Lorena Peril, Amazing Singer & Host of the Fantasy Show in Vegas!

Lorena Peril, a talented singer and host of the award-winning "Fantasy" show in Las Vegas, shared her inspiring journey from a shy housekeeper to a successful performer. She recounted her discovery on a cruise ship, her initial struggles with stage fright, and her eventual breakthrough. Lorena discussed her audition experiences, including for "The Voice" and "A Star Is Born," and her new original song "Ay Ay Amor." She highlighted her love for hosting and audience interaction, sharing stories of memorable moments and celebrity encounters. Lorena also mentioned her upcoming projects and her gratitude for her career.

00:00 - Intro
00:15 - Lorena's Show "Fantasy" at Luxor
03:23 - Lorena's Career Path
09:25 - Bullying & Persevering 
13:25 - Audition Process & Career Challenges
16:30 - Trying Out for The Voice
19:34 - Celebrity Encounters & Audience Interaction
22:15 - New Song "Ay Ay Amore"
23:20 - Mexican Food in Vegas
24:10 - Crazy Things at Fantasy Show
29:35 - Other Good Shows in Vegas & Cities
31:15 - Other Projects & Roles Tried Out For
42:47 - Personal Life & Future Plans
43:55- Outro

Lorena Peril IG:
https://www.instagram.com/lorenaperil/?hl=en

Chuck Shute Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/chuck_shute

Transcript

Lorena Peril: 0:12

Music. How's it going?

Chuck Shute: 0:14

Great. How are you I'm

Lorena Peril: 0:16

good. Thank you. I'm gonna wear my my glasses too so I could see. Okay, then I wear glasses, yeah,

Chuck Shute: 0:22

okay, that's well, so what do you do in the show? Do you wear contacts, or do you just go blind?

Lorena Peril: 0:28

It's actually, I wear them to read, like, to look up close or look at my Yeah. Are you just blind? That was funny. Thanks for having me. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 0:39

no. Thanks for doing it. I was excited. I was like, went to the show, and I thought, you know, like, you start off and it's good, it's like, light comedic. I was like, oh, it's gonna be fun. And then, but then when you start singing, that's when you blew me away. I was like, Oh, my God, how does not more people know about this woman? Like, you need to be more famous so, oh,

Lorena Peril: 0:58

thank you. That's I'm there six nights a week. You know, I've been there 10 years. I

Chuck Shute: 1:04

know your career, you've been all you've done, all these shows you were in Europe, and you show Bradshaw, and all I read about your career, it's like, amazing, all the things you did.

Lorena Peril: 1:13

Thank you. I you know I appreciate that I love as you can tell, you could tell, I love my job, right? Oh, yeah, I love what I do,

Chuck Shute: 1:20

yeah, who wouldn't love that's like, you're having fun, you're up there. Just make cracking jokes with people and singing and entertaining, and everyone loves you.

Lorena Peril: 1:28

Yeah, it's all, it's a I love people too. I love people. So thank you so much. I'm glad. Did you have a good time?

Chuck Shute: 1:34

Oh, yeah, yeah, no, we had a blast. Yeah, sorry if I was heckling too. I was I was screaming. I think that was okay.

Unknown: 1:39

I liked it. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 1:40

we're allowed to scream things at the show. Yeah,

Lorena Peril: 1:43

I like that you Heckle. I mean that you did. When people do that, it makes me have more fun. I like I need that. That's what gets me off on that stuff. When people just shout out random things, I like to just go back and get you know what I mean. So you had a good time. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 2:01

So for people who don't know we're talking, we're talking, your show is called, it's called fantasy, right? Is that what the name of it

Lorena Peril: 2:06

is? Yes, it is called fantasy. Excuse me, it's an award winning show. We're nominated again for Best of Las Vegas. The voting already started. Um, been there 10 years. It's by award. Emmy Award winner, choreographer, Anita Mann, producer, and we're selling rated 25 years on October 16. That's a big deal. One of the longest successful adult running show Las Vegas right now. Tickle my throat. So, yeah,

Chuck Shute: 2:34

that's amazing.

Lorena Peril: 2:35

It is. I mean, I I'm very lucky to have been, you know, chosen for that role because before that, I wasn't really into hosting. I did it for like, a year at the Hilton before that, but I've I was so new to that. So it gave me the platform to like experience and get comfortable. And I realized that I really love hosting. I love talking to the audience and performing, so I'm honored to be there that long. But I do stuff outside, like you've seen outside of fantasy, on top of six nights a week, I do a lot of anthems, as you can see, a lot of them. I don't know if you know my background, but whenever you're ready to speak of that, I didn't just, I didn't pursue any of this as a career. So, right? I got discovered on vacation. Yeah, your

Chuck Shute: 3:25

story is so interesting. You grew up really shy, and I think you you said you took piano lessons and you did choir, but you never really performed in high school or college, and then it was on this cruise ship that you did a karaoke and got a standing ovation,

Lorena Peril: 3:40

yes, but pretty much like that, I am. I was in San Francisco. I had a normal job, you know? I I was a I studied, I went to night school, at college, at night, and I worked in my mother's workplace in San Francisco, in a nursing home. She was a housekeeper, uh, she's from Mexico, and I joined the workplace with her and started cleaning. I pushed the cart and everything I did the whole eight hours a day for four years, while I went to school at night. I was shy, so I didn't really work in a mall or anything. I didn't like being around other girls. I I don't know it's my security from when I was a little girl, for being teased, for being so skinny, and, you know, I never had a boyfriend. So I was shy. I was looked down, and now I'm like, hoochie mama fantasy. No, just in people's face.

