8/1/2025
Education and Outreach / Inside the Theater
Las Vegas theater kids soared around The Smith Center’s campus in July, sharing stories of high-flying adventures through song and dance as family and friends packed the house for Camp Broadway’s 30th anniversary.
Week one welcomed the “Shining Stars,” budding performers ages 7-9, who presented the heartwarming story of Honk Jr. in Troesh Studio Theater. And for the 10–17-year-old “Mainstage” campers the following week in Reynolds Hall, it was an afternoon of songs and hilarious scenes from the hit musicals Peter Pan Jr. and Catch Me If You Can.
The original summer destination for musical theater-loving students, Camp Broadway launched in New York City in 1995, with The Smith Center becoming one of the select sites offering the official Camp Broadway program.
Camp Broadway’s Shining Stars starts youngsters on a lifelong path of theater and art appreciation through creative group play. The performance process continues for the Mainstage campers as they receive a greater understanding of live theatrical productions, work as an ensemble and make lifelong friends.
For some, Camp Broadway Las Vegas 2025 was bittersweet, with tearful-yet-happy goodbye speeches from those graduating out of the program, as well as during the Legacy Robe Ceremony to honor longtime program participants. Thanks to The Smith Center’s Education and Outreach Department, however, it’s sometimes not goodbye for long – several theater kids have returned in a variety of roles offstage at Camp Broadway, or even onstage, as professional actors.
This year, familiar featured players included Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards’ 2023 Outstanding Lead Actor/Jimmy Awards nominee Riley Stannard, cast as Frank Abagnale Jr. Catch Me If You Can, alongside 2019 Spotlight Award winner Ashley Gonzalez as Brenda Strong.
Gus Pappas, a 2018 NVHSMTA Spotlight Award recipient, stepped into the dual role of Captain Hook/Mr. Darling for Peter Pan Jr., and professional performer Caitlin Ary rounded out the Vegas-based talent in the title role.
Presented by the Broadway Education Alliance, Camp Broadway aims to make theater arts an accessible and relevant vehicle for creative children to build confidence, hone presentation skills and discover unique talents at every stage of their lives. Camp Broadway was even named a Special Drama Desk Award winner for “introducing young people to the magic of theater and for playing a crucial role in creating tomorrow’s audiences.”
To view The Smith Center’s 2025 Camp Broadway photo gallery, visit The Smith Center’s Facebook page.