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LIVE PERFORMANCES RETURN TO THE HEART OF THE ARTS®
Normally, I share show reviews with you, but these are not normal times. That’s why I was so pleased to be at the Smith Center for the Performing Artsin Las Vegas when, after 486 days, they turned the lights back on.
At a press conference held on the stage of Reynolds Hall in mid July, Smith Center CEO Myron Martin said, turned off the ceremonial “ghost light” and said, “It’s time to celebrate – intermission is over and The Smith Center’s second act is about to begin. We invite everyone to take their seats and join us as we reopen the heart of the arts® this fall.” Then, there was a ceremonial dimming of the ghost light before the lights went on.
The Smith Center is ready to welcome us back to live quality theater performances. In addition to Broadway shows, live performances at the Smith Center beginning in September will include featured headliners in music and dance across a wide variety of genres.
Broadway Las Vegas® Series
Broadway shows now on sale at TheSmithCenter include CATS (Oct. 12-17), the record-breaking musical spectacular by Andrew Lloyd Webber,AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN (Oct. 26-31) and A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Nov. 23-28), Dickens’ timeless tale of redemption featuring 12 cherished Christmas carols. The Tony Award-winning hit comedy and one of the longest-running plays in Broadway historyTHE PLAY THAT GOES WRONGreturns to TheSmithCenter November 9-14.
An Officer and a Gentleman
Based on the Oscar-winning film starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger, the live stage production ofAN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMANis a new adaptation by multiple Tony Award® nominee Dick Scanlan (“Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “Everyday Rapture”). Celebrating triumph over adversity with the same iconic and romantic ending as originally portrayed on screen,AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMANfeatures the Grammy Award-winning, No. 1 hit single “Up Where We Belong,” and a score based on the 1980s catalogue of music that gave voice to a generation.
“We have been waiting a long time to present shows again to our Southern Nevada community, and hosting the world premiere ofAN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMANmeans that Southern Nevadans will be the very first to ever see this incredible production,” said Martin. “With our world-class venue and our welcoming community that is eager to see quality shows, we know that The Smith Center will be the perfect launching pad for this exciting national tour.”
Members of the show’s creative team and cast, delighted members of the press with a preview of some of the numbers from the production. This followed with remarks by Martin and Patricia Wilcox, choreographer of An Officer and a Gentleman.
Wilcox emphasized the significance of launching a national tour during such challenging times for the country. “It is no small feat to assemble and launch a national tour of a stage production during a pandemic,” Wilcox said. “The Smith Center’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and stunning design make it an ideal venue for presenting this uplifting production to the world.”
Upcoming Performances
In addition to these, upcoming performances at TheSmithCenter include Broadway icons such as Kristin Chenoweth and Patti Lupone; music legends such as Paul Anka and Johnny Mathis; acclaimed jazz performers including Wynton Marsalis and Boney James; internationally renowned dance groups including Ballet Folklorico and Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo; and notable speakers including Neil deGrasse Tyson and Garrison Keillor.
The first live performance following the center’s reopening is scheduled for September 14, when Las Vegas favorite Frankie Moreno takes the stage again at Myron’s Cabaret Jazz.
For more information about The Smith Center for the Performing Arts or ticket purchases visit The Smith Center.
ABOUT THE SMITH CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
The hallmark of downtown Las Vegas’ 61-acre urban development known as Symphony Park, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is a public-private partnership that opened in March 2012. Heralded as the city’s Heart of the Arts®,
The Smith Center is an architectural triumph and long-awaited cultural achievement that educates and entertains the citizens of Southern Nevada. The $470 million world-class performing arts center offers a blend of performances by resident companies, first-run touring attractions, lectures and internationally acclaimed performers in music, theater and dance.
The five-acre campus features four performance spaces including the 2,050-seat Reynolds Hall, the 244-seat Myron’s Cabaret Jazz club, the 220-seat Troesh Studio Theater and the 1.7-acre Donald W. Reynolds Symphony Park for outdoor concerts. Additionally, the campus is home to the Discovery Children’s Museum that opened in March 2013. For more information about The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, visit The Smith Center. Keep up with news and events on Facebook and follow The Smith Center on Twitter at @SmithCenterLV.
Dianne Davis View all posts
