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Unfriendly crowd tonight, in a lethal way - if you could calm the house down, I'd be grateful.Dean Domino

Curtain Call at the Tampico is a quest in the Fallout: New Vegas add-on Dead Money.

Quick walkthrough[]

Main Quest: Curtain Call at the Tampico 
Enter the Tampico theater. 
Navigate the speakers to the front of the stage. 
Take the sheet music from the music stand. 
Go backstage and confront Dean
Kill Dean. 
Convince Dean to give you the key. 
Leads to: Last Luxuries 

Detailed walkthrough[]

Enter the theater area; there will be a computer and cash register on a desk. The computer can be accessed either by passing an Easy Science check (25) or by taking the Tampico front desk terminal password off the ground near two skeletons in the next lobby. Hack the terminal to discover the Tampico's listings of how the show operates and find a Sierra Madre security code (which the player character will already have).

Near the desk are the main doors, which are inaccessible. Two paths lead left and right; the path to the right has a vending machine at the end, while the left leads to an unshielded speaker. Both paths lead into the theater, where there are four shielded speakers which cover most of the room. Shooting the unshielded speaker and entering on the left will allow the Courier to access a small safe zone: enter the theater and move behind the concessions stand to the right along the back wall.

There is a Very Easy locked safe, usually containing pre-War money and/or Sierra Madre chips. There is also a first aid box with items like dirty water, stimpaks, and RadAway. A selection of wines, whiskeys, and scotch lines the shelves.

To get to the middle of the room beneath the stage, this safe zone from the speakers extends along the wall to the main door, then juts out into the center of the room. Alternatively, one can run to the center of the room from either entrance without the collar detonating. Just in front of the stage, there is a music stand with some Mentats and purified water on the ground. Grab the sheet music (Vera Keyes' partitures), which will also provide the backstage key.

As soon as the Courier has the key, Dean Domino will appear on a gantry above the stage for a conversation. How well this conversation goes depends on how well the Courier has treated Dean in conversation up to this point. If one avoided confrontational speech options, he'll help the Courier get safely backstage. By succeeding Speech and Intelligence challenges, he can be prompted for more hints. If one insulted his ego or were in any way rude to him, he'll just say the hologram security will deal with the Courier properly.

Whether Dean is happy with the Courier or not, security holograms will appear, so quickly run through the backstage door to the right (he'll say left but he means his left; an Intelligence 6+ check will allow you to ask for clarification about this from him).

Backstage, there are minor, avoidable spots of the Cloud. As soon as one enters the corridor, there is a hologram emitter above near the ceiling. It requires 100 Repair to disable, but can be destroyed with a well-aimed shot. Along the corridor is Dean's room, which has a radio inside. The Courier’s collar will keep beeping after it's destroyed, so run back to where one entered backstage to reset the beeping. Just past the door to Dean's room and around the corner are some skeletons and an unshielded speaker nearby. The speaker is closest after turning the corner near Dean's room, on the wall above a mannequin. Destroy the speaker and return to Dean's room. On his desk are Vera's backstage key and his safe. Under his desk is a gun case. Directly behind Dean's desk in his bathroom area is a first aid box. The sink here also has non-irradiated water.

The next room along the corridor is the backstage props room, which also has an unshielded speaker. The speaker is to the left of the entrance, somewhat hidden above some tall packing crates. If one heads towards a door in the room that has Cloud leaking from it, they can stay there without their collar activating. If one turns away from the door, they can see the blue unshielded speaker. In the corner of the room there is a hologram emitter behind a couch which can be deactivated (Repair 50) or destroyed.

The final radio is in the corner of Vera's room, farther along the corridor to the right as one exits the backstage props room. In this room are also a song for Vera, written by Dean, on the same table as the radio, and Vera's master key, which is needed. The key works for Vera's medicine box, found in her bathroom. To search Vera's dressing room freely without the collar beeping, one must also disable the theater speakers via the terminal across from Vera's room. This will deactivate the speakers in the theater.

Go back into the theater through the door which was previously locked. Avoid any remaining security holograms by sneaking or running. The stairs to the projector room are in the far left corner of the theater when facing the projector room (make sure one has Vera's master key). There is a copy of Lying, Congressional Style found here on the shelf.

Activate the projector with the holotape, and the security holograms will disappear. There is a Tales of Chivalrie next to the projector. Go backstage again; the stage door opposite Vera's room is now open, so enter and climb the stairs to find Dean. He'll initiate a conversation the moment he sees the Courier.

Again, how well one treated Dean will affect how this meeting goes. There's also an option to bring up Vera's blackmail situation. If one chose the more confrontational speech options, they can pass a Speech check of 75 to attempt to convince him to give the key to the exit, but one must still kill him for the key. Then run for the exit, as killing Dean results in his collar activating, and the room must be escaped in under a minute. The key does not need to be taken from Dean's body; it will be immediately added to the inventory. Running up the stairs, past the locked stage terminal, and right out onto the gantry above the stage, there is a Sierra Madre playing card at the bottom of the ramp that is part of the Dead Man's Hand challenge.

