Culture Vulture Quiz – The Rock and Oscar

the-oscars-logoThe Oscars are tonight.  In honor of that, here is a Culture Vulture Quiz to explore the connection between the Oscars and Little Rock (with a few other Arkansas connected films thrown in).  In honor of the 86th Oscars, here are 86 questions; hopefully it won’t take as long to complete as it will to watch the entire ceremony tonight.

To get more in the mood for movies, be sure and visit the Old State House Museum for their Lights! Camera! Arkansas! exhibit and visit screenings at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater.

Answers will be published tomorrow. Email your guesses to lrculturevulture@aol.com.

1.  Which Oscar winner gave future Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen her first break in the movies?
A – Woody Allen
B – James Cagney
C – Jack Nicholson
D – Jason Robards

Ben in Tree2.  In which category was The Hanging Tree (which starred Little Rock native Ben Piazza) nominated for an Oscar?
A – Cinematography (Color)
B – Film Editing
C – Song
D – Sound

3.  Which former Little Rock resident won an Honorary Oscar in 1958?
A – Julie Adams
B – Gilbert “Broncho Billy” Anderson
C – Jay C. Flippen
D – Dick Powell

4.  The Oscar winning documentary short “Nine from Little Rock” was narrated by which member of the Little Rock Nine?
A – Minnijean Brown
B – Ernest Green
C – Jefferson Thomas
D – Carlotta Walls

5.  In addition to receiving an Oscar for the live action short “The Accountant,” Ray McKinnon has appeared in several Oscar winning films.  In which of these Oscar winners did he NOT appear?
A – Apollo 13
B – The Blind Side
C – Driving Miss Daisy
D – Sling Blade

6.  Arkansas actor Rick Dial acted with many heavyweights during his film career. With which of these Oscar winners did he NOT appear?
A – Michael Caine
B – Chris Cooper
C – Robert Duvall
D – Timothy Hutton

7.  Twice nominated for an Oscar, Arkansan Melinda Dillon is perhaps best known for appearing in which iconic holiday film?
A – A Christmas Story
B – Elf
C – Home Alone
D – It’s a Wonderful Life

8.  How many Oscar nominees and winners starred in The Firm, which was filmed partially in Arkansas?
A – 1
B – 4
C – 5
D – 7

9.  Little Rock Film Festival honorees Harry and Linda Bloodworth Thomason produced the Arkansas-set TV show “Evening Shade.” Which Oscar nominated actor did NOT appear in that show?
A – Charles Durning
B – Hal Holbrook
C – Burt Reynolds
D – Billy Bob Thornton

The_War_Room_FilmPoster10.  The song “Get Back to Little Rock” is featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary The War Room.  Who sang the song in the film?
A – The Groan Ups
B – The Philander Smith Gospel Choir
C – Jason D. Williams
D – Lucinda Williams

11.  Leo Robin and Jule Styne, who wrote the song “Little Girl from Little Rock” each won Oscars.  For which song did Robin win a Best Song Oscar?
A – “Beyond the Blue Horizon”
B – “Blue Hawaii”
C – “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”
D – “Thanks for the Memory”

12.  For which song did Styne win a Best Song Oscar?
A – “I Fall in Love Too Easily”
B – “It’s Magic”
C – “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
D – “Three Coins in the Fountain”

13.  Prior to receiving four Academy Award nominations, Beasts of the Southern Wild was a hit at the Little Rock Film Festival.  Quvenzhané Wallis, the film’s star, made Oscar history by becoming the youngest Best Actress nominee.  How old was she?
A – 7
B – 9
C – 11
D – 13

14.  The late Bob Ginnaven was a Little Rock adman and actor.  In addition to Steel Magnolias, in which Oscar- nominated film, did he also appear with Dolly Parton?
A – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
B – Nine to Five
C – Rhinestone
D – Straight Talk

15.  Little Rock native George Newbern (and Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre alum) has twice appeared on film as the son-in-law of which Oscar winning actress?
A – Goldie Hawn
B – Diane Keaton
C – Barbra Streisand
D – Dianne Wiest

