''Miss Behave's Mavericks'', commonly shortened to ''Mavericks'', is a Las Vegas

variety show Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical performances, sketch comedy, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is normally introduced by a comp� ...

performed at the

Plaza Hotel & Casino The Plaza Hotel & Casino is a hotel and casino located in Downtown Las Vegas, downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. It currently has 995 rooms and suites, an casino and more than of event space. The Plaza Hotel also has a showroom, rooftop swimming poo ...

Downtown Las Vegas Downtown Las Vegas (commonly abbreviated as DTLV) is the central business district and historic center of Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It is the original townsite, and the Downtown gaming Las Vegas, Downtown Gaming Area was the primary gambl ...

. The show presents

acrobatics Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance (ability), balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sports, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most ...

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

contortion Contortion (sometimes contortionism) is a performance art in which performers called contortionists showcase their skills of extreme physical flexibility. Contortion acts often accompany acrobatics, Circus (performing art), circus acts, street ...

ism,

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...

performances,

juggling Juggling is a physical skill, performed by a juggler, involving the manipulation of objects for recreation, entertainment, art or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling. Juggling can be the manipulation of one object o ...

, and music. Amy Saunders, who goes by the stage name Miss Behave, created the show and is its emcee. Saunders produced an earlier version of the show in 2020 at the Bread & Circus festival in

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

, New Zealand. After she moved to Las Vegas in 2017, she worked with the company Corner Bar Management to put on ''Mavericks'' at the nightclub Cheapshot in the Fremont East Entertainment District. ''Mavericks'' ran in the 99-seat theater from April 2022 to November 2022. Saunders relaunched the show at a 420-seat theater at the Plaza in Downtown Las Vegas on October 2, 2024. ''Mavericks'' went on break after the July 6, 2025, performance owing to insufficient funding though plans to resume shows in the middle of September. The show largely received positive reviews from critics.

History

Amy Saunders, whose stage name is Miss Behave, is the creator of ''Mavericks''. In 2017, she moved to Las Vegas. Saunders originated and was the lead performer for ''Miss Behave Game Show'', an audience-participation-driven, unscripted

game show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...

containing mature content. It debuted in December 2016 and closed after the first week of March 2020 at the beginning of the

COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of Nevada on March 5, 2020. Because of concerns about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Nevada governor Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency on March 12, 2020. Four day ...

, having been performed at the casino hotel Bally's on the

Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city limits ...

. Saunders began focusing on

once the production ended. She collaborated with the company Corner Bar Management, which is run by Ryan Doherty, to put on the

''Mavericks''. She met with Doherty after he had recently purchased a performance venue and suggested that she oversee the entertainment. Saunders previously had put on a variety show named ''Mavericks'' at the festival Bread & Circus in

, New Zealand, in 2020 in which she was the emcee. For the one-hour show, she primarily shared the stage with the Daredevil Chicken Club, a duo consisting of Jonathan Taylor and Anne Goldmann who performed a comedic set involving a banana and several other sets. Saunders included several

street performers Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performance is pr ...

in the show. ''

The Press ''The Press'' () is a daily newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand, owned by media business Stuff (company), Stuff Ltd. First published in 1861, the newspaper is the largest circulating daily in the South Island and publishes Monday t ...

'' entertainment writer Charlie Gates found ''Mavericks'' to be "a refreshing and chaotic delight thanks to its deliberate lack of polish and inclusive, variety show feel". Saunders said she was inspired by the musicians

Louis Prima Louis Leo Prima (; December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American trumpeter, singer, entertainer, and bandleader. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he ...

and

Keely Smith Dorothy Jacqueline Keely (March 9, 1928The reference work ''The Encyclopedia of Native Music: More Than a Century of Recordings from Wax Cylinder to the Internet'' gives Smith's date of birth as March 9, 1932. – December 16, 2017), professio ...

, who had performed in lounges in Las Vegas. Her goal was to create a show that provides viewers with "fast-moving, uncomplicated entertainment". ''Mavericks'' debuted on April 1, 2022, at the Cheapshots Showroom & Discotheque at the nightclub Cheapshot, which occupied the Fremont East Entertainment District venue that used to house the

piano bar A piano bar (also known as a piano lounge) consists of a piano or electronic keyboard played by a professional musician as a central part of an establishment that also serves alcoholic drinks. Piano bars can be located in a cocktail lounge, bar ...

