Author Archives: Scott

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About Scott

A cultural thinker with a life long interest in the arts and humanities: theatre, music, architecture, photography, history, urban planning, etc.

Ballet Arkansas honors Kolb, announces 2012-13 season

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Earlier this month, Ballet Arkansas hosted its annual spring soiree.  At the evening, Joseph F. Kolb was presented with the “Above the Barre” award.  Kolb was recognized for his past leadership on the Ballet Arkansas board.  In the early 2000s, Kolb served as the producer of the annual Ballet Arkansas production of The Nutcracker when there was no staff available to do so.

Joe and Cindy Kolb

Kolb has also been an active board member of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and Historic Arkansas Museum. He and his wife Cindy have two daughters. The oldest one is taking dance classes, so he now his most important connection is a ballet dad instead of being a ballet board member.

Also at the soiree, Ballet Arkansas announced its 2012-2013 season and featured dancers presenting preview moments.   The season will kick off with American Images on October 12 – 14, 2012. The dancers will interpret iconic pieces of art in dance. The performances will take place at Wildwood Park for the Arts in conjunction with Wildwood’s Harvest Fest.

Next up will be the annual production of The Nutcracker from December 7 – 9, 2012 at Robinson Center Music Hall.  This holiday tradition will featured not only Company members and Ballet Arkansas II but also dozens upon dozens of local dance students.

Ballet Arkansas spring into Spring at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre. From April 5 – 7, 2013, it will present Spring into Motion which will feature a variety of dances.

Throughout the season, the Company tour beyondCATEGORY throughout the state. In conjunction with this tour, the Company will also offer workshops.

Lauren Quick Strother is the Executive Director of Ballet Arkansas.  The guest artist and artistic advisor is Michael Bearden, courtesy of BalletWest.  Guy Couch is the Tour Director. The 2012-2013 Company includes: Leslie Dodge, Lauren McCarty Horak, Toby Lewellen, Anna Maris, Sean Porter, Laurel Dix, Paul Tillman, Katchiri Feys Tillman and Amanda Sewell.

Architeaser May 21

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Yesterday’s Architeaser kicked off a week of architectural flowers in the City of Roses. Appropriately, yesterday’s feature was the old Rose Law Firm building on Main Street. It was built in 1908 and features architectural roses across the front facade.

On the date in 1959, the musical Gypsy opened in Broadway. It contains the song “Everything’s Coming up Roses.”. Appropriately, today’s Architeaser showcases another rose on a building in Little Rock.

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Quapaw Quarter Conversations Tonight

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The Quapaw Quarter Association’s monthly Preservation Conversations continue this evening. This month’s focus is a closer look at the houses which were on the 2012 Spring Tour of Homes. The discussion will be led by architectural historian Callie Williams.

The program begins at 5:30pm at Curran Hall, 615 E Capital Avenue. From 5 to 5:30 a reception will take place. After the conversation, guests are encouraged to continue the discussion over dinner at Lulav Eatery, which will be giving a 25% discount to Preservation Conversation attendees on Monday evening.

The Quapaw Quarter Association was incorporated in 1968. It focuses on promoting historic preservation throughout the Little Rock region. Rhea Roberts is the executive director.

Architeaser May 20

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Yesterday’s Architeaser was a crest on the Democrat Printing and Lithograph building. Built in 1924. It is now home to the Arkansas Business Publishing Group.

Here is today’s Architeaser. Since April showers bring May flowers, here is a flower on a building in the City of Roses.

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Sculpture Vulture: Dee Brown

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20120519-114242.jpg Today the Sculpture Vulture continues with the Arkansas Heritage Month emphasis on sculptures of Arkansans.

Visitors to the Dee Brown Library are greeted by Kevin Kresse’s 2004 sculpture of the celebrated author. The bronze likeness depicts Brown with a bepenciled hand raised to his chin as if in the midst of a wondrous thought while writing. The titles of some of his books surround the pedestal including his most famous book: 1971’s Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

Brown was a graduate of Little Rock High and Arkansas State Teachers College (now Little Rock Central and University of Central Arkansas, respectively). After a career as a librarian and bivocational but prolific author, he returned to Little Rock in 1973 and focused full time on his writing. He died in 2002.

Architeaser May 19

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Yesterday’s Architeaser was a silver gilt crest at the old Arkansas Gazette building. Built in 1908, it was designed by architect George Mann. In 1976 it was added to the national Register of Historic Places. after the Gazette closed in 1991, it later served as the headquarters for Bill Clinton’s Presidential campaign. Since 2008, it has been part of the eSTEM school campus.

Here is today’s Architeaser. While it is not covered, an awning and sign below it, may shift focus away for passers by.

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Arkansas Festival Ballet’s ALADDIN

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Arkansas Festival Ballet presents a full-length story ballet Aladdin this weekend.  Performances began last night and continue today at 2pm and 7:30pm as well as Sunday at 2pm.  This will conclude the twelfth season for Arkansas Festival Ballet.

The production boasts a relatively new score by Carl Davis.  It was commissioned in 2000 for the Scottish Ballet.  Among the nearly 100 dancers are four lead dancers: Allison Stearns and Meredith Short, and Calvin Chester and Nathan Young.

The performances will be at the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre in MacArthur Park.