Monthly Archives: August 2013

48 Hour Film Project this weekend in Little Rock

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Little Rock will be overrun with filmmakers this weekend as the Little Rock Film Festival hosts its fourth annual 48 Hour Film Project from August 16 – 18.

From conception to post-production, participating teams have only 48 hours to make movie magic.  Filmmakers must write, cast, produce and edit a four to seven minute film in two days. Each team is given a genre, a character, a prop and a line of dialogue that must be used. The story is up to them.

“[The] 48Hour is a great experience for filmmakers and film fans alike who want to get a taste of what it’s like to complete a short film from scratch,” said Levi Agee, producer of the LRFF 48 Hour Film Project. “You’ll never participate in anything like it. This is Little Rock Film Festival’s fourth year supporting the film festival and we are all very excited to see what Little Rock puts up on the big screen.”

At the end of the weekend, each team will submit their completed film, which will be screened on August 29 – 31 at the Bank of America Building in downtown Little Rock.

Registration is $160. Anyone interested can register here.  For more information, visit the Little Rock Film Festival website.

Tonight: “Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration,” Dr. Buzz Aldrin and Leonard David

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Buzz AldrinLegendary astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin and Leonard David, veteran space journalist and co-author of Dr. Aldrin’s new book, “Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration” will be in conversation this evening at 6:00pm at Robinson Center Music Hall.

Selected into the NASA in 1963, Dr. Aldrin developed docking and rendezvous techniques for spacecraft in Earth and lunar orbit, which was critical to the success of the Gemini and Apollo programs, and are still used today. He pioneered underwater training techniques, as a substitute for zero gravity flights, to simulate spacewalking and during the 1966 Gemini 12 mission, he preformed the first successful spacewalk. On July 20, 1969, Dr. Aldrin, along with Neil Armstrong made their historic Apollo 11 moonwalk, becoming the first two humans to set foot on another world.

Leonard David has been reporting on space exploration for nearly five decades. Mr. David is the 2010 winner of the prestigious National Space Club Press Award, presented this honor during the Club’s annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner in April 2011 that was held in Washington, D.C. Currently, Leonard is SPACE.com’s Space Insider Columnist, as well as a correspondent for Space News newspaper and a contributing writer for several magazines, specifically Aerospace America, the membership publication of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). This program is sponsored by the Clinton Foundation and Clinton School of Public Service.

*This lecture has limited seating available. Invitation is non-transferrable. Reservations are required. Reserve your seats by emailing publicprograms@clintonschool.uasys.edu or calling 501.683.5239.

Following the lecture, Dr. Aldrin and Leonard David will be available for a book signing of their new book, “Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration.” To reserve a copy, please contact Michelle Ross at the Clinton Museum Store at mross@clintonfoundation.org or 501-748-0401.

Little Rock Look Back: Mayor Tom Prince

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Mayor PrinceFuture Little Rock Mayor Tom Prince was born on August 13, 1949.  After graduating high school in 1967 (where he was on the state championship golf team), he attended the United States Naval Academy.  He later received his law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and began practicing law in Little Rock.

In 1984 he ran for the City of Little Rock Board of Directors and was elected.  In January 1985, he was selected by his fellow City Directors to serve as Mayor of Little Rock.  He served as Mayor until January 1987.  During his term in office, Arkansas celebrated its Sesquicentennial. Mayor Prince oversaw the City’s participation in the celebratory activities.  As Mayor he was also a strong advocate for expanding the city’s involvement in quality of life issues through enhanced parks and arts while maintaining a commitment to public safety and public works issues. After the completion of his four year term on the City Board, he did not seek a second term.

City of Little Rock races are non-partisan.  After leaving office, he became involved in Democratic Party politics.  In 1992, he campaigned for Bill Clinton’s presidential bid in Iowa and other Midwest states.  When his law partner, Sheffield Nelson, ran for Governor in 1994 as a Republican, Prince resigned from his Democratic Party positions and worked on the Nelson campaign.  In 1997, he was elected chair of the Pulaski County Republican Committee.  In 1998, he ran for the United States Senate as a Republican.

In 1999, Prince experienced a family tragedy and took a sabbatical from practicing law. In 2000, he moved to St. Louis to become general counsel for a securities firm located there.  Following several years with the securities firm, he joined a St. Louis law firm in private practice.  He remained in private practice in St. Louis through 2012.

A St. Louis Business Journal profile of Prince in 2010 highlighted his interests in single action shooting and in horseback riding.

Tickets to WICKED in LR go on sale today!

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wickedOz returns to the Rock as the Tony winning musical Wicked returns to Robinson Center Music Hall from September 25 through October 6.

Tickets go on sale today.

When Wicked was here in 2010, it set box office records.  It also sold out in a record time.

Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked, has won a Grammy and three Tony Awards.  Wicked features songs by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, and Working) and a book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”).  It tales the untold story of the witches of Oz.  The musical is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Receptionist).

Two other girls meet in the Land of Oz.  One – born with emerald-green skin – is smart, fiery and misunderstood.  The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.  “Wicked” tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Presented by Celebrity Attractions, the production takes center stage at Robinson Center Music Hall for a limited two-week engagement.