16.  Little Rock Hall graduate, Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre alum and Pulitzer Prize winning writer David Auburn has written three movies. Which of the following Oscar winners has NOT starred in one of his movies?
A – Adrien Brody
B – Anthony Hopkins
C – Gwyneth Paltrow
D – Christopher Plummer

17.  Which Oscar winner starred in the TV movie Crisis at Central High?
A – Jessica Lange
B – Vanessa Redgrave
C – Jessica Tandy
D – Joanne Woodward

18. The Oscar nominated film The Story of Dr. Wassell starred Gary Cooper as World War II hero and Little Rock native Dr. Corydon M. Wassell (who was related to two Little Rock mayors).  It was directed by which Oscar winner?
A – Cecil B. DeMille
B – Howard Hawks
C – Billy Wilder
D – William Wyler

ark rep19.  Which Oscar winning actress appeared on stage at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre?
A – Kathy Bates
B – Mercedes McCambridge
C – Sissy Spacek
D – Hilary Swank

20.  Which film starring former Little Rock resident Dick Powell won 5 Oscars?
A – The Bad and the Beautiful
B – 42nd Street
C – Golddiggers of 1933
D – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

21.  Scenes from A Soldier’s Story were filmed at Lamar Porter Field in Little Rock.  Which of the following Oscar winning or nominated actors did not appear in that movie?
A – Adolph Caesar
B – Morgan Freeman
C – Howard E. Rollins Jr.
D – Denzel Washington

22.  Which movie filmed in Arkansas boasted an Oscar winner and Oscar nominee as well as a future Oscar winner and future Oscar nominee among its cast?
A – Bloody Mama
B – Shotgun Stories
C – White Lightning
D – The White River Kid

23.  Ted Danson, Emmy winning actor and co-owner of Little Rock restaurant South on Main, appeared in which Oscar winning film?
A – Black Hawk Down
B – The Hurt Looker
C – Saving Private Ryan
D – Zero Dark Thirty

24.  In addition to Mary Steenburgen, Central Arkansas-filmed End of the Line boasted several award winning (and future award winning) actors.  Which of the following cast members has not, to date, been nominated for an Oscar?
A – Kevin Bacon
B – Bob Balaban
C – Barbara Barrie
D – Holly Hunter

25.  Oscar nominated Michael Shannon has appeared in each of the movies to date directed by Little Rock native Jeff Nichols. Several other Oscar winners and nominees have appeared in Nichols’ films. Which of the following have not yet appeared in a Jeff Nichols production?
A – Jessica Chastain
B – Matthew McConaughey
C – Amy Ryan
D – Reese Witherspoon

26. Oscar winner Gregory Peck appeared on the silver screen as which political candidate with a Little Rock connection?
A – Orval Faubus
B – Douglas MacArthur
C – Joseph Taylor Robinson
D – Winthrop Rockefeller

27. Arkansan Jason Moore directed a recent Broadway revival of Steel Magnolias. Which Oscar nominated actress from the 1970s appeared in it?
A – Jill Clayburgh
B – Melinda Dillon
C – Barbara Harris
D – Marsha Mason

28. Arkansas native John Grisham was an early supporter of the Oxford American. Many of his novels have been turned into feature films. In addition to The Firm, which other Grisham-based film, has earned an actor an Oscar nomination?
A – The Chamber
B – The Client
C – The Pelican Brief
D – A Time to Kill

Mayor J V Satterfield escorting actress Maureen O'Hara at the Movie Ball (photo from Arkansas Democrat)

Mayor J V Satterfield escorting actress Maureen O’Hara at the Movie Ball (photo from Arkansas Democrat)

29. Shortly after appearing in Little Rock for an event around the opening of Robinson Auditorium, Maureen O’Hara filmed which Best Picture Oscar winner?
A – How Green Was My Valley
B – The Lost Weekend
C – Mrs. Miniver
D – Rebecca

30. Oscar winner Lisa Blount made a name for herself in An Officer and a Gentleman. Which of her costars won an Oscar for appearing in that film?
A – Richard Gere
B – Louis Gossett, Jr.
C – Robert Loggia
D – Debra Winger

31. Carol Channing, who played “Little Girl from Little Rock” Lorelei Lee on stage, received an Oscar nomination for which movie?
A – Hello, Dolly!
B – Mame
C – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
D – Thoroughly Modern Millie

