Feature: MYRON MARTIN Of The Smith Center For The Performing Arts

Myron Martin, president and CEO of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, influences the Tony Awards with his vote. The excitement builds as he and others will get to see the results on June 10 during the 72nd annual award show broadcast live on CBS 8 p.m. PT/7 p.m. CT.

As a prominent member of the performing arts industry, Martin is among the small group of people nationwide who vote on the different categories for the Tony Awards. He travels to New York City throughout the year to see numerous Broadway productions with the opportunity to bring the best shows to The Smith Center.

After viewing about 35 productions, the voters, including Martin, gather up their playbills and notes and work on placing votes in each category.

As for predictions, "It is going to be an exciting this year with the Tony Awards," Martin told BroadwayWorld.com. "I don't know who is going to win. There are so many interesting and different musical choices up for an award this year."

Productions nominated include "Square Pants Sponge Bob the Musical," and "Mean Girls." While "Square Pants" and "Mean Girls" are fun and whimsical, "The Band's Visit" is serious and developed as a different type of musical play.

The three revivals include "My Fair Lady," "Carousel" and "Once on This Island" and, as Martin stated, "are all terrific, and any one of them could win for Best Revival of a Musical."

He admitted, "Sometimes there are those years where a musical such as 'Hamilton' is going to win and everyone is talking about this extraordinary work. This year there are so many good shows, and any of those productions could win."

The power of the arts first inspired Martin during a 4th-grade field trip. He would then get involved with music, choir, and theater in elementary and junior high school. Martin had the opportunity to tour Eastern Europe with his choir. In high school, musical theater became a significant part of his life.

"I will never forget when my high school theater teacher took a group of us one Thanksgiving to New York to the Macy's parade and to see shows," he recalled. "I got to go twice, and it is such a big deal. I got to see 'The Wiz' and 'Raisin' as a kid living in Texas." He pays homage to teachers and knows they are proud that today Martin is voting for the Tony Awards.

As for touring shows, the Tony Awards can bring visibility to lesser-known productions. The awards lend credibility and can include The Smith Center on the show's national touring schedule.

"I can't wait for Sunday to see how all of the ballets stacked up and see who won," he stated. "There is no way to predict it, and it is close."

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is a $470 million world-class performing arts center offers a blend of performances by resident companies, first-run touring attractions, lectures and internationally-acclaimed performers in music, theater, and dance. The five-acre campus features four performance spaces including the 2,050-seat Reynolds Hall, the 244-seat Myron's Cabaret Jazz club, the 220-seat Troesh Studio Theater and the 1.7-acre Donald W. Reynolds Symphony Park for outdoor concerts. For more information about The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, visit www.TheSmithCenter.com.

The Tony Awards will be broadcast live on CBS on June 10 at 8 p.m. PT/7 p.m. CT. Check local listings for times.

To post a comment, you must register and login.