Yearly Archives: 2013

Arkansas Literary Festival This Weekend!

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litfestlogoThe Arkansas Literary Festival, the premier gathering of readers and writers in Arkansas, has expanded to include over 90 authors in many locations on both sides of the river from April 18-21, 2013.

The Central Arkansas Library System’s Main Library campus, other venues in the River Markets and Argenta Arts districts are the sites for a stimulating mix of sessions, panels, special events, performances, workshops, presentations, opportunities to meet the authors, book sales, and book signings. Most events are free and open to the public.

Festival authors include:

Salma Abdelnour, David Abrams, Mary Stewart Atwell, Beth Ayer, Jenni B. Baker, Jan Barry, Carolyn Briggs, Kevin Brockmeier, Sam Calvin Brown, Oliver Burkeman, Mary Bucci Bush, Drew Cameron, Raquel Cepeda, Da Chen, Joseph Crespino, James Daily, Lela Davidson, Edmond Davis, Sylvia Day, James W. Erwin, Richard Ford, Ben Fountain, Tim Gallagher, Tim Gallagher, Paula J. Giddings, Kay Collett Goss, Jessica B. Harris, Ruth Hawkins, Roger D. Hodge, Ty Jaeger, Jay Jennings, Ben Katchor, Janis F. Kearney, Jeannette Keith, Brian and Terri Kinder, Steve Kistulentz, Christi Shannon Kline, Jon Krampner, Travis Langley, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Dorothy R. Leavell, Domingo Martinez, Ayana Mathis, Carla Killough McClafferty, Rosetta Miller-Perry, Lydia Millet, Pat Mora, Linda Murphy, Sara Nesson, Cynthia LeJeune Nobles, Harry Ostrer, Darcy Pattison, Lori Perkins, Leonard Pitts Jr., Garry Craig Powell, Padgett Powell, Joe Queenan, Karen Russell, Eric Rutkow, Courtney Miller Santo, Rosie Schaap, Martha Silano, Heather Sutherlin, Steve Teske, Chuck Thompson, Charles Todd, Caroline Todd, Duncan Tonatiuh, GB Tran, Dennis Vannatta, Frank X Walker, John Corey Whaley, Steve Wiegenstein, David Wesley Williams, Johnathon Williams, Rita Williams-Garcia, Christian Wiman, Jan Wolfe, Ron Wolfe, C.D. Wright, Steve Yates

This year’s Festival authors have won an impressive number and variety of distinguished awards, such as the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Pulitzer Prize for Journalism, James Beard Foundation Award, PEN/Hemingway Award, Newbery Honor, National Book Critics Circle Award, a Coretta Scott King Honor, PEN/O.Henry Prize; Pushcart Prize; Barnes and Noble Discover Prize for Fiction, Roger Ebert’s Film Festival Thumbs Up Award, Pure Belpré Award, International Griffin Prize for Poetry, International Documentary Association Best Documentary Short, Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators, and several National Book Award Finalists. Many of the presenters’ works have been translated into multiple languages and made into films.

Special events for adults during the Festival include a cocktail reception with the authors, food, wine, and spirits workshops, films, a play, and Spoken Word LIVE!, a city-wide poetry competition. Panels and workshops will feature topics such as fiction, memoir, screenwriting, super hero psychology & law, Warrior Writers Project, erotica, and more.

Children’s special events include a storytime on the lawn of the Governor’s Mansion, a book fiesta, the artmobile, plays, outdoor activities, and Super Hero Activity Afternoon. Festival sessions for children will take place at both the new Children’s Library, 4800 10th Street, and the Youth Services Department at the Main Library, 100 Rock Street.

At Level 4, the Main Library’s teen center, teens can meet authors and illustrators, participate in ComiCALS, activities and panels such as a cosplay contest, video game tournament, a writing workshop, and zombie survival activities.

Through the Writers In The Schools (WITS) initiative, the Festival will provide presentations by several authors for Pulaski county elementary, middle, and senior high schools and area colleges.

Support for the Literary Festival is provided by sponsors including Central Arkansas Library System; Friends of Central Arkansas Libraries (FOCAL); Department of Arkansas Heritage; Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau; Fred K. Darragh Jr. Foundation; Arkansas Democrat Gazette; Mosaic Templars Cultural Center; Regions; ProSmartPrinting; MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History; Historic Arkansas Museum; Clinton Presidential Center; Hendrix-Murphy Foundation; Wright, Lindsey & Jennings LLP, Arkansas Times; Christ Church, Little Rock’s Downtown Episcopal Church; Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center; Arkansas Library Association; Henderson State University; University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service; Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre; Arkansas Governor’s Mansion; Hendrix College Creative Writing and the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature & Language; Hendrix College Project Pericles Program; Hendrix College; University of Arkansas at Little Rock, English Department; University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Department of Rhetoric and Writing; Pulaski Technical College; Jewish Federation of Arkansas; Arkansas Arts Center; Power 92 Jams; Central High School National Historic Site; National Park Service; Literacy Action of Central Arkansas; Capital Hotel; Little Rock Film Festival; and LuLav. The Arkansas Literary Festival is supported in part by funds from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Author! Author!, a cocktail reception with the authors, will be Friday, April 19 at 8pm on the fifth floor of the CALS main library building.  Tickets are available at the door.

The Arkansas Literary Festival is a project of the Central Arkansas Library System. The Festival’s mission is to encourage the development of a more literate populace. A group of dedicated volunteers assists Festival Coordinator Brad Mooy with planning the Festival. Jay Jennings is the 2013 Festival Chair. Other committee chairs include Katherine Whitworth, Talent Committee; Lisa Donovan, Youth Programs; and Amy Bradley-Hole, Moderators.

