‘The Empire Strips Back’ burlesque at Rio extends residency through May 4, 2029; Franco Escamilla set for Planet Hollywood in 2027

# What happened "The Empire Strips Back — A Burlesque Parody," an adults-only production at the Rio Hotel & Casino, has extended its Las Vegas residency through May 4, 2029. The show opened on May 4, 2025 and has sold more than 400,000 tickets so far, according to the announcement.

A second booking of note: Mexican comedian Franco Escamilla will bring a new Spanish-language stand-up show, "The Trial," to PH Live at Planet Hollywood on May 8, 2027. Tickets for Escamilla's show go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.

# Why it matters The Rio's extension signals sustained audience interest in an adults-only blend of burlesque, comedy and science fiction–styled spectacle. The show uses choreography, costuming and comedy to reimagine familiar Star Wars characters, while explicitly noting it is not affiliated with Disney or Lucasfilm. Producers highlighted the production's strong ticket sales as a reason for locking in dates through 2029.

For Planet Hollywood and PH Live, booking Franco Escamilla continues the venue's practice of hosting touring international comedians and acts that draw Spanish-speaking audiences to the Strip.

# What the shows are and when they run

• Back — A Burlesque Parody
• Opened: May 4, 2025 (Star Wars Day) at the Rio.
• Extended through: May 4, 2029.
• Ticket sales to date: more than 400,000.

• Tickets: available at theempirestripsback.com.

• Franco Escamilla — "The Trial"
• Performance date: May 8, 2027 at PH Live, Planet Hollywood, 8 p.m.
• Show premise: courtroom-comedy framing where Escamilla puts personal stories and embarrassing moments on the stand for audience judgment.

• Tickets: go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at ticketmaster.com.

# Context about the venues The Rio offers more than 2,500 suite-style guest rooms and a large casino floor, and lists resident entertainment such as Penn & Teller and "WOW — The Vegas Spectacular." PH Live at Planet Hollywood is a regular host for touring comedians and music acts.

# Producer note Theatrical producer David Foster was quoted in the announcement expressing enthusiasm about continuing the show through 2029.

# Practical takeaway If you're planning travel or bookings: the Rio burlesque show has firm dates through May 2029 and maintains a regular weekly schedule, so you can plan around specific performance nights. For Spanish-language stand-up fans, Escamilla's May 8, 2027 performance will be available through Ticketmaster when sales open at the announced time.