Monthly Archives: September 2015

Tonight at 7:30 at South on Main – FREE Oxford American Local Live concert with Steve Suter and Friends

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llsom suterTonight at 7:30 PM is this week’s installment of the Oxford American Local Live concert series. The music tonight is provided by Steve Suter and Friends.

Presented by the Oxford American magazine, Local Live showcases the best of local and regional music talent and is always free and open to the public. Call ahead to South on Main to make your reservations and ensure a table: (501) 244-9660.

Steve Suter and Friends will bring with them a beautiful night of jazz, standards, and some surprises! Presented by Steve Suter, formerly with the Gatemouth Brown Big Band, Bonerama, and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Rompin’ New Orleans-style trombone will be joined by Chris Parker and his beautifully sophisticated Arkansas piano. Friends will stop by as the night progresses…

 

Steven Michael Suter is a native of New Orleans and currently resides in Hot Springs. He is a graduate of Loyola University of New Orleans (B.M.), and Northwestern University of Chicago (M.M.). Joining him for this performance, among others, is Little Rock pianist Chris Parker.

Having played with such diverse and varied groups such as the Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown Big Band, the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maxim Shostakovich, Bonerama, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, the Millar Brass Ensemble, and the Al Belletto Big Jazz Band, it is quite evident that Suter’s expertise crosses all musical genres.

Suter has also played with Pete Fountain, Natalie Cole, Rita Moreno, Bobby Vinton, Bob Hope, Ray Charles, the Temptations, the O’Jays, Gladys Knight, Johnny Mathis, Don Rickles, and Mel Torme to name a few.

He has recorded with Bonerama, Jill Scott, Solomon Burke, Al Martino, Barry Manilow, Al Belletto, Gatemouth Brown, The New Orleans Nightcrawlers, and the Millar Brass Ensemble. He’s has made television appearances on MSNBC with the “Mississippi Rising” telethon for Katrina victims, and on NBC withExtreme Makeover: Home Edition. He played in the house band for HBO’s Comic Relief in ’06, was featured at the ’07 Sugar Bowl, and performed on Late Night with David Letterman with Bonerama and Damien Kulash.

He was a member of Bonerama when the group received awards from Offbeat magazine and the Big Easy Awards, both of New Orleans, for outstanding performance. Suter received special recognition by NAJE for jazz education in 2000, and in 2006 Steven was named one of New Orleans Magazine‘s “Jazz All-Stars.”

In addition to a busy schedule of performing, teaching, and writing music, Steven is currently the Programs and Services Counsel for The Muses Creative Artistry Project, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to preservation of classical art and music through performance and education.

ACANSA preview – Dance and Movement

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The second annual ACANSA Arts Festival runs from September 16 to 20.  It will feature a variety of art forms at a variety of venues downtown.  This week, we will preview some of the acts.  Today’s entry looks at the dance and movement acts.

The Urban Bush Women

The Urban Bush Women (UBW) keep history alive by presenting dancers that tell stories from the perspective of women in the African diaspora.  This non-profit dance company, based in Brooklyn, New York was founded in 1984 by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar.

This group of seven women have performed their diverse pieces across the USA, Europe, Asia and Australia.  UBW previously presented at Spoleto USA and other festivals and received a number of honors including the Capezio Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance and the Doris Duke Award for New Work from the American Dance Festival to name a few.

The Urban Bush Women will perform on Saturday, September 19 at 7pm.  The performance will take place at the North Little Rock Middle School auditorium (formerly the North Little Rock High – East Campus auditorium).

PUSH Physical Theatre

Seeing award-winning PUSH Physical Theatre is like watching a live-action movie. This talented group of performers inspires awe with physical illusions and gravity-defying, dance-infused, acrobatic high-jinx.

PUSH has performed in theatres, festivals, special events, arts education and residency projects. Audiences ranged from 11,000 to 200 for smaller theatres.

It’s cool, it’s athletic, it’s a perfect metaphor-in-motion: the narratives of our lives played out with hope, strength and optimism. Once you’ve experienced the myth and magic of PUSH, you will know the strength of the human soul expressed by the power of the human body.

PUSH’s repeated sold-out performances have established them as the masters of physical storytelling.

The performance begins at 7:00pm on Thursday, September 17. The performance will take place at the North Little Rock Middle School auditorium (formerly the North Little Rock High – East Campus auditorium).

Tickets to both events, as well as festival passes, can be purchased at the ACANSA website.

For more information, 501-663-2287 or email admin@ACANSAartsfestival.org

Today at noon – The Rep offers “Macbeth 101”

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ScottishPlayMACBETH 101

Dramaturg and Assistant Director Paige Reynolds leads a brown bag lunch that will enrich your play-going experience. Paige will explore the real Macbeth and his influence on William Shakespeare’s production.

Paige Martin Reynolds also worked on The Rep’s production of Henry V. She holds a Ph.D. in British Renaissance Drama and is an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Central Arkansas, where she specializes in Shakespeare Studies. Paige supervises the dramaturgy program for the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, where she has also performed such roles as Olivia (Twelfth Night), Prospera (The Tempest), Desdemona (Othello), Luciana (The Comedy of Errors), and Lady Capulet (Romeo and Juliet).

ACANSA preview – Theatre

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The second annual ACANSA Arts Festival runs from September 16 to 20.  It will feature a variety of art forms at a variety of venues downtown.  This week, we will preview some of the acts.  Up first – theatrical offerings.

