The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is proud to announce its Broadway Las Vegas series as part of the premiere season for this long-awaited performing arts center. This series will feature the best and brightest of Broadway, bringing THE COLOR PURPLE, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's MARY POPPINS, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET and MEMPHIS to the stage in Las Vegas. These exceptional shows join the ranks of the previously announced WICKED, which will open The Smith Center's first full-length season in August of 2012.
"We are thrilled to add such illustrious titles as these Broadway hits to the announcement of WICKED," says Myron Martin, President and CEO of The Smith Center. "The addition of these shows to our line-up of music and dance from around the world proves that The Smith Center is dedicated to bringing outstanding programming to Southern Nevada."
Tickets for individual shows in the Broadway Las Vegas series start at $24 and season tickets will go on sale this summer.
THE COLOR PURPLE
April 3 - 8, 2012
THE COLOR PURPLE, a soul-stirring musical based on the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the moving film by Steven Spielberg. It is the unforgettable and inspiring story of a woman named Celie, who finds her unique voice in the world. Nominated for eleven Tony® Awards, THE COLOR PURPLE is a landmark theatrical event, a celebration of love and a Broadway phenomenon. With a joyous GRAMMY®-nominated score featuring jazz, gospel and blues, THE COLOR PURPLE is capturing the hearts of young and old, and uniting audiences in a community of joy.
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's MARY POPPINS
May 22 - 27, 2012
MARY POPPINS is bringing its own brand of Broadway magic to theaters across the country, which has Variety raving, "This is the rare touring production that over-delivers on every level!" Featuring the irresistible story and unforgettable songs from one of the most popular Disney films of all time, plus brand-new breathtaking dance numbers and spectacular stage-craft, MARY POPPINS is everything you could ever want in a hit Broadway show! So get swept up in the fun of this high-flying musical the New York Post gives 4 out of 4 stars and calls "a perfect piece of musical theater."
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET
June 12 - 17, 2012
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is the smash hit Broadway musical, inspired by the true story of the famed recording session that brought together rock ‘n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. On December 4, 1956, these four young musicians were gathered together by Sam Phillips, the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll" at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions of all time. MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET brings that legendary night to life with an irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal and celebrations featuring timeless hits including "Blue Suede Shoes," "Fever," "That's All Right," "Sixteen Tons," "Great Balls of Fire," "I Walk the Line," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Who Do You Love?," "Matchbox," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Hound Dog" and more. This thrilling musical brings you inside the recording studio with four major talents who came together as a red-hot rock ‘n' roll band for one unforgettable night. Don't miss your chance to be a fly on the wall of fame... at MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET!
MEMPHIS
July 18 - 22, 2012
TURN UP THAT DIAL... From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, MEMPHIS is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. Come along on their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves -- filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock 'n' roll. Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, MEMPHIS, which played pre-Broadway at the La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, features a Tony®-winning book by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) and a Tony®-winning original score with music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan. Directing is Tony® nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu), and choreography is by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys). Get ready to experience Broadway's most exciting new destination~ what AP calls "The very essence of what a Broadway musical should be."
About The Smith Center
The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is a public/private partnership that will become the centerpiece of cultural life in Las Vegas, offering a blend of performances by resident companies, as well as first-run touring attractions. The five-acre cultural campus will feature three performance spaces, the 2,050-seat main performance area in Reynolds Hall and Boman Pavilion's 258-seat cabaret theater and 250-seat studio theater. The campus will also be home to the Discovery Children's Museum. The Smith Center will be a living room for Las Vegas - a place that will educate, entertain and excite the citizens of our great community. Located in downtown's 61-acre urban development, Symphony Park, The Smith Center broke ground in May of 2009 with a ceremonial carillon bell casting and ringing. In February 2010, it celebrated its "Topping Out" with the raising of 50 tons of steel. The Smith Center will open in March 2012. For more information about The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, please visit www.thesmithcenter.com.
