By Melissa Gill / Photos by Mikey Williams
Actor, host, philanthropist and owner of The Space Las Vegas, Mark Shunock lounges on a velvety green Davenport in the recording room inside his entertainment venue. The Canadian wears a black t-shirt, blue jeans and a ballcap with the venue’s logo. Shunock is a skillful performer, but he’s also highly regarded for Mondays Dark, a 90-minute variety show powered by the talents off-duty Vegas entertainers that raises $10,000 for a different nonprofit twice a month. For over a decade, his charity-driven event has supported more than 200 organizations, donating over $2 million to philanthropic efforts, with every penny of it staying in Las Vegas.
“We certainly didn’t set out with the idea or the ambition that we would be doing this for 10 years. Mondays Dark came about when we were doing ‘Rock of Ages.’ It was our way to give back as performers on the Strip,” says Shunock.
Throughout the years, Mondays Dark has centered on a wide range of themes from Broadway to Motown, recognizing different charitable organizations each time. No two shows are the same. The all-volunteer Mondays Dark is entirely a labor of love. Initially, The Space was intended to solely be the home of his variety show. The budget was set for operating only twice a month and offering programming that supported the local populace intermittently, but the venue quickly took on a life of its own.
“The Space became much more popular than Mondays Dark and people started to take notice of this cool venue a block off the Strip,” says Shunock. “Every time we would host a Mondays Dark party, following that event we would receive probably three to five phone calls a day and maybe five to 10 emails a day saying it’s an incredible facility. People asking, can my band play there? Can I have my 50th birthday party there? Can my parents celebrate their anniversary there? Can I throw an Alzheimer’s Disease support group meeting there? Can I do a puppy rescue in the parking lot? The requests for the event space started to blow up.”
Shunock expresses that the local entertainment industry workers are more than just a talented group of artists seeking their breakthrough roles compared to other cities. Instead, they have a strong sense of solidarity rather than a ruthless rivalry. His face brightens as he recounts his excitement reading about fellow performers’ career milestones on social media.
“It’s not as cutthroat as the east or west coast. Hollywood is very competitive. Same in New York City, it’s incredibly competitive,” says Shunock. “Even as performers, we want the entertainment scene to thrive here in Vegas. We support each other when things are going well.”
Show business isn’t for the faint-hearted. Making a name for oneself in the entertainment industry is a great undertaking. Shunock’s definition of success has significantly expanded over time as an artist championing other artists. What started as a move to Vegas to top-bill “Rock of Ages” has evolved into something infinitely more rewarding. This version of Shunock isn’t the same Shunock who’s consumed by what his next acting job will be or is hustling between auditions. He’s paid his dues tenfold. Even when he’s serving as the in-arena host for the Vegas Golden Knights, the team Shunock says owns Las Vegas’ heart, his humanitarian spirit is ever-present.
“One of the things that makes me feel the best is when I’m at a Golden Knights hockey game, we’re partying in the stands, and we score a goal,” says Shunock. “Somebody high fives me and says, ‘That was a great goal, but I love what you do at Mondays Dark.’”
Since his fundraising endeavors have cultivated a myriad of meaningful connections with the Vegas community, he encourages individuals seeking support to reach out. His aspirations for the future of Mondays Dark and The Space boil down to creating a more significant impact.
“If you’re a young woman working as a cocktail server who’s in an abusive relationship, if you call The Space, we know where to get you help because we’ve partnered with SafeNest,” says Shunock. “If you have a dog that you need to, for whatever reason, abandon, we’ve worked with every shelter in town. If you’re battling depression, we’ve partnered with almost every mental health agency in Vegas. We want people to know that we’re here for them.”
When guests, team members and performers enter the showroom, a plaque hangs on the wall surrounded by high-quality production stills of past performances and lists of supporters who have contributed to The Space since its inception in 2017. The statement on the plaque isn’t a hackneyed phrase or a raving review. Instead, it pays homage to all who have embraced Shunock’s altruistic ambitions for the city he calls home: “The Space exists because of the amazing generosity of our community.”