32. Which multiple Oscar nominee has been a featured speaker at the Clinton School?
A – Ed Harris
B – John Lithgow
C – Sigourney Weaver
D – Debra Winger

33. South Pacific‘s heroine, Nellie Forbush, is from Little Rock. The film was nominated for three Oscars, receiving a win in one of the categories. In which of the following categories was the film NOT nominated?
A – Cinematography, Color
B – Film Editing
C – Scoring of a Motion Picture
D – Sound

34. Delight native Glenn Campbell, who recently gave his farewell Little Rock performance at Robinson Center Music Hall, co-starred with which actor who received an Oscar for that performance?
A – Lee Marvin
B – George C. Scott
C – Rod Steiger
D – John Wayne

35. Oscar winner Shirley Jones is appearing with Celebrity Attractions in Central Arkansas next season and has appeared previously with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. For which film did she win her Oscar?
A – Beyond the Poseidon Adventure
B – Carousel
C – Elmer Gantry
D – The Music Man

36. The Arkansas Rep production of Les Miserables runs from March 5 through April 6.  Last year a film version of this classic musical received 8 nominations. How many Oscars did it win?
A – Zero
B – Three
C – Five
D – Seven

lrff_mp_hdr_logo37. The Little Rock Film Festival honored Arkansas native Hal Needham in 2011. He received Scientific and Technical Oscar in 1987 and an Honorary Oscar in 2013. Which of the following Oscar winners did NOT appear in a movie directed by Needham?
A – Sally Field
B – Jack Lemmon
C – Shirley MacLaine
D – Frank Sinatra

38. John Corigliano will be featured with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in the 2014-2015 season. For which film did he win an Oscar?
A – Altered States
B – Amadeus
C – The Red Violin
D – Reds

39. In the 1990s, Wildwood Park for the Arts featured several performers who have also been subjects of Oscar winning films. Which of the following Oscar winning or nominated movies is about someone who performed at Wildwood?
A – Coal Miner’s Daughter
B – Dreamgirls
C – Sweet Dreams
D – What’s Love Got to Do with It?

40. As a young actor, which future Oscar nominee performed scenes from Shakespeare on the stage of Little Rock Central auditorium as part of a national tour?
A – Alan Alda
B – Ed Harris
C – Hal Holbrook
D – Ian McKellen

41. Nominated for tonight’s Oscars for the song from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Bono and The Edge performed in the rain at the opening of the Clinton Presidential Center. For which film were they previously Oscar nominated?
A – The Devil Wears Prada
B – Gangs of New York
C – Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
D – Short Cuts

42. Dave Brubeck performed at Wildwood several times. Which 2013 Oscar winner featured music by Brubeck?
A – Argo
B – Django Unchained
C – Silver Linings Playbook
D – Zero Dark Thirty

43. Which Oscar winner appeared in Little Rock for a fundraiser for the Arkansas Repertory Theatre?
A – Julie Andrews
B – Holly Hunter
C – Kevin Kline
D – Gregory Peck

44. Political writer Joe Klein appeared at the third Arkansas Literary Festival. His novel Primary Colors (published with the author name “Anonymous”) was made into an Oscar nominated movie. Which of the following stars of the movie has not won an Oscar?
A – Kathy Bates
B – Emma Thompson
C – Billy Bob Thornton
D – John Travolta

45. Which Little Rock actor has served as an Oscar co-host?
A – Gil Gerard
B – Ben Piazza
C – Dick Powell
D – Mary Steenburgen

ASO_2-color46. Which Oscar winner and Oscar host has performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra?
A – Whoopi Goldberg
B – Goldie Hawn
C – Shirley MacLaine
D – Liza Minnelli

47. Which Oscar nominated or winning actor, who has been acclaimed for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, appeared at the Clinton School in 2009?
A – Daniel Day-Lewis
B – Hal Holbrook
C – Gregory Peck
D – Sam Waterston

48. The works of former Little Rock resident and acclaimed composer William Grant Still have been featured in many movies. Which Oscar winning screwball comedy featured the music of Still?
A – The Awful Truth
B – It Happened One Night
C – The Philadelphia Story
D – You Can’t Take It with You

