Starbright Theatre still shines as a jewel of Sun City

Whether or not Las Vegas can boast of being The Entertainment Capital of the World, or merely of the U.S., or even second-best, is a matter of semantics. But one thing no one can deny is that the quality of entertainment in this town is on so high a plane that it routinely exceeds the nose-bleed level of the stratosphere.

So when Melissa Spina declares that "the Starbright Theatre is one of the best-kept secrets in Las Vegas," it has to be something special. And most of the 300 or so spectators who fill the theater on Saturday evenings, Sunday afternoons and occasionally a weekday, throughout the year, would agree. That's why they keep coming back. And sometimes they return week after week, as every show is a one-time stand.

You're probably wondering who is Melissa Spina? And unless you live in Sun City Summerlin, or you reside in one of the neighboring communities, maybe you're also wondering, where is the Starbright Theatre?

Well, Spina is the director of community services in Sun City, and for almost 11 years, she has been responsible for booking shows at the Starbright, providing audiences with a quality level of entertainment that is fast becoming the envy of Las Vegas.

And that's what makes the Starbright Theatre one of the best-kept secrets. Those who attend the variety of performances, including nonresidents of Sun City, can attest to it, especially for the price of a ticket, which ranges from $15 to $20. Add into the mix that the Starbright provides its patrons with seating comfort, excellent acoustics, a stellar ambience, easy access and convenient parking.

But, above all, it provides quality entertainment, all of which was the element that the Del Webb Corp., the developer of Sun City, had in mind when it built the facility as an ideal final touch for the community. It proves that a theater is just another four walls with a roof and a stage if it doesn't provide the kind of performances that attract patrons who are eager to return.

"I think we're particularly fortunate to have such a wide choice of really good entertainers available to us," Spina said. "Of course, we're always on the lookout for top-level performers," she added, noting that Las Vegas is the magnet for drawing a measurable caliber of talent that is unavailable in most other cities.

"It's a credit to the nature of this city. And because we are a part of Las Vegas, we're fortunate enough to have the quality of singers, dancers, musicians and comedians that are available to us," she said. "I might add that most of the people who appear on the Starbright stage tell us they enjoy performing in this kind of atmosphere."

Her reference was to Sun City as a retirement community.

"I also work a lot with the people at Anthem," she said. (Sun City Anthem is another Del Webb retirement complex, located in Henderson.) "We often swap shows. In addition, we're finding that many who perform on the Starbright stage request return engagements. And many of our patrons will request that we bring back certain entertainers."

For example, vocalist Josh Keating, accompanied by his 10-piece band, performed on Veterans Day. He was booked by popular demand to do an entirely new show after a sold-out performance in the Starbright last July. Keating and members of his family have performed in Sun City several times in the past.

"We usually book three to four professional shows a month, but that's in addition to performances by some of our local clubs," Spina said. Those clubs include the Tappers, the Silvertones Chorus and the Musicmakers.

And there's always the element of surprise. Occasionally a group of variety performers will bring along, unannounced, an entertainer of prominence who might not have a gig that evening.

"We never know when some big name might show up," Spina said. "We recently had a group that brought along Rich Little. He just happened to be free at that time," she said. Little is a world-renowned comedian and impressionist, often referred to as "the man of a thousand voices."

Starbright Theatre tickets can be purchased online at scscai.com.

— Herb Jaffe was an op-ed columnist and investigative reporter for most of his 39 years at the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. His most recent novel, "Double Play," is now available. Contact him at hjaffe@cox.net.