'Sirens of T.I.' at Treasure Island is shipshape
Treasure Island’s on-the-Strip pirate battle, “The Sirens of T.I.,” continues to be the shot being heard around the world — the one that the property took 5 ½ years ago to herald its new grown-up image.
The spectacular battle of the sexes — consisting of sensuous women, pirates, stunts, song, dance and pyrotechnics — was designed to shoot large holes in the longtime mindset that Treasure Island was child’s play. Since its debut on the hotel’s 10th anniversary, October 26, 2003, the show has achieved its intent: It blows spectators away.
“I call this a musical on two ships,’” said television producer/director Kenny Ortega, who was called upon to replace the hotel’s original “Buccaneer Bay Pirate Battle” and energize the exterior of the hotel. “It deals with water, ships and pirate history."
Ortega used the idea of the sirens of legend, who used their beautiful voices to lure seamen into rough seas, where they would capsize. But if a captain could escape and sail his ship past the sirens, the sirens would turn into rock.
He wrote a script that took the myth, bent it and had fun with it. He then created a battle between the sirens and pirates, using lots of stunts, special effects and pyrotechnics. The result was a 20-minute musical with singing and dancing.
“It’s still a battle between two ships, but the battle is a bit differently motivated,” he explains. “The sirens’ ship is called The Song and is an ‘of this place’ entity. When you first see it, it appears to be ghostly and uninhabited," until the sirens step out into then light.
"The Bull is the pirate ship, housing a bunch of Mediterranean jocks who sail the seas looking for adventure, rum and booty," Ortega said. "They get a little too close to the sirens and their meeting is unavoidable. The pirates find themselves almost in a whirlpool."
Do they escape? Who knows? But one thing’s for certain — “The Sirens of T.I.” is a “blast” for all ages.
- by Bobbie Katz, Las Vegas Reporter for HelloMetro
(Click to leave a message)