49. Which writer, whose writings have inspired two Oscar nominated movies, has been featured in Little Rock-based Oxford American?
A – Dee Brown
B – James Goldman
C – William Goldman
D – Charles Portis

50. In which movie did Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen NOT appear with back-to-back Oscar winner Jason Robards?
A – Melvin and Howard
B – Parenthood
C – Philadelphia
D – Time After Time

51. What happened to Oscar winner Elia Kazan in Little Rock?
A – He was born
B – He graduated from college
C – He was married
D – He became a father

52. Oscar nominated actor Roy Scheider died in Little Rock. In the 1970s, he received two Oscar nominations. In addition to a nod for The French Connection, for which other film did he receive a nomination?
A – All that Jazz
B – Jaws
C – Klute
D – Marathon Man

53. Paris, Ark. native and UCA alum James Bridges was an acclaimed director and screenwriter. In addition to receiving an Oscar nomination for writing The Paper Chase (which earned a Supporting Actor Oscar for John Houseman), for which other project did Bridges receive an Oscar nomination?
A – Bright Lights, Big City
B – The China Syndrome
C – September 30, 1955
D – Urban Cowboy

54. Bill Clinton is one-fourth of the way to EGOT status.  Which award has he received?
A – Emmy
B – Grammy
C – Oscar
D – Tony

55. Brinkley native Louis Jordan’s song “Stone Cold Dead in the Market” appears in which Oscar winning movie?
A – Apocalypse Now
B – Raging Bull
C – Rocky
D – 10

56. Congressman John Lewis is one of the featured speakers at the 2014 Arkansas Literary Festival. In which Oscar-nominated documentary is Rep. Lewis featured?
A – Eyes on the Prize
B – An Inconvenient Truth
C – Paradise Lost 3
D – The War Room

mavis57. Mavis Staples, who appeared at Little Rock’s Christ Episcopal Church in 2013, can be heard on the soundtrack of which Oscar-winning film?
A – The Color Purple
B – The Help
C – Saturday Night Fever
D – Shaft

58. Arkansas native Tess Harper received an Oscar nomination for her performance in Crimes of the Heart. Which Oscar winning actress did not play one of her cousins in that film?
A – Sally Field
B – Diane Keaton
C – Jessica Lange
D – Sissy Spacek

59.  Little Rock Film Festival honoree Jay Russell is branching out into theatrical producing.  Which Oscar nominated Hitchcock film is the inspiration for his upcoming Broadway production?
A. Psycho
B. Rear Window
C. North by Northwest
D. Vertigo

60. In addition to being married to former Little Rock resident Helen Gurley Brown, David Brown was a movie producer. For which of these Oscar nominated films did he, himself receive an Oscar nomination?
A. Angela’s Ashes
B. Cocoon
C. The Player
D. The Verdict

61. Which Oscar nominated Documentary Feature was honored at the 2013 Little Rock Film Festival?
A. The Act of Killing
B. Dirty Wars
C. The Square
D. 20 Feet from Stardom

62.  Which Oscar winning director helmed The Last Waltz, a documentary which featured Arkansan Levon Helm?
A – William Friedkin
B – George Lucas
C – Martin Scorsese
D – Steven Spielberg

63. John Glenn, who was featured guest at the Museum of Discovery during the Clinton Library opening, was also a character in the Oscar winning film The Right Stuff.  Which actor portrayed him in that film?
A – Tom Hanks
B – Ed Harris
C – Sam Shepard
D – Gary Sinese

64. The work of which fashion icon, whose dresses often adorn Oscar ceremony attendees, was featured at the Clinton Presidential Center in 2013?
A – Christian Dior
B – Alexander McQueen
C – Oscar de la Renta
D – Valentino

65. Little Rock District Judge Vic Fleming appears in the documentary Wordplay. Another person who is featured is which Oscar host?
A – David Letterman
B – Steve Martin
C – Chris Rock
D – Jon Stewart

66. Part-time Little Rock resident Judge Reinhold spoofed an Oscar winning Best Picture as part of his appearance as the iconic “close talker” on Seinfeld. Which movie was it?
A – Braveheart
B – Dances with Wolves
C – Schindler’s List
D – Unforgiven

