A night of fun and glamour awaits attendees of Puttin’ on the Glitz – Liberace-style – on Thursday, Sept. 29 while helping vulnerable youth. Join the historic Liberace Mansion as it hosts the fundraising event to benefit its neighbor, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (NPHY), a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting homeless youth in Southern Nevada.
The unique, Liberace-themed event begins at 6 p.m. and will include art, live music, both live and silent art auctions, a raffle, champagne and hors d’oeuvres crafted by Mark Sandoval, UNLV’s head culinary chef. There will be exclusive performances by Broadway in the Hood, currently in its second season at The Smith Center, and award-winning pianist Wes Winters. Guests also will have the opportunity to tour the mansion.
Designated a historic location earlier this year in March, the Liberace Mansion is known as the primary private residence of Las Vegas’ most famous entertainer, Liberace, and holds historical and cultural value. The lavish features of the property, across the street from the NPHY Drop-In Center, remain in existence today and reflect the climb to international fame and fortune of “Mr. Showmanship.”
The mansion contains many original features including the famous Sistine Chapel frescoes in the master bedroom and the master bathroom with a marble sunken bathtub, hall of mirrors copied from Louis XIV’s palace at Versailles, ornate and unique fixtures lovingly designed by Liberace, expansive ballroom built across the former piano-key tiled pool, and beautiful and original Moroccan Room located within the upper floor complex.
Proceeds from the event will add new emergency shelter beds for Southern Nevada’s growing population of homeless youth. Last year alone there were more than 14,000 homeless youth enrolled in Clark County schools, a 30 percent increase from the prior year. The most comprehensive service of its kind in Southern Nevada, NPHY provides programs to stabilize homeless teens’ lives, meeting their immediate needs and providing a safe, supportive environment and fostering a path to self-sufficiency.
“It’s great to have the support of our neighbors at the Liberace Mansion and the community to help us help so many homeless youth get back on track with their lives,” said Arash Ghafoori, executive director of NPHY. “With Puttin’ on the Glitz, we are able to bring awareness to the growing youth homelessness issue here and available services, and also celebrate Liberace and the wonderful impact he had on Las Vegas.”
Puttin’ on the Glitz is being hosted by Holy Spirit Lutheran Church and sponsored by Broadway in the Hood, Cirque Du Soleil, Human Rights Campaign Las Vegas and UNLV. Tickets are $75 per person and $125 per couple. To reserve tickets, visit www.nphy.org/glitz. The Liberace Mansion is located at 4982 Shirley Street.