‘THE LAST SHOW’ for The Composers Showcase

A stellar line-up infuses a new production with proceeds to benefit The Composers Showcase…

For two decades, The Composers Showcase has been a platform for artists to perform original compositions. From time to time, audiences are treated to samples of works in progress. The Last Show has been gestating for quite a while, and after sharing glimpses during the creation process, the completed production is set to debut in a benefit for…The Composers Showcase!

If you’re a VEGAS 411 reader, you know that we adore both the concept of…and talent behind…The Composers Showcase. You can check out our recent coverage here, here, and here. We’ll wait until you catch up. Guided by entertainer Keith Thompson, The Composers Showcase is more than an evening of music and laughs:

The Composers Showcase is a Nevada nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization since 2017, whose mission is to provide a platform for original music, scholarship, and financial assistance to the Las Vegas entertainment community.

TCS serves as a forum that allows local and visiting composers, lyricists, and songwriters the opportunity to present original music to a supportive audience in an informal cabaret-style setting. TCS also encourages and nurtures young, developing creative talent by offering a scholarship to the UNLV Music Composition and Jazz Composition Departments.

Keith Thompson

As you might imagine, these services require a significant amount of funding. An inaugural performance of THE LAST SHOW will not only add to our tapestry of original offerings but also assist TCS in its philanthropic efforts. Here’s a well-written press release about the event.

“The Last Show,” a new musical inspired by the true stories of Vegas performers, will present an exciting concert of the script and original musical score as a benefit for The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas at Myron’s at The Smith Center on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m.  A VIP meet-the-artists reception follows the performance. 

The stellar cast lineup includes leads Janien Valentine (“God Lives In Glass,” Mayfair Supper Club), Lisa Marie Smith (Mayfair Supper Club, “Baz”), Gret Gonzalez (“Nunsense,” “Tony ‘N’Tina’s Wedding”), Paul Bradley (“Vegas! The Show,” “Children of Eden,” “Big River”), Jack Saleeby (“Shrek,” “The Wizard of Oz”), and Jason Martinez (Sheena Easton, “Jersey Boys”). 

The supporting cast is Paul Johnson  (“The Atomic Saloon Show,” Spazmatics, “Raiding the Rock Vault”), Tim Tucker (“Mamma Mia Las Vegas,” “Hair”), Peng Peng Lee (Warped!, “Overcompensating”), and Brad Standley (“Baz,” “Waitress” National Tour).

“The Last Show” script was written by Michelle St. Angelo, music and lyrics by Barry Anderson (“Jersey Boys,” Legally Blonde”), directed by Eric Jordan Young (“The Cocktail Cabaret,” “Vegas! The Show,” “Ragtime”), and produced by Megan and Susan Wilson of Libra Productions.

Anderson will conduct his own score from the piano, joined on stage by bassist Tyler Williams (“Le Reve”), UNLV percussion alum and two-time Pacific-Southwest Emmy Award winner Dr. Alex Stopa on drums, and guitarist Steven Lee (“Donny and Marie”).

“The Last Show” pulls back the curtain on the raw and authentic lives of those who give everything to the stage.  Unlike any other city, Las Vegas demands relentless devotion, talent, and perseverance, where dazzling spectacle hides exhaustion, sacrifice, and grit. 

When the lights go dark, a show family must reckon with identity, loss, and the haunting question of who they are when the stage disappears.  With biting humor and a soaring score, this musical gives the classic genre a bold Vegas twist.

“We’re excited to present ‘The Last Show’ fundraiser to support our nonprofit mission that provides a platform for presenting original musical creations, scholarships for young composers, and financial assistance for the Las Vegas entertainment community,” said Keith Thompson, founder, producer, and host.   

Tickets are $55 and go on sale Sept. 24 at TheSmithCenter.com. An additional tax-deductible donation of $40 is requested to attend the VIP reception. RSVP by email to composersshowcaselv@gmail.com. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas to honor the resilience and dedication of the composers, songwriters, artists, musicians, and backstage professionals who keep our city’s performing arts alive,” added Wilson.  “For those who love and champion Vegas theater and culture, this concert will be a celebration of community and part of an unforgettable night.”

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