Chuck Shute: 4:27

That's so crazy. So yeah, explain that, though, because how I think I used to be a guidance counselor. So, like, I feel like your guidance counselor fucked up, because how did somebody not see your talent earlier and encourage you to pursue that, because, like I said, I mean, I don't know, unless you practice and you got really good, maybe you were not as good in high school, because when you started singing, you blew me away. And then everything I've looked at your the national anthems, all that stuff. I mean, you're really good. You have the talent, and that's rare. So the fact that no one encouraged you until this karaoke thing on the cruise ship, how did did. Anyone else in a young age, encourage you. You, I think you said, choir teacher, right?

Lorena Peril: 5:04

Well, no, no, I didn't study. I didn't do. No, no. Choir teacher, let me. I'm trying to think, because I want my I want to thank my dad for that. But I also do remember when I was little, I was seven, and I would get on a table, oh, younger than that, and I would entertain my Mexican family. You know, he had a lot of Quinceaneras, a lot of weddings, but I stand up and do my home mariachi thing and get on the table. Then I went to to high school, and that's where I became really shy. I was teased. It was more about, you know, how I looked. And, you know, you're a kid and you believe everything when people bully things like that. So I just shut down and didn't sing in front of people I didn't have I was very I was very shy. I was head stage fright, but I did sing in my room. My dad bought me a karaoke system, and that's when I got hooked. My dad was a minister in church. I sang with my, you know, the the the organist that sang on Sunday, she, you know, she invited me to sing on Sunday. So I would sing once a month at church, but that was about it. But I had stage fright, even just in church, knowing that they love me and they were praying that I did well, I was still nervous, just even in church. So fast forward, I started singing in my room every day and trying to like sound like every artist. I tried country, I did opera, I did pop, Broadway, mariachi, I mean, everything so, so I was like, I want to learn it all. So I feel like I self taught myself, but I'm not sure if I did it properly, because I never had proper training. But my dad is the one that said you have to be like, I want you to be like, Celestion. He kept messing up her name, Celine. Celine. I don't never correct him. I was like, Oh, he just never Barry Mandalore, that was another one. Kelly passed away, you know, two years ago, and I'm okay to talk about it, but like he now, I just, I want to keep those names the way he said it, because it's sentimental to me. So one day I will be singing in a gal like Celestion. So my dad, I have to thank my dad. So my parents forced me not, forced me, made me sing on that open mic night, and I was still nervous, yeah? And I was like, I said I had, yeah, I had housekeeping, you know, as a job. I had a boyfriend at the time. Did

Chuck Shute: 7:15

you always have in the back of your mind, like, I want to be a professional singer? Like, did you always have that dream and you just kind of like stuffed it down. Or,

Lorena Peril: 7:23

you know what? I wonder if I did subconsciously want to, but I never pursued it. I was, honestly, I was that young girl that wanted to just be in love and thought she wanted to have kids and have the family and the babies. I put that first. You know, instead of my singing, I was singing with bands as I got older. I sang with bands on the weekend for like three people a night, 50 bucks, you know. But I think it changed my life when I did perform on that cruise, that night, when I got the standing ovation, and I sang every night throughout the cruise for fun, I got confident and that that that that made me lift my chin up higher, and I think I could do this. So I got a job pretty much that night, after the last night on the cruise to be in the big shows, they sent my video in to the Carnival Corporation. I heard back from them six months later. Now I'm working for a.com company in San Francisco, and it was a startup because I was studying to do business, and it was either do the cruise ship, follow my dreams, or make really good money and get like, you know, stocks and, you know, the startup company could blow up and I'd make millions. I left, and my manager, my boss, said, Are you sure you could buy your own cruise line if you stay and they're public now, and they're doing really great. So I chose my career, and I've been doing it for 20 years, full time since I started, wow, full time without without, like contract after contract, I'm very grateful. With no experience, no lessons, I think carnival helped me. They, you know, they taught me how to count to eight and costume changes. I learned all that theater stuff pretty much overnight. So here I'm, like, with my bags, not knowing I don't have a resume of this stuff. You know, I sang in a nursing home at church. It's just so crazy

Chuck Shute: 9:17

that you have so much talent. And not only the singing, like I said, like, the hosting, the comedic timing, and the audience, like, it's crazy that you didn't have that in high school because kids bullied you. Like, tell me about that, because, well, skinny in high school. I was underweight, but I thought that was only like something they tease guys about, but they actually tease a girl for being too skinny.

