It’s all happening! Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Marie has briefly pressed pause on her reality TV career to pursue a lifelong dream — headlining her own show in Las Vegas. Months after Season 6 of her hit Bravo docuseries finished filming, the 32-year-old entertainer took on a starring role in Sex Tips for Straight Women From a Gay Man. In an exclusive interview with Life & Style, Scheana opens up about the exciting new gig, which she inherited from longtime pal Kendra Wilkinson.

“I was in Vegas in October and saw the show and absolutely loved it. I went to dinner with Kendra [and her co-stars] Jai [Rodriguez] and Chris [Hodgson] after. I was just saying how much fun it was and then the next day Jai called me and was like, ‘Hey, would you be interested in auditioning for this? Kendra and I are leaving Jan. 2,’” Scheana recounts. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, for sure.’ He said one of the producers was at the show the night I was there and asked about me. And then they sent me the sides, I put it on tape, and I booked it right away!”

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Courtesy of SPI Entertainment

Kendra handing over the Sex Tips baton, err, banana to Scheana.

It wasn’t long before the “Shake That” songstress packed her bags and made the move from LA to Sin City. “It was kind of surreal because when they mentioned it — you know, moving my entire life to Vegas and being a Vegas headliner — it was like, this all sounds great. But it almost felt like it would never actually happen. And then when it did, it didn’t really even hit me until I actually got here,” Scheana, who officially touched down in her new hometown on Christmas Day, says. “But it is a dream. I’m so excited to be a part of this.”

Though she only had a week to rehearse before her first show — “It was a really quick turnover!” — Scheana luckily had Kendra, 32, to turn to for advice. “She just said to have fun with it. We’ve been friends for so long and she knows that I’m a perfectionist. And she was telling me that with this character, some of her funniest moments were when she messed up or flubbed a line or tripped on stage,” the Bravolebrity tells Life & Style. “Kendra told me to just have fun with it and not to worry about being perfect. And as far as the finale dance goes, when in doubt, if you forget a move or if you’re off cue and you need to fill the time — she told me, ‘Just shake your butt or whip your hair and you can’t go wrong!’”

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Courtesy of SPI Entertainment

Scheana and co-star Chester Lockhart.

Like the former Playboy model did, Scheana plays Robyn Brown — a buttoned-up professor who becomes rather uncomfortable when author Dan Anderson (Chester Lockhart) inundates her with unsolicited lovemaking tips during a book moderation. Asked how she and Robyn compare, Scheana was quick to point out their opposite attitudes about sex.

“Robyn and I are nothing alike. And that’s what’s so fun about it. She’s nerdy. I’ve given her a snort that I don’t do in real life,” the brunette beauty tells Life & Style with a laugh. “But she’s very shy about sex, which is not me at all. She’s very quirky, very proper.”

But, by the end of the show, Robyn eventually gives in to Chester’s X-rated counseling and learns to let loose. “Robyn’s just like, ‘Screw it!’” Scheana says. “She’s taken all the tips that he’s given her, we do this fun, sexy dance and that’s when you really see the Scheana in Robyn. I love tapping into the different sides of her.”

Scheana’s job on The Strip couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. As her relationship with now-ex-boyfriend Rob Valletta is tested on current episodes of Pump Rules, the actress is thrilled to escape the hills (and the drama) of West Hollywood. “It was nice to come here and have a fresh start — new year, new job, and some new friends. It was nice to get away and start over,” Scheana, whose debut performance took place on Jan. 4, explains. “And I’m single now. So being in LA, that was kind of challenging for me.”

As VPR fans are well aware, Scheana’s romance with Rob came under fire after several of her co-stars accused the handsome actor, 35, of cheating with an old flame. However, both parties vehemently deny the claims and remain committed to maintaining a friendship — despite their split and the fact that they now live miles apart. Scheana tells Life & Style that she still has “so much love” for Rob, who came out to support her on opening night of Sex Tips.

“He came to see me for my first performance, which was really sweet,” Scheana gushes. “I am so grateful for his support. I’m excited to see what the future holds for us. But I’m also really stoked about doing Vegas on my own. It’s such an exciting new chapter in my life and so far, it’s been nothing but positive.”

Catch Scheana six nights a week in Sex Tips for Straight Women From a Gay Man at the Las Vegas Paris hotel. For tickets, click here. Vanderpump Rules airs on Bravo Mondays at 9 p.m. EST.