Smith Center Blog

Performances and Artists

‘Phantom’ Star Earns Worldwide Spotlight with Witty Parody Videos

Mann wrote the delightfully witty “My Corona” – a parody of “My Sharona” – about his desperation for finding toilet paper and organic food after the panicked public ransacked grocery stores. “I put (the parody video) online and thought nothing of it,” says Mann, who has also been featured on hit shows like “Glee” and “The Voice.”

Discovering The Smith Center

Smith Center CFO to Retire After Shaping the Center Throughout Its First Decade

Now set to retire in March, Burnett looks back on many significant accomplishments, including: more than doubling the center’s endowment fund; retiring the center’s debt early; creating reserve funds for special projects and capital needs; and helping the center survive the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic.

Inside the Theater

The Inspiring Female Playwrights Behind Blockbuster Broadway Shows

More than ever before, women today reveal groundbreaking perspectives and bring untold stories to light as playwrights. With March serving as Women’s History Month, this offers an opportunity to celebrate how many of today’s acclaimed productions and blockbuster hits on Broadway hail from women’s pens.

Discovering The Smith Center

Longtime Smith Center Employees Look Back on 10 Years

Millions of Southern Nevadans enjoy magical experiences at The Smith Center, but many don’t realize the wide variety of professionals who make that magic possible. Hundreds of workers across several departments work behind the scenes on performances, maintain the campus, organize special events, provide impactful outreach and more.

Performances and Artists

Alisan Porter’s Journey from Film to Broadway to ‘The Voice’

Lauded for her powerhouse vocals, Porter’s impressive career includes costarring in “A Chorus Line” on Broadway, winning season 10 of hit NBC show “The Voice” and recently recording her acclaimed album of original songs, “Pink Cloud.”

Discovering The Smith Center

Celebrating 10-Year Anniversary

Now this year brings a tremendous milestone for The Smith Center, with March 2022 marking the center’s anticipated 10-year anniversary. After just a decade, the center’s leadership team has accomplished many of its ambitious goals and beyond.

Performances and Artists

The Accidental Creation of a Sizzling, Vintage Jazz Band

In the past several years, sizzling vintage jazz band The Hot Sardines has toured the world, recorded several hit albums and earned millions of YouTube views for its rollicking music videos.

Performances and Artists

How Carol Burnett Landed Her Own Variety Show

The most memorable elements of Burnett’s show included the audience Q&A sessions that kicked off each episode. The idea stemmed from an executive producer. Instead of warming up the audience with a comedian, he offered, Burnett could answer questions so “before you get into crazy outfits and become different characters, the audience can get to know you,” she recalls.

Performances and Artists

Paul Byrom Sticks to His Irish Roots with Song and Storytelling

Irish vocalist Paul Byrom is never surprised at how many singers, musicians and bands originate from his native land. That’s because his country ingrains a flair for performance, he says. “Everything in Ireland is based around music," he says. It's only natural that he would perform, including touring with The Irish Tenors and Celtic Thunder.