Kristen Hertzenberg to Bring Cabaret Show to the Smith Center, 2/1

Phantom's Kristen Hertzenberg will play Cabaret Jazz at Las Vegas' beautiful Smith Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, February 1 at 7pm.

Hertzenberg is a classically trained singer best known for her starring role as Christine Daae in Andrew Lloyd Weber's re-conceived production of Phantom of the Opera in Las Vegas. She was lauded for her clear soprano voice with "the strength to keep the high notes rooted in emotion."

But in the eight years since she arrived in Las Vegas, audiences have also witnessed her versatility as a singer. She recorded her debut album Holidays from the Heart in 2011 with pianist Philip Fortenberry and boldly stepped into the role of gospel, folk, and pop singer. Says Broadway musical director Wayne Green, "She tosses off a Mozart trill and a gospel riff with equal ease." And composer Richard Oberacker, agrees. "Her instrument has range to spare with a soprano tessitura of incredible color and depth, as well as a belt that is thrilling in it's contemporary pop timbre."

Her new solo show is a glimpse into the influences outside of theatre and opera that have shaped her musical experience and Hertzenberg's offerings include country, rock & roll, folk, jazz, blues, and more. With the help of her seasoned six-piece band, she goes beyond the wigs, stage makeup, and costumes and shares a more personal side of herself and her artistry.

As her performances as a solo artist continue in Las Vegas, her fan base continues to grow. Her sold-out show at Mandalay Bay's Foundation Room in October was attended by some of the the Las Vegas Strip's finest performers. Of that evening, John Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Sun wrote, "Hertzenberg is a graceful performer whose voice is at once lilting and limitless."

Joining Kristen on piano is Martin Kaye, an award-winning British singer/songwriter and piano man who currently stars as Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet at Harrah's and has just released his second album. He's been playing piano for 23 years, singing for 26, and just debuted his own show in Las Vegas. Seven Magazine just named him "Best Actor" in the Best of the City Awards for 2013.

Also in the band is Benjamin D. Hale, currently portraying Johnny Cash in Million Dollar Quartet after a six-year run in Phantom. He just completed his debut album with his Country/Blues/Rock band, The Crimson Balladeers.

Other band members include George Bryant on drums, Joel Ferguson on pedal steel, Argentine musician Pablo Gadda on guitar, and Bob Sachs on bass.

Tickets are $25 and are available at TheSmithCenter.com. For more information about the concert, go to: http://www.thesmithcenter.com/events/kristen-hertzenberg-2/.

For more information about Kristen, visit www.kristenhertzenberg.com.

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