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Tournament of Kings

"Tournament of Kings" by Justin Brockie is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. (by)

Tournament of Kings

About Tournament of Kings

Tournament of Kings is a medieval-themed dinner show performed at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The production combines live action, staged combat, and a themed meal, giving audiences a story-driven evening that fits directly into Excalibur’s castle-inspired setting. The show was originally known as King Arthur's Tournament and was designed to match the hotel’s medieval concept from the moment Excalibur was planned.

Circus Circus Enterprises, which owned Excalibur, wanted an entertainment offering that felt like a natural extension of the property’s architecture and theme. That decision led directly to the creation of a full-scale jousting show with knights, royalty, and legendary characters. Tournament of Kings is presented as a dinner show, so the performance and meal are intertwined.

Audience members are served a three-course meal that includes a Cornish-style entrée while the story unfolds in front of them. This format helps visitors plan an entire evening around a single ticketed event, with food and entertainment built into one experience. The production is directed toward families, and the cast actively encourages audience participation.

Guests are typically drawn into cheering for different kingdoms and characters, which makes the show appealing if you are looking for something more interactive than a traditional sit-and-watch performance. Knowing this helps you decide whether you want a more involved evening or a quieter, more passive show elsewhere.

In 2018, Tournament of Kings ranked as the third-longest running show on the Las Vegas Strip. That longevity signals that the production has been consistently maintained and refreshed over time, which can be reassuring if you are choosing between long-established Strip shows and newer offerings.

Upcoming Tournament Of Kings Events

Act history

The roots of Tournament of Kings go back to the planning stages of the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. As the property was being architected, Circus Circus Enterprises’ entertainment director, Mike Hartzell, set out to find a show that would complement the hotel’s medieval theme. Rather than simply booking an existing revue, he looked for an immersive concept that could anchor Excalibur’s entertainment identity.

Hartzell drew inspiration from Medieval Times in Los Angeles, a dinner show known for its jousting and knightly pageantry. After seeing that production, he envisioned a similar format tailored specifically to the Las Vegas Strip and to Excalibur’s castle design. To bring the idea to life, he enlisted producer duo Peter and Patrick Jackson, a father-and-son team tasked with creating a jousting spectacle that could run nightly in a purpose-built arena.

The Jacksons brought in Doug Baker to play Merlin, one of the central characters, and to write the original script. This dual role meant Baker shaped both the onstage portrayal of the wizard and the narrative structure of the show. With that creative team in place, King Arthur's Tournament opened at Excalibur in June 1990, shortly after the hotel itself debuted as a themed resort.

From its opening, King Arthur's Tournament was designed as a full-scale arena show with live horses, staged combat, and a storyline rooted in Arthurian legend. The dinner component was part of the concept from the beginning, allowing guests to eat while knights jousted and characters interacted in front of them.

This format distinguished it from many other Las Vegas productions of the era, which tended to focus on variety acts or traditional stage revues without a meal. Over the years, King Arthur's Tournament built up a substantial performance history. By January 1999, the show had reached roughly 6,000 performances.

At that point, the production closed temporarily for a significant refresh. This pause allowed the creative team to update the narrative, staging, and visual elements to keep pace with changing audience expectations on the Strip. In February 1999, the show reopened under a new name: Tournament of Kings.

The rebranding was more than cosmetic. Doug Baker wrote a new script, giving the production a revised storyline and updated dialogue. The relaunch also featured upgraded costumes and a modernized set, signaling a broader overhaul of the show’s look and feel. For ticket buyers, this meant that the familiar medieval jousting format was preserved, but the presentation was refreshed to feel current.

The transition from King Arthur's Tournament to Tournament of Kings marked an important milestone in the act’s history. It demonstrated that the producers were willing to invest in significant changes rather than simply running the original version indefinitely. For visitors comparing shows that have been on the Strip for decades, this history of updates suggests that Tournament of Kings has been actively curated rather than left unchanged.

By 2018, Tournament of Kings had become one of the longest-running shows in Las Vegas, ranking third on the Strip in terms of longevity. That status reflects not only the initial success of the 1990 opening but also the sustained appeal of the 1999 reboot.

