The Hall is alive with THE SOUND OF MUSIC – (Robinson Center Performance Hall, that is)

Posted on by

A brand new production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC is currently on tour across North America! The spirited, romantic and beloved musical story of Maria and the von Trapp Family  features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp.

Performances are this weekend at Robinson Center Performance Hall.  The Sound of Music is brought to Little Rock by Celebrity Attractions.  Show times are Friday, May 24 at 7:30pm, Saturday, May 25 at 2pm, Saturday, May 25 at 7:30pm, and Sunday, May 26 at 2pm.

The cast includes Jill-Christine Wiley (as Maria), Mike McLean (as the Captain), Amelija Hill, Hunter Brown, Lauren Kidwell, Jake Mills, Lauren O’Brien, Kate Turner, Ethan Douglas Cutillo, Riley O’Kane, Jenna Seasholtz, Emily Strugatsky, Quinn Titcomb, and Edward Turner.

The creative team includes Matt Lenz (tour director), Jonathan Warren (tour choreographer), Douglas W. Schmidt (scenic design), Jane Greenwood (costume design), Natasha Katz (lighting design), Shannon Slaton (sound design), and Michael GIlden (music director/conductor). The tour is based on a 2015 tour which featured direction by Jack O’Brien and choreography by Danny Mefford.

Bladesmith Jerry Fisk to be named Honorary Arkansas Living Treasure by Arkansas Arts Council

Posted on by

Image may contain: 1 person, sittingThe Arkansas Arts Council will recognize Jerry Fisk, a well-known bladesmith, with an Honorary Arkansas Living Treasure award during a reception 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at the Historic Arkansas Museum.

The honorary award is a first for the Arts Council. Ricardo Vilar, a fellow bladesmith from Nashville, will speak during the reception. Arkansas Arts Council Director Patrick Ralston will present the award.

Fisk, of Nashville, was named National Living Treasure in 1999. He then helped start the Arkansas Living Treasure program in 2002 by working with the Department of Arkansas Heritage and the Arkansas Arts Council.

Outside of his public service, Fisk is a nationally and internationally recognized bladesmith. He creates various styles of knives, including the Bowie Knife – a fighting knife first made in Arkansas.

Fisk’s knives are in permanent museum collections, including the New York State Museum and the Historic Arkansas Museum, where Fisk is an advisor. He also holds workshops on traditional knife-making techniques at various locations.

Little Rock Look Back: Final Saturday in May 1959 Recall Election Campaign

Posted on by

May 23, 1959, was a Saturday. It was also two days before the School Board recall election.  With it being a Saturday, it was the last full day for door knocking as supporters for all sides were busy trying to get out the vote.

Both sides were confident of victory.  Before a crowd of 1,000 in MacArthur Park, segregationists Rep. Dale Alford and Mississippi congressman John Bell Williams berated Harry Ashmore and the Arkansas Gazette.

STOP chair Dr. Drew Agar and campaign chair William Mitchell predicted it would be the largest turnout in Little Rock school election history.  They also stated that Gov. Faubus’ TV appearance criticizing STOP had actually pushed people over to their side.

Echoing Agar and Mitchell, the Pulaski County Election Commission predicted 30,000 of the district’s 42,000 registered voters would cast ballots.  The previous record of 27,000 had been cast in September 1958 when voters decided to keep the high schools closed.  By contrast, 14,300 voted in the December 1958 election which had selected the six school board members now on the ballot for recall.  On May 22, the final day of absentee ballot voting, 205 absentee votes had been cast bringing it to a total of 455 absentee ballots.

William S. Mitchell, who in addition to being a renowned attorney, apparently had a wicked sense of humor.  He used CROSS’s name against them in ads (placed throughout the newspaper) which urged voters to “Cross” out the names of the three candidates being backed by CROSS.

Little Rock Mayor T. D. Merrick born on May 23, 1814

Posted on by

_Thomas D. Merrick was born on May 23, 1814, in Hampden County, Massachusetts. He later moved to Indianapolis and Louisville before ending up in Little Rock.

On January 17, 1841, he married Anna M. Adams of Kentucky at Christ Episcopal Church in Little Rock. They had seven children: George, Annie, Ellie, Mollie, Lillian, Dwight, and Thomas.

Merrick became a prominent member of the Little Rock business community, as a merchant and cotton broker. He was involved in Freemasonry, holding the position of Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas in 1845.

In 1855 Merrick entered into a business partnership with future LR Mayor John Wassell. Merrick was also involved in city politics, serving on the city council and also as mayor from January 1854 to January 1855.

He saw active service during the Civil War. On February 6, 1861, Merrick delivered an ultimatum to Captain James Totten of the United States Arsenal at Little Rock, demanding the surrender of the federal troops.  This was more than two months before Fort Sumter was attacked.

Captain Totten ignored the ultimatum. Merrick, however, did not lead an attack on the Arsenal, which would have certainly been viewed as aggression against the federal government.

Merrick also raised a regiment of Confederate Arkansas Militia, holding the rank of Colonel of Infantry at Camp Conway, near Springfield, Arkansas.  Following the Battle of Shiloh (April 1862), Merrick resigned his commission and returned to Little Rock.

Merrick died in his home in Little Rock on March 18, 1866.  He is buried in Mount Holly Cemetery.

