1/2/2020
Performances and Artists
Growing up, internationally acclaimed violinist Lucia Micarelli had a unique introduction to music. “I never listened to anything but classical until I was about 16 or 17,” admits Micarelli, whose stunning career includes performing at the Hollywood Bowl and Lincoln Center, as well as recently taping her own PBS special. It’s not surprising that classical captivated her.
12/30/2019
Performances and Artists
Even after selling 65 million albums and earning two Grammys, Michael Bolton never allows himself to feel complacent. That’s because reaching this success was “an 18-year climb,” he says. “My first record deal was at 16, and I didn’t have a hit until I was 34.” This involved an exhausting journey that might have broken other artists.
12/10/2019
Performances and Artists
Holiday shopping can prove challenging — especially finding gifts to fit loved ones’ unique needs and interests. Check out gift ideas here from The Smith Center’s upcoming season that will appeal to a wide variety of tastes, spanning theater, music, speaker series, comedy, family shows and more.
11/30/2019
Performances and Artists
The new year marks the perfect opportunity to try new things and enrich our lives — and the performing arts can help! Enjoy a few ideas for new year’s resolutions that you will actually enjoy tackling, like laughing more, slowing down and relaxing or bonding more with the family. The 2019-2020 season is full of excited entertainment opportunities.
11/26/2019
Performances and Artists
Instrumental-music phenomenon The Piano Guys holds a simple standard for choosing its tunes. “We have 16 kids between the four piano guys. We try to pick something they’ll like,” says Jon Schmidt, the group’s pianist. This method seems pretty ironclad. The groundbreaking group boasts over 1.2 billion YouTube views of its music videos.
11/25/2019
Performances and Artists
Deana Martin still remembers witnessing Las Vegas’ glamorous days of the 1960s and ‘70s. That’s because she often accompanied her father, legendary Rat Pack member Dean Martin, for his performances in the hotel-casinos’ decadent lounges. Now an acclaimed performer in her own right, Deana strives to give audiences the same thrill her father did.
11/18/2019
Performances and Artists
Looking back on her starring role in NBC’s hit musical series “Smash,” Megan Hilty describes the show as “everything I've ever wanted to do, wrapped up in one job.” Portraying a powerhouse performer gunning for a starring role in a new Broadway production, Hilty showcased her stunning vocal, dance and acting skills as a real-life triple threat.
11/12/2019
Performances and Artists
Four-time Grammy nominee Boney James nearly saw his career end 10 years ago. As the multiplatinum artist chatted on speakerphone with his wife while driving home from his performance at the Newport Beach Jazz Festival, a drunk driver rammed his car from behind.
11/5/2019
Performances and Artists
Alfred Uhry’s moving, Pulitzer-Prize-winning play “Driving Miss Daisy” remains an important commentary on race relations in America, hailed for its heartwarming use of comedy and friendship to reveal the common humanity between an elderly Jewish widow and her African-American chauffeur. Read about the real life inspiration behind the play.
11/4/2019
Performances and Artists
Storm Large has finally reached just the right level of famous. After building a national fanbase as a finalist on CBS’ reality singing show “Rock Star: Supernova,” Large says she was hit with a wave of stardom she felt unprepared for. This feverish fandom has eased up at last, allowing Large to focus on touring nationwide.