Category Archives: Theatre

iPhotos 2011: The Arty

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Like many people, the Little Rock Culture Vulture has an iPhone and takes many iPhotos. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, the entries highlight some of his favorite personal iPhotos taken in Little Rock during 2011. The are divided into the Good, the Odd and the Arty.

Today focuses on The Arty. These 11 from ’11 are presented chronologically. These were mistakes, but upon reflection some turned out interesting photos in their own right.

Rain reflected on the dashboard of the Culture Vulture's Vue - April 2011

Capital Hotel lobby - May 2011

 

Tired Rep carpet pre-renovation at last night prior to renovation - June 2011

 

Inside Clinton Library - June 2011

Little Rock Wind Symphony Flag Day Concert in MacArthur Park by MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History - June 2011

Downtown lights - July 2011

Light and shadow - Little Rock - October 2011

Wally Allen Ballroom at Statehouse Convention Center for 50th anniversary party of Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods - October 2011

John Willis and friends concert on UALR Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall stage - November 2011

Floor of Capital Hotel lobby - November 2011

Capital Hotel exterior decorated for Christmas by Tipton Hurst - December 2011

Last Chance: A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Ark Rep ends Sunday

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There are just a few chances remaining to see the Christmas Spirit alive and well on stage of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.  Actually three Christmas Spirits (past, present, and yet-to-be) are on stage as the Rep presents the Menken-Ahrens-Ockrent version of A Christmas Carol. The performances are sold out, but there may be some returns or no shows, so if you think your Christmas won’t be complete without it, call the Arkansas Repertory Theatre Box Office at 501-378-0405.

Weekend Theatre: Judgment at Nuremberg

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The Weekend Theatre’s production of Abby Mann’s Judgment at Nuremberg concludes this weekend.  Ralph Hyman directs this tale of honor, humanity, justice, and duty.

The cast is led by Alan Douglas and Tom Crone as opposing forces in this tug of war between different aspects of the justice system.  Also in the cast are matt Maguire, Frank Butler, Ebon Jones, Tucker Steinmetz, Chris Biagini, Thomas Sullivan, Wyatt Jones, Ovid Lamb, David Anderson, Byron Taylor, Jenifer Hamel, Deb Lewis, Johnnie Brannon, Drew Ellis, Samantha Porter and Patti German.

The show plays at 7:30pm tonight and tomorrow.  To reserve tickets, $16 for general admission and $12 for students and seniors age 65 and older, call (501) 374-3761 or visit the Web site at www.weekendtheater.org.

On Stage at Children’s Theatre: A Frog and a Toad

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The charming Tony nominated musical A Year with Frog and Toad returns to the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre for the 2011 holiday season.  It continues through this Sunday, December 18. 

Based on Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad stories, it was written by brothers Willie and Robert Reale.  One of the show’s original producers was Lobel’s daughter Adrienne.  Lobel’s son-in-law Mark-Linn Baker was one of the original actors.  The production premiered at the Children’s  Theatre Company in Minneapolis and then played Off Broadway before transferring to Broadway.  The Broadway production received three Tony nominations: Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score.

The cast is led by Mark Hansen and Dennis Glasscock as the title characters respectively.  The other parts are played by Paige Herschell, Vanessa Sterling and Chris Straw.  The set design is by Miranda Young, costume design by Erin Larkin, lighting design by Adam Britt and Lori Isner is the musical director.

Children’s Theatre alum Scott Ferguson is the guest director of this production.  He was a fixture on the Children’s Theatre stage in the 1980s as a teen. Since then he has received recognition as a director and author.  His work Schoolhouse Rock Live!has been performed Off Broadway, nationwide and on the Arts Center stage.  Based in Chicago, he is Artistic Director, Theatrebam Chicago; Collective Member/Director of Project Development, Bailiwick Chicago; a director and teacher at the National High School Institute of Northwestern University; Artistic Associate, About Face Theatre and a residency artist and teacher for Urban Gateways: Center for Arts In Education.

