Category Archives: Theatre

For Arkansas Rep’s MEMPHIS tonight, it is Pay What You Can night, presented by Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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MemphisAs the Arkansas Rep kicks off 2014-2015 with Memphis, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette presents The Rep’s “Pay What You Can Night.”

Patrons can pay any amount they wish for their ticket.  Tickets must be purchased in person at the Box Office located at 601 Main Street the day of the performance. The Box Office will be open from 9 a.m. until curtain.  Tickets are limited to (2) two per person.  Offer is based on seating availability.

Kicking off Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s 2014-2015 MainStage Season is Memphis, an electrifying musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, roof-raising rock ‘n’ roll and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love.  With high-energy music by David Bryan of Bon Jovi fame, this hard-hitting story of love is loosely based on Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips, one of the first white DJs to play black music on the radio in the 1950s.

Winner of four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the New York Times says Memphis “evokes the powerhouse funk of James Brown, the hot guitar riffs of Chuck Berry, the smooth harmonies of The Temptations, [and] the silken, bouncy pop of the great girl groups of the period.”

In the Beale Street nightclubs of 1950s Memphis simmers a new sound, born of the blues, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll and birthed in the Delta.  It takes a young white DJ, a white man in a black world, to catapult this new sound to the airwaves of Memphis radio and into the living rooms of white Memphis.  What follows is a love story that pushes the racial boundaries of the times and ignites a musical revolution that grips the entire country.

THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE continues at Weekend Theater

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Beauty-Queen_smThe Lortel and Tony winning dark comedy The Beauty Queen of Leenane continues its run at the Weekend Theater tonight.

Written by Oscar winner Martin McDongah, this play is set in the mountains of Connemara County, Galway, Ireland and tells the darkly comic tale of Maureen Folan, a plain and lonely woman in her early forties, and Mag, her manipulative aging mother, whose interference in Maureen’s first and possibly final chance of a loving relationship sets in motion a train of events that leads inexorably towards the play’s terrifying dénouement.

Director, Deb Lewis, explains that she chose to direct The Beauty Queen of Leenane because, “It’s a very intriguing story; it touches people on a lot of emotional levels. Everybody has experienced some kind of abuse in their lives . . . this play will resonate with people. Abuse is sadly pervasive, and my hope is that through this story people will be more aware of what’s going on.”

“It’s got love, comedy, violence, tragedy, sex . . . There’s everything in this show. ” Explains actor Tommie Tinker. “It’s like a dark, absurdist thriller,” adds actor Jacob Sturgeon. In summing up the play and the struggles the characters face, actress Amy Young says, “No matter how bad things are, it can get worse.”

The cast features Amy Young, Elizabeth Reha, Tommie Tinker and Jacob Sturgeon.

The show plays at 7:30 tonight.  It will also be performed on Friday, September 5 and Saturday, September 6.

One Acts this weekend at Community Theatre of Little Rock

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ctlrWhen the Community Theatre of Little Rock was founded in the 1950s, it was common for groups such as it to perform evenings of One Act plays.

Returning to these roots, this weekend the CTLR presents an evening of four one act plays.

The lineup is

“The Actor’s Nightmare” by Christopher Durang.  In it George is mistaken for an actor’s understudy and forced to perform a show he doesn’t know. The cast is David Monteith as George Spelvin, Francesca Bee as Meg, Brooke Ballew as Sarah Siddons, Jessica Allis as Ellen Terry and Peyton Hooks as Henry Irving.

In “Private Wars” by James McLure, three recovering soldiers try to figure out where their lives go from here.  The cast is Jerry Woods, John Timaues and Courtney Williams.

Noel Coward’s “Ways and Means” examines what happens when an heiress and her gambling husband, plagued with debt and shame, are inadvertently saved by a disgraced chauffeur. The cast includes Susan Troillet, Harold Dean, Tracy Speed, Michael Harmon, Jessica Allis, Jerry Woods and Courtney Williams.

In “30 Minutes to Charlie” by Nick Zagone, Kline and Reid hit are forced to visit the Emergency Room while trying to get to the meeting of a lifetime. The cast features Jon Martin, Peyton Hooks, Tracy Speed and Skye Sebring.

Performances are at 7:30 tonight (August 22) and tomorrow (August 23) and at 2:30 on Sunday, August 24.  The CTLR now performs at the new Studio Theatre.

Gridiron Gridlock continues through Saturday

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gridronThe Arkansas Repertory Theatre is thrilled to announce that more than 75 lawyers and law professionals will once again take The Rep stage with their production of Gridiron. After a four-year hiatus, the lawyers bring back their biennial musical production spoofing Arkansas people and politics. Its played Wednesday and Thursday.  It continues tonight (7 p.m. and 9 p.m.) and Saturday (8 p.m.).

Gridiron traces its origins back to 1916 when a few theatrically inclined lawyers banded together to write and perform a vaudevillian-style dinner  vshow. The show was an immediate success and became an annual event. It’s now close to celebrating its 100th anniversary. Some believe it is the longest-running production of its kind in the nation.

In the 1963, the late Griffin Smith took up the mantel of Gridiron and began an extended and mutually beneficial association with the Pulaski County Bar Association, which saw the production grow in production quality and popularity.

This year’s show will be produced by the Gridironers themselves, some of whom have been in Gridiron for more than 30 years.  The cast is all volunteer, but the show is professionally produced at The Rep.

“Gridiron is a special thing,” said Dent Gitchell, a 40-year veteran of the show and the show’s historical archivist.  “It’s not just a hoot to watch, it’s an opportunity for lawyers, young and not-so-young – judges, paralegals, and other legal professionals – to get to know each other outside the courtroom, share a common experience, and have a lot of fun.”

