Saturday, December 4, 2021 – 7:30 PM

Donato Cabrera, conductor
Keith Thompson, host
Travis Cloer, vocals
Vita Corimbi, vocals
Michelle Johnson, vocals
Ellie Smith, vocals
Eric Jordan Young, vocals

The season will shine merry and bright when the talented performers from The Composers Showcase hosted by Keith Thompson, return to sing classic seasonal favorites and local originals with our symphony orchestra in a holiday spectacular like no other!

Holiday selections include:
A Christmas Festival
Christmas is my Favorite
O Little Town of Bethlehem
(Baby It’s Cold) Under the Mistletoe
The Prayer
Chanukah Suite
You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch?
I’ll be Home for Christmas
It’s the most Wonderful Time of the Year
Selection from The Nutcracker Suite
Sleigh Ride
Christmas Matters
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve
Grown-Up Christmas List
Holidays from the Heart
Fantasia on Greensleeves
Happy ChristmaHannukKwanzaKah
Holiday Made of Love
Celebrate Me Home
White Christmas

For more information, call Patron Services at 702.462.2008. 

Purchase Dec. 4 Tickets

Composer Keith Thompson has had a prestigious musical career and his work has received critical acclaim. Keith’s most recent list of professional credits include musical director and conductor for the Las Vegas companies of Jersey Boys at the Palazzo, The Producers at the Paris, Hairspray at the Luxor and for the North American premier of the hit musical, We Will Rock You, which also ran at the Paris, Las Vegas.

As conductor and musical director for the first national tours of Mamma Mia! and Cabaret, Keith directed stars such as Teri Hatcher, Lea Thompson, and Tony Award Winner, Norbert Leo Butz in lead roles. He also supervised the music for the Australian production of Cabaret in Sydney and won the 2000 Dora Award as musical director of Cabaret in Toronto. Other national tours Keith has conducted include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, with Donny Osmond; Peter Pan, with Cathy Rigby; Jesus Christ Superstar, with Carl Anderson and Ted Neeley; and concert tours for Sarah Brightman and Jenifer Lewis. In addition, his New York credits include Les Miserables, When Pigs Fly, and Little Shop of Horrors.

Keith’s original comedy/novelty song revue, Kooky Tunes, has received international critical and popular praise. This revue completed a successful extended engagement at New York’s Laurie Beechman Theater, followed by and Australian tour, and the release of the 2002 cast recording, currently available on www.Amazon.com. Keith also composed White Lies, Douglas Carter Beane’s Off-Broadway revue spoofing the tabloid media, as well as dozens of other award-winning songs.

Keith was vocal director and arranger for RoundHouse, a Television series aired on the Nickelodeon Network.  Keith was also Adjunct Professor in the Musical Theater program at NYU where he conducted, arranged and supervised music for dozens of shows.  God Lives in Glass, Keith’s newest original show, premiered at NYU’s Provincetown Playhouse in Greenwich Village and has been presented regionally and in concert nationwide. He is excited to be co-composer with long-time collaborator, Buddy Sheffield, for the new comedy musical, IDAHO!, which will premiere at the New York Musical Theater Festival in New York City on September 25th, 2008.

With a voice that is strong & powerful, yet clean & nuanced, Travis Cloer is a remarkable talent.

From classical to Jazz, musical theatre to rock-n-roll, & everything in between, there isn’t a genre of music that can escape his masterful ability to grab a song & make it his very own.

Growing up the son of a music minister, Travis has music in his blood. His ability to deliver a song & touch a listener’s heart is unmatched.

A Kansas native, Travis studied music & theatre at Kansas State University.  He then went on to play iconic roles like “Tony” in West Side Story, “Joe Hardy” in Damn Yankees, & “Rusty” in Starlight Express.

He joined the Original Broadway Cast of the TONY & GRAMMY winning JERSEY BOYS  & set a record as the longest running actor to play “Frankie Valli” in the show’s history WORLD  WIDE, with over 2200 performances! His portrayal earned him several BEST ACTOR nominations from BroadwayWorld.com & much acclaim & respect in Las Vegas & on Broadway. 944 Magazine called his performance “riveting & transformative!”

As a solo artist, he has released 3 albums & toured the world, leaving audiences on their feet with his highly energetic & infectious live concerts. He has performed with the symphonies of Salt Lake City, Buffalo, & Las Vegas, as well with the world famous Radio City Rockettes.

Whatever the setting, one thing is for sure…

You will be blown away by Travis Cloer.  His voice, charisma,& ability to command a crowd are unparalleled.

BROADWAY STAR. RECORDING ARTIST. UNPARALLELED ENTERTAINER.

Michelle Johnson is a contemporary jazz-influenced singer-songwriter based in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she is known as “The First Lady of Jazz.”  After years of singing backups for many musical legends, she is currently recording her first solo album. The music video for her latest single, “I’m All In” has over 24,000 views since its release in the fall of 2019.

