Tag Archives: Arkansas Repertory Theatre

Monday Musings – Jay Clark

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Jay ClarkWhen Jay Clark is not on stage at the Arkansas Rep or other local theatres, you will might find him in a pulpit or leading a youth outing at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church.  His “day job” is Pastor with Youth and Their Families at PHUMC.  He is currently an understudy for Vice-Principal Panch in the Arkansas Rep production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He is set to perform on the 22nd and 23rd this week (Thursday and Friday).  If you saw him in multiple roles in the Rep’s production of Hairspray, you know you’re in for a good show!
After graduating from the American Musical and Dramaitc Academy in New York, Jay worked behind the scenes on Broadway/Off-Broadway productions of The Sunshine Boys(with Tony Randall and Jack Klugman), The Gin Game (with Julie Harris and Charles Durning), Jekyll and Hyde, The Life, and An Evening with Jerry Herman.  He has worked with United Methodist youth in New England, New York City, Arkansas, North Carolina and Nashville.
-My earliest memory was (age and incident)

Maybe watching Aloha from Hawaii. I was only a few years old, but I remember sitting in front of the tv on the bean-bag and watching. It was either this or dancing with a stuffed animal fox.

-When I was in high school and imagined my adulthood, I thought I would be…

An actor, no doubt. Plus I wanted a fulfilling life.

-Star Wars, Star Trek, Battle of the Network Stars, or Dancing with the Stars?

Battle of the Network Stars.

-I most identify with the Winnie the Pooh character of…

Tigger…although I have my Christopher Robin moments.

-The performer I’d drop everything to see is…

Dead or alive? George Burns, Jack Benny, Don Rickles, The Rat Pack – I tend to be old school.

-My first paying job was…
digging ditches and house footings for my grandpa. Then as a radio dj for KRLW in Walnut Ridge
-A book I think everyone should read is….
anything by Dostoevsky
-My favorite season is…
Fall
-We are all geeks (or experts) about something. My field is….
Theatre

See the BEE

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Rep Spelling BeeF-U-N is all the spelling you need to know to go see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. This musical comedy with heart and smarts is running now through November 8 at Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

A 2005 Tony winner for Best Book of a Musical, Spelling Bee (as it shall hereafter be abbreviated) explores the twists and turns of both the eponymous academic competition and the struggle known as adolescence. While William Finn’s score may not be as strong as some of his other shows, it is a mixture of peppy and heart-felt songs that illuminate the chaos and character of each competitor.

There are six main competitors in the Bee. Each of the adult actors playing these juvenile spellers does a masterful job of balancing the demands of the roles. They must portray youngsters, without it becoming a parody. Ethan Paulini creates yet another endearingly offbeat character at the Rep as Leaf Coneybear. Tessa Faye’s Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre shifts seamlessly between exuberance and frustration. Laura Dadap aptly showcases her many talents as overachiever Marcy Park.

As Chip Tolentino, Tommy Martinez is so clean-cut and charming that his character’s unfortunate physical condition is endearing and not creepy. Conly Basham brings warmth, pathos, and heart to the role of Olive Ostrovsky, which keeps the character from straying into the realm of the pitiful or maudlin. As William Barfee (pronounced Bar-fay, except by everyone else on stage), Patrick Halley embraces the profound oddities and quirks in the character without making him grotesque.

Playing the adults are the warm Andi Watson as a former spelling bee champion intent on reliving her glory days, the officiously hilarious Scott McLean Harrison as a frustrated and frustrating Assistant Principal, and Correy West as a community service grief counselor. Watson and Harrison are kept on their toes throughout the show as they must interact with the guest spellers from the audience.

This is no cookie-cutter production of Spelling Bee. Director Nicole Capri has crafted a production that plays to the unique strengths of each of the actors. She keeps the show moving at a good pace, while allowing it to slow down enough for the audience and actors to enjoy the moments of bliss and melancholy. Capri obviously created a rehearsal environment encouraging the actors to take risks and to have fun.

Musical Director Mark Binns again excels in serving the score, singers and the audience. Mike Nichols’ set recreates a school gymnasium down to the ropes dangling from a ceiling. Shelly Hall’s costumes capture the personalities of each character in a fresh way. Dan Kimble’s lighting and Allan Branson’s sound design are vital to reflecting the different moods and moments as the story sometimes shifts to different planes of consciousness. Lynda J. Kwallek’s props ensure the show has a lived-in look.

While the show may have a message about the value of every person, it is not a “MESSAGE” show. It is intended to be fun. The Arkansas Rep production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee gets the gold cup for providing an enjoyable, entertaining, and enlightening outing at the theatre.

T-o-n-i-g-h-t The Rep opens The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

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Rep Spelling BeeF-U-N is guaranteed at the Arkansas Rep production of the Tony winning The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. This musical comedy opens tonight for a run through November 8.

From William Finn, the composer of Falsettos, A New Brain and Little Miss Sunshine, comes a Tony Award-winning look at the all-too-familiar world of adolescence, told with hilarity, catchy tunes and surprising poignancy. The musical features a Tony-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin.  It was conceived by Rebecca Feldman with additional material by Jay Reiss.  The Rep’s production is directed by Nicole Capri.