If one avoided any confrontation and/or avoided insulting Dean's ego, he'll tell of his plans (following the right Speech path) and allow the Courier to finish his work.

Journal pages[]

Stained page: "Not going to rat me out for what happened in the Villa - I'm not the one who laid the foundation, and I'm not going to take the fall for the supports, either. They try and pin this on me, I'll let them all know what's really going on with the construction contracts."

Journal: "...town's going to get built, it just ain't built to last. Casino might be a different story, it's like a bank vault to the sky, but that's just me. It's a big show for someone, hope Sinclair survives this one."

Quest stages[]

StageStatusDescription
10 Look for Dean in the Tampico Theater
15 Search for the backstage key
20 Find a way to disable the Tampico's hologram security
30 Play Dean's Holotape at the Tampico's Holotape Projector
40 Head to the Tampico's backstage and deal with Dean.
50 Kill Dean Domino.
60Quest finishedEscape the Tampico before Dean's collar sets off your own.

Notes[]

  • In order to avoid killing Dean, the player MUST agree to work for Dean in their initial meeting; otherwise, the player will insult Dean's ego. Any kind of confrontational speech with him should be avoided throughout the add-on; this includes telling him about the bomb collar.
  • You can use a Stealth Boy and loot the 2 keys on Dean, instead of killing him at the start. However, you will still have to kill him later to tie up the final pieces to open the elevator.
  • It is possible to get backstage to Dean by taking the stairs on the right of the stage and squeezing past the metal ramp behind the curtain, but the quest will not proceed normally, and Dean will only have dialogue options for recruiting him (although he never follows) and ending the conversation.
  • This quest alongside Last Luxuries does not appear in the Pip-Boy quest log until the casino's power is turned on during Put the Beast Down.

Behind the scenes[]

The 1948 film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre was partially filmed in Tampico, Mexico, hence the name Curtain Call at the Tampico.

Bugs[]

