Monthly Archives: April 2013

Little Rock Look Back: La Harpe Sees a Rock

Posted on by

IMG_4805On April 9, 1722, French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe rounded the bend of the Arkansas River and saw La Petite Roche and Le Rocher Français.  He had entered the mouth of the Arkansas River on February 27 after traveling up the Mississippi River from New Orleans.

Though La Harpe and his expedition are the first Europeans documented to have seen La Petite Roche, the outcropping of rocks was well-known to the Quapaw Indians in the area.  The outcropping jutted out in the Arkansas River and created a natural harbor which provided a perfect place for boats to land.

The rock outcropping is the first one visible along the banks of the Arkansas River.  It marks the place where the Mississippi Delta meets the Ouachita Mountains.  Geologists now believe that the Little Rock is not the same type of rock as the Ouachita Mountains and more closely matches the composition and age of mountains in the western US.

In 1813, William Lewis became the first European settler to live near La Petite Roche but only stayed a few months.  Speculators and trappers continued to visit the area throughout the 1810s. During that time, the outcropping became known informally as the Little Rock.

La Petite Roche had become a well-known crossing when the Arkansas Territory was established in 1819. The permanent settlement of ‘The Rock’ began in the spring of 1820, and the first building has been described as a cabin, or shanty, and was built on the bank of the river near the ‘Rock.’ In March 1820, a Post Office was established at the ‘Rock’ with the name “Little Rock.”

Over the years, La Petite Roche was altered.  In 1872, Congress authorized the building of a railroad bridge. A pier for the bridge was built at the location of the La Petite Roche which caused the removal of several tons of rock.  The bridge was never built.  When the Junction Bridge was built in 1899, even more rock was removed in the process of erecting part of the bridge on top of the rock.  It was not viewed as being disrespectful of the City’s namesake at the time.  Indeed, it was viewed as a testament to the sturdiness of the rock.

In 2010, La Petite Roche plaza opened in Riverfront Park.  It celebrates the history of La Petite Roche and explores its importance to various aspects of Little Rock’s history and geography.

April 8 Architeaser

Posted on by

MannonMainThis is one of the architectural flourishes on this building at 317 Main Street.  Designed by architect George R. Mann, the building was built in 1906 as the flagship of the Gus Blass Department Store.  It operated in that capacity until 1972.  It later served as a bank facility until the late 1990s.  Now it is the anchor of a redevelopment on Main Street.  It is now known as Mann on Main, in tribute to the architect who designed not only this building but many others downtown.

This building is one of Little Rock’s most architecturally significant buildings and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Reel Classics with the Rep: DEATH OF A SALESMAN

Posted on by

717deathLater this month, Robert Walden opens in Death of a Salesman at Arkansas Rep.  In conjunction with that, the Reel Classics with the Rep series returns for this month’s installment.

The monthly series showcases films which share connections with productions currently on stage at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

Tonight’s film is the 1985 version of Death of a Salesman.  This version was filmed for television and is adapted from the 1984 Tony winning revival.  It stars Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman.  Kate Reid, John Malkovich and Stephen Lang play other members of the Loman family. Other standouts in the cast include Charles Durning and Louis Zorich.

The program begins tonight at 6pm with a discussion of the Rep’s production led by members of the Rep’s staff.  Following that, at 6:30, the film will be screened.  It takes place at Laman Library.

The Rep’s production, directed by Robert Hupp, begins performances on April 24 and runs through May 12.  Opening night is April 26.

Arkansas Arts Center Family Festival today

Posted on by

arkartsctrlogoSunday, April 7, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m., Alice Pratt Brown Atrium and Children’s Theatre

52nd Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition Awards Reception and Family Festival

The winners of the Arkansas Arts Center 52nd Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition will be honored by hosting a Family Festival.  The events will bring out the artistry in every member of your family – grown-ups included! 

Kids of every age will hunt for stories, create action art, make murals and celebrate those young artists who have been chosen for special awards for their participation in the 52nd Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition. These events are free to members, Young Arkansas Artists and their families. Tickets are $20 per family for non-members. 

Artist awards will be held in the Children’s Theatre at 2:30 p.m.

