Tropicana Atlantic City's dance floor hosts a variety show

NOT TO take anything away from the quality of entertainment offered in Atlantic City, but there's no denying the casinos there mostly deal in the same-old same-old when it comes to show business.

From well-worn, albeit popular, musical revues (the "Legends in Concert" mimic-fest) to frequently booked headliners (it only seems like comedian Lewis Black is at Borgata every three weeks), AyCee is the capital of performance déjà vu. Which is why "The Accused: Nightlife on Trial" stands out like a million-dollar winner at a slot machine pit.

"The Accused," which runs every Saturday at the Providence disco at The Quarter inside Tropicana Atlantic City, is unlike anything the town has ever seen. The smart and sexy 75-minute presentation is a clever and entertaining mash-up of casino variety show, Cirque du Soleil and "new burlesque."

The program's premise is beyond silly: The club's main dance floor is turned into a "courtroom" where a parade of performers is brought before a ridiculously sexy and amorous female "judge." They are charged with all manner of absurd crimes (one female "defendant" is facing "315 counts of kissing a girl and loving it"; a male juggler is on trial for "one count of publicly playing with his balls.")

All are prosecuted by a prudish district attorney (played by Eric Walton) and are represented by defender Clarence Sparrow (Bradford Scobie). Instead of being questioned by the lawyers, the cast members - including a gymnast (Rebecca Star), a young woman who performs whip stunts (Melissa Marie), a tap dancer (Jimmy Tapz) and aerialist (Aaron the Aerialist) - each do a turn, after which the audience, serving as the jury, votes by applause on each artist's guilt or innocence.

"The Accused" concludes with a (spoiler alert) the judge stripping and coaxing audience members onto the dance floor in order to get the club hopping for the next six hours or so.

The script, written by Walton, is filled with R-rated gags that lend a heaping helping of comedy to the proceedings. The show's small troupe of female dancers is simply the sexiest unit working in Atlantic City today.

Despite its artistic merits, "The Accused" was conceived primarily as a marketing tool. "I always wanted to do a show that segues into the nightclub," explained Bob Pereira, 50, chief operating officer of New York-based Metronome Hospitality Group, which owns Providence. "We usually get busy between 12:30 and 1 [a.m.]. I wanted to do something in an earlier time slot."

Equally important, added Pereira, was that he wanted an attraction that would not only be a fit for his core customer base of 21- to-29-year-olds, but something that would lure those in their 30s and 40s (and beyond).

According to Pereira, "The Accused" was inspired by the appearances similar performers have made at the Providence outlet in Manhattan. He mentioned his desire to have them in Atlantic City to the show's co-producer, Tad Emptage, who booked the talent for the New York nightspot. "It was [Emptage's] idea to come up with a story line based on a trial," he said.

The production's roster changes regularly because, as Pereira explained, he can get "world-class performers at a great rate" during times they'd otherwise not be working. As such, he noted, "You can come back every couple of months and you'll see different acts."

One fan who was there for a second time during a recent performance was Lynn Prussen, 41, of Bellmore, Long Island, N.Y. "There is no show in Atlantic City like this," she said. "The music, the vibe, the dancers . . . are all phenomenal. This is great for people who don't gamble. Then you have the nightclub . And it's better the second time around."

Among the first-timers in attendance was Prussen's brother, Robert Ross, also of Long Island. "I'm very, very impressed," he said. "I've [seen] Cirque du Soleil. I think this is right with that."

Equally taken by "The Accused" - which she saw for the first time - was Ana Henriquez, 23, of Egg Harbor Township, N.J. "It was amazing," she said. "I never saw anything like it."