ACANSA Late Night - The Dork Knight
Thursday, September 17 and Friday, September 18, Jason O’Connell returns to Little Rock and brings his one man show The Dork Knight.
O’Connell brings an iconic interpretation of his relationship with Batman through the years. His impersonations are so lifelike that if you close your eyes, you would swear you were in the room with Christian Bale or Jack Nicholson. O’Connell keeps audiences in rapt attention, at times laughing hysterically or mesmerized in complete silence and he takes you with him on this journey with Batman.
Little Rock audiences have seen O’Connell on stage at Arkansas Rep in All My Sons, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, and Frost/Nixon. He was most recently here in Clybourne Park.
Both performances begin at 9:00 pm and will take place in the Rep’s Black Box space in the new Creative Corridor location in the 500 block of Main Street.
Blood at the Root

Based on a true story of the Jena Six, Blood at the Root, written by Dominique Morriseau, is a play that touches on many social issues. Directed by Steve Broadnax, head of the Pennsylvania State theatre program, this play has received international acclaim on its tours through South Africa, Scotland and Australia.

It is an exciting piece of work that breaks traditional convention. The show speaks to where America is right now racially, economically, and socially. It is also a fun show with musicality, and an emphasis on movement. The inclusion of many different perspectives makes for an exciting, thought provoking performance. Please note: This performance contains strong language.

Show time is 8:00 pm for all performances. They will take place at the Argenta Community Theatre.

Tickets to both events, as well as festival passes, can be purchased at the ACANSA website.
For more information, 501-663-2287 or email admin@ACANSAartsfestival.org

Several centuries of music featured in ASO River Rhapsodies 2015-16 series

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ASO_2-colorLater this month, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Landers FIAT River Rhapsodies Series will start.  All concerts in this series take place at the Clinton Presidential Center Great Hall and start at 7pm.

 

Artist of Disinction: Jon Kimura Parker
September 29, 2015
Borodin – String Quartet No. 2 in D Major
Hirtz – Wizard of Oz Fantasy
Beethoven – Quintet for Piano and Winds, Op. 16

Anniversary of a Violin
October 27
Mozart – Sonata for Violin and Piano
Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 122

Merry Pranks
November 17
Strauss – Till Eulenspiegel – einmal anders
Vaughn Williams – Quintet in D Major
Beethoven – Septet in E-flat Major, Op. 20

Mozart & Mendelssohn
February 2
Dohnányi – Sextet in C Major, Op. 37
Mozart – String Quartet in A Major, K. 169
Mendelssohn – Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66

Mendelssohn’s String Symphony No. 10
March 1
Prokofiev – Sonata for Two Violins in C Major, Op. 56
Beethoven – String Quartet in C minor, Op. 18 No. 4
Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G
Mendelssohn – String Symphony No. 10 in B minor

Brahms and Dvořák
April 12
Brahms – Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 101
Bartok – String Quartet No. 4
Dvořák- String Quartet No. 14 in A-flat Major, Op. 105

Final Day to Explore Mindbender Mansion at the Museum of Discovery!

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Mindbender_logo_CMYKAfter enthralling visitors for months, the Museum of Discovery today bids a fond farewell to Mindbender Mansion. But visitors still have until 5pm!

Mister E. and the Mindbender Society invite you to enter the wonderfully puzzling world of Mindbender Mansion, an eclectic place full of puzzles, brainteasers, and interactive challenges guaranteed to test the brain power and problem solving skills of even the most experienced puzzlers. Adults and children alike will enjoy exercising their minds as they try to master each of the 11 individual brain teasers and the three group activities in this fun and unconventional new exhibit.

Visitors to Mindbender Mansion will be greeted by the wacky Mr. E., master brainteaser and puzzler extraordinaire, and current curator of the Mindbender Society. He will explain the mysteries of Mindbender Mansion and how to become a member of the eccentric Mindbender Society by gathering hidden clues and secret passwords. The clues can only be found by solving key puzzles found in select themed areas.

Throughout the exhibit visitors will find a combination of tabletop brainteasers they can solve on their own and larger group challenges that require assistance from their fellow mansion guests.

The group challenges include:

  • Feeding Frenzy-Kitchen mayhem is guaranteed in a race to beat the clock by filling T.V. dinner trays (with five kinds of food) on a fast moving conveyer belt.
  • Spelling Fever-Hopscotch meets Scrabble® in this race to spell correct words within a limited amount of time by hopping on letter squares that light up.
  • Amazing Maze-In this version of the classic steel ball labyrinth game visitors must work together to tilt a table in different directions, guiding a ball into six holes as quickly as possible.

Upon completing each of the select brainteasers and group challenges, visitors will have gathered the necessary clues and secret passwords to become a member of the Mindbender Society and add their portrait to the “Wall of Fame.”

Labor Day Sculpture Vulture: John Deering’s RICK REDDEN

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ReddenLabor Day celebrates a time to take a break from work and relax.  Today’s Sculpture Vulture showcases John Deering’s sculpture of Rick Redden which depicts the visionary architect doing just that.

As an architect, Rick Redden designed many downtown buildings including several in the River Market District.  He was involved in new projects like the 300 Third Building and River Market Tower, as well as rehab projects such as the Ottenheimer Market Hall and the Museum Center.  One of his last projects was the Arcade Building.

This sculpture, by John Deering, was commissioned by Jimmy Moses, Rett Tucker and the Central Arkansas Library System Endowment to honor Redden’s memory.  It shows him playing his banjo, with architectural drawings rolled up behind him. The piece looks like he had just taken a break from work to relax a little by playing music.

It is appropriate that the sculpture is located in front of the Arcade Building. Not only was the project one of his designs, but the building also contains space for work and for entertainment.  The placement is also a continuation of the commitment of both Moses Tucker Real Estate and the Central Arkansas Library System to include sculpture in their projects.