Category Archives: Theatre

2nd Friday Art Night – The Rep features the art of Doris Williamson Mapes

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Image may contain: mountain, cloud, sky, text and natureOne of the newer venues participating in 2nd Friday Art Night is the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.  While one thinks of The Rep as a performing arts venue (and it certainly is), the Rep has also long been a promoter of the visual arts.

Drop by The Rep and enjoy paintings by late Arkansas artist, Doris Williamson Mapes. Known for her brilliant use of color, Doris described herself as a mixed media artist, using watercolors, acrylic, pencil, ink, gouache, casein, pastel, crayons, etc.

She studied design and encaustic painting under Townsend Wolfe at the Arkansas Arts Center and advanced painting with Edwin Brewer in the Adrian Brewer Studio. In 1970, Mapes, along with four other artists, founded and incorporated the Mid-Southern Watercolorists (MSW) in Little Rock. Mapes was elected as the organization’s founding president and served until 1972.

Doris was a long-time supporter of The Rep. The collection hangs in her memory.

Tonight at 7, ACANSA presents EINSTEIN!

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ACANSA does more than just present the annual festival in September. They are kicking off their 2019 programming with the one man play Einstein! ~ Celebrating 100 Years of General Relativity

This award-winning one-man show has it all: as dramatic as it is funny, as uplifting as it is contemplative, Albert Einstein comes to life before your very eyes.  This solo play is written and performed by Jack Fry and directed by Tom Blomquist.

This is the multi-award winning and critically acclaimed show that has over 150 performances under its belt.  This 80-minute show is designed for a general audience and has played in many venues around the country.   Einstein comes back from the beyond.

Frustrated that no one has heard the real science history behind General Relativity, Albert takes us back to Berlin in 1914 where he is sent sideways in a world crumbling around him due to The Great War, colleagues trying to steal his theories, being isolated for his pacifist views, a wife who won’t give him a divorce, his failing health, a huge scientific backlash, anti-Semitism, his own self destructive genius, and his 10-year old son fighting for his father’s affections.  Told with humor, 3D graphics that help give us an insight to his brilliant mind,  Albert Einstein comes to life as Jack Fry revitalizes one of the most intriguing icons of all time.

The program will be at the Argenta Community Theatre. Doors open at 6pm, the performance starts at 7pm. Tickets are $30.

Precipice Theatre presents Tony winning farce LEND ME A TENOR this month

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No photo description available.Winner of three Tony Awards and four Drama Desk Awards, Ken Ludwig’s farce LEND ME A TENOR is set in September 1934. Saunders, the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is primed to welcome world-famous Tito Merelli, known as Il Stupendo, the greatest tenor of his generation, to appear for one night only as Otello.

When Merelli is unexpectedly incapacitated, Max, the Opera Director’s meek assistant, is given the daunting task of finding a last-minute replacement. Chaos ensues — including a scheming soprano, a tenor-struck ingenue, a jealous wife, an intrusive Opera Guild chairwoman, and an over-zealous bellhop!

Performances are at The Studio Theatre on 10-13 and 17-20. The theatre strongly recommends purchasing tickets in advance at https://centralarkansastickets.com/organizations/precipice-theatre

The production is directed by Heather Norris and assistant directed by Paul Seminara.  The cast includes Case Dillard, James Norris, Ricco Ardemagni, Beth Ross, Amy Young, Jennifer Walker, Anthony Nguyen and Heather Norris.

Learn more about ways to get involved with Arkansas Rep

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Interested in becoming more involved with The Rep? They are back in action and ready for a great 2019 season, but they cannot do it without community support!

On January 22 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm, the Arkansas Repertory Theatre will host an information session about volunteer and involvement opportunities.

Join them to learn about the ways you can volunteer at The Rep and impact the community.

Light refreshments will be provided.

The session will be at the Rep’s main building.

Little Rock Look Back: First documented theatrical performance in Little Rock

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On January 8, 1835, the Little Rock Town Council passed an ordinance granting the Society of Thalians a one year franchise to conduct performances in Little Rock.