When you consider tickets today, you are seeing a production that has been refined over many years of nightly performances. Throughout its run, the show has remained closely tied to its home venue. It has always been staged at Excalibur, and its medieval theme is intertwined with the hotel’s branding.

This continuity makes it a recognizable option for visitors who associate Excalibur with knights and castles and who want a show that feels specific to that property rather than something that could be moved from venue to venue. The family-focused direction and emphasis on audience participation have also stayed central to the act’s identity.

From the early King Arthur's Tournament days through the Tournament of Kings era, the production has positioned itself as a choice that works for mixed-age groups. That focus helps you decide whether it fits your travel party: if you are bringing children or a multi-generational group, the show’s history as a family-oriented production may make it more appealing than some of the more adult-focused options on the Strip.

Notable facts

One of the most notable facts about Tournament of Kings is its longevity. Opening in June 1990 as King Arthur's Tournament and continuing after its 1999 relaunch under the current name, the production had become the third-longest running show on the Las Vegas Strip by 2018.

For you as a ticket buyer, that track record indicates a show that has consistently attracted audiences over multiple decades. The show’s origin is also distinctive among Las Vegas productions. Rather than being imported as a finished touring act, it was conceived specifically for Excalibur by Circus Circus Enterprises’ entertainment director, Mike Hartzell.

His decision to model the concept on Medieval Times in Los Angeles, and then commission a custom version from Peter and Patrick Jackson, means that Tournament of Kings is tailored to its venue and not simply a generic medieval show. Doug Baker’s involvement is another key detail.

Initially hired to play Merlin and write the original script, Baker later returned as the writer of the new script for the 1999 Tournament of Kings relaunch. This continuity of authorship helped preserve the tone and character-driven storytelling even as the production evolved. If you are interested in narrative-focused shows, knowing that a single writer shaped both versions can help explain the coherent story structure.

The 1999 transformation from King Arthur's Tournament to Tournament of Kings is itself a noteworthy milestone. After about 6,000 performances, the original show closed in January 1999 and reopened the following month with a new name, script, costumes, and a modernized set. For visitors who may have seen the earlier version, this marked a clear dividing line between two eras of the production.

For new guests, it means the current show reflects design and storytelling choices made with later audiences in mind. Tournament of Kings is also notable for its format as a medieval-themed dinner show. The three-course meal, featuring a Cornish-style main course, is integrated into the performance rather than being a separate pre-show or post-show option.

This can simplify planning if you want to combine dining and entertainment into a single reservation instead of arranging them separately on a busy Las Vegas schedule. The emphasis on family audiences and audience participation sets Tournament of Kings apart from many other Strip productions.

The cast encourages guests to cheer, react, and support different characters or kingdoms, creating a more communal atmosphere than a typical theater performance. If you prefer a show where you can be vocal and involved rather than silent and observant, this aspect can be a deciding factor.

Another practical point is that Tournament of Kings has remained anchored at the Excalibur Arena within the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. It is not a touring act that moves from city to city; instead, it functions as a resident show. For travelers planning a Las Vegas trip, this means you can reliably associate the production with that specific property when comparing hotel and entertainment options.

Because the show has been operating in some form since 1990, it has become part of the Strip’s long-term entertainment landscape. When you choose tickets, you are not just seeing a one-off production but a show that has evolved alongside Las Vegas itself over several decades.

That historical context can be appealing if you are interested in seeing a piece of Strip history rather than only the newest offerings. Finally, the combination of a themed environment, scripted story, and choreographed jousting makes Tournament of Kings distinct within the category of Las Vegas performing and visual arts.

While many shows focus on music, magic, or acrobatics, this production leans into medieval spectacle and interactive storytelling. Understanding these specifics helps you determine whether its style matches what you want from a night out on the Strip.

Venues for Tournament Of Kings

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Tournament of Kings perform?
Tournament of Kings is performed at the Excalibur Arena inside the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The show was created specifically to match Excalibur’s medieval theme and has remained resident at this venue since it opened in 1990 under its original name, King Arthur's Tournament.
Can I buy Tournament of Kings tickets through PromoTix?
Yes. PromoTix lists live inventory for Tournament of Kings performances at Excalibur in Las Vegas. You can compare available dates and ticket options on the PromoTix marketplace and then choose the showtime that best fits your travel plans.

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