Lorena Peril: 9:38

You know what? I will admit that. And whoever hears this, I mean, I I'm over it, but this was in middle school. I mean, I got, you know, spit in my hair. I would tell I was too skinny, but I'm okay, like, but that's what made me shy, is what I'm saying. I'm not, like, traumatized or anything, but I've always been small and tiny, and I get it from my mom. But I It sucked. I didn't, you know, shy. I didn't think I'd ever meet anyone. I was like, no one's ever gonna ask me out. And I was thinking, you know, I was never had a boyfriend in high school and but I would wear three, four layers of clothing. That's how bad I got. Like, I just to look thicker, because they're like, you know, because I would believe the boys they say, if you're, you know, just gain 10 pounds. You'd be hot. And I'm like, okay, and then dumb that. It's the opposite. And, uh, whoever may think that's wrong for me to be secure about that, no, it really can affect you, because doesn't matter what, whether you had a big nose, big hair, you know, had acne, had afro, had curly hair. I didn't know about moose. I mean, you know, I wasn't cute and and I got bullied and teased a lot, and then I grew up and blossomed and and then I got confident with my singing, and that's what made me fall in love with myself more. And then I grew up and became overwhelming. And now I'm headlining on a door when he show, and some of those people want tickets to fantasy.

Chuck Shute: 11:05

That's such an inspiring story. I love.

Lorena Peril: 11:08

Let me roast you. I'm kidding.

Chuck Shute: 11:11

That is so cool, though, because I mean, if you could have just given up. And I mean this is a thing. I mean so many people with depression, I mean they go away and they commit suicide. I mean, you could have gone that route and you just You cleared and you kept going, look at you. It's amazing

Lorena Peril: 11:30

story. Those people, they were young, yeah,

Chuck Shute: 11:34

no, that's and that's unfortunately, yeah, I think some of that stuff has gotten better. When I worked in the schools, they've really kind of cracked down on that bully, like kids don't bullies, I mean, or maybe they just hide it better, I don't know, but it doesn't seem to be as bad. Like when I was a kid, it seemed way worse. Yeah,

Lorena Peril: 11:50

I thought so too. I think so. But it's like, it still happens. You know, you see about, you know, people committing suicide, affects them depressed, and it takes you know, one person can affect you. If you say something very negative, it can affect you mentally, and they can believe it, whether it's true or not. And that's not that's not cool, you know, right, right, yeah, don't say anything. That's one of the problems you're dealing with. It's your personal that means something's affecting you. It's not a he or she problem, it's a you problem, the fact that you have to say it, it's just mean, but, but I'm here, and I, you know, I'm grateful that I've been able to do all these opportunities. I mean, I moved to Vegas because I also pretty much got hired on vacation as well. I think I should just go on vacation, to vacations, and let me see Italy. Where do I want to work and just go sing at an open mic night, because I've been across twice. So, right,

Chuck Shute: 12:46

didn't you start when you moved to Vegas? You just were, like, living in a motel six. So then I was

Lorena Peril: 12:50

there for like, a I would say I was in param first seeing an old friend of mine that worked on Carnival friends of mine stayed with him in param. I'm like, Well, Lord, what's Param? So I got my first i Nevada ID there, because there was three people in line. So go to prompt if it's still slow like that. But I stayed in moto six, and I went to Mandalay Bay and had my business cards ready to just pass them out, just go to every open mic night, and I sang, I think it was Aretha Franklin, and and they're like, we're looking for a singer. Would you be interested? And I said, Yes, he's sang in lounges for about a good three four months. But I told myself, I want to be on that. Want to be on billboards. So I auditioned on the side for all these big shows. Six months later, I'm on billboards with the show band. I mean, I just moved there. Then I thought, well, what's next? And then I saw the audition for fantasy, and she wasn't auditioning for a full time singer, she was auditioning for, like, a swing and immediately we, like media, fell in love with each other, the producer, and I just, she just said, keep calling me, you know, just reach out. So I did five years later, and then was on the Las Vegas trip at fantasy award winning show, billboards everywhere, and I'm just like, What the hell is happening? Just so happy, like I feel like I reached my goal. But I also want to keep going. You know what I mean? Yeah, I want to fire people with my story.

Chuck Shute: 14:21

Explain the how do you audition? You said you auditioned for all these shows. Did you have to get an agent to audition in Vegas? Or they just open auditions that anyone can go to? No,

Lorena Peril: 14:30

I didn't get an agent. I thought about it. It's pretty small town, and it's word of mouth, but once they hear you, they pretty much know about you. There was a Vegas audition. There's a site called vegasauticians.com and they send you an email, a notification of auditions. So I saw the fantasy one, and that's when I showed up. I showed up a little late too. There was all these beautiful girls stretching their legs up to here, and I'm like, do I have to do that shit? I don't know. This is, I ain't gonna do all that. I'm just gonna go saying so I was intimidated. They were tall. You know, it said five six and taller, and I'm five three, but five seven in heels. So I just went in there being humble and talking to everyone. Some of them weren't responding back to me. And I was like, Okay, I heard about this thing that can happen in Vegas, but no, everyone ended up being cold.