On stage at the Rep: Christmas Spirit(s)

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The Christmas Spirit is alive and well on stage of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.  Actually three Christmas Spirits (past, present, and yet-to-be) are on stage as the Rep presents the Menken-Ahrens-Ockrent version of A Christmas Carol.

Alan Souza, director of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat returns to helm this production.  He and Bob Hupp, the Rep’s producing artistic director, have assembled a top notch creative team. Mike Nichols (scenery), Michael Bottari & Ronald Case (costumes), M. Jason Pruzin (sound), Lynda J. Kwallek (props) and Cory Pattak (lighting) are the design team.  Helen Gregory returns as music director while Marcos Santana provides choreography.

David Benoit returns to the Rep to play the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. The ghostly quartet is played by Ryan G. Dunkin (Marley), Shua Potter (Christmas Past), Dennis Stowe (Christmas Present) and Marisa Kirby (Christmas Future).  Other leading roles include Kirt Thomas (Young Scrooge), Laura Medford (Emily), Adam Hose (Bob Cratchit), Lacy J. Dunn (Mrs. Cratchit), Katie Emerson (Sally), Drew Clark (Young Ebenezer) and Johnny Stellard (Fred).  And what would A Christmas Carol be without a Tiny Tim – Price Clark essays the role here.

The production opened last Friday.  Performances resume tonight and continue through Christmas Day.  If you don’t know that date, you are even more heartless than Scrooge.

Fiddler under Robinson’s Roof

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Celebrity Attractions brings the national tour of Fiddler on the Roof to Little Rock for three days.  The first performance is tonight; the show continues through December 1 at Robinson Center Music Hall.

The original production captured nine Tony Awards, and the show has been capturing hearts for 46 years.

Based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem, Fiddler has a book by Joseph Stein which is touching, tender, romantic, and raucous.  The rousing, heartwarming score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick features the memorable tunes “Tradition,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” “If I Were A Rich Man” and “Sunrise, Sunset.”

THEA Foundation

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On this day of giving thanks and expressing appreciation, the entry focuses on The THEA Foundation, which gives so much throughout the state.

The mission of the THEA Foundation is to advocate the importance of the arts in the development of our youth.

The THEA Foundation is was founded in 2001 by Paul and Linda Leopoulos, parents of Thea Leopoulos, who was tragically killed in her junior year of high school. Thea had blossomed after discovering her artistic gifts in painting, writing, dance, speech, and drama. The THEA Foundation was created soon after Thea’s untimely death as a way to provide other young people the opportunity to find their confidence through involvement in the arts.

Thea Leopoulos

Thea’s interest in the arts required hard work, focus, and concentration, and she accomplished wonderful things. The harder she worked the better and more satisfying the results. It was exciting to watch her evolve into a whole person who believed she could challenge herself in any area of study.

Programs of the Foundation are designed to provide opportunities for student involvement in the arts. Research into the implementation and results of successful arts-infused programs in schools around the country have led us to become an advocate for improving our schools curriculum through arts administration. This advocacy points to a better curriculum delivery process that motivates all students. When students are engaged and having fun learning, test scores rise, discipline problems diminish, and schools become a place for growth for all students.

The THEA Foundation sponsors scholarships in visual and performing arts, as well as filmmaking. In addition, the THEA Foundation sponsors workshops, the Art Closet (which provides supplies for art teachers to use in classroom instruction), and Art Across Arkansas – in partnership with the William J. Clinton Foundation.

The THEA Foundation’s advocacy is based on schools that have successfully motivated and engaged students through an arts-infused delivery system of instruction for the curriculum. An arts-infused delivery system means teaching math, science, social studies, history, spelling, writing, speech, and literature using art, drama, music, and rhyme to enhance the learning process.

The THEA Foundation reaches all corners of the state.  This work emanates from the THEA Foundation Center for the Arts on Main Street in North Little Rock.  Dedicated in 2008, it features the Judy Kohn Tenenbaum Gallery.