Don't Tell Mama. The theater accommodates 99 people. When it opened at the Cheapshot, the performance was held once daily at night from Thursday to Saturday. ''Mavericks'' added a second showing on Saturdays in August 2022. The show made its last performance at Cheapshot on November 26, 2022. After the show closed, Saunders transitioned into a freelance arrangement with the nightclub. After a hiatus since 2022, ''Mavericks'' debuted at the Plaza Showroom at the

on October 2, 2024. The Plaza rented the venue to the show. The theater seats 420 people. Geoff Carter of the ''

Las Vegas Weekly ''Las Vegas Weekly'' is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Henderson, Nevada Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about southeast of downtown Las Vegas. It is the List of cities in Nevada, 2nd most populous ...

'' praised the move from Cheapshot to The Plaza. He found that at the Cheapshot in 2022, the show had a New York ambiance in being a cramped space with a bar-like atmosphere. He said that the move to the larger venue at The Plaza allows for an extravaganza that previously was out of reach. According to Carter, The Plaza theater still allows the entertainers to engage the audience in a way that brings "giddy fun" to the more cramped version of the show. When ''Mavericks'' debuted, it was performed at night from Wednesday to Sunday. The show was performed twice on Saturdays and once on the other days. It is produced by Saunders, Matt Franzetti (who worked for

Spiegelworld Spiegelworld is an American comedic theater company and contemporary circus known for its current shows: ''Absinthe'', ''DiscoShow'', and ''Atomic Saloon Show,'' all in Las Vegas, and Atlantic City's ''The Hook''. The theater company takes its n ...

and Base Entertainment), Scott Prisand (who worked for

Criss Angel Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos (; born December 19, 1967), known professionally as Criss Angel, is an American magician, Magic (illusion), illusionist and musician. He is often referred to as one of the world's most successful illusionists, g ...

), Michael Speyer (who worked for ''

Absinthe Absinthe (, ) is an anise-flavored Liquor, spirit derived from several plants, including the flowers and leaves of ''Artemisia absinthium'' ("grand wormwood"), together with green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs. His ...

'' and ''

Peepshow A peep show, peepshow, or, a peep booth is a presentation of a live sex show or pornographic film which is viewed through a viewing slot. Several historical media provided voyeuristic entertainment through hidden erotic imagery. Before the deve ...

''), and Rob Kolson (who owns

Apollo Theater Chicago The Apollo Theater Chicago was built in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood in 1978, by theatre producers Jason Brett and Stuart Oken. Located at 2540 N. Lincoln Ave., the Apollo has 430 seats and a lobby featuring art exhibits and a full bar. T ...

and is a

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

producer). While wearing a white

jumpsuit A jumpsuit is a one-piece garment with sleeves and legs and typically without integral coverings for feet, hands or head. The original jump suit is the functional one-piece garment used by parachutists. The original skydivers' jumpsuits were ...

and

turban A turban (from Persian language, Persian دولبند‌, ''dolband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Commun ...

Saunders marketed the show during appearances for having relatively cheap ticket costs and offering

voucher A voucher is a bond of the redeemable transaction type which is worth a certain money, monetary value and which may be spent only for specific reasons or on specific goods. Examples include house, housing, travel, and food vouchers. The term vou ...

s to cover the cost of parking. ''Mavericks'' reached the 100-show mark in February 2025. Owing to lack of funding, ''Mavericks'' began taking a break after the performance on July 6, 2025. It plans to resume shows in the middle of September.

Show

The

is 90 minutes long and features a rotating group of acts. Audience members are required to be at least 21 years old. In a nod to how the acts change every night, Saunders tells the audience, "If you like what you're seeing up here, tell your face." The show features a mix of

performances,

ism, music,

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

, and

. The first performer is chosen to be "high-energy, happy, high-skill circus" like a juggler. To build a connection with the audience, before the show starts, Saunders greets viewers and helps them find their seats. In addition to doing balancing and

sword swallowing Sword swallowing is a skill in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus to the stomach. This feat is not swallowing in the traditional sense. The natural processes that constitute swallowing do not take place, bu ...

, she acts as the emcee who introduces the acts and provides rapid-fire humor. Other entertainers include a contortionist

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses Drag (entertainment), drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate Femininity, female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have ...

, a performer

hula hoop A hula hoop is a toy hoop (rhythmic gymnastics), hoop that is twirled around the waist, limbs or neck. It can also be wheeled along the ground like a wheel with careful execution and practice. They have been used by children and adults since ...

ing while dressed as a chicken, comedians dressed as police offers who love eating donuts, and an unpredictable

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

dancer. At the Plaza Showroom, ''Mavericks'' hosted seven or eight performers delivering between 12 and 14 routines. The show is divided into two parts, each 45 minutes long with an

intermission An intermission, also known as an interval in British and Indian English, is a break between parts of a performance or production, such as for a play (theatre), theatrical play, opera, concert, or film screening. It should not be confused with ...

in between. Several performers from the show's Cheapshot edition reprised their acts in the Plaza version. The show urges audience members to arrive with one-dollar bills, ball them up, and toss them at entertainers they find particularly entertaining.

