Nell Benjamin
Little Rock connection – Wrote the lyrics and libretto for Because of Winn Dixie musical which had its world premiere at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.
Tony Awards connection – Received a Tony nomination for the score of the musical Legally Blonde.
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre works in partnership with the Clinton School of Public Service to participate in the UACS’s Distinguished Speaker Series, hosting educational panel discussions on various Rep productions. The latest in these takes place today, Tuesday, April 29 at 12 noon at Sturgis Hall in Clinton Presidential Park.
Join Rep Producing Artistic Director Bob Hupp as he hosts the hilarious cast of Second City’s Happily Ever Laughter tour to discuss the art of improv comedy.
Second City’s Happily Ever Laughter opens April 30 and runs through Saturday May 10.
Brian Lane Green
Little Rock connection: Starred as Joseph in the 2000 production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Arkansas Repertory Theatre.
Tony Awards connection: Nominated for Actor in a Musical in 1989 for his performance in Starmites. (The show opened on Broadway 25 years ago today.)
Photo courtesy of Playbill
Ann Duquesnay
Little Rock connection: Starred in Cookin’ at the Cookery at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre. Though Tony nominees had appeared on Rep stage before, she was the first Tony winner to appear on Arkansas Rep stage in a play.
Tony Awards connection: Won the 1996 Featured Actress in a Musical Tony for her performance as “‘da Singer” in Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk.
In 2013, she starred in the New York City premiere of Cookin’ at the Cookery, which explores the life of blues singer Alberta Hunter.
Rocco Landesman on stage at the Arkansas Rep
Rocco Landesman
Little Rock connection: Visited Little Rock in 2012 in his capacity as chair of the National Endowment for the Arts for the Obama Administration.
Tony Awards connection: As a Broadway producer, won Tony awards for the musical Big River (which opened on this day in 1985), The Grapes of Wrath (1990 Best Play), City of Angels (1990 Best Musical), Guys and Dolls (1992 Best Revival), Angels in America: Millennium Approaches (1993 Best Play), Angels in America: Perestroika (1994 Best Play), Love! Valour! Compassion! (1995 Best Play), The King and I (1996 Best Musical Revival), Titanic (1997 Best Musical), Death of a Salesman (1999 Best Play Revival), Proof (2001 Best Play), The Producers (2001 Best Musical), 42nd Street (2001 Best Musical Revival), Into the Woods (2002 Best Musical Revival), Jersey Boys (2005 Best Musical), Hair (2009 Best Musical Revival) and Kinky Boots (2013 Best Musical). He has been nominated for 33 additional Tony Awards.
Photo by Lily Darragh featuring Ballet Arkansas artist Amanda Sewell and Toby Lewellen
With the hiring of Artistic Director Michael Bearden, a growing company of professional dancers, and plans to move studio space to Main Street, “momentum” is definitely a word to describe the activities of Ballet Arkansas these days. Therefore it is fitting that the professional dancers of Ballet Arkansas will grace the stage of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre with a new concert, Momentum, April 25-27.
Ballet Arkansas’ Momentum will be a celebration of the beauty of ballet with Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations, a brand new work to the music of Bolero by Pacific Northwest Ballet Soloist Kiyon Gaines, and new works by Shayla Bott, Houston Ballet’s Melody Mennite and Ballet Arkansas Artistic Director, Michael Bearden.
“From the classic beauty of Arpino’s Birthday Variations to the raw, dynamic energy of Gaines Bolero, this program has something for everyone,” said Bearden. “It is a testament to Ballet Arkansas’ momentum and to the city’s blossoming arts community on Main Street.”
This production will be the second collaboration between Ballet Arkansas and The Arkansas Repertory Theatre. “The partnership between the ballet and The Rep has proven to be an invaluable asset to our growing company,” said Lauren Strother, Ballet Arkansas’ Executive Director. “With our new home right across the street from The Rep we look forward to many more opportunities to bring new and innovative experiences through collaboration with our neighboring arts groups in The Rep and Symphony.”
Tickets for Momentum are available through The Rep box office at (501) 378-0405 or online at http://www.balletarkansas.org. Tickets are $35 for Orchestra and First Mezzanine seating and $30 for Second Mezzanine seating. Momentum will open Friday, April 25, 2014 with an evening performance starting at 7:30 p.m. followed by a champagne reception in The Rep lobby.
Other show times include an evening performance on Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee on Sunday, April 27 at 2:00 p.m.
Ballet Arkansas programming is made possible through the support of season sponsors Parker Audi, Footlights Dancer Store and the Arkansas Arts Council a department of Arkansas Heritage.
At the 1989 Tony Awards, photo by Anita & Steve Shevett
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Little Rock connection: Danced in an event produced by Ballet Arkansas in 1983 at Robinson Center Music Hall.
Tony Awards connection: Nominated for Actor in a Play for his performance as a man turned into a cockroach in a stage adaptation of Kafka’s Metamorphosis.
To see what Ballet Arkansas is currently producing, attend Momentum this weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). The Ballet Arkansas company will be performing on the Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s stage.
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