Chuck Shute: 15:23

That's like a movie showgirls, where, like, they're all catty with each other. So that's a real thing. I've

Lorena Peril: 15:29

seen it, but it didn't affect me, because, like I said, I just, I just walk away from it. I know it wasn't me. I think it's just, I don't know it can get like that. Yes, I've experienced that, but you know, it's competitive. Everybody wants that job. But I was just, you know, my mind thought I'm going to go with an attitude and I'm going to have fun, like, literally, just be happy and have fun. If it doesn't work out, I'm going to go get a big ass burrito after then get fat and go take a nap, have beers, like, I celebrate everything, and make it a fun thing a positive way. Am I going to be bad or sad or mad? So I went and kicked ass, and she loved me, and she's like, Where have you been all my life? So, shit, this is happening. So yeah, and I went in with a good attitude. You know, it doesn't help you, too. They see a personality. They don't. People don't like divas, yeah? So yes, that was

Chuck Shute: 16:23

that you got that job this, though I haven't heard you talk about this in any interviews. Maybe you did, maybe I missed it, but you auditioned for the voice, and so like you're, you're because you were impersonating Christina Aguilera before, or maybe it was, I don't know, I gave you advice, and this is a weirdest advice. She said that you were over singing, which I explained to me what that means, because to me, that's like, I hit a home run, but I hit the home run too far.

Lorena Peril: 16:49

Oh, shoot. Okay. What would Jesus do? Let's see. How do I make this Well, first of all, I was approached at the Las Vegas, Hilton, when I was with that show band, and it was a producer of America superstars, and they said, We're looking for a Christina Aguilera. So I've been approached a lot. I didn't pursue to be a person impersonator. So I heard the money was good, and I took it. So I went to do that show for about two years, and I realized I didn't like being I didn't like being somebody else, portraying someone else. Even though it was Christina Aguilera, I had to over sing to the portrayer. I wore this wig that I really never took good care of. Looks like it got run over by my pickup truck. I should have taken care of that wig. So some people thought I was a dude, and I'm like, thank you very much. I would just do that to fuck with them. You know, I was, like, done so bad. I just didn't know how to talk to people then. So I learned, you know, so I did that for two years, and then I was over at the Hilton, and I was approached by a casting director from the voice they saw me at the Hilton, so I didn't want to be on I was never into competitive shows like that. I because I'm not an original artist. I would say, now I am, because I have an original that just came out. But back then, I was just a production singer that would just, you tell me what to do and I'll just go sing those songs, you know. So I decided to say, no, that's not for me. And then they said, just please try it. Mark Burnett. He really liked my voice because he saw the he heard my voice, and he loves Christina Aguilera. So I accepted it, just because Mark Burnett said he loved my voice. So that got me pumped up. So I packed my bags, went tele, and did the whole audition process where you kind of have to do a couple of them in front of Mark Burnett, casting directors, all them. Then you get to the next level. And then I finally made it to the TV round the blind auditions. So I was there for about good six weeks. Everyone played guitar. They all played instruments. Most of them did. They had original songs. I didn't. So I felt out of place and thinking, Well, I'm an entertainer. I just want to go into the crowd and go pump them up. So here's this Blind Audition. No one's watching you, and I'm just like, big wheels, keep pump turning. You know, I was doing Proud Mary. They they choose a song for you. There's certain things I can talk about that I can't that are in the contract, but I will say that it was an experience. I don't think Proud Mary was the right song for me. I think I would have liked to shown a softer side of me, like an airy side, and, you know, build it up to another bigger song, but that's the song they chose. And I was dancing my ass off, and no one was turning around, so I felt like an idiot, but the band and I were just jamming, you know, the audience is pumped up and I'm just dancing, going, no one's turning around. Oh, shit. Well, whatever, burrito time. So they turned around to explain why Adam Levine was awesome. He said, not the right choice. Do you have a strong voice? Sheila green pretty much said the same thing. And. And Blake Shelton was cool. He said powerful, but not the right song choice. And then Christina said I was pretty and thought I was over singing. So I was just like, Isn't that ironic? Don't you think? So I just kept it to myself and thanked her and everyone, and then I went on my way and had a burrito.

Chuck Shute: 20:25

That's what I do. Yeah, that's just so crazy. Because, like, to me, when I saw you, I was like, you blew me away. And I see a lot of singers, and I was like, wow, she's really good. But they were like, Oh, you're not good enough for us. I'm like, wow, that's that's like a cutthroat business, I guess. Yeah, you

Lorena Peril: 20:40

know what? I don't know. And I wonder if it's just the song choice, maybe the right timing, yeah, maybe I was nervous. My voice wasn't its best either. I think, you know, it's tired, because I decided to make the decision to go to almost too late. So I took a late flight, almost like a red eye. Got there and then literally, had to start rehearsing in the morning. I mean, you were up early. They work you hard, but that's what you do. They see, they challenge you to see if you got what it takes to put up with it. You know, it's a lot of work, but, you know, I was okay. I went home, and luckily, I got my job back at fantasy, and I've done so much since then. I mean, gosh, I've, I mean, I've, I'm grateful. I sang with, you know, opened up for Barry Manilow, this was before, and sang with Dee Snider. Sang, Oh, you did.

Chuck Shute: 21:33

I had him on the show a couple times.

Lorena Peril: 21:35

Oh yeah, I love him. And Eddie Ojeda and I are cool. Love his wife, Clara, but yeah, Dee's awesome. He saw me at the Hilton, and he's like, Who's that we both had? We both have curly hair. Yeah, straight. But really, so we look like, like, father and daughter. That's funny.