The gloves are off in the take-no-prisoners, cold-blooded, dog-eat-dog world of competitive spelling as a menagerie of pre-pubescent misfits vies to d-e-c-i-m-a-t-e their young rivals on the cutthroat path to the national spelling bee championship.

Hormones rage and pulses pound as our awkward adversaries engage in feats of o-r-t-h-o-g-r-a-p-h-i-c prowess. The winner will receive a shining trophy and a luxurious DC hotel room with a big screen TV. The loser – nothing but a broken heart, a pat on the back and a juice box.

“A truly funny, unpredictable night of theatre,” said Bob Hupp. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Beeis never the same musical twice. The actors’ wit and verbal agility are put to the test night after night as each new audience brings new hilarity to the performance. If you can spell “cow”, then this musical is for you.”

Join The Rep onstage (quite literally, since several lucky audience members will be asked to show off their spelling chops alongside the cast each night) as we bring you this sidesplitting, irreverent, interactive musical comedy hit!

Intended for adult audiences.

Creative Class of 2015: Clea Hupp

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C-HuppDr. Clea Hupp is the new Chair of the UALR History Department.  She joined the UALR History Department in 2006 and received her Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in 2004.

Hupp specializes in the history of the Modern Middle East and U.S. – Middle Eastern relations. She has received grants from numerous institutions including the John F. Kennedy Foundation, the Lyndon Johnson Foundation, the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, and the American Center of Oriental Research.

Her latest book was recently published from I. B. Tauris and is entitled “The United States and Jordan: Middle East Diplomacy during the Cold War.” She has traveled extensively in the Middle East and she speaks both Arabic and French.  She has made numerous presentations both in Arkansas and throughout the US on Middle East relations.

Hupp serves on the Board of Directors of Ballet Arkansas. She is also an active supporter of many arts organizations in Little Rock. Arguably, her favorite cultural institution is the Arkansas Rep, which is led by her husband Bob.

Creative Class of 2015: Allyson Gattin

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After a stint in Missouri, Allyson Gattin returned to her native Little Rock and is using her talents in marketing and communication to enrich Little Rock’s cultural scene.

A graduate of Little Rock Central High School and the University of Missouri, she is now Director of Communications and Marketing at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.  In that capacity, she promotes all the Rep’s mainstage and special productions, education programs and fundraisers.  She also serves as the staff liaison for the theatre’s young professional group, The 601 Club.

Since joining the Rep in 2014, she has increased its presence on social media in a variety of platforms.  In recognition of this, she and her staff recently received the Arkansas Nonprofit Alliance Mission Marketing Award in the Social Media Category.

Prior to her work at the Rep, she worked for Arkansas Business Publishing Group and for the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis.

Monday Musings: Kelly Kinard Fleming

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Kelly FlemingToday launches a new feature on the Little Rock Culture Vulture: Monday Musings.

Little Rock cultural personalities will be asked nine questions (there were nine muses).

Up first is Kelly Kinard Fleming. A member of Little Rock’s Arts & Culture Commission, she is also Development Director at the Arkansas Arts Center. A graduate of the Clinton School of Public Service, she has previously worked at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre in development and marketing.

Monday Musings

-My earliest memory was (age and incident)

From birth to age 5 I lived in the booming metropolis of Sikes, Louisiana. The post office was in the general store. My dad was principal of the K-12 school and our house was on the edge of the school’s playground. I remember walking next door for a fresh cookie and carton of cold milk from the sweet lunchroom ladies. Oh, and the water in town was brown. I remember taking baths in clean, but brown, water.

-When I was in high school and imagined my adulthood, I thought I would be

…a novelist, a lawyer or both. Surprise! I’m neither.

-Star Wars, Star Trek, Battle of the Network Stars, or Dancing with the Stars?

If I MUST, Dancing with the Stars.

-I most identify with the Winnie the Pooh character of…

…there’s something in all of them we identify with, don’t you think? Much like the Wizard of Oz characters. But I’ll say Christopher Robin because he is cheerful and gets along well with others.

-The performer I’d drop everything to see is

…Bette Midler.

-My first paying job was

…babysitting. Swore I’d never have kids.

-A book I think everyone should read is

….Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

-My favorite season is…

….Spring. Great convertible weather.

-We are all geeks (or experts) about something. My field is

….shopping on the cheap.

Creative Class of 2015: Mark Binns

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mark binnsComposer, arranger, vocal coach, musical director, pianist, teacher, performer.  Mark Binns is all of these things.

He has been involved with Arkansas Repertory Theatre for six seasons now as a keyboardist, musical director and composer. Mark has been the Rep’s musical director for White Christmas, Les Miz, Memphis, and Elf. He has is currently at work on their upcoming The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.  For the Rep, he has also worked on their Summer Musical Theatre Intensive for several years.

In addition to the Rep, he often works with the Studio Theatre and Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre.  Other regional Musical Director credits include Hairspray, Oliver!, Cinderella, Pippin, The Last Five Years and Fiddler on the Roof. He has composed original music for the University of Central Arkansas’ production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle and served as Vocal Director/Arranger for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Fantasy.

When not working on a show, he can often be found performing at the Lobby Bar, the Afterthought or any number of other venues in Little Rock.