The performance schedule is as follows:

  • 7:30 p.m Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday
  • 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
  • 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
  • 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 (special matinee)

Prices start at $43.

Tickets can be purchased here, or by calling (501) 244-8800 or stopping by the Celebrity Attractions Box Office at 300 S. Spring, Little Rock.

For more information about the performances, click here.

Ballet Arkansas Master Class today

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BalletArkPacific Northwest Ballet Soloist, Kiyon Gaines, will teach an open master class for dancers today, August 11th at Shuffles & Ballet II studios, 1521 Merrill Drive, in Little Rock. The class will run from 1pm to 2:30pm.  Please arrive early to register. The class fee is $25 and the observer fee is $15.

Both participant and observer numbers are limited; advance reservations are required. Email info@balletarkansas.org to reserve your spot.

This class is the first in a series of Master Classes to be taught by Ballet Arkansas’ guest choreographers for the 2013-2014 Season. Mr. Gaines is choreographing a new work for Ballet Arkansas’ spring concert, Momentum, which premieres at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre April 25-27, 2014.

KiyonHeadshotKiyon Gaines is from Baltimore, Maryland. He trained at Baltimore School of the Arts, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, the School of American Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. He joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2001 and was promoted to soloist in 2012.In addition to his performing career, Mr. Gaines is a choreographer. Among other works, he created blitz…Fantasy, SCHWA, Infinite Intricacies, and Interrupted Pri’si’zh’enfor PNB’s annual Choreographers’ Showcase performances, and SCHWA was taken into PNB’s repertory during the 2007 Celebrate Seattle Festival. In 2008, Mr. Gaines choreographed M-Pulse, set to a commissioned score by Cristina Spinei, and in 2012, Sum Stravinsky, both for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s repertory. He has also participated in the prestigious New York Choreographic Institute.

Leading Roles  – George Balanchine’s Agon, Coppélia, The Four Temperaments, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck, Bottom), Symphony in C, and Symphony in Three Movements; Val Caniparoli’s The Bridge and Torque; Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels, and Serious Pleasures; Sonia Dawkins’ Ripple Mechanics; Nacho Duato’sJardí Tancat and Rassemblement; William Forsythe’s One Flat Thing, reproduced; Paul Gibson’s Sense of Doubt; Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow; Jiri Kylian’s Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze (Six Dances); Mark Morris’ A Garden; Victor Quijada’s Suspension of Disbelief; Jerome Robbins’ The Concert, Dances at a Gathering, Glass Pieces, and Fancy Free; Kent Stowell’s Cinderella (Harlequin) and Silver Lining; and Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room, Nine Sinatra Songs, and Waterbaby Bagatelles.  Originated Leading Roles: Paul Gibson’s The Piano Dance, Susan Stroman’s TAKE FIVE…More or Less, and Twyla Tharp’s Opus 111

Featured Roles – George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son, La Sonnambula, and La Valse; Nicolo Fonte’s Within/Without; Ronald Hynd’s The Sleeping Beauty; Peter Martins’ Fearful Symmetries; Kent Stowell’s Firebird, Nutcracker,Swan Lake, and The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet; Paul Taylor’s Roses; and Christopher Wheeldon’sCarousel (A Dance) and Variations Sérieuses.

Shakespeare at the Shelter

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shakeatshelterTonight Our House presents “Shakespeare at the Shelter.”  It is a performance of some of William Shakespeare’s most famous scenes presented by residents and alumni of Our House.

Proceeds directly beneift shelter life.  This year Our House is raising money to refurbish the common area at the shelter.  This is where residents eat, receive visitors and spend leisure time.  It is one of hte most used spaces on the Our House campus and is in need of new furniture.

The performance is at 7:30pm.  Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/ourhouse

Our House provides the working homeless – individuals and families – with shelter, housing, job training, education, childcare and summer youth programs, in order to equip them with the skills to be successful in the workforce, the community and their own families.

Envision Little Rock finalists part of 2nd Friday Art Night tonight

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envisinolrIn celebration of the 100 year anniversary of John Nolen’s 1913 “City in a Park” master plan for Little Rock, the Envision Little Rock design competition sought creative ideas for the establishment of an iconic gateway to the city at the intersection of Capitol Ave and I-30. In 1913, Nolen saw Capitol Avenue as the ceremonial boulevard that would transect the gridded streets of downtown Little Rock, establishing a visual and physical connection between the Capitol building and the proposed Choctaw Depot to the east. The competition challenged the public and professional design community to generate innovative concepts for the eastern terminus of Capitol Avenue in Little Rock.

Tonight, studioMAIN will open their exhibition of the competition finalists. The public is invited to come celebrate, discuss, and vote for your favorites. There are 3 public vote awards, in addition to the two main prizes that will be awarded by the Envision Little Rock jury later this month. Polls close August 31st at midnight.

Come see the wonderful group of entries by local designers and students. This is going to be a wonderful evening of big ideas and discussion of our city’s future. Don’t miss out!

studioMAIN is located at 1423 South Main Street.  The reception tonight is from 5pm to 9pm.  It is one of the participating sites in 2nd Friday Art Night.