  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 Even if you do have the backstage key the objective will be marked as incomplete and the game won't let you go through the doors required to continue. If this does occur, another back stage door is at your right after acquiring the key that doesn't appear to be affected by this bug. Use it instead, but be prepared, as a poisonous cloud is on the other side. [verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 If you are sneaking when you grab Vera Keyes' partitures (sheet music) with the key in it and you remain in sneak mode and move away from the stage, it may skip the automatic conversation with Dean Domino and automatically start up the security holograms. It will also mark all current quest objectives as complete and give no indication as to how to proceed next. [verified]
  • PCPC Xbox 360Xbox 360 It is possible that the Dean Domino hologram will be silent. [verified]
  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 After you destroy the hologram emitter behind the door after getting the backstage key, the holograms will turn red when they see you, but will delay attacking you for a short amount of time. [verified]
  • PCPC Sometimes when you go backstage, the red cloud always affects you even if you are not in hardcore mode. [verified]
Main quests
Act 1Ain't That a Kick in the Head · Back in the Saddle · By a Campfire on the Trail · They Went That-a-Way · Ring-a-Ding-Ding!
Act 2Wild Card (Wild Card: Ace in the Hole, Change in Management, You and What Army?, Side Bets, Finishing Touches) · The House Always Wins (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII) · Render Unto Caesar · Et Tumor, Brute? · Things That Go Boom · Kings' Gambit · For the Republic, Part 2 · You'll Know It When It Happens/Arizona Killer
Act 3No Gods, No Masters · All or Nothing · Veni, Vidi, Vici · Eureka!
Side quests
New California RepublicAnywhere I Wander · Back in Your Own Backyard · Bitter Springs Infirmary Blues · Boulder City Showdown · Can You Find it in Your Heart? · Climb Ev'ry Mountain · Don't Tread on the Bear! · Emergency Radio · Eye for an Eye · Flags of Our Foul-Ups · Hard Luck Blues · I Don't Hurt Anymore · I Put a Spell on You · Keep Your Eyes on the Prize · Medical Mystery · No, Not Much · Pressing Matters · Restoring Hope · Return to Sender · That Lucky Old Sun · The White Wash · There Stands the Grass · Three-Card Bounty · We Will All Go Together · You Can Depend on Me
Caesar's LegionBeware the Wrath of Caesar! · Caesar's Favor · Caesar's Foe · Caesar's Hire · Cold, Cold Heart · I Hear You Knocking · The Finger of Suspicion · We Are Legion
The StripBeyond the Beef · Bye Bye Love · Classic Inspiration · How Little We Know · Pheeble Will · Talent Pool · The House Has Gone Bust! · The Moon Comes Over the Tower
Freeside & Outer VegasBirds of a Feather · Bleed Me Dry · Debt Collector · G.I. Blues · High Times · Someone to Watch Over Me · The Coyotes · Wang Dang Atomic Tango
BoomersAnt Misbehavin' · Sunshine Boogie · Volare! · Young Hearts
Great KhansAba Daba Honeymoon · Cry Me a River · Don't Make a Beggar of Me · Oh My Papa
Powder GangBooted · I Fought the Law · Run Goodsprings Run · Why Can't We Be Friends?
Brotherhood of SteelEyesight to the Blind · Still in the Dark · Tend to Your Business
OtherCome Fly With Me · Crazy, Crazy, Crazy · Ghost Town Gunfight · Guess Who I Saw Today · Left My Heart · My Kind of Town · The Legend of the Star and A Valuable Lesson · Unfriendly Persuasion · Wheel of Fortune
Companion questsED-E My Love · For Auld Lang Syne · Heartache by the Number · I Could Make You Care · I Forgot to Remember to Forget · Nothin' But a Hound Dog · One for My Baby
Unmarked questsA Bit of Slap and Tickle · A Final Plan for Esteban · Access Powers · All Fired Up! · An Ear to the Ground · Andy and Charlie · Arachnophobia · Arizona Scavenger · Barton the Fink · Bear Necessities · Big Winner (Atomic Wrangler, The Gomorrah, The Tops, Ultra-Luxe, Vikki & Vance) · Bounty Killer (I, II) · Brotherhood Bond (I, II) · Caching in at the Cove · Cajoling a Cudgel · Claws Mended · Claws Out · Dealing with Contreras · Defacing the Humble Stone · Democracy Inaction · Don't Poke at the Bear! · Eddie's Emissary · Exhumin' Nature · Fight Night · Flogging a Dead Corpse · Friend of the Followers · Gland for Some Home Cooking · Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger · Hat's Entertainment · Help for Halford · Hidden Valley computer virus · Highway to the Danger Zone (I, II) · Honorary Rocketeer · I Love Bananas · Iron and Stealing · Keith's Caravan Charade · Laurifer Gladiator · Lenk's Bad Debts · Lily and Leo · Long-Term Care · Malleable Mini Boomer Minds · Maud's Muggers · Meeting an Equal · Missing a Few Missiles · Most Wanted · Not Worth a Hill of Corn and Beans · Old School Ghoul · A Pair of Dead Desperados (I, II) · Papers, Please · Pistol Packing · Playing on the Old Joana · Powder to the People · Power to the People · Razzle Dazzle! · Reach for the Sky, Mister! · Rest and Resupply · Ringo's Caravan Rules · Rotface's Loose Lips · Saving (or Savaging) Sergeant Teddy · The Screams of Brahmin · Silus Treatment · Short-Term Treatment · Smooth-Talking Criminal · The Star Showdown · Strategic Nuclear Moose · Straus Calls · Strip Search · Suits You, Sarah · Tags of Our Fallen · A Team of Moronic Mercenaries · Thought for the Day · Tourist Traipse · Trudy's Radio Repair · A Trusted Aide · Useless Baubles or Fancy Trinkets? · We Must Stop Beating Like This · We Must Stop Meeting Like This · Wind-Brahmin Wrangler · You Gotta Break Out a Few Eggs · You Make Me Feel Like a Woman
Add-on quests
Dead MoneySierra Madre Grand Opening! · Find Collars (8: "Dog", 12: Christine, 14: Dean Domino) · Fires in the Sky · Strike Up the Band · Mixed Signals · Trigger the Gala Event · Put the Beast Down · Last Luxuries · Curtain Call at the Tampico · Heist of the Centuries · Big Winner, Sierra Madre
Honest HeartsA Family Affair · Arrival at Zion · Bighorners of the Eastern Virgin · Chaos in Zion · Civilized Man's Burden · Crush the White Legs · Deliverer of Sorrows  · Departing Paradise · Flight from Zion · Gathering Storms · Gone Fishin' · Happy Trails Expedition · Prisoners of War · Retake the Bridge · River Monsters · Rite of Passage · Roadside Attraction · Sanctity of the Dead · The Advance Scouts  · The Treacherous Road · The Grand Staircase · Tourist Trap
Old World BluesAll My Friends Have Off Switches · A Brain's Best Friend · Coming Out of Her Shell · Field Research · He Came... And Went · Influencing People · Midnight Science Fiction Feature! · Old World Blues · On the Same Wavelength · Picking Your Brains · Project X-13 · Sonic Emitter Upgrade · Welcome to the Big Empty · What's in a Name? · When Visitors Attack! · X-2: Strange Transmissions! · X-8 Data Retrieval Test · X-8: High School Horror! · X-13: Attack of the Infiltrator!
Lonesome RoadThe Reunion · The Silo · The Job · The Launch · The Tunnelers · The Divide · The Courier · The End · The Apocalypse
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