Michelle is a multilingual international vocalist whose versatility, affinity for languages, unique voice and impressive range have made her a hot commodity in the music business. She grew up primarily in Cairo, Egypt and then attended and graduated from Yale University. Her original path to Harvard Law School diverged onto a different route when her passion for the entertainment industry eventually won out. She has performed on Broadway and shared a stage with or recorded with several artists including Paul McCartney, Gladys Knight, Barbara Streisand, Elton John, Sheena Easton, Slash, Paul Rogers, Rosanne Cash, Neal Schon (of Journey) and PM Dawn. She has also worked with David Foster, Josh Groban, Spyro Gyra, Wynonna, Vince Gill, and Cher.

The versatile vocalist also performs regularly in sold out, self-produced shows at the Smith Center’s Myron’s Cabaret Jazz in Las Vegas, and sings everything from jazz and R&B to classic rock and opera. She has performed on Broadway, and has been seen on several major television networks in the USA and overseas.

She also produces entertainment for major corporations and continues to contract choirs, singers, and musicians for headliners like Barbara Streisand, Rosanne Cash, the Righteous Brothers and several other celebrities. She has appeared on Jay Leno and the Tonight Show, the Arsenio Hall Show, Soul Train, and many shows in Asia and Europe, and was contracted as the vocal arranger/soloist opposite Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, and Robin Williams in HBO’s “Comic Relief.” Michelle performed with Sugarland at the AMC Awards on CBS.

Her unique talents as both an entertainer and producer take her across the country and the globe several times a year via her production company, Diva Las Vegas Productions. Clients include Mercedes,Toyota, IBM, AT&T, Bayer, HBO, MTV, the NBA, and countless recording artists.

You can also hear her signature sound on numerous television and radio jingles. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, she is now a Las Vegas resident and is the voice of the Las Vegas “UNLV Tickets” jingle among other popular spots. The gospel choir she founded was handpicked to perform with Barbara Streisand at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and has appeared with countless celebrities under Michelle’s direction.

Michelle is the recipient of the National Association of Women Business Owners “Woman of Distinction” Award for her contributions in entertainment, and she is also the 2020 Las Vegas Black Music Awards recipient of the Lena Horne Award for Musical Excellence.

In addition to live performing, directing and event producing, Michelle is also a writer and a coauthor of the inspirational book “Power of the Platform” and is currently in the process of writing a book about the music industry. Her passion is uplifting people through the power of music, and she hopes to create a non-profit music therapy foundation to help at risk youth and survivors of trauma and abuse. She also mentors female entrepreneurs and empowers women through her music and advocacy work.

Ellie is absolutely thrilled to be coming home to perform with the Las Vegas Philharmonic after 6 months as a lead vocalist on the #1 ultra-luxury cruise line in the world. At 25, she is a graduate of Brigham Young University’s Music/Dance/Theatre program and now resides in New York City. Look for her as Mira in the feature film “Miracle Valley” coming to theaters this fall! Ellie can also be seen costarring in season 9, episode 11 of CBS’s hit “Blue Bloods.”  Her favorite theatrical credits include Eponine in Les Misérables at Artemus Ham Concert Hall, (Broadway World award winner for Best Supporting Actress) Gretchen Wagner in the pre-Broadway workshop of In The Light, two seasons at Tuacahn Amphitheater, and a season at the Utah Shakespeare Festival starring in The Secret Garden.

Ellie was crowned Miss Nevada 2014 and represented her state at the famed Miss America pageant, taking home the top talent award. Next summer, she’ll be starring as Sandy in Grease at Cape Playhouse in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.elliesmith.com and @elliesmith on Instagram.

Eric Jordan Young is an accomplished Producer, Director, Choreographer, Entertainer, Playwright and Songwriter with TV, Broadway (RAGTIME ‘98/’09, CHICAGO, SEUSSICAL, LOOK OF LOVE), Off-Broadway, Regional (NYSF, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Alliance Theater), National Tour (CHICAGO, RAGTIME, DREAMGIRLS), and Commercial credits. Las Vegas performances include COCKTAIL CABARET (Caesars Palace), ROCK OF AGES (Venetian/Rio), SHAKIN’ – Vegas Remixed with a Twist (Planet Hollywood), CHICAGO (Mandalay Bay), STARLIGHT EXPRESS (Las Vegas Hilton) and VEGAS! THE SHOW. Eric has performed with several Symphonies throughout the country including the Atlanta Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra and the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. His solo album ONCE IN A LIFETIME, was produced by his company EnJoY! Productions and his one-man musical SAMMY & ME is the winner of the ArtVoice and Salt Awards. Mr. Young served as the Resident Director of BAZ (Venetian/Palazzo) and loves working as a Creative Director for original projects including RENEGADES at Caesars Palace and DRAG SUPPER CLUB.  Eric is currently the Associate Director for the Norwegian Cruise Line production of FOOTLOOSE and the recent production of ROCK OF AGES in Hollywood, CA. EnJoY!  https://www.ericjordanyoung.com/