1/19/2024
Education and Outreach
Spotlighting three student-focused programs at The Smith Center
Even before The Smith Center for the Performing Arts opened its doors in 2012, the nonprofit’s commitment to the youth of Las Vegas was resoundingly clear.
“We like to say The Smith Center is the largest classroom in Southern Nevada, from the Elaine Wynn Studio for Arts Education, which will equip teachers to use the arts more effectively, to Reynolds Hall, where students from across the valley will gather to see the performing arts,” Candy Schneider, Vice President of Education and Outreach, said as the campus was being constructed.
More than a decade later, that guiding principle – to help introduce and immerse young people and their educators in the arts – not only holds, it has grown even stronger. Through a variety of programs, from free student matinees at Reynolds Hall to performances on school campuses to professional development opportunities for teachers in all curriculum areas and beyond, The Smith Center makes education its mission on a daily basis in meaningful and measurable ways.
Here, we focus on three of the many educational programs being offered by The Smith Center.
Camp Broadway
Founded in New York City and expanded to select cities nationwide in the years since, this summer camp for theater-loving kids ages 7 to 17 was first made available in Las Vegas at The Smith Center in 2012.
Camp Broadway is a unique theater-arts experience taught by experienced Broadway professionals. Using Broadway’s cherished works and its grand traditions for inspiration, Camp Broadway is designed to build confidence, inspire creative expression and instill well-being in aspiring artists and future audiences.
Camp Broadway at The Smith Center offers two age-appropriate camps: Shining Stars for ages 7 to 9 for up to 40 campers and Mainstage for ages 10 to 17 for up to 100 campers. Campers learn singing, dancing, acting and more – plus they enjoy the authentic experience of putting on an ensemble-based theater production for their families.
Camp Broadway is The Smith Center’s only tuition-based program, with a limited number of scholarships made available each year.
Disney Musicals in Schools
This free program is offered to a select number of public elementary schools each year, with the objective of bringing sustainable performing arts opportunities to under-resourced campuses.
Participating schools receive free performance rights and ShowKit materials to a 30-minute Disney musical written for elementary school students. Over the course of a semester, professional teaching artists guide schoolteachers through the process of mounting a musical with student performers. The ultimate goal of Disney Musicals in Schools? To provide the training necessary for teachers to continue a tradition of theater education for years to come.
The Smith Center is proud to be included in a network of 26 theaters and performing arts centers across the U.S. and U.K. offering this inspiring program.
Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards
This free program celebrates and encourages talent and achievement in musical theater in high schools throughout Nevada, highlighting and recognizing students participating in a variety of roles on and off the stage.
The Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards are a regional offshoot of the national Jimmy Awards® in New York City, a celebration of outstanding student achievement in vocal, dance and acting performance. The Awards helps foster the next generation of musical theater performers; set, costume and lighting designers, stage managers; directors; and theater technical crews.
From a regional awards event hosted at Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center sends two students selected as Best Actor and Best Actress to compete in New York City. Those winners get to experience a several-day theatrical boot camp consisting of private coaching, master classes and rehearsals with leading theater professionals, concluding with a performance at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway.
To learn more about these programs and others offered by The Smith Center, visit thesmithcenter.com/education.