It’s also something else: a way for the lawyers to give back to the community. Funds raised through ticket sales support some deserving local non-profits. This year, the lawyers intend to donate the net proceeds to The Rep and the Pulaski County Bar Foundation in appreciation for the support both institutions have given to Gridiron over the years.

Red Octopus back with KOCT-O News this weekend and next

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Red Octopus Theater cast members Jason Willey, Sandy Baskin, David Weatherly and Krystal Berry are part of the KOCT-O 8 News Team in KOCT-O News!

Red Octopus Theater cast members Jason Willey, Sandy Baskin, David Weatherly and Krystal Berry are part of the KOCT-O 8 News Team in KOCT-O News!

KOCT-O News!, a new sketch comedy show by Red Octopus Theater, opened this week, continues tonight and plays next weekend August 14-16, 2014 at The PUBLIC Theatre, located at 616 Center Street, in downtown Little Rock, AR.  Doors will open at 7:30PM and the show will start at 8:00PM.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for senior citizens, military and students.  No reservations are accepted and there will be refreshments available.  The show is recommended for mature audiences.

Red Octopus Theater will take on politics, current events, social issues and entertainment (the important topic real people care about) in their end of summer original sketch comedy production, KOCT-O News!

News anchors Holly Newday (Sandy Baskin) and Brock Brockington (Jason Willey) will focus on local political mudslinging campaigns in “Now Who’s The One I Like?” as well as the 2016 Presidential race in, “If Only Hillary Wasn’t A Woman.”  Weather will be in the local forefront in “Maybe Ned Perme Is A God?” and local interest story “Is Hillcrest Better Than The Heights?” will be seen during the journalism themed comedy show.  In sports news, a recap of the World Cup comes in the form of “Soccer Players Are Really Pretty” and a special editorial concerning what the city limits of Little Rock should be, “Little Rock: Where Does It End?”

All will be rounded out when the news team at KOCT-O News, channel 8, talks about the pressing issues: Celebrities, Summer Blockbusters and the Clooney Report, live coverage of what George Clooney is doing currently, at this moment, now.

There may not be Peabodys or Regional Emmys adorning the set, but there will be “soft hitting news!”  Blazers, ties and sock puppet field reporters are in store for audiences in the newest sketch comedy show from Arkansas’s oldest comedy troupe.  So join Red Octopus Theater for KOCT-O News! and their coverage of all the important stuff you didn’t need to know.

The cast features Sandy Baskin, Krystal Berry, Alli Clark, Michael Goodbar, Brittany Sparkles, David Weatherly and Jason Willey with special correspondent, Luke Rowlan. Performances are open to all ages, but recommended for mature audiences because of adult language and situations.  No reservations are needed, first come, first sit.

For more information please contact Red Octopus Theater at (501) 291-3896, or RedOctopusTheater@gmail.com.

To contact The PUBLIC Theatre, call 374-PLAY.

 

Community Theatre of Little Rock announces 2014-2015 season

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ctlrThe Community Theatre of Little Rock has recently announced their 59th Season, which has been given the theme “The Sinners and Saints Season.”

The season kicks off on August 22 with a one weekend only series of one acts.  Directed by Liz Turner, Lisa Luyet, Mark Troillett and Chris Boggs, the one acts are: “The Actor’s Nightmare” by Christopher Durang, “Private Wars” by James McLure, “Ways and Means” by Noel Coward and “30 Minutes to Charlie” by Nick Zagone.

In October, N. Richard Nash’s classic play The Rainmaker will be performed from October 3 through 19.  For the holidays the musical Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical by Dan Goggins will take the stage from November 28 through December 20.  The backstage thriller Rehearsal for Murder kicks off 2015 from February 13 through March 1.

A new play will be premiered.  Written and directed by S. Christopher Boggs, The Winning Numbers will play from April 24 through 26.  The season will conclude with the musical Sister Act from June 5 through 28.

The Community Theatre of Little Rock now performs at the new Studio Theatre in downtown Little Rock.

The Studio Theatre celebrates grand opening today

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studiotheatreLittle Rock’s newest live performance venue, The Studio Theatre and The Lobby Bar, will celebrate its grand opening this Thursday, July 31. The celebration begins at 2pm with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce. A reception follows along with theatre tours and live musical performances in The Lobby Bar until 1am.

Located in downtown Little Rock, this is a 99 seat venue. “There are other live performance spaces within walking distance of The Studio Theatre,” says President of the Board and Musical Director, Bob Bidewell. “Lovers of the performing arts now have another first class performance space to consider when making their plans.”

In August, The Studio Theatre and Lobby Bar have a schedule of  productions:

Monday’s at 8pm- Open Mic Night (Lobby Bar-FREE Admission)

August 7- Songwriters Rena Wren & Rodger King (Lobby Bar- FREE Admission)

August 15 & 16- Broadway Concert (Studio Theatre- Ticket Price: $12)

August 29- Rodney Block (Studio Theatre- Ticket Prices: $10-$25)

August 30- Arkansas’ Masters of Illusion (Studio Theatre- Ticket Prices to be announced)

Additionally, Community Theatre of Little Rock recently moved to The Studio Theatre and just wrapped up sold out performances of Rent. CTLR’s next performance is a series of One Acts and runs August 22-24. Visit www.ctlr-act.org for details.

In September, Little Shop of Horrors takes the stage with 10 performances beginning September 11.

Built in 1921, The Studio Theatre and The Lobby Bar are located in the former Balfour Printing building in downtown Little Rock.  For more information, call 501-940-4646 or visit thestudiotheatre.org and on Facebook .