Monthly Archives: May 2018

SHORTIE STORIES tonight at Wildwood Park with The Friends & Family Band

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Tonight at Wildwood Park for the Arts….

“Shortie Stories” features inspired harmonies, a jet-flying bassist, and bluegrass instruments, along with generational tales by Melissa Thoma and Ron Hughes, the Friends & Family Band brings mountain music to The Studios at Wildwood for a toe-tapping evening of great music and laugh-out-loud family lore that will warm your heart.

When Melissa Thoma hosts her musical family in Little Rock, they are joined by Ron Hughes and Johnny Scroggins, who altogether make the Friends and Family Band.

Mark Bair, banjo and guitar picker, and Russell Bair, fiddle player, both of Pryor, OK; Rex Bair, mandolin player from Maumelle, AR; Ron Hughes, guitar, banjo, fiddle and bass player and lead singer for the Greasy Greens; Johnny Scroggins, bass playing prodigy who has played with the likes of Leon Russell and Jerry Lee Lewis—and he’s a retired jet pilot to boot! Melissa Thoma provides vocal harmony, having sung everything from bluegrass to opera onstage in Central Arkansas.

Together, they are the Friends & Family Band. “And since everyone is probably either friend or family, we welcome any and all who want to make – or just enjoy – mountain music!”

7:30 pm (doors open at 7)
Onstage in The Studios at Wildwood

The Force is with the ASO

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StarWars_Showpage-91d5a5a9f8The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Philip Mann, Music Director and Conductor, took advantage of Star Wars Day to announce a presentation of The Music of Star Wars, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 20th and 3:00 p.m. Sunday, October 21st at the Robinson Center.

The concert will feature music selected from the entire series of 10 feature films, an animated film, three TV films, and six animated series spanning more than 40 years. The celebrated film composer John Williams (Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter), composed all music from the eight saga films (Williams is also slated to score the ninth and final film), with award-winners Michael Giacchino and John Powell composing the music for the spin-off films.

ASO NewThe program will feature costumes, trivia, and decoration of the Robinson Center to create a multi-sensory experience. Audiences are invited attend this family-friendly event in costume as their favorite character.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on September 4th; ASO donors can begin purchasing tickets on May 14th during a special pre-sale event. To become an ASO donor, visit www.ArkansasSymphony.org/support or call Cambria at 501-666-1761, ext. 112..; prices are $16, $36, $57, and $68; active duty military and student tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at www.ArkansasSymphony.org/starwars; at the Robinson Center street-level box office beginning 90 minutes prior to a concert; or by phone at 501-666-1761, ext. 1.

All Arkansas students grades K-12 are admitted to Sunday’s matinee free of charge with the purchase of an adult ticket using the Entergy Kids’ Ticket, downloadable at http://www.arkansassymphony.org/freekids.

LR native William Grant Still’s opera TROUBLED ISLAND produced by Opera in the Rock this weekend

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Little Rock native William Grant Still was the leading African American composer of classical music throughout most of the 20th century.  In 1949, his composition, Troubled Island became the first grand opera written by an African American to be produced by a major company.  It premiered with the New York City Opera in 1949.

This weekend, Opera in the Rock is presenting a rare fully-staged production of Troubled Island.  It will be at the UA Pulaski Tech’s Center for Humanities and Arts on the evening of May 4 (7:30pm) and afternoon of May 6 (3:00pm).  The work is being performed by a cast of local and regional operatic talent.

The libretto for the opera was written by Langston Hughes and Verna Arvey.  The story is set in Haiti in 1791.  Jean Jacques Dessalines declares himself emperor of an independent Haiti. Corruption, revolution and assassination ensue.

Ronald Jensen-McDaniel is singing the role of Dessalines.  Others in the cast include Jordan Murdock, Jannette Robinson, Charles Moore, Nisheedah Golden, Anthony K. Valley,  and Chris Straw.

Arlene Biebesheimer is the artistic director of Opera in the Rock.

Ballet Arkansas in Concert this weekened

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In partnership with the Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Ballet Arkansas is excited to present a three – year concert series, Ballet Arkansas in Concert, which pairs high profile works of classical & contemporary dance with musical accompaniment from world renowned musicians in the Spring of each year.

On May 4th – 6th at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Ballet Arkansas and Van Cliburn International Pianist Dr. Drew Mays take the stage for three stellar performances.

Featuring

  • Pas de deux from Agnes de Mille’s The Other

  • Christopher Wheeldon’s The American

  • Contemporary World Premiere by Artistic Director Michael Fothergill

In between pieces, Dr. Mays will present an engaging and stimulating discussion that highlights the lives of the composers, the finer points of their music, and our collaboration. After the completion of the dancing, Dr. Mays will continue to play a solo concert for Ballet Arkansas audiences to enjoy.

Performances are Friday, May 4 at 7:00pm, Saturday, May 5 at 7:00pm, and Sunday, May 6 at 2pm.  Tickets are $40 for adults, $25 for students/senior citizens.  Tickets are available at the discounted rate of $30 (25% discount) for a group of 5 or more.

PRESENTING SPONSOR
Stella Boyle Smith Trust

EDUCATION SPONSORS
Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield
Janna and David Knight
Marci and Stephen Warren

CONCERT D STEINWAY PROVIDED BY
Steinway Piano Gallery Little Rock

STAR WARS DAY Strikes Back

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Today, May the 4th, is Star Wars Day.