AST_logo67. This summer the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre will present Hamlet. The 1948 version of this movie is, to date, the only filmed version of a Shakespeare play to win Best Picture. Which actor won an Oscar for appearing in this movie?
A – Stanley Holloway
B – Laurence Olivier
C – Anthony Quayle
D – Jean Simmons

68. Mary Steenburgen starred in the Oscar nominated film Cross Creek, which was a biopic of the author of which novel?
A – The Exact and Very Strange Truth
B – Old Yeller
C – To Kill a Mockingbird
D – The Yearling

69. On which TV show hosted by an Oscar host, did Governor Bill Clinton appear in 1988?
A – Johnny Carson
B – Chevy Chase
C – Ellen Degeneres
D – Bob Hope

70. Hot Springs native Alan Ladd is perhaps best remembered for essaying the title role in Shane. The film was nominated for six Oscars and received one.  For which category did it win the Oscar?
A – Cinematography, Color
B – Director
C – Screenplay
D – Supporting Actor

71. Edward Everett Horton starred in the first play to be booked into Robinson Auditorium in April 1940. With a long and varied film career, he appeared in many Oscar nominated and winning films. Which of the following Horton films did NOT win an Oscar?
A – The Front Page
B – Here Comes Mr. Jordan
C – It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
D – Lost Horizon

72. Gordon MacRae was the featured performer at the 1963 opening of the Arkansas Arts Center. Which of his films won two Oscars?
A – Carousel
B – Look for the Silver Lining
C – Oklahoma!
D – The West Point Story

73. Which Oscar nominee appeared in Little Rock in conjunction with Ballet Arkansas?
A – Fred Astaire
B – Mikhail Barishnikov
C – Leslie Browne
D – Natalie Portman

74. The main branch of the Central Arkansas Library System has the names of authors inscribed around the top, one of which is Harper Lee.  Not only was her To Kill a Mockingbird turned into an Oscar winning movie, an actress received an Oscar nomination for portraying Lee in a film.  Which actress?
A – Amy Adams
B – Cate Blanchett
C – Catherine Keener
D – Melissa Leo

75. Charles S. Dutton recently appeared at Philander Smith College’s Bless the Mic series.  In which Oscar nominated sci-fi film was he a performer?
A – Alien
B – Alien 3
C – Terminator
D – Terminator 2: Judgment Day

gilg76. Little Rock Catholic High grad Gil Gerard appeared in which Oscar nominated 1970s disaster film?
A – Airport
B – Airport 75
C – Airport 77
D – Concorde: Airport 79

77. With which two time Oscar winner who was the daughter of an Oscar winner did Ben Piazza twice share the stage?
A – Mia Farrow
B – Jane Fonda
C – Liza Minnelli
D – Sigourney Weaver

78. Little Rock native Frank Bonner guest starred on a variety show hosted by which Oscar winner?
A – George Burns
B – Red Buttons
C – Goldie Hawn
D – Cloris Leachman

79. Which Little Rock museum recently hosted an exhibit on Gone with the Wind?
A – Arkansas Arts Center
B – Clinton Presidential Center
C – Historic Arkansas Museum
D – MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History

80. Which Oscar nominated actress was featured in the Disney Channel movie The Ernest Green Story?
A – Diahann Carroll
B – Ruby Dee
C – Cicely Tyson
D – Alfre Woodard

81. Bruno, which starred Joey Lauren Adams was the feature film directorial debut of which Oscar winning performer?
A – Shirley Jones
B – Shirley Knight
C – Shirley MacLaine
D – Shirley Temple

82. Which cast member from the 2000 Best Picture winner had previously acted on local Little Rock stages?
A. Joey Lauren Adams
B. Wes Bentley
C. Matt Besser
D. George Newbern

83.  James Earl Jones has appeared in Central Arkansas several times including with the Arkansas Symphony and at UCA.  For which movie did he receive an Oscar nomination?
A. Coming to America
B. Conan the Barbarian
C. The Empire Strikes Back
D. The Great White Hope

DD-SC-93-0462284. Which multiple Oscar nominated performer was appointed to head a federal agency by President Clinton?
A. Jane Alexander
B. Jane Fonda
C. Peter Fonda
D. Jon Voight