Chuck Shute: 21:50

I didn't know you sang with

Lorena Peril: 21:51

her. He's so cool. They're the whole band. Everyone's Awesome. Yeah, he's, I got to do a duet with him. And, you know, I'm not famous, but, like, I'm still working, and I get to perform for, for, for 5500 people at night. Been doing it for 10 years. I've headlined. I've won awards. I sing with Terry Bradshaw, which is really fun as well. He's such a good guy. And I have an original and I'm finally, finally doing it. You know, yeah, talk

Chuck Shute: 22:21

about your new song. I am more, which means, Oh, love is that? Yes,

Lorena Peril: 22:25

it's Oh, no,

Chuck Shute: 22:30

I tell I terrible. I do karaoke if I had a few drinks. But that's about okay,

Lorena Peril: 22:35

just say I more, I more, I am more, okay, that's good. I

Chuck Shute: 22:44

like to sing a lot. Those only words I can probably sing, because the whole the rest of the songs in Spanish, right?

Lorena Peril: 22:50

It is. It's just, you know, a vibrant, like a summer hit, is getting a lot of attention. It's really catchy. It is catchy. I sang it in San Diego on San Diego news. Uh, we're getting a lot of attention here. It's by Grammy award winner, laishio The Costa. He's from Brazil, and you just want to grab me. Well, that's 2021 at the Latin Grammys for Gloria Estefan. So you know, I we'll see, like I said, if not, I'm gonna have a burrito.

Chuck Shute: 23:19

The backup, the burrito it is that makes me happy. What kind of burrito do you get?

Lorena Peril: 23:23

I like Vegas. Carne Asada burrito with everything in it.

Chuck Shute: 23:28

What's the best place to get a burrito in Vegas next time?

Lorena Peril: 23:31

Yeah, actually, a torta is a place called taqueria. Sabor. Sabor. It's also Sahara. It's amazing. I don't want to tell too many people, because, oh, really, it's that good, really. Okay, so I'm selfish when it comes to food. I don't want everyone to I don't want it to be sold out, or, like, when I get there. I don't want it available. Is

Chuck Shute: 23:52

a lot of the best food in Vegas off the strip,

Lorena Peril: 23:56

yeah, yes, and no. I mean cheaper. You know, if you're on the strip, everything costs more, but you can get some fine dinings, you know, on the on the strip, five star chefs. So, um, but anyways, but, yeah, but, you know, I want to do comedy. I want to do. I like hosting. I love SNL skits. I love to be off the cuff, you know, I like to do, yeah? Love to

Chuck Shute: 24:20

No. That's what you're basically doing, the show that is like the improv. So what is the crazy we want to ask you this, because, uh, for doing the fantasy show, there's a lot of audience participation. What is the craziest thing like an audience member has done? I mean, I'm sure there must be stories of people getting kicked out of that show right in the audience,

Lorena Peril: 24:36

yeah, for filming, or if they're too drunk or, you know, but it really happens, um, we had, I think a guy proposed to that with me, with with the comedian I was on the show before a guy came up to propose to a woman, but he was that he was already married. I was, he's like, married me, and she's like, you're still married. No. I think that was one awkward moment, but the craziest thing that ever happened. And no, I've had fun experiences. I've had old, really sweet old guys that come up on stage and they're just so happy to be on stage. You know, from all people from all over the world, when they play Elvis, it's the cutest thing, because they're very happy, and sometimes they say funny things that crack you up. And sometimes I can't get a word out because it's so funny. You know, you get excited, man,

Chuck Shute: 25:30

yeah, I think when I went, like, it was like, some kid, and I don't know, like, I feel like he had just turned 21 or something, he

Lorena Peril: 25:36

was really that happens too, like, oh, and a lot of family people, a lot of families are starting to come to the show with their like,

Chuck Shute: 25:45

you said, like his parents brought him, like, I think they were like, hey, like, you should get interested in girls. Like, here, let me, I

Lorena Peril: 25:53

know. And the dad's just cheering for him. And then, you know, if you, if you do it in an endearing way, it doesn't come across weird or, or it's, it's, you saw. It's a fun show. And well

Chuck Shute: 26:03

too, and it's interesting for people who don't know, like, you don't go topless. And like, I love the story. Like, what did you say? The quote was, like, would anyone actually, like, listen to me if I was singing topless?

Lorena Peril: 26:13

Yeah, yeah. Because I don't just sing. You saw the show. I don't sing like Marilyn Monroe style that would work if it was burlesquey, like, Dad, dad, but I'm like, just like belting, plus it's not it, just it's distracting. That would be weird. I did have one guy say, show me, or, you know, Jimmy chongos Or my boots. And I say, shut up, dad. You know,

Chuck Shute: 26:36

I know you use that wine a lot. I

Lorena Peril: 26:37

do that all the time. The Rest in peace, my dad still likes that. I say those jokes. But he one time, this guy said, Show me your boobs. And I said, Oh, I've never heard that in the 10 years I've been doing the show six nights a week. You're so original. Oh, my God, you must get laid all the time, and then you just shut up.

