“It has nurtured my own creative spirit while giving me the opportunity to share the experience with countless other writers and creative artists. I am humbled and grateful.”
The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas is celebrating 20 years of live original music with an anniversary show at The Smith Center in Reynolds Hall on Wednesday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. The 2½-hour extravaganza will feature two acts of all-original music by many of Las Vegas’ finest music creators and performing artists and guest writers, musicians and performers from across the nation.
Keith Thompson – co-founder, music director, producer and host of the showcase – will present a retrospective of the showcase’s history with a 25-piece orchestra to enhance the live musical experience. “In my 40-plus years as a music professional in New York and living in Las Vegas since 2004, nothing has fed my soul or given me more fulfillment than producing and presenting The Composers Showcase,” said Thompson.
“It has nurtured my own creative spirit while giving me the opportunity to share the experience with countless other writers and creative artists. I am humbled and grateful to the Las Vegas performing arts community for their support and acceptance and thrilled to celebrate this landmark anniversary of 20 years of live original music, hoping to carry on for many more!”
Scheduled performers include Grammy nominee and Dove Award winner Crystal Lewis, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Clint Holmes, pianist Philip Fortenberry (pictured in the main photo with Thompson), vocalist and lyricist Elisa Fiorillo, singer-songwriter Chadwick Johnson, musical comedian Dennis Blair, Broadway veteran Mike Eldred (“Les Misérables,” “Jesus Christ Superstar”), Emmy nominee and Billboard chart-topper Frankie Moreno, “Ka” music director and Broadway composer Richard Oberacker and Billboard chart-topping singer-songwriter Michael Peterson.
More than 2,000 songwriters and composers have performed at TCS, including Oscar-, Grammy- and Golden Globe-nominated songwriting team Allan Rich and Jud Friedman, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gina Schock of The Go-Go’s, Righteous Brothers’ icons Bill Medley and Bucky Heard, Broadway musical legends Bill Russell and Andrew Lippa and “American Idol” winner Taylor Hicks.
The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas is a Nevada nonprofit and entertainment forum that allows local and visiting composers, lyricists and songwriters the opportunity to present original material in an informal cabaret-style setting. The focus is on providing a platform for writers to showcase their live original music while uniting the music, theater and arts communities of Las Vegas and revealing the creative spirit that abounds in all who strive for artistic expression.
Thompson carefully plans each showcase presentation, screening composers and material, in order to provide the best and highest-quality entertainment while being respectful of the artists and audiences at Myron’s at The Smith Center, the host venue. Many of the shows are later in the evening to accommodate performers’ work schedules in Las Vegas.
Proceeds benefit aspiring composers and the TCS Entertainment Community Relief Fund, which provides financial assistance to those in the local performing arts community who struggle through the economic challenges since the pandemic. More than $350,000 has been raised and more than 600 local entertainers, musicians and artists who applied for assistance have received financial aid from TCS.
Tickets at $44 to $110 are available at TheSmithCenter.com and the box office at (702) 749-2000.To become a sponsor, supporter or business partner and to donate, visit TheComposersShowcase.com and email composersshowcaseLV@gmail.com. More: Instagram | Instagram | Facebook
