Wynn Las Vegas to Close ‘Awakening’

Awakening is headed for the long goodnight. The technologically ambitious production at Wynn Las Vegas will close permanently on Oct. 10, ending a run that began with high expectations but never found commercial footing.

According to Vital Vegas blogger Scott Roeben, Awakening — which was owned by Wynn Resorts — had been losing the casino giant $150,000-$200,000 a week to stage.

“Back in the day, gambling revenue subsidized shows,” Roeben wrote. “That’s no longer the case. Wynn subsidizing Awakening wasn’t going to fly for long with a public company. At some point, reality had to set in.”

Wynn confirmed the shutdown in a statement, saying the resort is preparing “a new production for the theater” that will debut in 2027. It has not provided any details about that production. However, it’s a good bet it will be less expensive.

A Re-Rêv

Awakening opened on Nov. 7, 2022, inside Wynn’s specially renovated 1,600‑seat theater‑in‑the‑round. Replacing the long‑running aquatic production Le Rêve, which closed during the pandemic, it cost an estimated $150 million to create.

The production — launched with 60 cast members and more than 100 crew — featured a moving stage, large‑scale puppetry, illusions, extensive choreography, and narration by Anthony Hopkins. The theater was outfitted with 3,200 speakers — two per seat — as part of its immersive audio design.

Despite its technical ambition, the show struggled to draw consistent audiences. Photos and video on social media frequently showed a sparsely populated theater, even after ticket discounts and changes to showtimes.

The production paused in early 2023 for adjustments to the script. It emerged with more acrobatics, comedy, and clarified story elements. But attendance never rebounded.

The cast and crew were informed of the closure during a companywide meeting, according to the Las Vegas Review‑Journal. Performers were offered the opportunity to audition for Wynn’s next production.

The closure comes the same week Cirque du Soleil announced the closure of its Mad Apple at New York‑New York as of Sept. 5, 2026. Like Awakening, Mad Apple also replaced an expensive show that closed during the pandemic — Cirque’s Zumanity.