This year marks 41 years since the first (fourth?/fifth?/soon to be sixth?) movie first opened!

The classic film first opened in May 1977 (though after May 4).  It did not reach Little Rock until June 24, 1977.

Given its status as a sleeper hit, it is no surprise that it came into Little Rock largely unnoticed.  In that day, major films opening on a Friday would be heralded the previous Sunday with a substantial advertisement.  The first Star Wars ad ran on Thursday, June 23, 1977, the day before it opened.  By contrast, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, which would play at the same theatre, had a large ad on Sunday, June 19.

The day it opened, there was a fairly large ad which incorporated the familiar beefcake Luke, Leia in flowing gowns, and Darth Vader mask.  On the Sunday after it opened, there was a slightly smaller ad with the same artwork.  McCain Mall also ran a small add for both Star Wars and Herbie. It noted that Star Wars was a film that management “does not recommend for children.”

Three years later, The Empire Strikes Back opened nationwide on May 21, 1980. Opening a film on the same date was a newer phenomenon, due in part to the success of Star Wars.  For the opening weeks, The Empire Strikes Back played an exclusive showing at the UA Cinema 150.  It would eventually play at other theatres in Little Rock.

On the day The Empire Strikes Back opened, the Arkansas Gazette had four different stories about the movie in that day’s edition.  While the Arkansas Democrat did not have any stories that day (though they would in subsequent days), they did carry a story on David Letterman preparing to start his (what would turn out to be short-lived) morning TV show.

On May 25, 1983, The Return of the Jedi opened.  The cost to see The Return of the Jedi in Little Rock in 1983 was $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for children.  (That would be the equivalent of $12.37 today for an adult ticket.)

Little Rock Look Back: Arkansas Arts Center produces first play at its theatre

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The Arts Center Theatre view from the stage in 1963

On May 3, 1963, at 8:30 pm, the curtain rose as the Arkansas Arts Center produced its first show in its own theatre.  Though the building would not be officially dedicated until later in May (more about that later), programming had been taking place in the facility for several months.

In December 1962, a community theatre production was the first play in the Arkansas Arts Center theatre.  Over the ensuing months, it would play host to a variety of concerts and performances.  At the time, the Arkansas Arts Center planned to use the theatre as a house for its own productions (one series geared to adults, the other series geared to kids), other shows produced by Little Rock organizations, and touring shows which might be too small for Robinson Auditorium.

Friday, May 3, 1963, was a momentous evening, as the Arkansas Arts Center presented Rumpelstiltskin.  (Since the theatre space has been focused on children’s theatre since the late 1970s, it seems prescient that the first AAC produced play was a children’s production some fifteen years earlier.)

The production was overseen Joseph N. Carner, who was the theatre director.  It was his hope that the Arts Center plays geared toward children would also encourage other groups throughout the state to produce plays specifically for younger audiences.  Margaret Davies Carner, who taught speech at Little Rock University, directed the play.  She also taught drama classes at the Arts Center.

The cast included Garry White as the title character with Dell Blaine, Michael Hosman, Lesie Smith, Tom Abraham, Dickie Atchison, Butch Lashee, henry Fletcher, Charles McRaven, Ann Thomson, Dannette Joe Baker, Sallie Penn, Paul Motes, Leslie Newell, and Robin Hosman.

In addition to a Friday night performance, there were 2:30 matinees on Saturday and Sunday that were geared toward children’s audiences.

A Good Start for Arkansas Rep

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In the early days of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, it was commonly referred to by the shorthand of ART.  Along the way, that branding went away and the more common The Rep or Arkansas Rep was adopted.  Just as the Rep’s nickname changed, the location changed, and the way they hired actors changed (a move from a true repertory company into a different set of actors each show.)

As we have seen during the news of the past week, other things changed.  The public’s perception of the value of the Rep seems to have changed. And not for the better.  Last week’s announcement was a jolt of reality for many.

I bring this up because according to media reports, the Rep announced they have raised over $113,000 the week since they announced they were suspending operations.  That is 15% of their publicly stated goal of $750,000 to pay bills and stabilize financial obligations.

In order to fully sustain, the Rep will need to raise more than $750,000.  Estimates range between $1 million to $5 million depending on the timeframe being discussed.

But $113,000 in one week is a very good start for the Rep.  Equally as important, the Rep’s announcement has started a whole host of community conversations about the value of the arts, in general, and the Rep specifically.  People who probably have not thought about the Rep in a while are now thinking about it and talking about.  People who think about the Rep a lot are continuing to think and talk about it.

Tuesday’s Rally for the Rep crystallized the outpouring of positive response.  It brought people together to be civically and culturally engaged. It also raised some money.  Likewise, it offered a catharsis for those who were still reeling from the news of the Rep’s situation.   Organizers Skip Rutherford, Anna-Lee Pittman and Stacy Sells understood the need for folks to gather.  They kept the mood upbeat by a combination of speakers and live music.

Last week, right after the news, feelings were so raw.  It was a combination of shock and depression.  Not only was Little Rock on the verge of losing its professional Equity theatre, but friends were losing jobs.  Last week was “Shock” and “Pain” in the seven stages of grief.  Thankfully the “Anger” and “Depression” stages seemed to have been bypassed by most.

The Rally was a crystallization of “The Upward Turn.”  It is up to us as civically and culturally engaged individuals to make sure the process continues the Upward Turn and moves to Reconstruction and Hope.

Acceptance of the loss of the Rep is not an option. Not now, not in August, not Ever!