JAWS on the big screen tonight at CALS Ron Robinson Theater

Posted on by

Jaws

duunnn dunnn… duuuunnnn duun… duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn dunnnn

The terrifying motion picture from the terrifying No. 1 best seller – Steven Spielberg’s breakout movie Jaws will be shown at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater tonight as part of their “Movies Meant for the Big Screen” series.

Based on Peter Benchley’s bestselling book, the film starts Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss.  It is, in many ways, the ultimate Summer movie — beach, action, special effects, and a hearkening back to simpler times.

The cast also includes Lorraine Gray and Murray Hamilton as well as Bruce the Shark. Spielberg’s dog at the time also made an appearance.  It also features the iconic score by John Williams. Nominated for four Academy Awards, it won three: Score, Sound and Film Editing. The only Oscar it lost was Best Picture.

Originally slated for Christmas 1974 release, the movie was so far behind schedule the release did not happen until June 20, 1975. At the time, summer was the dumping ground for movies. But based on the success of Jaws, the concept of the Summer Blockbuster was born.

Tonight’s screening starts at 7pm.  Admission is $5.

Beethoven’s Triple Concerto highlights final Arkansas Symphony Orchestra concert of 2018-2019 season

Posted on by
Image may contain: 2 people, including David Gerstein, people on stage and indoor

Laskarov, Mann, and Gerstein in rehearsal

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra closes out the 2018-2019 season with its final I.N.C., Intimate Neighborhood Concerts, performance.  It is tonight (May 23) at 7pm at Calvary Baptist Church, 5700 Cantrell Road.

The program features Karlowicz’s Serenade for Strings, Op. 2; Moszkowski’s Prelude and Fuge, Op. 85; and Beethoven’s Concerto Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano in C Major, Op. 56.  Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Music Director Philip Mann is the conductor.

The ASO Intimate Neighborhood Concerts series is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy fantastic music in gorgeous, acoustically unique venues around Little Rock. The concerts offer special, intimate performances where patrons can get up – close and personal with chamber orchestra ensembles performing pieces in perfect settings. In addition to hearing these beautiful works, concertgoers are invited to mingle with the musicians after the concerts.

Soloists tonight are Kiril Laskarov, violin; David Gerstein, cello, and Tatiania Roitman Mann, piano.

Kiril Laskarov is in his 20th season as Concertmaster of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. A native of Bulgaria, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State Academy of Music in Sofia and a Master’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he studied with Prof. Michael Barta.

David Gerstein, a devoted performer of chamber and contemporary music has played concerts all over the world, from the stage of Carnegie Hall to the Great Wall of China. Mr. Gerstein has recently appeared in concert with the Ying Quartet, flutist Leone Buyse, clarinetist Michael Webster, mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer, soprano Renee Fleming, cellist Fred Sherry, violinist Jonathan Carney, and Vern Sutton of The Prairie Home Companion.

Tatiana Roitman Mann has appeared as a soloist and recitalist across North America and Europe. The BBC hailed her performance of G. Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Oxford Pops Orchestra as “formidable…both accurate and with rarely seen joy.” Mann’s radio broadcasts include H.Villa-Lobos’ Mystic Sextet, on NPR’s Performance Today.

As part of M2 Gallery’s May Sessions at South on Main: Neal Harrington’s art and the music of Black Sabbatical

Posted on by

Sessions :: Neal Harrington + Black SabbaticalM2 Gallery is curating May Sessions at South on Main by highlighting connections between music and visual art. For the fourth Wednesday in May, they invite you to experience the music & art of Neal Harrington and Black Sabbatical.

Tickets for this event are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Music begins at 8 pm. You may reserve a table for dinner by calling (501) 244-9660.

ABOUT BLACK SABBATICAL

Black Sabbatical is comprised of four college professors who cannot agree on anything except ROCK and ROLL!

ABOUT NEAL HARRINGTON

Neal Harrington was born in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1973.  He graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (emphasis in painting) in 1998.  Mr. Harrington then recently married, followed his wife to graduate school in Wichita, Kansas.  He graduated in 2001 with a Master of Fine Arts degree (emphasis in printmaking) from Wichita State University.  Currently Neal, Tammy and their two children live in Russellville, Arkansas.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Printmaking, in particular relief, is my primary means of exploration in the visual arts.  The content of my work fuses the rich tradition of Greek/Roman mythologies with an American Roots Music perspective.  These visual ballads sing out in their symbolism, narrative, and energetic atmospheres.  My work balances a multifaceted investigation of independence and mystical narratives.  These themes can be found in The Bootlegger’s Ballad series and the pulp novel/comic pinup imagery of The American Goddesses series.  The bold and graphic marks of the woodcut/relief technique reiterate the tension and energy of the figures in these works.  In my Bootlegger series, I create an intensified atmosphere and an amplified dramatic sense of light with the addition of India ink washes.  The shades of gray either softens the focus or strengthens the focal point and contributes to the dreamlike quality of the piece.

ABOUT M2 GALLERY

M2 Gallery is located in SOMA and offers a large selection of original artwork from both established and emerging artists. With a wide range of style and price, M2 Gallery is sure to fill your art needs. M2 also works with a large network of galleries throughout the country so that we can make sure to find exactly what our clients are looking for. Gallery director Mac Murphy has over 15 years experience, and has been the driving force behind M2 Gallery winning the Platinum Service Award for several years.