark resort joins Tropicana, which shuttered Tuesday, April 2nd, and will be imploded later this year. 

Author