By Rob Schlegel Rob Schlegel is the political commentator at WhatsUp.Vegas As Nevada’s early voting begins Oct. 17, The Spectrum offers readers a Voter Guide to help them prepare for the upcoming election. The latest issue highlights the importance of staying informed and participating in the democratic process, giving readers a resource to review before heading to the polls. Explore the guide and get ready to make your voice heard. Read the latest issue and explore the voter

By Debbie Hall What happens when a conductor approaches an orchestra not simply as an ensemble to lead, but as a creative partner? For Rei Hotoda, the answer is possibility. Now officially serving as Music Director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Hotoda is beginning a four-year tenure that places creativity at the center of her vision for the orchestra. She will conduct Rei Conducts Beethoven on Oct. 17, launching a new artistic chapter for the Philharmonic and introducing Las

There is an art to turning the deeply personal into something an audience can recognize, laugh at and perhaps even feel a little less alone about. Las Vegas artist Shannan Calcutt takes that idea to the stage with Things I Shouldn’t Tell You, a candid, wickedly funny exploration of midlife, womanhood, sexuality, identity and the unexpected indignities of “second puberty.” Presented by THIRD Street Arts & Media Incubator, the newly expanded production runs through October 11 a

By Debbie Hall For Marianne Phoenix, Singin’ From My Soul is a chance to turn a lifetime of music, memories, and experience into one intimate evening onstage. After decades of performing in Las Vegas, Marianne has built the show around 15 songs that speak to love, life, and the experiences that have shaped her. The selections are personal, but she hopes the emotions behind them will resonate beyond her own story. "Feels like I’m alive again!” Marianne says. “Once a performer,

By Debbie Hall For three days this October, Sunset Park becomes a living canvas of armor, music, craftsmanship and performance when the Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival returns to Las Vegas October 9-11. More than 30 acres will transform into a colorful 16th-century English village, where knights charge into full-contact jousting, musicians fill the air, artisans work at their crafts, performers take the stage and costumed characters blur the line between audience and spe

By Debbie Hall Las Vegas professionals across housing, design, construction, real estate and business will have an opportunity to connect, share ideas and give back at Building Dreams Las Vegas on October 15. Hosted at The Las Vegas Design Center, the event will feature lunch, an engaging industry panel and an interactive vendor and showroom passport experience. Attendees can explore participating showrooms while connecting with fellow professionals across the region’s housin

No Talking By Paul Atreides Author, Playwright, and Theatre Critic at EatMoreArtVegas.compaul-atreides.com Have you ever read something that caused you to laugh out loud, then relayed it to someone and it wasn’t funny? One of those “guess you had to be there” moments? That happens in theatre, too. A script is funny as hell on the page. On the stage? Not so much. Having directed one like it, I can vouch for that. Such is one of the issues with the Sin City Players production o

Theatre is the pursuit of happiness with your compatriots; we share stories to eliminate the distance. To those who read the Junkyard Dog Productions website, Randy Adams is a Tony® and Olivier®-award winning Producer, but to me he is my wonderful former Managing Director at the Tony® -award winning TheatreWorks Silicon Valley from last century. We have Randy and his friends to thank for some of the most transformational acts and artists of our contemporary American Theatre i

Anniversary Season Opens With an Evening of Contemporary Choreography By Debbie Hall For 50 years, UNLV Dance has helped shape the artistic landscape of Las Vegas through movement, creativity, and collaboration. The milestone will be celebrated not by looking backward, but by embracing new possibilities as Golden Glow opens the anniversary season October 2-3 at the Judy Bayley Theatre, bringing together an acclaimed group of choreographers whose work connects the program’s ri

Where Las Vegas Creativity Connects, Creates and Collaborates By Isabel M. Castro "In a city famous for spectacle, four women are creating another kind of excitement—one built on collaboration, community and the belief that artists should not have to wait for permission to make their mark.” Sarah O’Connell, founder and publisher of Eat More Art and Artistic Director of The Asylum Theatre Las Vegas has never been short on spectacle. But beyond the marquees, stages and polished

Free Event at Silver Sevens Hotel & Casino Will Feature Live Drag Performances, Music, Games and Prizes By Debbie Hall In Las Vegas, drag is more than a night out. It is an art form built from transformation, costume, makeup, music, movement, and personality, with each performer creating a character that comes alive under the lights. That spirit will take center stage Thursday, October 1, when Glitz Glamour & BOOZE celebrates its first anniversary at Seven Sins Lounge inside

From Las Vegas stages and theatrical costumes to hand-sculpted Halloween folk art and a spectacular Día de Muertos ofrenda, native Las Vegan Isaias Hiram Urrabazo has spent a lifetime turning imagination into art—and memories into characters who refuse to disappear. Written and photography by Isabel M. Castro What if an altar could become a stage—and the people we have lost could become the characters returning home? For Las Vegas artist Isaias Hiram Urrabazo, that question i