Monthly Archives: October 2012

Rocky Horror in the Rock

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A production of The Rocky Horror Show opens tonight and runs through Halloween.  Performances are at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Reservoir Rd and begin at 7pm from October 24 – 27 and again from October 29 – 31.  There will also be a 10:30pm performance on Halloween.

The cast features Patty Miller-Marshall (Narrator), Jonathan Tatus (Dr. Frank-N-Furter), Jason Willey (Brad Majors), Brittany Sparkles (Janet Weiss), Danette Perry (Rif Raf), Kelani Campbell (Magenta), Rachel Warnick Hampton (Columbia), Anthony James Gerard (Eddie), Duane Jackson (Dr. Scott), Erin Murphey Martinez (Usherette) and Kyle Wigginton (Rocky).  Rounding out the cast are Beth Ross and Libby A. Smith as Phantoms.

The production is co-directed and designed by Liz Clarke, Justin Pike and Danette Perry.  It is choreographed by Lisa Luyet.

Absolutely NO outside items may be brought in to Rocky Horror. This includes, but is not limited to: hotdogs, waterguns, rice, toilet paper, newspaper, noise makers, feathers, lighters, etc.  Prop participation bags will be available at the door.

The show, written by Richard O’Brien, premiered in London in 1973.  A production was mounted on Broadway in 1975 and ran less than a month.  The movie version became a cult classic and kept the show in the public’s eye.  In 2000, a Broadway revival opened and ran for over 400 performances.

19th Amendment at Clinton Library and Clinton School

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From last Friday through tomorrow (Wednesday, October 24), the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum is exhibiting one of our nation’s treasures, the original 19th Amendment to the Constitution (which gave women the right to vote).  The document is on loan from the National Archives and Records Administration.

This evening at 6pm, Bernadette Cahill, author of “The Truth about the Nineteenth Amendment”  will be a guest lecturer at the Clinton School of Public Service.

A special complimentary viewing opportunity will be extended today from 4:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Other times regular admission fees apply – $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for senior citizens 62+ and retired military with ID, as well as groups of 20 or more with advance reservations.  Children 6 and older are $3.00. Children under 6 and active military are free.

Beginning in the 1800s, women organized, petitioned, and picketed to win the right to vote, but it took then decades to accomplish their purpose. Between 1878, when the amendment was first introduced in Congress, and August 18, 1920, when it was ratified, champions of voting rights for women worked tirelessly.

On May 21, 1919, the House of Representatives passed the amendment, and 2 weeks later, the Senate followed.  When Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment on August 18, 1920, the amendment passed its final hurdle of obtaining the agreement of three-fourths of the states.

Ark Rep’s Young Artists go “Singin’ on a Star” this week

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This past summer, the Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s Summer Musical Theatre Intensive (SMTI) presented workshops of Singin’ on a Star.  This week, the final version of Singin’ on a Star opens for a two week run on the Rep’s stage.

The show is all about the actor’s journey from stardust to stardom, set to a toe-tapping soundtrack of modern song selections from the top pop charts and the Great White Way.

The production is directed by Nicole Capri, who is the Rep’s Resident Director and Director of Education.  Karen Q. Clark serves as Music Director.  Choreography is provided by Capri, Stacy Hawking, Marisa Kirby and Stephen K. Stone.  The design team includes Mike Nichols (sets), Shelly Hall (costumes), Dan Kimble (lighting), Lynda J. Kwallek (props) and Allan Branson (sound).

The cast is composed of of over 50 junior high and high school students who will literally fill the stage with their acting, singing and dancing.

There is a preview performance on Wednesday the 24th with opening night on Friday, October 26.  Performances will continue with evening performances at 7 on Saturday, October 27 as well as November 1 – 3.  There will be 2pm matinees on October 27 and 28 as well as November 3.

For some observations from one of the summer performances of this production, click here.

 

Sculpture Vulture: Boris

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The Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale continues today. In keeping with that, today’s Sculpture Vulture features a sculpture of an attendee to each of the shows. Commissioned in 2010 and unveiled last year, Dan Glanz’s “Boris” is a likeness of Boris Kumpuris, the dog and companion of Mary and Dr. Dean Kumpuris.

Glanz captures the friendly and inquisitive nature of Boris in this work, which can be found in the Vogel Schwarz sculpture garden. Most weekends Boris can be seen with Dean as the two walk through Riverfront Park and the River Market. Boris explores and inspects the park along with Dean. Each year during the Sculpture at the River Market show, Boris visits with Dean and meets all the sculptors.

The sculpture was donated by longtime Kumpuris family friend Margaret Clark. She and her late husband Bill were two of the earliest supporters of sculpture along the Arkansas River. They donated another piece in honor of their grandchildren. A sculpture in memory of Bill was unveiled last year and stands in the wetlands park which bears his name.

Ark Symphony Concerts This Weekend

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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will perform with fiery Georgian pianist Elisso Bolkvadze on Saturday, October 20 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 21 at 3:00 p.m. at the Robinson Center Music Hall. This is the second concert of the Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks Series and is sponsored in part by University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

The concert opens with To the Point by Jennifer Higdon, ASO Composer of the Year. Then Bolkvadze continues the program with Saint-Saëns much-loved 2nd concerto. ASO Music Director Philip Mann describes the work as, “full of captivating dance rhythms, grand flourishes, and melodies that stick with you.” The ASO then takes center stage again for the remainder of the program with Sibelius’s marvelous and influential 5th Symphony.

Elisso Bolkvadze won numerous international piano competitions, such as Van Cliburn (USA), Vianna da Motta (Lisbon, Portugal), Axa International Piano Competition (Dublin, Ireland), Marguerite Long (Paris, France).