Chuck Shute: 26:54

Yeah, you roast the audience members a lot like that. Like, Oh,

Lorena Peril: 26:59

that's just like, and I do it in the playful I play dumb, you know now, because you gotta be kind. People are sensitive. You gotta be careful. After you know 2020 you gotta be careful what you say. And sometimes you never know what's going to come out of my mouth. So I try to just not go there. Like when sting came to our show, every guy that you know, every sting, yeah, he came last year. Like the beginning of last year, he sat in VIP, fourth row, and I'm going by him. I'm like, do not call him Mr. Clean. Do not call him Mr. Clean. Don't do it. And I did it. It was so hard for me. So I he's a legend, don't? He looks so smooth. He was just like this, like, you don't, you know, mess with him. But he enjoyed it. And then Roxanne comes out, and I'm intimidated because he's dead center where my mic stand is, and I'm just here. I'm like, wow, don't make eye contact. It was intimidating. But he loved it. He loved the show.

Chuck Shute: 27:51

What other celebrities come to the show? Oh, God,

Lorena Peril: 27:53

Usher came to our show two years ago, and I thought they said that the ushers were watching the show, so I expected the ushers? I'm like, Well, who are, who's going to watch, who's going to be working tonight? No, it was Usher. Sometimes I have blonde moments like that, like I don't use what ushers he watched the show, and after the show, we met him, and usher asked me, Hey, how do you do that? How do you sting like that, six nights a week and keep your voice so strong. Oh, my God. He asked me for advice. I said, I have a humidifier, lots of water. Don't go out and party every night and sleep. Sleep is a charger for me, because if I have nine hours, which a lot of people don't get it like, charge it's like charging your phone. It's like charging my voice. It's like, literally charges 200 if I don't sleep. It's at 50 or 60% for me. So yeah, but we've had other celebrities a lot, a lot of them just can't think of them right now. But, yeah, great Vegas.

Chuck Shute: 28:52

Like, like the carrot top and those kind of, like, the people that live in Vegas come Oh

Lorena Peril: 28:57

yeah. And carrot tops are backstage all the time, and we always run into each other. He's his name is Scott. He's awesome. You must see his show if you haven't. Oh, yeah,

Chuck Shute: 29:04

I saw when I was, like, 21 it was really good. It was a long time ago.

Lorena Peril: 29:08

He's the best. And his crew these just, I'm, I'm proud of him, because he keeps winning, and he's, like, still there, you know? And he just keeps on rocking it like people are just in tears watching the show, and we're in the same venue, the same room. You know, sometimes they'll come and give us a bottle of wine. Be like, Hey, ladies, you want some wine? Oh, hell yeah.

Chuck Shute: 29:29

What other shows are good in Vegas that you go to? Oh, god, there's a

Lorena Peril: 29:33

lot of great shows I really like. I mean, I love Stark shows. My friend is in the Apple show. Matt Apple, that's a great one. I love. O, I heard calls amazing. I love absent. Uh, besides fantasy, ours is number one. But, um, I do. I do love live like music, like live bands. So I do like to go check out Santa Fe, which is. All like Monster musicians. They're all like, pretty much getting a bunch of musical directors. I've toured with famous celebrities who get together on Monday nights and they perform, and it's like a Tony piece band, incredible. You should go Santa Fe. Santa Fe, yeah, Santa Fe, at the bootlegger at the Copa room. It's off. It's on the Strip. It's by the South Point, and that's where everyone should go for live music, for badass monster musicians. We are music, badass musicians everywhere in town. I'm not trying to say that, but that they're not but that's the place that I like to go. Wow, yeah, and check that out. Have

Chuck Shute: 30:41

you ever been to Nashville? What do you think?

Lorena Peril: 30:43

No, I want to go to Nashville. I want to go to New York. As an artist, I work so much that when I take time off, I go to Mexico or go home to California. So I need to just do that. I want to go to Nashville, New Orleans. I've never been, you know, live music and New

Chuck Shute: 31:00

Orleans is amazing. Yeah? Jazz, they'll they'll have like, little guys in suits, and they're like, Dude, it's a,

Lorena Peril: 31:07

I love that stuff. Yeah?

Chuck Shute: 31:10

Mexico, huh? Where do you go when you go to Mexico? Which city? Well,

Lorena Peril: 31:14

I go to Puerto Vallarta, because I do a show there every year, twice a year, sometimes. So I'll be doing a show there this December. A show that I wrote before that was sold out, was called housekeeper. The headliner that was, yeah, it was great. I wrote, wrote a musical, um, it was sold out at the Smith Center, where all the Broadway shows go. That was last year. Was one night only. But now I'm doing something different. I have an act two, part two of my life that I'm going to do in Mexico this year. So it'll be in December, and I get paid to be on vacation and do three shows and hang out at the beach.

Chuck Shute: 31:50

So what that is that called housekeeper to headliner too.

Lorena Peril: 31:54

No, not. I'm not doing housekeeping headliner. No, I'm moving on. I got more to say, yeah, you have

Chuck Shute: 32:04

a title for it.

Lorena Peril: 32:06

I'm trying to think if it should be called act two, or which is, it's funny because that's the name of the venue, Act Two. Act two stages or chapter two, I don't know, but a lot has happened since I became a headliner, and there's more stories to tell, especially about my personal life, my father. You know, I can also I have stories to tell. Before I was a housekeeper, there's a lot of inspirational stuff there, too, a lot about my personal history and my life that people don't know about. It's like a movie, so I can't wait to tell it. Okay, I have my dad to think about that.