Arkansan Daniel Davis in NYC Play

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Daniel-DavisTony nominated actor, and Arkansas native, Daniel Davis opens tonight in an Off Broadway revival of the Strindberg play Dance of Death.  Though best known for his stint on TV as Niles in “The Nanny”

Davis was born in Gurdon, but his family moved to Little Rock.  His first acting gig was appearing on the local TV show “Betty’s Little Rascals.” He graduated from Little Rock Hall High and subsequently studied at the Arkansas Arts Center (which then offered advanced studies in theatre).

He received a Tony Award nomination in 2000 for the play Wrong Mountain.  Other Broadway credits include Henry V, Othello, Amadeus, The Invention of Love, The Frogs, La Cage aux Folles.  He has also appeared frequently in regional theatre and Off Broadway.

Dance of Death runs through May 4 in New York City.

April 18 Architeaser

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IMG_4577There have been many building modifications at Little Rock City Hall over the past 105 years.  One thing has not changed: the Tiffany stained glass window in the rotunda.

Though City Hall once had a dome, the stained glass window has always looked down on the rotunda from the third floor ceiling.  Here are some views of the stained glass in the rotunda.

There was a second, smaller stained glass skylight in the stairwell adjacent to the City Board chamber.  In the 1960s, it was removed.  Records do not indicate what happened to it.

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Ellis Marsalis in Concert at Wildwood tomorrow

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EllisphotoEllis Marsalis, the Father of America’s First Family of Jazz, & his Quartet will be in concert at Wildwood Park for the Arts on Friday, April 19 at 8:00pm.

Tickets range from $15 for students to $100 VIP tickets.

Ellis Marsalis is an internationally known jazz pianist, and a figurehead of the rich and storied New Orleans jazz scene. Marsalis, who has received honorary doctorates from The Julliard School, Tulane University, Dillard University (his alma mater), Ball State University and Virginia Commonwealth University for his contributions to jazz and musical education, served as the Director and Chair of Jazz Studies at the University of New Orleans.

Wildwood-Park-for-the-Arts-e1352227810968Marsalis has also led the jazz department at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, influencing the careers of countless musicians, including film composer Terence Blanchard, Grammy Award-winners Harry Connick Jr. and Nicholas Payton; as well as four of Marsalis’ and wife Dolores’ six sons. Wynton Marsalis (trumpet) and Branford Marsalis (soprano saxophone) have become major players with international reputations. Wynton is the leader of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in New York. Sons Delfeayo (trombone) and Jason (drums) are also outstanding jazz performers. Delfeayo has produced recordings for his father and his brothers.

UALR Dance presents “Body Works” April 19-21

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20130418-21-UALR-body-works-800x1236UALR’s Department of Theatre Arts and Dance will present “Body Works,” the Spring Dance Concert, at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 19 through Saturday, April 21, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 22, in University Theatre in the UALR Center for Performing Arts.

Tickets are $7 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors. “Body Works” is an eclectic dance concert that will present works based in the human experience and the human body. An array of different choreographic ideas and styles will be showcased.

On Saturday, April 20, UALR will present its Spring Dance Workshop for dance students.  Registration is required.  This year’s festival gives dancers from across the region the opportunity to network and dance side-by-side with other dancers as they participate in MASTER CLASSES taught by UALR dance faculty.

After a full afternoon of classes in ballet, modern, and jazz, participants will enjoy an evening performance of UALR Body Works, featuring original works choreographed by senior UALR dance majors.

The cost for participation is just $10 at the door (as space allows). This includes three (3) master classes and one ticket to the Saturday evening performance of the UALR Dance concert.

UALR dance faculty include Stephanie Thibeault (head of dance for the department), Rhythm McCarthy and Stephen Stone.

Little Rock theatre alums making National theatre news

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Some national theatre news with Little Rock connections:

ark repOn Monday, April 15, Douglas Carter Beane’s new play The Nance opened on Broadway.  Japhy Weideman, who was a lighting designer for the Arkansas Repertory Theatre a few seasons back, designed the lighting for this Lincoln Center Theatre production at the Lyceum Theatre.  Earlier this season, he designed lighting for a Broadway revival of Cyrano de Bergerac.  One of the cast members of The Nance was Mylinda Hull, who starred in the Rep’s production of Damn Yankees in 2000.

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Little Rock Hall High graduate David Auburn won a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for his play Proof.  His latest play, Lost Lake, was just selected for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s 2013 National Playwrights Conference in Waterford, CT. Wendy Goldberg, the artistic director of the Playwright’s Conference, will direct Auburn’s play on July 26 and 27.   Auburn was invited to submit a new play for this year’s Playwright’s Conference.   While he was growing up in Little Rock, he participated in the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre.

April 17 Architeaser

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IMG_4825In the early 1960s, the windows at City Hall were bricked in.  The rational at the time dealt with energy efficiency and the installation of air conditioning in the building.  At the same time, there were other renovations undertaken.  Some of these were undertaken because of growth at City Hall, others were due to the 1957 change to the City Manager form of government (which created some new positions and eliminated others).  The City Clerk’s office was moved and the vault was relocated.

In conjunction with the mid-1980s restoration of the building, all but a few of the windows were finally unbricked.  Most of the remaining bricked-in windows were left intact because of mechanical equipment now located behind them.  Three other windows remained enclosed.  Two were in the City Board Chambers (which had to remain enclosed to enable for clearer broadcasting of meetings) and the third was in the City Clerk’s office (because of the “new” 1960s location of the Clerk’s vault).

Today’s Architeaser shows the  bricked-in window on the second floor western elevation in the City Clerk’s office.  Next to it is the top half of the exposed window.