Tag Archives: Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre

Little Rock theatre alums making National theatre news

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Some national theatre news with Little Rock connections:

ark repOn Monday, April 15, Douglas Carter Beane’s new play The Nance opened on Broadway.  Japhy Weideman, who was a lighting designer for the Arkansas Repertory Theatre a few seasons back, designed the lighting for this Lincoln Center Theatre production at the Lyceum Theatre.  Earlier this season, he designed lighting for a Broadway revival of Cyrano de Bergerac.  One of the cast members of The Nance was Mylinda Hull, who starred in the Rep’s production of Damn Yankees in 2000.

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Little Rock Hall High graduate David Auburn won a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for his play Proof.  His latest play, Lost Lake, was just selected for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s 2013 National Playwrights Conference in Waterford, CT. Wendy Goldberg, the artistic director of the Playwright’s Conference, will direct Auburn’s play on July 26 and 27.   Auburn was invited to submit a new play for this year’s Playwright’s Conference.   While he was growing up in Little Rock, he participated in the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre.

Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre for 2013-14

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AACCT1314The Arkansas Arts Center has announced the 2013-2014 Children’s Theatre season lineup.

The season will open with Pinkalicious the Musical, running from September 20 through October 6.  Based on the popular children’s book about a girl who turns pink, it is written by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann (based on their book).  The songs are written by John Gregor.

Next up will be The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, just in time for Halloween.  It will run from October 25 through November 10.  Alan Keith Smith has adapted Johann Wolfgang van Goethe’s poem of magic and imagination.  In this version, a modern young girl is taken on a mystical journey where she meets a medieval sorcerer’s apprentice.

The holiday show at the Children’s Theatre will involve a train filled with toys.  From November 29 through December 15, The Engine That Thought It Could will take the stage.  Alan Keith Smith has adapted Rev. Charles S. Wing’s 1906 story to create this tale of hope and determination — with plenty of holiday fun thrown in.

The winter blues will melt like butter with Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. From January 24 through February 7, this comical romp through the barnyard will be on stage.  It involves Farmer Brown, typing cows, striking foul, and learning about compromise.  It is adapted from Doreen Cronin’s book with illustrations by Betsey Lewin.

The familiar tale The Boy Who Cried Wolf will premiere at the Children’s Theatre from March 7 through 23.  Based on Aesop’s story, Alan Keith Smith has adapted this timeless classic about honesty.

The 2013-14 season will conclude with Sleeping Beauty.  Based on the Brothers Grimm folk tale, it will be on stage from April 25 through May 11, 2014.  This classic tale of love, courage and the triumph of good over evil is sure to delight audiences of all ages.

Bradley Anderson is the artistic director of the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre, and Dr. Todd Herman is the executive director of the Arkansas Arts Center.

 

A Princess, a Prince and a Pea at the AAC

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The Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre marches into the new month with a new take on an old tale.  The AAC revisits the Hans Christian Andersen classic The Princess and the Pea.  Alan Keith Smith wrote the adaptation and Artistic Director Bradley Anderson directs this production.

In Smith’s take on the classic tale, there is an added twist of mistaken identity as the Princess’ servant is thought to be the actual Princess.  Though there are new twists, this story still has a Prince, a Queen, twenty mattresses and one tiny pea.

The cast is led by Rachel Haislip as Princess Cordelia, Lucy Miller as her servant Jane, Jeremy Matthey as Prince Perry, Aleigha Morton as Queen Perimeta, John Isner as Womlitt, Michael Pere as Count Quint and Brooke Melton and Rachel Caffey as servants.  Though a play, it features a musical score by Lori Isner.

The Princess and the Pea opened public performances on Friday and runs through March 24.  During Spring Break week, there will be special matinees at 2pm from March 19 through 22.

While at the Arkansas Arts Center, visitors can also check out numerous outstanding exhibits including Edward Weston: Leaves of Grass and Wendy Maruyama: Executive Order 9066.  Dr. Todd Herman is the Executive Director of the Arkansas Arts Center.

3 Pigs and 3 Goats Up Next at AAC Children’s Theatre

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Two childhood tales of animal sibling trios are combined in the latest offering of the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre.  Opening tomorrow night, The Three Little Pigs and Three Billy Goats Gruff is a witty musical production full of whimsy that takes its audience to a magical land where pigs and goats talk, trolls reside under bridges, and wolves huff and puff.