Chuck Shute: 32:46

Yeah? I can't wait to see that. Maybe I'll come to port of art or

Lorena Peril: 32:49

this, yeah, yeah. It might even be called sunflower, because it's a sunflowers. It's the thing for me. Yeah? So you have to come see it. It's a lot of people that live there are from Canada and the United States. They're called snowbirds, and I have a big following there, so everyone knows each other. They retire there, and they have a home there to, you know, a summer home. But during that season, it's from November to April, so it's like, summertime there. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 33:13

I love Mexico. I've gone to Rocky Point, uh, tons of time. That's like, right? Uh, because I so it's like, rocky points, like, four and a half hours, and it's, like, amazing.

Lorena Peril: 33:22

Oh yeah, I want to go to Arizona. I've never been there. You've never been to Arizona. No, do they have good life?

Chuck Shute: 33:28

Yes, yeah, they got a little bit, not as much as Vegas or, like, Nashville, but, I mean, yeah, there's some places you could perform for sure. Okay,

Lorena Peril: 33:36

yeah. So that's, well, you know, I'm willing to travel and and just our song is getting a lot of attention. So, yeah, yeah. But

Chuck Shute: 33:47

is it you just have the one song you don't have, like, a full album, or we

Lorena Peril: 33:52

have a second song, and actually it's, I'm in the studio now, that should be written finished by today? Oh, wow, yeah.

Chuck Shute: 33:59

Are you co writing these songs. Are you? Are you just singing them? I'm

Lorena Peril: 34:03

co writing and singing the gentleman I met four months ago who wrote iimr. He was signed to Sony in Brazil, and he wrote it during covid, and he was looking for the right singer. Found me in fantasy in April. I normally say no to originals artists like people that want me to sing. And you know, you always get that one guy that's like, Hey, I have a song on my computer. You want to come hear it. And I'm like, so there's a lot of those. No offense. I'm just saying some people I don't even know. So this one got my attention, and I said yes, and I never say yes, so I'm so glad I did. We recorded it in one pretty much one day. And now I'm on the second song. It's time to do originals. I love doing production shows. I love doing other people's music, but I'm starting to get inspired to be my own original artist. I think I'm trying to find out who I am, and it's my roots too. I'm Latina. I've been singing a lot of Sweet Home Alabama's. And, you know. Proud Mary's, but I'm ready to do something original, something Latina, porque a lo espanolica, Don Espanol Italian, automian, yeah, Italian music stuff.

Chuck Shute: 35:12

That's amazing. And then you can, because you can only, not only have those songs in America, you can those are worldwide. Yes,

Lorena Peril: 35:18

it is. And Latin music is big right now, you know, like the HOMO Luma vibe and the, you know, shakia and so Carol G but you know, you also have to please the demographic that that works right for the people you know, two child two childlike pop, like teenage, teenager pop. But anyways, I'm as long as I'm singing. I'm grateful I can have a job just hosting and not singing. I'm grateful because I love I'm even thinking about doing open mic night at Wise Guys on Tuesdays, they have open mic night. You get three minutes. You can do one liners. I don't know what the hell I'm going to say, because I feed off the audience. So I have to figure out how I could do comedy improv without writing it down. But I guess you should write it's challenging, so I can just

Chuck Shute: 36:08

stand up. Yeah, that's, that's, yeah, Mike's. It's like, there. It's a, it's a hard audience. It's

Lorena Peril: 36:13

really, it is, yeah, I don't think I'm the Hey, did you hear about the guy that walked in? I don't that's not me. I I just want to talk to people, like, talk to the audience, and then maybe go off from there. But that's also very scary and risky. Yeah, nobody laughs. Yeah, you suck.

Chuck Shute: 36:34

All your other risks have paid off, for the most part, though, right? Well, have you had any other Is there any other roles that you've auditioned for but you didn't get, or, like, like any TV or film roles that you've tried out for.

Lorena Peril: 36:46

Oh, my God, because you just brought this up. This is my first you know when you have a first memory for the first time you forgot about it in 2000 Oh, what was it? Oh, my God. This is great. Thank you. Thank you. Chuck in 2009 10 before fantasy, someone reached out to me. Daniel Wayne. Daniel Wayne, thank you, Daniel. Daniel Wayne had a friend, a movie casting director from LA and they were they were looking for A Star Is Born, actress, the leading role. I still have my emails saved. And she asked me if I knew this and that, and I had no idea what she was asking, because I was, I was never an actress. I think they're called slides, slides, I don't know. I googled it. I was like, what is the slide? I guess this, if you know, if you have any slides of your acting experience, I'm not sure. I still don't know what it means. So I did not know, so I did my best to respond, and then I maybe she Googled me and realized I didn't wasn't the right person, because I never had experience. But it was for the stars born movie role,