85. Oscar nominated film So This Is Washington focused on which Arkansas duo?
A. Thaddeus and Hattie Caraway
B. Bill and Hillary Clinton
C. Lum and Abner
D. Wilbur Mills and Fanne Fox

86. Ben Piazza’s final feature film appearance was a Darryl F. Zanuck in the film Guilty by Suspicion. Zanuck was a recipient of the Irving Thalberg Award. Which of the following is true about Zanuck?
A – First Thalberg Award recipient
B – Only three time Thalberg Award recipient
C – Only Thalberg recipient to also be the father of a Thalberg recipient
D – Last person to receive a Thalberg who was a previous recipient

Ballet Arkansas offers Master Class with Melody Mennite this Saturday

MelodyHerrera_photo by Pam FrancisOpen Intermediate/Advanced Ballet Master Class with
Houston Ballet Principal
MELODY MENNITE

When: THIS SATURDAY
January 4, 2014
10:00am – noon

Where: Shuffles Studios – 1521 Merrill Drive, Little Rock

Class Fee – $25
Observer Fee – $15

Both participant and observer numbers are limited; advance reservations are required.
(Participants need to be at least 12 years of age.)

Email info@balletarkansas.org to reserve your spot.


MELODY MENNITE

A native of Santa Cruz, California, Melody Mennite trained at Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre under Robert Kelley and Diane McLarty and at Pacific Northwest Ballet. She also attended summer intensive programs with Suzanne Farrell. At the age of 13, Ms. Mennite began her training with Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy and also attended three consecutive summer intensive programs with the academy. In the 2000-2001 season, she spent one year in Houston Ballet II on full scholarship and stipend. Ms. Mennite also won a scholarship award from Regional Dance America in 2000. She was invited to tour with Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre through Tansonmer, Austria. Prior to joining Houston Ballet, she performed numerous leading roles with Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre: the Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker; Kitri in Don Quixote and Odette in Swan Lake. She has performed a number of featured roles with Houston Ballet including: Olga and Tatiana in John Cranko’s Onegin, Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Neopolitan Princess in Stanton Welch’s Swan Lake, the Spring Fairy in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella, Swanilda and Dawn in Coppelia, Valencienne in The Merry Widow, Cio-Cio San and Kate in Madame Butterfly, and Cinderella in Stanton Welch’s Cinderella. Ms. Mennite has also been featured in contemporary roles including the white pas de deux in Jirí Kylián’s Forgotten Land, and Petite Mort; Stanton Welch’s VelocityIndigoWildlife, and Brigade; Christopher Bruce’s Ghost DancesRooster and Hush; Harald Lander’s Etudes; Paul Taylor’s Company B; William Forsythe’s In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated; George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments and Serenade; and Mark Morris’ Sandpaper Ballet.

Created the role of Marie in Stanton’s Marie, Rosie in The Core, Nikya in La Bayadère, Odette/Odile in Swan Lakeand Spring in The Four Seasons, DivergenceFalling, Carmina BuranaVelocity; The Sylph in August Bournoville’s La Sylphide; Lise in Sir Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée; Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free; Principle Roles in Balanchine’s RubiesEmeralds, and Ballo De Regina; William Forsythe The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude; Principle role in Christopher Wheeldon’s Carousel; Younger Daughter in Christopher Bruce’s Hush,RoosterSergeant Early’s Dream; Jiří Kylián’s Falling AngelsPetit Mort; Manon in Sir Kenneth McMillan’s Manon; Blue Bird in Ben Stevenson’s The Sleeping Beauty. Frequently appears as a guest artist in galas and with companies nationally and internationally. Also performs in Seattle with Whim W’Him, where she originated roles in Cylindrical Shadows by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Monster by Olivier Wevers.

13 Cultural Highlights of 2013

In no particular order, here are 13 cultural highlights of 2013 in Little Rock.

10.+citylittlerock-21. The 73 year old Joseph Taylor Robinson Municipal Auditorium received a new lease on life when Little Rock voters approved an extensive, two-year plan for renovation, remodeling and expanding the new facility.

2. Speaking of Robinson, the new Ron Robinson Theatre was constructed in the Arcade Building.  It will be the flagship home of the Little Rock Film Festival as well as a site for events hosted by the Clinton School of Public Service and the Central Arkansas Library System.

