An extraordinary line-up of performers from across the arts community ushered in a new era of culture as they graced the stage for the opening of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas on March 10. Led by quintessential host and award-winning actor, Neil Patrick Harris, the evening featured performances by the who’s who of music and Broadway’s brightest stars.
“Tonight we celebrated more than the opening of The Smith Center,” said Myron Martin, president and CEO of The Smith Center. “We celebrated this community’s commitment to the arts and to creating something important and lasting for the people who live here and for generations to come.”
More than two decades in the making, The Smith Center’s purpose is to provide residents of Las Vegas an all-encompassing cultural experience featuring the very best in arts programming from around the world. From first-run Broadway touring productions on stage at Reynolds Hall to legendary entertainers at Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center will provide diverse entertainment on a weekly basis. The Smith Center will also be the centerpiece of arts education in the community. Through affiliations with the John F. Kennedy Center’s Any Given Child program and the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, along with creative programming designed for students, The Smith Center will seek to augment and expand arts education for all Southern Nevada students.
The Smith Center opening was produced and directed by George Stevens, Jr., and Michael Stevens, who produce the Kennedy Center Honors each year. The Smith Center opening will be broadcast on national television at a later date.