Smith Center Blog

Discovering The Smith Center / Retrospective Series

Meeting the Challenge to Go Green

Did you know that going green was perhaps The Smith Center's greatest technical challenge? “Designing a performing arts center is incredibly complex,” says Smith Center President and CEO Myron Martin. “It is made even more complex when you set out to design one that meets the highest industry standards for energy efficiency and sustainability.”

Community Impact / Retrospective Series

The Smith Center’s Lindsey Jamieson Gilbert Selected for 40 Under 40

Lindsey Jamieson Gilbert, Senior Manager of Programming, was named to Vegas Inc’s 2025 40 Under 40 on March 27, joining other local honorees in that week’s cover feature of Las Vegas Weekly and at an event celebrating all 40 local luminaries at the Sahara Theater.

Discovering The Smith Center / Retrospective Series

How Dreams Come True at The Smith Center

Las Vegas native Brooke Solan made her Broadway debut as a teenager because of The Smith Center. “That was actually the biggest highlight of my life,” says Solan, now a professional performer and vocal coach. “It meant that I was on the right path to achieving my lifelong dreams.”

Discovering The Smith Center / Retrospective Series

How The Smith Center Launched World Premieres of Two Original Shows

Producing an original show is no small feat for a performing arts center. This involves tremendous responsibilities, including casting, rehearsing, designing and building sets from scratch, plus countless more details to fashion the show’s overall look and feel.

Discovering The Smith Center / Education and Outreach / Retrospective Series

Making Nevada a Better Place to Live: Why Education is in our DNA

While most Southern Nevadans know The Smith Center best for its music, theater and dance performances, the nonprofit impacts tens of thousands of students and teachers each year through its education and outreach initiatives.

Discovering The Smith Center / Retrospective Series

Remembering The Smith Center’s Star-Studded Opening Night

March 10, 2012 marked one of the most significant concerts in Las Vegas history, when an exhilarated crowd of civic leaders, elected officials and prominent community members gathered for the opening night concert at The Smith Center.

Discovering The Smith Center / Retrospective Series

Great Art Takes Wing: The Creation of the Genius in Flight Sculpture

Smith Center visitors often catch their breath at the towering sculpture atop the Grand Lobby staircase. A muscular figure with massive wings eternally outstretched, the bronze, 16-foot Genius in Flight sculpture has served as a solemn gatekeeper to thousands of captivating performances.

Discovering The Smith Center / Retrospective Series

The Story Behind The Smith Center’s Pipe Dream Sculpture

Most visitors to The Smith Center take part in a beloved ritual: snapping photos in front of the vibrant Pipe Dream sculpture outside the center’s east entrance. Southern Nevadans of all ages enjoy this colorful collection of pipes as a part of their meaningful experiences with seeing shows and attending special events at the center. Many choose it as the backdrop for photos to commemorate their weddings, graduations and more.