3. The Little Rock Film Festival came downtown with all of its films being shown in downtown Little Rock and Argenta.  Among the highlights of the festival were Short Term 12, Bridegroom and Don John which have received plaudits at other festivals and are appearing on Best of 2013 lists as well as receiving award nominations.

4. As Main Street continues to redevelop, plans were announced in 2013 for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Arkansas to each move their offices and rehearsal spaces downtown.  Joining them will be an expansion of educational space for the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

5. A few blocks south on Main Street, the new South on Main restaurant and performance space opened.  Weekly performances of live music accent the food and drink under the leadership of Chef Matt Bell.

6. Further down Main Street, Little Rock’s newest museum opened.  The Esse Purse Museum honors women and their struggles, accomplishments, hopes and dreams through highlighting the purse.

7. Fashion also took center stage at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center as well with an exhibit on Oscar de La Renta.  In addition to showcasing his contributions to design, the exhibit attracted many boldfaced names from the worlds of fashion and politics to an event in Little Rock.

Washington Bible8. George Washington was the focus of two separate exhibits in Little Rock during 2013.  Historic Arkansas Museum showcased his inaugural Bible as well as his family Bible.  At the Clinton Presidential Center “A Tribute to George Washington” was on display.  It featured George Washington’s personal copy of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights from Mount Vernon, and a portrait of George Washington painted in 1797 by artist Gilbert Stuart on loan from the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

9. The amphitheatre in Riverfront Park received a new name (First Security Amphitheatre) and a new roof just in time to kick off its 26th year and to play host to musical acts during Riverfest.

10. Rembrandt and Rothko were just two of the artists featured in exhibits at the Arkansas Arts Center through 2013.  The Arts Center featured the exhibit Treasures of Kenwood House which highlighted the works of Rembrandt, Van Dyck and many other world class artists.  Earlier in the year, exhibits highlighted Bauhaus architecture and relics of the Japanese internment camp at Rohwer.  The Arts Center was also the site of the world’s second largest yarn bomb installation.

Babe Sophie11. The Little Rock Zoo welcomed two new elephants: Sophie and Babe.  The Zoo also was the site of the birth of Bugsy the penguin and four new tiger cubs.  The tigers were born as the result of the Zoo’s new tiger exhibit which facilitated not only easier mating but also allows for the separation of the mother and cubs from the father.

12. The Central Arkansas Library System opened its new Children’s Library.  A few months after the building opened, a name was bestowed and it is now known as the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library and Learning Center.

13. As 2013 drew to a close, the holiday decorations at the Capital Hotel received international recognition as Forbes named them one of the ten best hotel Christmas trees in the world.  The nearly 30 foot tree was decorated by Tipton Hurst.

Ballet Arkansas’ THE NUTCRACKER this weekend

One of the sure signs of the Christmas season is the return of The Nutcracker to ballet companies across America.  Ballet Arkansas presents the annual production this weekend.  Performances started last night and continue this evening and tomorrow afternoon.  (School performances are going on throughout the week.)

Celebrate the season with your professional ballet company as we continue a favorite Christmas tradition performing The Nutcracker accompanied by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Geoffrey Robson. Every year this fun field production creates lifelong memories for hundreds of Arkansas families. With gorgeous scenery, enchanting costumes and original choreography, Ballet Arkansas will present The Nutcracker at Robinson Center Music Hall.

The ballet will come to life through the efforts of Ballet Arkansas’ ten professional company members and a handful of guest artists leading two casts totaling more than 200 dancers, actors and students (of all ages) from across the state.

Ballet Arkansas is under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Bearden and Executive Director Lauren Strother.  Marla Edwards is the Ballet Mistress.  Company members include Lauren McCarty Horak, Leslie Dodge, Toby Lewellen, Amanda Sewell, Laurel Dix, Katchiri Feys Tillman, Paul Tillman, Lauren Bodenheimer, Justin Metcalf-Burton, Deanna Karlheim and Julianne Zilah.

The Nutcracker is the perfect yuletide gift, the ideal means of introducing children to the power and beauty of classical dance, and a delightful way for the entire family to ring in the holiday season. Make Ballet Arkansas’ Nutcracker part of your holiday celebration this December! To purchase tickets to The Nutcracker, visit www.balletarkansas.org or call 501-666-1761.

