Free presentation of Broadway play ‘American Son’ Jan. 8-9 in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS — The Nevada Arts Council and Broadway in the Hood present “American Son,” as part of Nevada Touring Performance Initiative, a pilot program designed to promote increased exposure for all Nevadan performing artists. The kick-off performances are Jan. 8-9 at the West Las Vegas Library Theatre.

A 30-minute talkback session with the cast and crew will follow certain performances, which are sponsored by the Nevada Arts Council and offered free to the public. The Jan. 8 and 9 performances are in partnership with National Law Enforcement Appreciation week, sponsored by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation. After the shows in Las Vegas, Broadway in the Hood will take “American Son” on tour throughout Nevada with performances currently scheduled in Boulder City, Reno and Carson City.

“The Nevada Arts Council is proud to support this production, which addresses complex social issues and can hopefully start a community dialog,” Tony Manfredi, Nevada Arts Council executive director said. “The arts play a vital role in public discourse, and Nevada is fortunate to have so many talented artists to help elevate these important conversations.”

“American Son,” a drama about a mother searching for her missing teenage son, opened on Broadway in 2018. A film based on the play starring Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee was released on Netflix in November 2019.

In 2020, Broadway in the Hood performed “American Son” to more than 5,000 middle school and high school students, teachers and staff to address the goals of the Southern Nevada Any Given Child Initiative, which is focused on ensuring all K-12 students have access to quality arts experiences.

The Jan. 8 and 9 shows at the West Las Vegas Library Theatre are free, but show-goers will need tickets; for tickets, click here.

EDITORS: For a promotional image of the play, click here. For an image of the promotional poster, click here.

The Nevada Arts Council is part of the Nevada Division of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. Its mission is to enrich the cultural life of the state through leadership that preserves, supports, strengthens, and makes excellence in the arts accessible for all Nevadans.