A superstar in her country of birth in Georgia, Elisso has been awarded by Georgian Government “The award of Georgian Government” and “Cultural Merit.” After she enjoyed great success at Van Cliburn International Contest, she plays many concerts in top auditorium through the world, like Kennedy Centre (Washington), Pasadena Auditorium (Los Angeles), Santa Fe Festival, Miami Arts In Florida, Orange County Center, Salle Pleyel, Salle Gaveau (Paris) Gewandhaus Orchestra (Leipzig) Radio France Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra (Russia), Herkulessaal (Munich) Alte Oper (Frankfurt), National Philharmonic of Ukraine, Georgian National Orchestra, Prague Symphony Orchestra, and Theatre de Champs Elysees (Paris).

Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale this weekend

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Hundreds of sculptures and thousands of visitors will again populate the River Market Pavilions when 2012 Sculpture at the River Market returns for the sixth year on October 19 – 21.

The sculptures will be on display in the River Market Pavilions and in the adjacent area of Riverfront Park. The works featured will include all types of media, style, subject matter, and size.

Admission to Sculpture at the River Market is free. Sculpture at the River Market Market will run from 9AM to 5PM on Saturday, October 19 and from 10AM to 4PM on Sunday, October 21.

On Saturday, Sculpture at the River Market will take place in conjunction with the Farmers’ Market.

At 2pm today, there will be a dedication of a new piece of public art.  A one of kind 15 foot sculpture constructed of stainless steel, glass and bronze was the winner of the 2011 Sculpture at the River Market people’s choice award. “The Center” by artist Chapel received the most votes.

This evening there will be a preview party where patrons will get the first chance to see the artwork, visit with the sculptors, and purchase sculptures. Tickets for the preview party are $100.

The sale and show is sponsored by the City of Little Rock and the National Sculptors’ Guild. Proceeds from the sale of artwork will fund upgrades in Riverfront Park and the River Market.

Among the artists are Arkansans Terry and Maritza Cornejo Bean, Shelley Buonaiuto, Bryan Massey Sr., Ed Pennebaker, Ryan T. Schmidt, John Sewell, Margaret Warren and Michael Warrick.

Other artists include Lori Acott, Kevin Box, Kathleen Caricof, Dee Clements, Ron Chapel, Tim Cherry, Merrilee Cleveland, Frederic Crist, Darrell Davis, Jane DeDecker, Clay Enoch, Cassandra Fink, Jim Goshorn, Denny Haskew, Mark Hopkins, Ryan Mays, Bruce Niemi, Nic Noblique, Reza Pishgahi, Don Rambadt, Merle Randolph, Kevin Robb, Karla Runquist, Emelene Russell, Wayne Salge, Sandy Scott, Adam Schultz, Kim Shaklee, James Paulsen Solway, Sam Spiczka, Pati Stajcar, Arabella Tattershall, Kevin Trobaugh and C. T. Whitehouse

Museum of Discovery goes Uncorked tonight

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Charles Morgan and Alex Dietz, who helped build Acxiom from a small Conway business into a global force in data and data management, will serve as honorary chairmen for the 11th Annual Uncorked: The Mad Scientist Mash, a fundraiser for the Museum of Discovery. The event will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. October 18 at the museum, 500 President Clinton Avenue.

“As kids, Alex and I both were energized by science, technology and math – and that led us to get our degrees in engineering and go on to Acxiom in the early 1970s,” Morgan says. “We think it is critical that more Arkansas youth get the chance to have that same spark ignited, and the Museum of Discovery is the premier institution in our state providing that opportunity in a dynamic, hands-on, interactive environment.”

Guests, ages 21 and older, will be able to explore and experience the almost 90 interactive exhibits and discover the fun of science. There also will be interactive “Mad Scientist” experiments and encounters with the museum’s own live animals.

Tasting stations will include specialty wines and beers courtesy of Glazer’s of Arkansas. A wine pull will provide attendees the opportunity to win bottles of wine, some of which sell for well more than the $20 cost to participate. A silent auction will showcase wine-related items, gift certificates, unique experiences and more. Attendees can park free in the River Market parking deck; the entrance is on Second Street between River Market Avenue and Sherman Street.

This year’s “must have” raffle item will be a $1,000 gift certificate to Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewelers.

Event proceeds benefit the Museum of Discovery’s statewide educational outreach programs.

Morgan joined Acxiom as vice president in 1972, became chief executive officer in 1975, the position he held before retiring in 2008. Dietz joined Acxiom in 1970 and helped set the data product vision for the company, serving many years as Products Division leader before retiring in 2009. They were two of the visionaries who grew the company from 25 employees and $500,000 in annual revenue in the early 1970s to a global footprint with more than 7,500 employees and $1.5 billion in annual revenue when they retired.

“I was always interested in math – and in how things worked,” Dietz said. “It was that interest and curiosity that helped me drive innovation in Acxiom’s products. Charles and I urge all Arkansans who care about our state’s future to support the Museum of Discovery and this enjoyable Uncorked event.”

Event tickets are $100 and can be purchased at http://www.museumofdiscovery.org. For more information, please contact Meredith Poland at mpoland@museumofdiscovery.org or 501-537-3077.

About the Museum of Discovery

Located in Little Rock’s historic River Market District, the Donald W. Reynolds Science Center at the Museum of Discovery is central Arkansas’s premier science, technology and math center. With nearly 90 state-of-the-art interactive exhibits in three galleries focused on health, physical and earth sciences, and a highly trained staff, it is a leading resource for informal science-related education. The Donald W. Reynolds Science Center at the Museum of Discovery’s mission is to ignite a passion for science, technology and math in a dynamic, interactive environment.

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation awarded the Museum a $9.2 million grant solely dedicated to the renovation. The money paid for the renovation of 44,000 square feet of existing space, a 6,000 square-foot addition and new exhibits throughout the facility.