That same day, the Thalians performed She Stoops to Conquer, Oliver Goldsmith’s 1773 comedy.

The following week, on January 17, they performed the comedy Ways and Means (by George Colman, Jr.) and David Garrick’s farce The Lying Valet.

The cost of the license to perform was $10 for the year. That would be the equivalent of $287 today. The ordinance also instructed the Town Constable to attend, by himself or a deputy, all theatrical performances to keep and preserve order.

There may well have been theatrical troupes come through Little Rock prior to January 1835, but records do not exist to any performances they may have given.  The performances by the Thalians are the first documented theatrical productions in Little Rock.

Twelfth Night, or What you WILL

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Today is Twelfth Night. Since it is also the title of one of Shakespeare’s most-produced plays, it seems a good chance to preview the 2019 Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre season.

While they HAVE produced Twelfth Night, it is not part of the 2019 season.

The lineup DOES include: The Comedy of Errors (the first Shakespeare play I ever read), The Scottish Play (sorry, but I don’t want to invoke the curse so I won’t write or say the title), as well as a streamlined version of Romeo and Juliet for families.  Also on tap, in the non-Shakespeare musical slot is Guys and Dolls.

Here is more about each show.
The Comedy of Errors
A tragic shipwreck, two sets of twins divided at birth, mistaken identities, and unrequited love provide the perfect recipe for fun in this Shakespearean farce. The fates bring the brothers and their long-lost father Aegeon together in the land of Ephesus with hilarious results.
Outside on the lawn at UCA

Guys and Dolls
A Musical Fable of Broadway
Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
High-rolling gambler Sky Masterson never took a bet he couldn’t win, until he met the no-nonsense Sarah Brown, a mission worker set on redeeming the sinners of Broadway. While fellow gambler Nathan Detroit has his own hands full with his fourteen year engagement to Miss Adelaide. It’s the audience who wins in this delightful musical of love and luck!
On-stage in Reynolds Performance Hall

[The Scottish Play]
Brave warrior The Thane of Cawdor emerges victorious from battle to be greeted by three witches who hail him as the future king of Scotland. What follows is a dizzying descent into political machinations, murder, and madness.
On-stage in Reynolds Performance Hall

Family Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
The fighting families of Montague and Capulet put their feud before their children’s happiness in Shakespeare’s classic tale of “star-crossed” young love, reimagined for audiences of all ages in this one-hour adaptation.
On-stage in Reynolds Performance Hall.  Also available to tour!

Performance dates will be announced in coming weeks.

Mary Ruth Marotte is the Executive Director and Rebekah Scallet is the Producing Artistic Director.

18 Cultural Events from 2018 – First Arts Advocacy Day at the Arkansas State Capitol

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On Wednesday, November 7 at the Arkansas State Capitol, Arkansans for the Arts and the new Arkansas General Assembly Legislative Arts Caucus participated in the first Arkansas Arts Advocacy Day.

That morning there were sessions on the Creative Economy 101 (Dr. Lenore Shoults of the Arts & Science Center for SE Arkansas), Arts Education Advocacy (Steve Holder, Vice President of Arkansans for the Arts), and Arts Funding Opportunities 101 (Dr. Gayle Seymour of the University of Central Arkansas).  It was followed by a Creative Economy Networking Business Exchange.

Mid-day, the Legislative Arts Caucus was introduced.  The inaugural members of the caucus come from each of the Arkansas Arts Council’s eight districts. The members are: Senators Ron Caldwell, Eddie Cheatham, Breanne Davis, Joyce Elliott, Scott Flippo, Missy Thomas Irvin, Matt Pitsch, and Larry Teague. The House members are Representatives Sarah Capp, Carol Dalby, Janna Della Rosa, Deborah Ferguson, Vivian Flowers, Michael John Gray, Monte Hodges, Reginald Murdock, and Les Warren.

In addition to the sessions, there was an Arts Talent Showcase on the front steps as well as in the rotunda.  Performers came from Alma, Ashdown, Conway, Dover, Earle, Hamburg, Hot Springs, Jacksonville, Little Rock, Morrilton, Russellville, Searcy, Van Buren, and Walnut Ridge,