Performers

* The dancer Alexandria Beauregard performed on the show in 2024. She is splashed in water in a scene reminiscent of a moment from the film ''

Flashdance ''Flashdance'' is a 1983 American romantic drama dance film directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Jennifer Beals as a passionate young dancer, Alex Owens, who aspires to become a professional ballerina, alongside Michael Nouri, who plays her ...

'' featuring

Jennifer Beals Jennifer Beals (born December 19, 1963) is an American actress. She made her film debut in ''My Bodyguard'' (1980), before receiving critical acclaim for her performance as Alexandra Owens in ''Flashdance'' (1983), for which she won NAACP Image ...

. * The drag queen Scarlett Business performed in the show in 2024. Scarlett Business did a sultry

handstand A handstand is the act of supporting the body in a stable, inverted vertical position by balancing on the hands. In a basic handstand, the body is held straight with arms and legs fully extended, with hands spaced approximately shoulder-width apar ...

while completely in drag. * The

marching band A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who play while marching. Historically they were used in armed forces and many marching bands remain military bands. Others are still associated with military units or emulate a military sty ...

from Green Valley High School performed during the show's media premiere in 2024. As they entered the theater, the band performed the

Bruce Channel Bruce Channel ( ; born November 28, 1940) is an American singer-songwriter best known for his 1962 number-one hit record " Hey! Baby". Career Channel performed originally for the radio program ''Louisiana Hayride'' and then joined with the harm ...

song "

Hey! Baby "Hey! Baby" is a song written by Margaret Cobb and Bruce Channel, first recorded at Clifford Herring Studios in Ft. Worth Tx, and recorded by Channel in 1961, first released on LeCam Records, a local Fort Worth, Texas label. After it hit, it wa ...

". Later, they accompanied the

Elvis impersonator An Elvis impersonator is an entertainer who impersonates or copies the look and sound of American musician and rock singer Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators, commonly known as Elvis tribute artists (ETAs), work all over the wor ...

Matt Lewis while he delivered a rendition of "

If I Can Dream "If I Can Dream" is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, written by Walter Earl Brown of The Skylarks for the singer and notable for its similarities with Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech. The song was published by Elvis Pr ...

". * The comedian Murray Hill performed at the show in 2025. Clad in a black

tuxedo Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and North American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal ...

paired with a cherry-red shirt, he

tap dance Tap dance (or tap) is a form of dance that uses the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion; it is often accompanied by music. Tap dancing can also be performed with no musical accompaniment; the sound of the taps is its ow ...

d and made jokes such as saying that many in the audience had received complimentary tickets to fill up seats at the venue. Hill delivered a routine filled with

Borscht Belt The Borscht Belt, or Yiddish Alps, is a region which was noted for its summer resorts that catered to Jewish vacationers, especially residents of New York City. The resorts, now mostly defunct, were located in the southern foothills of the Catski ...

humor. Accompanied by the band, Jordan Katz & The Stiff Gimlets, he delivered several vocal numbers. * The magician

Mac King Mac King (born December 2, 1959) is an American magician who has performed on television specials, often as a co-host. He has his own family-friendly show, "The Mac King Comedy Magic Show", at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in the Thunderland Sh ...

performed

sleight of hand Sleight of hand (also known as prestidigitation or ''legerdemain'' () comprises fine motor skills used by performing artists in different art forms to entertain or manipulate. It is closely associated with close-up magic, card magic, card fl ...

at the show in 2022. * The burlesque performer

Michelle L'amour Michelle L'amour (born April 15, 1980) is an American neo-burlesque performer who grew up in Orland Park, Illinois. In 2006, she performed stripteases on NBC's ''America's Got Talent'', Showtime's ''Sexual Healing'', and in small touring perfor ...

appeared in the show. In her "Butthoven's 5th Symphony" routine set to " Symphony No. 5", L'amour flexes her butt. * The dancer Tanya Gagne performed on the show in 2024. Dressed as a chicken, she did the

. * The dancer Julie Atlas Muz performed

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

on the show in 2024. In one scene, delivered a sensual routine including a disembodied hand as a prop in which the hand seems to assault her. In another scene, Muz took the stage as Officer Donut in a routine that ''Las Vegas Magazine''s Em Jurbala described as "so funny, yet so sexy, it ought to be criminal". * The contortionist TJ Santiago performed on the show in 2024 and as part of his act included

striptease A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a striptease is commonly known as a "stripper", "exotic d ...

