LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A heartbreak for theatre fans throughout the Las Vegas valley - the Smith Center will not open, at least not yet.
The President and CEO Myron Martin says touring partners are asking to postpone or cancel shows - this includes "Hamilton," which will not play during the upcoming season as planned.
Read the full email message from the Martin below:
Our community may be starting to reopen, but sadly it’s clear that large theater venues will be among the last facilities to reopen.
Our doors have been closed for months now, and we remain dark indefinitely.
While I have been hopeful from the onset of this pandemic that we would be reunited again soon, the reality is that social distancing just doesn’t work in a theater. Not only is it financially impossible to accomplish, it is artistically troubling as well. We all know how the magic of a live performance is created when we sit arm-to-arm and share the experience with others - laughing, crying, singing along.
Significantly, our touring partners are finding it difficult to plan complex tours and are coming to us asking to postpone or cancel engagements. A few weeks ago, we announced the rescheduling of "My Fair Lady" to July 2021. Today we regret to inform you that the September – October run of HAMILTON has been postponed and will not play during the current season. We do not have a new date yet, but we are working with the producers to bring this amazing show back to Las Vegas. In the meantime, our subscribers should know that we have already taken the liberty of crediting their accounts for these tickets.
We are currently in the process of rescheduling many of the other concerts and events we had slated for the summer and fall, and you can be assured you will be offered a refund for any show that does not materialize. We continue to follow the advice of the CDC, government officials and industry partners as we find new dates.
Frankly, I don’t know when we will reopen. Maybe later this fall, or January, or maybe even later. As a nonprofit that relies heavily on ticket sales, this is a serious financial setback. We are working hard to significantly cut operational expenses but going dark is still costly.
That’s why we have established the Road to Reopening Fund, a major fundraising effort to ensure that we are able to reopen, present live performances, provide stages for our resident companies and deliver transformational arts education programming in the future.
You will be hearing more about this fundraising initiative in the coming weeks, but we hope you will agree that if there was ever a time for us to ask you for help, that time is now. With your financial support, we can raise the curtain again.
We miss you and can’t wait to see you again at The Smith Center.
With hope, respect and appreciation.
