Smith Center Blog

Discovering The Smith Center / Education and Outreach

What Two Vegas Teens Learned from Performing on Broadway

Southern Nevada teenagers Zoe McCracken and Riley Stannard got a true taste of life as theater professionals this June. That’s because the two theater students competed at the national Jimmy Awards in New York City, which included performing on a Broadway stage alongside the country’s top high school performers.

Education and Outreach

The Smith Center Invites Theater Students to Rare Backstage Experience

This process typically requires unloading semi-trucks full of sets, costumes, props and equipment — followed by hours of flawlessly installing every item without a second to spare. And this summer, The Smith Center showcased the load-in process to teenagers who will likely be doing that work themselves, someday.

Education and Outreach

How Launching a School Theater Program Transformed Las Vegas Students

As a nonprofit, The Smith Center serves as one of many organizations nationwide that provide the Disney Musicals in Schools program, which helps at-risk elementary schools create their own musical-theater programs. At no cost to schools, the center’s teaching artists train educators on all aspects of putting on their inaugural production, including teaching kids how to sing, dance and act.

Education and Outreach

The Accidental Conductor

Panamanian-American conductor Kalena Bovell teaches student and educator workshops at The Smith Center.

Education and Outreach

Educator Honored for Fostering Students in Need

It will not astonish anyone who knows Siobhan Fergiels, one of 20 teachers to receive a Heart of Education Award in April, that she will use the monetary gift from her award to help her community.

Education and Outreach

Heart of Education Award Reaffirms Teacher’s Commitment to Being an Educator

Corwyn Evans-Klock, or Mr. EK as his students call him, is still in shock that he was awarded a Heart of Education Award earlier this year. “The fact that my student nominated me and that if they hadn’t, I would never have even been able to apply still brings tears to my eyes as I think about it now,” he exclaims, adding, “tears of joy!”