New play reading of Judy Baker Goss’ LIFE SCIENCE today

Posted on by

judygossLittle Rock playwright and educator Judy Baker Goss is working on a new play.  A public reading of the play will take place today at 4pm at Cabe Theatre on the campus of Hendrix College.

The play, Life Science, is set during the Arkansas trial contesting Act 590 in 1981, the play explores tensions outside the courtroom between parents and teens involved in the fight over what students should be taught in biology about evolution and who holds authority over their teaching.

Goss describes the play like this: In 1981, Phoebe is pressured beyond normal teen anxiety. Her mother, a biology teacher in remission from cancer, will testify against Arkansas’ “creation science” law, supported by Phoebe’s boyfriend, Paul, and his father, an evangelical pastor. Fearing, too, that her separated parents will divorce, she leans on Paul more, but college plans consume him.

Phoebe finds comfort from Victor, an African-American classmate and basketball player whose father also opposes mixing religion with science teaching. As Phoebe and Paul’s relationship buckles, she grows closer to Victor, but violence erupts between the boys. Parents and teens find that each alone can’t restore shattered self-respect, which is essential to surviving tests of faith in their shared environment.

Hendrix College Associate Professor and department chair Ann Muse will direct the performance with a cast of students and adult actors.

Revisions to Life Science continue, after it was discussed by Lee Blessing, Dan O’Brien and contributors in the Sewanee Writers’ Conference playwriting workshop in 2009 and again by Daisy Foote and Sewanee playwriting workshop participants in 2012.

April 5 Architeaser

Posted on by

IMG_4706The above rounded glass blocks are from the Main Street structure now commonly called the Boyle Building.   Built in 1909 as the State National Bank Building, by 1916 it became known as the Boyle Building.  The 12-story, approximately 100,000 square foot building was designed by Little Rock architect George R. Mann.  It was the tallest building in the state from 1909 until the Donaghey building was completed in 1926.

 

Ballet Arkansas Springs in to Motion

Posted on by

SpringIntoMotionWeb2World premiere choreography as well as classic ballet performed by Ballet Arkansas’ Professional Company is coming to the stage at The Arkansas Repertory Theater.

Ballet Arkansas’ new concert, Spring into Motion, will run from April 5-7, 2013 at The Rep. Directed by former Ballet Arkansas dancer Michael Bearden – currently a principal dancer at Ballet West in Salt Lake City – Spring into Motion will not only present dances by national choreographers, but also showcase the immense physical talents of Ballet Arkansas’ Professional Company.

“This show brings Arkansas audiences high-quality choreographers who are currently creating works on ballet companies throughout the country,” Bearden said. In addition to classics such as Don Quixote and Black Swan, Spring into Motion boasts two newly commissioned works by nationally known choreographers Darrell Grand Moultrie and Peter Zweifel, as well as a contemporary work titled Mobile, which has recently delighted audiences of Joffrey Ballet Co., San Francisco Ballet and Kansas City Ballet.

Spring into Motion marks an important step in the evolution of Ballet Arkansas. For the first time, the company will perform at Arkansas Repertory Theatre in downtown Little Rock.   This production will be the first collaboration between Ballet Arkansas and The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, and “this collaboration adds a new dimension to what arts patrons can enjoy on The Rep stage,” said Bob Hupp, producing artistic director at Arkansas Rep.

Tickets are available through The Rep box office at (501) 378-0405 or online at http://www.balletarkansas.org.  Tickets are $35 for Orchestra and First Mezzanine seating and $30 for Second Mezzanine seating. Spring into Motion will open Friday, April 5, 2013 with an evening performance starting at 7:30 p.m. Other show times include an evening performance on Saturday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee on Sunday, April 7 at 2:00 p.m. Student Matinees for Spring into Motion at The Rep are currently scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on April 3, 4, and 5 for statewide student groups.

Spring into Motion will travel to the University of Central Arkansas’ Reynolds Center for a student matinee and an evening performance on Thursday, April 18. Show times include 1:00 p.m. for the student matinee and 7:30 p.m. for the evening performance. To purchase tickets for the evening performance, visit http://uca.edu.ticketforce.com/. All student matinee program reservations can be made by calling (501) 223-5150 or emailing erin@balletarkansas.org for reservation information.