Vegas Voice 4-17 web

With thanks to The Vegas Voice’s further
expansion into the entertainment arena, I
have the great pleasure and opportunity to bring the
best talent to the stage and theater near you. It’s also allowing performers
to receive some additional exposure and promote their upcoming shows.
And for those who haven’t seen my new stage jacket yet… well come to
our shows.
We’ve been fortunate to be in just about every active adult community in
the Las Vegas Valley. We now proudly hold fantastic, wonderful and “Strip”
shows in Sun City MacDonald Ranch, Siena, Sun City Summerlin and Sun
City Aliante. That’s a lot of Sun!
And let’s not forget our Twilight Affair variety shows at the Silverton Hotel
beginning again in May. The kick off show in May will be outstanding, with
follow up shows in August, September, October, November and December.
And the best part – their FREE!
The shows will take place in the Veil Pavilion on the 3 rd Tuesday of these
months starting at 6 pm.
And there’s more. Starting this month, and with great thanks to our
sponsor, Humana, we have a new twist in our bringing you the finest in
entertainment - our “Celebrity Spotlight Interview.”
Twice a month a Las Vegas headliner/celebrity (our two) will be sitting
down and talking about…well you’ll just have to join us to find out.
Every 2 nd Wednesday, I will be interviewing a celebrity at the Humana office
14
Expanding Our Entertainment
By: Evan Davis / Entertainment Editor
Keith Thompson’s Labor of Love
By: Sam Wagmeister / People & Places
April 2017
Pia Zadora will be my first guest on our new TV show
on W. Charleston. My first guests will be Pia Zadora and Sonny Charles.
And every 3 rd Tuesday, Rich Natole will be hosting at the Humana office
in Green Valley. His first guests – the great Marty Allen and his beautiful,
talented wife Karon Blackwell.
Both shows will be recorded in front of a live audience. The TV Podcasts
will be seen on our Vegas Voice website, You Tube site, Facebook page, and
of course, my web site.
Call the local Humana offices to reserve a seat. See the announcements
on the next page. Also, don’t forget to check out my website: www.
EvanDavisJazz.com.
You can read Evan’s entertainment blog and sign up to receive
his free email weekly Calendar of Events at www.EvanDavisJazz.
com. Email him at: evan@thevegasvoice.net.
Olivia Newton-John was at Table 35; the
Righteous Brothers at Table 55; Cindy
Williams, appearing in Menopause the Musical was
at Table 54 and Lucie Arnaz with hubby Lawrence Luckinbill at Table 25.
Each month, celebrities jockey for tickets and stage time at the Smith
Center’s Composer’s Showcase, an unscripted jam session that sprung from
the mind of Keith Thompson, usually a behind-the-scenes guru. It was born
when cast members of Mama Mia met to audition material.
After a nomad existence that included stops at now closed Suede Bar,
Garfield’s Restaurant, Liberace Museum and other gritty venues, the Smith
Center’s COO Paul Beard brought Thompson’s magical nights to the 250-
seat Cabaret Jazz Theater. It has blossomed with the host’s efforts and sparkle
- and the venue’s state-of-the art lighting and sound.
Thompson, who settled in Las Vegas in 2004 as Musical Director of We
Will Rock You based on the music of Queen, piled up credits directing the
horns, strings and percussion for Mama Mia, Phantom and Jersey Boys.
“I thought it was more than a cute idea,” Thompson recalls, “I thought it
was an amazing idea.” It has evolved he says, into a “lovefest” relationship
between the performers and the audience. “All the artists are sitting in the
room. That’s one of the things people like…the old vibe in the room.”
Audiences grew through word of mouth and social media.
For the carefully planned Showcases, Thompson assembles cream-of-
Thompson & Kristen Hertzenberg
the-crop vocalists,
musicians and composers whose original music has not previously
been performed in public. The witty Thompson hosts the carefully crafted
evenings of wide ranging musical genres.
He introduces marquee Strip performers: Jersey Boys’ Travis Cloer, the
versatile Chadwick Johnson, comedian/musician Dennis Blair, Vegas
favorite, Clint Holmes and others.
“We are cultivating the creative process. Don’t take that for granted.”
Thompson debuted songs last year for his Broadway-quality musical,
Idaho, a parody of Oklahoma.
“I want everybody to know that Vegas is where new Broadway shows are
being written. There’s kind of nothing anywhere like this. It feeds my artistic
soul.”
Tickets: www.TheComposersShowcase.com, $20 - $25.