Students from Pahranagat Valley joined six Las Vegas schools at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts to showcase their talents in the Disney Musicals in Schools program March 10. 

The trip to The Smith Center was a taste of the spotlight. The students traded their classroom for a school bus, embarking on a journey to Las Vegas, where they spent the day immersed in the world of professional performance. Treated like true stars, they were given their own dressing room and enjoyed the excitement of backstage life, complete with an abundance of food and snacks. This day of preparation transformed into an evening concert in the 2,050-seat Reynolds Hall, offering these young performers a glimpse into the magic of the big stage.

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the Disney Musicals in Schools Student Share Celebration at The Smith Center. Pahranagat Valley Elementary’s participation was particularly noteworthy. Due to their remote location, they utilized StageConnect, a remote-learning platform created by Disney Theatrical Group. This innovative approach allowed the students to experience the magic of musical theater despite geographical barriers.

“For the first time ever, these kids have had an opportunity to perform, and they have blown me away with their dedication, with their love of music and with their performance,” shared Pahranagat Valley teacher Kyla Linares. “Thank you so much to Disney Musicals in Schools and The Smith Center for making this dream a reality.”

The event, hosted by KTNV’s Justin Hinton, highlighted the dedication of the teachers involved. “All of the teachers at these seven schools have dedicated hours of extra time to work with their students to put these shows together. It is truly wonderful to see these amazing educators give their students new and enriching opportunities.”

The evening began with all participating schools joining together for “It Starts With a Dream,” setting the stage for individual performances.

The performance served as an encore to a successful run of “Aladdin Kids” in Alamo on Feb. 28 and March 1. The 40-minute show featured 10 musical numbers and a talented cast of 50 students. It was the culmination of six months of hard work by students, staff and volunteers.