Jessica Vanek News

Jess here.  2017 is upon us, and keeping with tradition, I have made a resolution.  No, it's not your typical "eat healthier" or "get a gym membership" kind of resolution, its one involving creativity.  You see, I attend a performing arts high school in Las Vegas and I can safely say that the art of musical theatre is my passion.  I've decided to write a one act musical this year, a feat which I know is incredibly daunting, but I am always up for a challenge.  I already have my plotline figured out, and I'm really happy with what I have, but now I just need to write it.  The problem is, I don't know where to start.  When looking at iconic musicals, I find it impossible to make a distinct connection between them all. This begs the question, what makes a good show?  This can be interpreted many ways; from a technical standpoint, to the content, to the actors portraying the characters.  The whole idea of "a good show" baffles me, because no one shares the same opinion when defining what is good vs. what is bad.  

The Great American Songbook Foundation, founded by Grammy-nominated vocalist, Michael Feinstein, has selected 40 students from across the country to participate in the 2016 Songbook Academy. High school vocalists representing 17 states will compete for top awards on Saturday, July 23 at the Songbook Academy final concert at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Tickets for this popular event go on sale Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at www.TheCenterPresents.org.

On Sunday, May 29, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts hosted the fourth annual Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards, recognizing the extraordinary talent and sheer dedication found in Nevada's high school theater students. The event welcomed 19 nominees to compete at the regional finals inside Reynolds Hall, concluding the 2015 - 2016 school year with the announcement of this year's winners.  BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at all the winners below!

On Sunday, May 29, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts hosted the fourth annual Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards, recognizing the extraordinary talent and sheer dedication found in Nevada's high school theater students. The event welcomed 19 nominees to compete at the regional finals inside Reynolds Hall, concluding the 2015 - 2016 school year with the announcement of this year's winners.

Over the past few years, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch have been taking Cast Party, their 'extreme' open mic, all over the country. This past week, they took the Party to Las Vegas for the sixth time. The venue, once again, was the glorious Smith Center, a half-billion dollar performing arts center that has become a vital force in the Las Vegas musical and theatrical community. Scroll down for photos!