4/30/2021
Discovering The Smith Center
When Carrie Carter Cooper worked on stage with David Copperfield in her 20s, she didn’t think about how that would influence her as a mother one day.
The Las Vegas resident also likely didn’t have motherhood in mind when she participated in a fashion show at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, nor when she toured the globe as an ambassador showgirl for Las Vegas.
But now as a mom and stepmom of four, Carrie says her lifelong career in the performing arts helps bring her family closer together — and has contributed to her children’s own success as entertainers.
“We are all so fortunate to be able to do something that we love and incorporate it into a career and giving back to our community,” says Carrie, founder and president of BESTAgency in Las Vegas.
Today, all of her grown children enjoy careers in the arts.
Her daughter Paige works with Carrie at BESTAgency, an international company responsible for entertainment experiences like the singing gondoliers at The Venetian. Her stepson Matt performs as a renowned mentalist, and her stepson Jarred tours the world with his band.
Plus, her stepson Joey Cooper drew the spotlight by earning the Best Actor award at The Smith Center’s 2019 Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards.
In celebration of Mother’s Day, Carrie reflects on how she merged her love for both the arts and her children.
“I am very proud of each and every one of them,” she says. “More than anything as a mom and a stepmom, I want all of our kids to be happy and healthy and pursue their passions in life. I believe that they are doing just that.”
A Whirlwind Career
No doubt, Cooper makes for an impressive role model.
She started modeling at 15, which led to decades of working worldwide in fashion, theater, TV and film. Just a few highlights include touring nationwide as a dancer and on-stage assistant with David Copperfield, traveling the world as an ambassador showgirl with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and modeling in Tokyo for a year.
After studying business management and finance at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Carrie noticed a need in Southern Nevada for a one stop shop for entertainment experiences.
So in 1997, she launched BESTAgency, which now creates and manages every aspect of entertainment concepts for major hotels, casinos, cruise ships and nightclubs around the world.
Throughout Carrie’s experiences with challenges of her industry — from constant rejections to split-second issues with props and costumes — she absorbed invaluable lessons.
“I was taught to stay focused on the job at hand, jump in to be a team player and assist with solving problems in a moment’s notice,” she says. “This was an incredible life lesson for personal and business situations.”
Little did Carrie know, she would eventually pass these vital lessons on to her own children.
All in the Arts Family
Drawing from this career, Carrie and her husband Phil – founder of Encore Productions that produces shows worldwide – always strongly supported their children’s participation in the arts.
“I find the arts to be a great way to connect with other people and creates a well-rounded individual,” Carrie explains. “The arts enable a person to engage in something that brings them joy, an escape, an opportunity to grow.”
Carrie’s daughter Paige joined her for modeling gigs and piano lessons.
Although Carrie and Phil connected after Matt and Jarred were grown — both of whom were strongly influenced by their birth mother, a former “Jubilee!” dancer and Folies Bergère showgirl — Carrie and Phil highly encouraged Matt’s performances at prominent venues and corporate events, as well as Jarred’s love for bass guitar and his many practices and concerts.
As Joey fell in love with theater, both Carrie and his birth mother supported his numerous dance, acting and voice lessons outside of his theater performance at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts.
Through it all, Carrie and Phil leant the kids expertise from their entertainment backgrounds.
“We encourage them to always be curious, ask questions, find a mentor, study, practice, always do your best, and appreciate any opportunity,” she says.
With every music lesson, magic show and modeling gig, Carrie adds, these supported a shared passion that brought the family closer together.
“There is a great deal of coordination of time and tag team among parents to make it all work, but it’s worth every moment and every dollar spent,” she says. “There is no greater pleasure than to witness your kids pursue something that they are passionate about.”
Preparing for the Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards
Carrie particularly enjoyed sharing in Joey’s journey to the Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards.
He had prepared for a specific role and also as understudy for the lead in his school’s production of “Kiss Me Kate.” He learned just three weeks before opening that he would take on the main role.
Carrie and Phil supported Joey in as much rehearsing, practicing and extra coaching he could fit in.
His discipline — reflecting Carrie’s in her own career — all paid off.
“Phil and I kept looking at each other during that (opening) performance and said, ‘He killed it! He’s amazing!’” she remembers. “There were tears of joy and pride for him and his performance and how far he had come.”
Joey’s lead role qualified him to compete in The Smith Center’s 2019 Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards.
Carrie proudly watched his performance at the event, which earned Joey the Best Actor Award, giving him the opportunity to represent Nevada by competing in the national Jimmy Awards on Broadway.
“The talent on the stage felt no different than watching performers on Broadway. They were all that good,” she remembers. “Winning Best Actor at the Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards was one more check mark to show Joey was doing what he was meant to be doing.”
Sharing the Spotlight
Like any mother, Carrie predicts bright futures for her brood.
She hopes Paige will take the reins of BESTAgency someday. With Matt recently featured on “Regis and Kelly,” she foresees more television opportunities for him, and hit albums to come from Jarred. Joey, currently studying performing arts at Montclair University in New Jersey, she predicts for the Broadway stage.
“I am in awe and amazement each time I see any of them perform or at work,” she says. “I love hearing people say ‘your daughter or son is so delightful, kind or talented.’”
The arts remain a source of joy for all of them, she adds. Family gatherings always include music and dancing, and they frequently take in shows together, including as subscribers to The Smith Center’s Broadway Las Vegas® Series.
Every now and then, Carrie adds, she still passes on gems of wisdom.
“As a mom and stepmom, it does feel good on occasion to hear ‘Can I ask you for a little advice?’” she says. “Of course I’m all ears and grinning from one side of my face to the other, with an incredibly full heart.”