The play, written by Children’s Theatre Associate Director Keith Smith, opens with the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. The three young goats are grazing in Gruff Valley, but wonder if the grass really is greener on the other side of the bridge. They have heard tales of greener pastures, but exploration to those lands is hindered by a troll that lives under the bridge. The three goats hatch a plan to
defeat the troll, giving him the “what-for,” and earning passage to the luscious lands beyond. They carry out their plan, but find some surprising truths along the way.

On the other side of the troll’s bridge, meadows are lush and pigs live in houses! The second part of the play focuses on another famous set of siblings: the three pigs. After Mama Pig sends out the three piglets to find their own way in the world, each decides on a different way to establish their new life. Dennis, the Big Bad Wolf, is just as interested in how each decides to construct their new home as he is in Grandpa Bill’s famous recipe for piggy pie. The classic story provides the basis for this retelling, but the characters are sure to provide a new form of entertainment for both the young and young-at-heart.

The production runs from January 25 through February 10.  Public performances take place on Friday evenings at 7pm, Saturday afternoons at 3pm and Sunday afternoons at 2pm.

Bradley Anderson is the Artistic Director of the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre.  Dr. Todd Herman is the Executive Director of the Arkansas Arts Center.

 

CITY MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE, CHRISTMAS HOUSE at the Children’s Theatre

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It’s sleigh-loads of Christmas excitement at the City Mouse house with a whole lotta stirrin’ going on this Christmas Eve! It’s hardly the “silent-night-hot-cocoa-and-candy-canes-by-firelight” Christmas that Country Mouse expected with his City Mouse cousin. And to top it all off like a star on a tree, you’ll never believe who comes to visit!

This year’s holiday offering is an original script written by Keith Smith for the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre. The musical is very loosely based on Aesop’s fable “Town Mouse and Country Mouse.” Full of physical comedy, this production is a refreshing twist on a classic story.

The production opens tonight and runs through December 16.  Public performances are Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 1 and 3 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

BUNNICULA at Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre

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The Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre presents Bunnicula through November 11.  Based on the book by Deborah and James Howe, it features a book and lyrics by Jon Klein.  Music was written by Chris Jeffries.

Bunnicula has been a hit with kids and their parents since the book was published in 1979. When the Monroe family brings home a small black-and-white bunny they find in the movie theater after seeing Dracula, Chester the cat and Harold the dog are instantly suspicious. After the vegetables in the Monroe kitchen start turning white, Chester and Harold are certain that Bunnicula is a vegetarian vampire.

Bunnicula is directed and designed by Keith Smith.  Bradley Anderson is the Artistic Director of the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre.  Todd Herman is the Executive Director of the Arkansas Arts Center.

Performances are at 7pm on Fridays, 3pm on Saturdays and 2pm on Sundays through November 11.

Final weekend of MADELINE AND THE GYPSIES

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The Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre kicks off its 33rd season with Madeline and the Gypsies.  This is the final weekend for the show with performances Friday at 7, Saturday at 3 and Sunday at 2.

Gretchen Bush leads the cast in the title role.  Diondre Wright plays Pepito and Jillian Flood plays Miss Clavel.   Others in the cast include Jimi Brewi, Abby Bannerman, Annie Forunte, Claire Havens, Kyndall Jackson, Margaret Lowry, Emily Pyron, Jenna Sims, Phoebe Tillemans, Sophie Wacaster, Maddie Woziwodzki, Jenny Zhang, Anna Newman, Melissa Griffith, Cassandra Nary, Jeremy Matthey, Kaiya Griffith, Alta Griffith, Karlie Barnett, Rachael Caffey, Timothy Espejo, Garrett Flood, Anna Grace Estes and Mark Hansen.

The play is based on Ludwig Bemelmans’ tales of Madeline and her friend Pepito.  It was adapted by Barry Kornhauser and features a musical score by Michael Koerner.  John Isner is the director, while the production is designed by Miranda Young.  Erin Larkin is the costume designer and Penelope Poppers designed the lighting. Bradley Anderson is the Artistic Director of the Childrens Theatre, and Todd Herman is the Executive Director of the Arkansas Arts Center.