POPULAR LAS VEGAS ENTERTAINER BRINGS VINTAGE HOLIDAY FLAVOR TO THE SMITH CENTER Just before the pandemic hit, producer and vocalist Michelle Johnson was coming off the high of another successful show at The Smith Center, where the singer has created some of her best work.
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er Black History Month production “Sankofa – A Celebration Concert of African American Music and History” was the singer’s 10th sold out show in Myron’s at the Smith Center. As always, there was an outstanding band, a cast of some of the city’s top vocalists, and a powerful theme and vibe that had people on their feet. After the show, Michelle got the usual question from fans: “What’s next?” With no inkling of what March of 2020 was to bring, the singer rattled off her list of upcoming projects and invited fans and friends to attend. A few weeks later, the city, the country, the world …came to a standstill as the Covid19 pandemic took hold, and venues and businesses shut down like dominoes. Like many performers, Michelle used the down time to focus on family, writing, and pivoting when she could. Some smaller venues managed to stay open, and others turned to live streaming and limited capacity events, but The Smith Center remained shuttered. Until now.
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Fresh off of her Broadway themed show that was part of the Smith Center’s reopening celebration in September, Michelle Johnson is back at the Smith Center on December 19, with the return of her Vintage Christmas show. The critically acclaimed production is a nostalgic, throwback Christmas special featuring the timeless music of Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and so many other legends, in a cozy holiday setting, and featuring special
musical guests and the Strictly Taboo Big Band under the direction of Joe Escriba. The show also gives a nod to the comedy of Bob Hope, who was a holiday staple on the USO circuit, and features the swinging holiday sounds of the Andrews Sisters, and the tight harmony sound of groups like the Hi-Lo’s and the Four Freshman. “I wanted to recreate the magic and class of the old Christmas specials that used to