WOW - The Vegas Spectacular Turns 9: Inside Rio’s Family Water Show

Acts in the Water and in the Air

The show follows a fisherman on a journey through fantastical worlds. Each world brings a new act.

Waterbowl Contortion

A contortionist folds and twists inside a giant glass bowl of water, in full view of the audience.

Teeth Hanging

An aerialist spins high above the stage, held up only by the teeth.

Adagio

Two performers move through slow lifts and balances. It looks more like moving sculpture than acrobatics.

Chandelier and Hoop

Sea creatures rise out of the water to open the show. Then aerialists take over the chandelier and hoop overhead.

Acts on the Stage Floor

The Singing Chef

He keeps ten plates spinning on a table at once, and sings while he does it.

The Fisherman

Between acts, he talks to the crowd and pulls people into the show. It keeps the night moving.

Recent lineups have also included a pirate number and a “Singin’ in the Rain” dance under falling water. Acts change from time to time, so call the box office if you’re going for a specific one.

The Crossbow Finale

Silvia Silvia closes the show, and she’s the act people talk about on the way out.

Eight crossbows are lined up so each shot fires the next. The last arrow splits an apple sitting on her head. It’s live, with no camera tricks and no second take.

Her husband, Victor Ponce, is part of the act. He juggles, then stands in a box while she shoots at him from across the stage. They’ve been married 53 years and have performed together the whole time.

Silvia grew up in a circus family and picked up her first crossbow at about age 9. She was a semifinalist on America’s Got Talent.

A Stage With a Pool in It

When WOW came to the Rio in 2017, the showroom was rebuilt around it. A 1,000-square-foot pool went into the stage, and LED screens now stretch across its full width.

Water walls, 3D projections and 180-degree wraparound screens surround the cast. About 650 seats rise in six tiers, and the show says there’s no bad seat in the room.

Still, the water isn’t the whole show. “The water is more like an element of the show,” creator Hanoch Rosenn said before the Rio opening.

The Mime Behind WOW

Rosenn grew up in Jerusalem and became one of Israel’s best-known mimes. He trained under French master Étienne Decroux and earned the nickname “the Prince of Mime.”

WOW tells its story the same way, through movement, music and light rather than a script.

He ran WOW for about 15 years in Eilat, Israel, with a new version every season, before bringing it to Las Vegas. He’s said the first six months at the Rio were tough. Word of mouth turned it around.

Nine Years and Counting

• Fall 2017: Opens at the Rio
• December 2019: 1,000th performance
• July 31, 2025: 3,000th performance
• Today: More than 2.5 million guests

Along the way it won Best of Las Vegas Gold for Best Acrobatic Show in 2024 and 2025, and Best Value Show in 2018.

Staying open isn’t easy. Cirque du Soleil’s Mad Apple closed Sept. 5, and Wynn’s Awakening closes Oct. 10. WOW is keeping its regular schedule.

Good to Know

• Bringing kids: It’s recommended for ages 3 and up, and a new act every few minutes holds young attention.
• Locals: Nevada residents get up to 50% off with a valid Nevada ID.
• Getting there: The Rio is on Flamingo Road just west of I-15, a short ride from the Strip. Self-parking is free.
• Dinner: The show lets out around 8:30pm, so you can eat at the Rio before or head out after.
• Tickets: Ticketmaster or the Rio box office at 702-777-7817. More at wow-vegas.com.