Las Vegas Supports Performing Arts

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“The children are our future,” as the popular song goes. They will be the next leaders and society builders so it is imperative that they get proper support, inspiration, and motivation that they need, from family, school, and local community.

Students of Grant Sawyer Middle School will be having two more performances of “War at Home”, a memorial play originally written and created by Nicole Quinn and Nina Shengold about the September 11 terrorist attacks. It was made by collecting journal entries from NY State high schoolers weeks after the incident.

The students are under Sawyer Summer Stage program following a financial grant of $38,500. The program is aimed at helping children in performance arts, which includes improvisation and production.

The first show was held on Aug. 18, but the remaining two will be on Aug. 25 and 26 at 6PM in Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. The show has free admission, but donations are accepted which will benefit Paws and Stripes, an organization that provides service dogs to veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Elsewhere, Studio 305 situated in a North Las Vegas shopping center was opened by Tyrell Rolle to support at-risk youth. Rolle is a former Cirque du Soleil dancer who now shares his passion with kids who are in danger of the misdirected ways of life.

The classes, named R.A.G.E. which stands for Reaching Above Greater Expectations, has helped teen prostitutes, kids involved in drug deals, and other troubled youth. The participants go through various dance lessons, from ballet and hip-hop to musical theatre and acrobatics.

The classes have scholars, aside from paying participants, and Rolle sponsors them. Searches for corporate sponsors are ongoing and the studio aims to help more kids in the future.

The program has worked both ways as well, as it gave purpose to Rolle after an accident, which led to him having to undergo hip surgery. The incident affected his back, meant he could no longer perform to the level he once did.

The city also expressed its support by donating 20 pairs of tap shoes. A simple gesture, but meaningful nonetheless. Fall classes will begin on Aug. 29.

Other events organized by the city for this month include a youth theatre performance, music concert, and an exhibit of ceramic works. All of these community-wide activities have free admission.

The city of Las Vegas houses some of the grandest live performance in the world. These include venues for boxing and MMA events along with other sporting events, stage plays and musicals. Though known for its casinos, the industry is seeing declining revenues, with the Strip and downtown casino profits down by 3.9% and 4.1%, respectively, as of Q1 this year. A rise in online gaming has taken the mainstream by storm and major providers of a slew of commercially licensed Marvel franchises including The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man games, have resonated with major markets not just in the U.S. Paddy Power Betfair, for instance, raked in increased revenues of £339m, which was up by 16% during that same period. Since Vegas casinos have been struggling, other entertainment offerings in Sin City have begun to gain momentum.

Vegas still maintains its status as a hotspot for Broadway musicals, theatrical plays, and live entertainment. Although Performing Arts doesn’t appeal as largely to today’s youth in relation to other forms of entertainment, the city hopes to draw in more young performers to the arts by creating public and supporting personal programs like the one aforementioned by Tyrell Rolle.