This is Post 1 in a series of posts about The Smith Center Las Vegas.

Stefanie came to me a few months ago and asked me if I would like to do a guest blog spot on RockStarMomLV, she said I could talk about whatever I was feeling passionate about at the moment.  Well…..at any given moment I am normally passionate about no less than 50 or 60 things.  But once I started thinking about her audience and what I thought would be a great and informative topic, my answer was crystal clear – The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.  For those of you that are not yet familiar with this project, hang on a few minutes and I can promise you, you will be just as excited as I am about it!

As a native Las Vegan I grew up going to “plays” at Cashman field, the Thomas and Mack Theatre, Spring Mountain Ranch and even a few oldies but goodies at the Huntridge Theatre in the 80’s.

My mother has always had a passion and a love for the arts.  She did her best to instill that passion in me. I still have vivid memories of being a innocent little 6-year old girl, sitting in the sticky green grass on a beautiful summer night, watching the Wizard of Oz on stage at Spring Mountain Ranch Park.  Seeing Dorothy and the Tin Man come to life before my very eyes was beyond amazing to me.  I have very fond memories of taking many mother/daughter trips to LA throughout high school and college to see various performances.  Thank God I had a mother who forced me to open my eyes to a whole other side of the world – the arts.

About 6 months ago, I took my 5-year-old son on a Mommy and Son weekend date to LA.  I took him to see Room on a Broom at the Orange County Theatre for Performing Arts.  Leading up to the play his little 5 year old mind, as sharp as it is, could not wrap his head around what exactly a play was.  He was filled with questions such as:  “Are we going to see a movie? Is it going to be a ride like at Disneyland? What will we PLAY with since it’s called a play?  Will it be like the Princesses on Ice that we took my sister to see at the Orleans arena?”

Trying to describe in detail (as my son demands) what theatre is– is next to impossible.

He did get increasingly more excited as we pulled into the parking structure and he began to see other kids walking towards the big mysterious theatre doors.  Once inside we quickly found our seats and I could see his little wheels spinning in that bright mind of his.  This big huge theatre was NOT what he was expecting! Plus characters from Room on a Broom were playing hide and seek through the aisles.  His eyes lit up and that beautiful smile that melts me every day slowly spread across his little cheeks.  The lights dimmed and the sound grew louder, the colors more vibrant and the characters came to life.  I saw him slowly go from sitting to standing and then bouncing on his knees.  He was hooked!  He did not make a peep through the entire production except for his loud and infectious laugh every 20 seconds or so!  We left the theatre and he had a spring in his step.  He has been asking consistently since that weekend when we can go to the theatre again.

So you can imagine my excitement to share with you more information about a FANTASTIC venue that is opening in March, 2012 right here in good ole’ downtown Las Vegas – The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

Here is a brief snap shot of what the Smith Center is all about.  I urge you to go on their Web site at www.thesmithcenter.com and explore the site, take the virtual tour, and if you are as excited as I am go downtown and drive around the Center!  Stop in the offices located at the Holsum Lofts to get a much more in depth feeling about what an amazing project this is!

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts:

By the Numbers:

• $150 million: Donald W. Reynolds Foundation donation
• 32: Months to build The Smith Center
• 1.5 million: Man-hours it will take to build
• 1,000+: Construction workers building The Smith Center
• 4,000: Tons of structural steel
• 2,458: Tons of Indiana limestone
• 29,500 lbs: Weight of bells in the carillon bell tower
• 170 feet: Height of carillon bell tower
• 47: Bells in the carillon bell tower
• 23: Boxes on the Box Tier in Reynolds Hall
• 25+: Architects, engineers, designers and consultants
• 373: Windows in the Large Hall building
• 2012: The Smith Center opening

Upcoming Broadway productions that are on sale now:

The Color Purple – April 3rd – 8th, 2012

Mary Poppins – May 22nd – 27th, 2012

Million Dollar Quartet – June 12th – 17th, 2012

Memphis – July 18th – 22nd, 2012

Coming Soon: 2012 – 2013 Broadway Las Vegas Series

Wicked – August 29th – October 7th, 2012 (see below for ticket info)

There will be MANY other awesome productions at The Smith Center, here are some that I definitely won’t miss:

March 16, 2012 (On sale as part of the Design Your Own Series, September 25, 2011 at 10:00am PST.)

The Imagination Movers began in 2003 when four friends from New Orleans joined forces to make rock and pop music for parents and kids to enjoy together. The Movers have become the soundtrack to many families’ lives thanks to their winning blend of rock ‘n’ roll energy, slapstick comedy and parental wisdom – all wrapped up in bright blue coveralls!

STRAIGHT NO CHASER

March 25, 2012 (On sale as part of the Design Your Own Series, September 25, 2011 at 10:00am PST.)

If the phrase “male a cappella group” conjures up an image of students in blue blazers, ties and khakis singing traditional college songs on ivied campuses… think again. Straight No Chaser (SNC) are neither strait-laced nor straight faced, but neither are they vaudeville-style kitsch.

Ashley Massi is a kinda sorta stay at home mom of two amazing kids, Addison (3) and Dominic (5).  She works part time (from home) as a freelance publicist.  She worked for 5 years on the Nevada Silverman Triathlon and is handling the public relations and media outreach for the upcoming ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships, in Henderson, Nevada.  She claims once this race is over she is going to retire, but we all know better than that! Ashley is a native Las Vegan’ and lives in Henderson with her awesome little family.  

Vegas Tours: Places to rock in Vegas with or without your little entourage. (c)

The Smith Center  did not provide us with anything for free except a tour of their facilities, nor did they pay us for this post.  All words and thoughts are 100% the writer’s.