Chuck Shute: 37:54

the one with Bradley, the real one with Bradley Cooper,

Lorena Peril: 37:57

back in that at 2010 for some reason I heard that Beyonce was considered okay, uh, I never heard, I never heard Bradley or Lady Gaga, but I'm wondering if it's the same. Was it Warner Brothers? I don't remember who was but, but it was a legit thing, and I remember getting excited and wanting it, and I didn't it wasn't the right time for me anyway, I wouldn't know what I was doing. So they said, I'm sorry, we're going to after a couple of emails back and forth, they moved on with someone so and I fell in love with a movie, and it was just, it's just a good story to tell. Now I'm so grateful it reminded me of that. But I did get turned down for a country show, um, because I wasn't, didn't have enough dancing experience. I've tried out for AGT, but I didn't tell my story. Then I didn't tell my housekeeper story. I think I was a little that embarrassed. I guess I just didn't think it was something I should have told. I didn't think was inspiring, because a lot of people think it's inspiring now that I was this girl that pushed the card and knocked on doors and, you know, I wasn't respected as much as I am now, you know, but, and now the curtain opens up for me, you know, it's it's nice, and I think that's why I don't complain about my job, because housekeeping is not easy. I know a lot of people work hard. A lot of people work hard that don't enjoy their jobs. I'm still doing what I love, but that's why I'm grateful, because I can always go back to a nine to five or my job is normal. I get paid. I pay taxes, salary, you know, but I cleaning and scrubbing tubs and toilets and getting down on your knees and doing all that hard it's hard. And in San Francisco would get hot. We had no air conditioning and but I always put a smile on my face and I would sing, she works hard for money. So I just, you know, having a normal life. And then now here I am, and I still don't even have time to. Clean my own bathroom. So busy?

Chuck Shute: 40:03

Yeah, are you making it? You're almost probably making enough that you could hire a housekeeper, though. Yeah,

Lorena Peril: 40:07

I got bills, you know, a rent but, you know, such

Chuck Shute: 40:12

a good gig to do the the show. That's what do you like? What do you call it? Like, a where you're in the residency, where, as opposed to, like, if you had to take a show on the road, I feel like that'd be, wouldn't that be? Wouldn't that be really annoying being in hotels every weekend or every day? And I don't know, I

Lorena Peril: 40:27

don't know. I've never really done that, except for 10 days, but I guess when you're in Vegas every night, and you do this every night for so many years, it's kind of nice to get away. Even if I go away for like, a gig in San Diego, it's kind of nice to just escape the noise, but it's also good, good to come back to even when I'm in Mexico and in Cancun on the beach, like By the third day, I get that itch, like I need to perform. So touring, I don't know what it's like. If it was every day like that, I could see how that could be very exhausting and draining, because that traveling gets to you, right? Then you have to perform, right? So, yeah, residency

Chuck Shute: 41:05

is the way to go. Especially, I feel like the older you get, if you're young, if you're, like, 25 or something, like some of these rock stars I interviewed, they're in their 60s and their 70s. Tour bus. I'm like, that sounds like a nightmare. So, but

Lorena Peril: 41:20

if someone did ask me, like, Hey, you want to take this tour or your show, like, whatever, this Latin thing, your song, on the road, and do this for I'd go and let's go, you know, yeah. Well,

Chuck Shute: 41:29

the other thing, the newer thing now too, is, like, the weekend warrior dates kind of thing. Like a lot of the bands that I've interviewed, like, you know, they're big in the 80s, they can't really do like a tour where they're, you know, performing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, but they can do like, a weekend at a casino, like, Friday, Saturday, and then, you know, they just fly home. Yeah,

Lorena Peril: 41:45

yeah, see, that's do it, yeah. But yeah, man, this is thanks for having me. I mean, can I tell you a funny joke about you when you saw me at the show? Was that a fun joke, but it's like an inside joke. Now you told me, you know, you asked me who heart if I knew who Hart was, and you had her on your show.

Chuck Shute: 42:04

So I was trying to sell you my podcast.

Lorena Peril: 42:08

It's amazing. And then I saw Joan bonamata, right? Yeah, I have his album. But for some reason, when I was talking bragging about you and sorry, and I struggled enough. I know I've ruined a lot of fantasies in the show. When I was like, when Joe bunna masa, when I brought his name up, I said it wrong. I was like, Oh my god. How many on a podcast? Joe buenos aire was on there. I Singing partner's like, no, it's Joe buna. I was like, shit, so I apologize, dude,

Chuck Shute: 42:50

your dad, uh, mispronounced all the names, yeah,

Lorena Peril: 42:53

see, I get it. I blame my father. Barry mandalo Mandalore,

Chuck Shute: 42:57

yeah, that's awesome. Well, thank you for doing this. Yeah, the song is on now, I am more, it's on. People get on Spotify, or whatever.

Lorena Peril: 43:06

I am more, Thiago, goosey, Lorena, peril, it's on Spotify, YouTube, Tiktok, you know, all social media, all platforms, um, Amazon Prime music. So,

Chuck Shute: 43:17

and the show is, uh, is it the Luxor in Vegas. It's called fantasy. It's amazing, great show.

Lorena Peril: 43:23

Award winning. We're nominated again seven nights a week. We have a beautiful aerialist, we have eight beautiful dancers and a comedic, yeah, entertainer. And I just love what I do. So I appreciate you having I'm glad you came to the show, and I appreciate you having me on your show.

Chuck Shute: 43:40

Yeah, thank you for doing it. I appreciate it so and then I'll put your Instagram in the show notes. People can follow you on Instagram and see what you're

Lorena Peril: 43:47

up to. Okay, all right,

Chuck Shute: 43:48

thank you so much. All right, I will have a burrito now. Okay, I'll have a burrito. See ya. Bye. You.