. * The dancer Bella Schleiker performed

on the show in 2024. Ken Miller of ''Las Vegas Magazine'' praised both her dancing and her "hilarious facial expressions". One of her acts involved a swan dance that ''Las Vegas Magazine''s Em Jurbala found to be "hilariously uncomfortable". * The juggler Christopher Stoinev performed on the show in 2024. * The singer Melody Sweets performed at the show in 2025. Sweets, who previously had performed as the Green Fairy in ''

'', sang the

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, and actress whose career spanned seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local r ...

song " I Love Being Here with You" on the show in 2025. Clad in her trademark pink dress and a heart-shaped cape, she drew from her top a red heart made of silk. ''

Las Vegas Review-Journal The ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' is a daily subscription newspaper published in Las Vegas, Nevada, since 1909. It is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada and one of two daily newspapers in the Las Vegas area. The ''Review-Journal' ...

'' columnist John Katsilometes said her nostalgic routine earned chuckles and applause from the audience. * The singer William Trice, who uses the

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

Trice Be Phantom Magnetiq, was part of the cast in 2022. Wearing regal

robe A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. Unlike garments described as capes or cloaks, robes usually have sleeves. The English word ''robe'' derives from Middle English ''robe'' ("garment"), borrowed from Old French ''robe'' ("booty, spoil ...

s, he performs the

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...

song "

It's a Man's Man's Man's World "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" is a song written by James Brown and Betty Jean Newsome. Brown recorded it on February 16, 1966, in a New York City studio and released it as a single later that year. It reached No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' R&B c ...

", a

Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...

piece, a

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

song, and the

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...

song "

What's Going On What's Going On may refer to: Albums * What's Going On (album), ''What's Going On'' (album), a 1971 album by Marvin Gaye *What's Going On (Johnny "Hammond" Smith album), ''What's Going On'' (Johnny "Hammond" Smith album), 1971 * What's Going On (D ...

Reception

Geoff Carter of the ''

'' said in 2022 that show is "intimate, old-school and perhaps even slightly dangerous". Carter praised the show in 2024 for being a "funny, raunchy, eye-popping variety spectacular" and lauded the show's likelihood of delivering "fresh surprises" in each show. ''

Las Vegas Sun The ''Las Vegas Sun'' is one of the Las Vegas Valley's two daily subscription newspapers. It is owned by the Greenspun family and is affiliated with Greenspun Media Group. The paper published afternoons on weekdays from 1990 to 2005 and is now ...

'' entertainment critic Brock Radke said that since East Fremont's nightlife spots largely play DJ tunes, the production's spur-of-the-moment parts position it as a valued downtown spot that enhances the live entertainment landscape. In its "2022 Best of Vegas" rankings, the ''

'' rated Cheapshot as the "Best Cabaret", citing its show ''Mavericks'' as "the sexy, eccentric and riotously funny $25 variety show that's a must-see for locals and tourists alike". In its "2025 Best of Vegas – Readers' Choice" awards, the newspaper named ''Mavericks'' as the "Best Production Show", praising its "classic Vegas showroom vibe". Calling ''Mavericks'' "a very cool throwback variety production", ''

'' columnist John Katsilometes viewed the show as a joyful mix of niche entertainers. He found them to be "wildly gifted, passionate performers" and likened them to acts at the

Edinburgh Festival Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as the Edinburgh Fringe, the Fringe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featur ...

, a

county fair An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhib ...

, or a

traveling circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobatics, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hooping, hoopers, tightrope walkers, juggling, jugglers, magic (illusi ...

. Maria Dibut Galera of

KLAS-TV KLAS-TV (channel 8) is a television station in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, affiliated with CBS and owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station's studios are located on Channel 8 Drive near the northern portion of the Las Vegas Strip in the ...

thought that although the show has a touch of retro Las Vegas vibe, younger audiences still resonate with it. ''Las Vegas Magazine'' Em Jurbala penned a positive review of the show, finding it to be "boundary-testing", "edgy", and "unpredictable". She praised Amy Saunders for being a great emcee who ensures the show flows smoothly with "the kind of wit and charm only a cabaret star with a lifetime in entertainment could muster". According to Jurbala, viewers will be "amused and bemused" and regardless of the lineup on the stage, the enduring factor is the exceptional skill of the performers.

References

{{reflist

External links

Official website
2022 establishments in Nevada Downtown Las Vegas Las Vegas shows Variety shows