Smith Center Blog

Education and Outreach

Physics Teacher Honored for Real-Life Applications Encouraging Students’ Curiosity

Green Valley High School physics teacher Scott Panik has won numerous accolades for teaching, including being named 2005 Nevada Teacher of the Year and receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics/Science Teaching in 2007. But winning a Heart of Education Award from The Smith Center in April was different.

Education and Outreach

The Smith Center Opens Nominations for Eighth-Annual Heart of Education Awards

The Smith Center just announced the opening of nominations for its eighth-annual Heart of Education Awards, honoring outstanding CCSD educators who go above and beyond for their students. Anyone can nominate a CCSD teacher for a Heart of Education Award through January 13, 2023.

Performances and Artists

Nevada Ballet Theatre Pairs Stunning Stagecraft with Athletic Dance in ‘Dracula’

When audiences watch Nevada Ballet Theatre’s (NBT) performances of “Dracula,” they shouldn’t expect a delicate fairytale of tutu-clad princesses, notes répétiteur Dominic Walsh, who staged the production. Instead, this gripping work by acclaimed choreographer Ben Stevenson portrays Bram Stroker’s chilling tale in a neoclassical style, Walsh says, which rejects whimsical frills and instead centers on expressive, fast-paced movements to give the ballet a contemporary feel.

Performances and Artists / Broadway Las Vegas

Medieval Meets Pop Star – The Genius Behind Costume Designs for ‘Six’

Costume designer Gabriella Slade beams when she recalls her eagerness to create eye-popping costumes for the mesmerizing musical “SIX.” “I just loved the idea of Henry VIII’s wives being a contemporary pop band. That was enough for me,” Slade recalls with a laugh. “When I realized we were going to do contemporary and historical (costumes) paired together, that was a massive draw for me.”

Discovering The Smith Center

A Year in Review: The Smith Center's 2021/2022 Report to the Community

This past year ushered in two of the most significant achievements in The Smith Center's history: its reopening after the lockdown and its tenth anniversary. In our community report, read about our return to performances, our education and outreach efforts, the Heart of Education Awards and more. Our sincerest gratitude goes out to every member of our community whose support made this monumental year possible.

Performances and Artists

Nnenna Freelon’s Unusual Journey to Seven Grammy Nominations

Her passion and talent gained rapid attention. Nnenna’s powerful vocal interpretations have led her to build a widespread fanbase, on top of performing at the White House and headlining at the Asia Pacific Economic Summit in front of hundreds of world leaders.

Broadway Las Vegas / Performances and Artists

How Alanis Morissette Brought Her Music to Broadway

Thanks to Morissette working closely with the musical’s creative team, the production fuses her electrifying melodies with groundbreaking theater elements, to portray the struggles and healing of fictional suburban family the Healys.

Performances and Artists

How an Algebra Class Launched Booker T. Jones to Grammy-Winning Success

Artists never know when their big breaks will come – and for Booker T. Jones, his arrived in the middle of a high-school algebra class. Already a multi-instrumentalist known for playing at Memphis clubs, Jones was surprised to have his math class interrupted by his friend, producer David Porter. Porter passed along an urgent message: Stax Records needed a saxophone player for a recording session right away, and Jones could have the job, if he wanted.