Tag Archives: Joey Whisenhunt

On Father’s Day, a look at Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre’s production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

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AST FiddlerFiddler on the Roof is about a father to five daughters. Since today is Father’s Day, and Fiddler is being produced by Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre this summer, today seems a good day to discuss it.

This classic beloved musical tells the story of Tevye the dairyman who takes ultimate joy in his family and traditions. He works to raise his five daughters and see them married well, but must struggle against modern ideas and the rising tide of anti-Semitism in 1900s Russia that threaten to destroy his family and their way of life.

The cast is led by Peter Kevoian, Jo Blackstone, Stacy Pendergraft, Mark Fox, Jocelyn Vammer, Hunter Ringsmith, Hannah Moulder, Garret Whitehead, Sydney Ippolito, Matthew Holcomb, Mattie Bogoslavsky, David Bauman, Holly Ruth Gale, Dan Matisa, Jess Prichard, Ricky Pope, David Weatherly, Josie Ghormley, Claire Gillaspy, Tanner Berry, Charlie Friedman, Taylor Galloway, Garrett Houston, Moriah Patterson, Harrison Trigg, Jackson Karl, Rebecca Kuo, Amanda Kuo, Zoe Russell, Kendall Watson, Joey Whisenhunt and Maggie Whisenhunt.

Originally produced in 1964, Fiddler went on to win nine Tony Awards in 1965 including Best Musical.  

The production opened on June 10 and continues today at 2pm and 7:30, Wednesday at 2pm and 7:30 and Saturday at 7:30.

HAMLET takes stage at Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre

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PrintMurder, grief, love, betrayal, humor, madness, and revenge–this renowned story of mystery and intrigue has it all!  Prince Hamlet, haunted by his father’s suspicious death and his mother’s hasty marriage to his uncle, seeks truth and justice in a fallen world.  In the process, he learns not only what it means to be a man, but what it means to be human.

This production welcomes back Robert Quinlan (director of AST’s acclaimed Richard III, 2012), whose stunning vision of Shakespeare’s most celebrated tragedy gives you a glimpse of the backstage drama of Denmark that will leave you breathless.

This production is mounted in a three-quarter setting on the stage of Reynolds Center. Seating is limited so be sure tickets are purchased in advance.  It opens tonight at 7:30 at the Reynolds Center on the UCA campus and continues at 2pm Saturday the 21st, 7:30pm on Tuesday the 24th, 7:30pm on Thursday the 26th and 7:30pm on Saturday the 28th.  The final performance is at 2pm on Sunday the 29th.

Jordan Coughtry essays the title role with Paige Reynolds as his mother Gertrude, Dan Matisa as Claudius and the Ghost, Robert Gerard Anderson as Polonius and the Gravedigger, Kelly Karche ans Ophelia, and Brendan Marshall-Rashid as Laertes.  Others in the cast are Benjamin Stidha, Garrett Whitehead, Matthew Schmidli, Jonathan Altman, Keving Browne, Holly Ruth Gale, Chris Fritzges, Andrew Martin, Jordan Breckenridge, Evan Tyrone Martin, Sarah Guinee, Elena Wiltgen, Aaron Eley and Joey Whisenhunt.