Ballet Arkansas performances of The Nutcracker are generously sponsored by: Orthodontic Associates, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Pleasant Ridge Towne Center, The Dance & More Store, Arkansas Times along with support from the Arkansas Arts Council.

Ballet Arkansas Master Class today

BalletArkPacific Northwest Ballet Soloist, Kiyon Gaines, will teach an open master class for dancers today, August 11th at Shuffles & Ballet II studios, 1521 Merrill Drive, in Little Rock. The class will run from 1pm to 2:30pm.  Please arrive early to register. The class fee is $25 and the observer fee is $15.

Both participant and observer numbers are limited; advance reservations are required. Email info@balletarkansas.org to reserve your spot.

This class is the first in a series of Master Classes to be taught by Ballet Arkansas’ guest choreographers for the 2013-2014 Season. Mr. Gaines is choreographing a new work for Ballet Arkansas’ spring concert, Momentum, which premieres at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre April 25-27, 2014.

KiyonHeadshotKiyon Gaines is from Baltimore, Maryland. He trained at Baltimore School of the Arts, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, the School of American Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. He joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2001 and was promoted to soloist in 2012.In addition to his performing career, Mr. Gaines is a choreographer. Among other works, he created blitz…Fantasy, SCHWA, Infinite Intricacies, and Interrupted Pri’si’zh’enfor PNB’s annual Choreographers’ Showcase performances, and SCHWA was taken into PNB’s repertory during the 2007 Celebrate Seattle Festival. In 2008, Mr. Gaines choreographed M-Pulse, set to a commissioned score by Cristina Spinei, and in 2012, Sum Stravinsky, both for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s repertory. He has also participated in the prestigious New York Choreographic Institute.

Leading Roles  – George Balanchine’s AgonCoppéliaThe Four TemperamentsA Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck, Bottom), Symphony in C, and Symphony in Three Movements; Val Caniparoli’s The Bridge and Torque; Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels, and Serious Pleasures; Sonia Dawkins’ Ripple Mechanics; Nacho Duato’sJardí Tancat and Rassemblement; William Forsythe’s One Flat Thing, reproduced; Paul Gibson’s Sense of Doubt; Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow; Jiri Kylian’s Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze (Six Dances); Mark Morris’ A Garden; Victor Quijada’s Suspension of Disbelief; Jerome Robbins’ The ConcertDances at a GatheringGlass Pieces, and Fancy Free; Kent Stowell’s Cinderella (Harlequin) and Silver Lining; and Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper RoomNine Sinatra Songs, and Waterbaby Bagatelles.  Originated Leading Roles: Paul Gibson’s The Piano Dance, Susan Stroman’s TAKE FIVE…More or Less, and Twyla Tharp’s Opus 111

Featured Roles – George Balanchine’s Prodigal SonLa Sonnambula, and La Valse; Nicolo Fonte’s Within/Without; Ronald Hynd’s The Sleeping Beauty; Peter Martins’ Fearful Symmetries; Kent Stowell’s FirebirdNutcracker,Swan Lake, and The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet; Paul Taylor’s Roses; and Christopher Wheeldon’sCarousel (A Dance) and Variations Sérieuses.

Ballet Arkansas Springs in to Motion

SpringIntoMotionWeb2World premiere choreography as well as classic ballet performed by Ballet Arkansas’ Professional Company is coming to the stage at The Arkansas Repertory Theater.

Ballet Arkansas’ new concert, Spring into Motion, will run from April 5-7, 2013 at The Rep. Directed by former Ballet Arkansas dancer Michael Bearden – currently a principal dancer at Ballet West in Salt Lake City – Spring into Motion will not only present dances by national choreographers, but also showcase the immense physical talents of Ballet Arkansas’ Professional Company.

“This show brings Arkansas audiences high-quality choreographers who are currently creating works on ballet companies throughout the country,” Bearden said. In addition to classics such as Don Quixote and Black Swan, Spring into Motion boasts two newly commissioned works by nationally known choreographers Darrell Grand Moultrie and Peter Zweifel, as well as a contemporary work titled Mobile, which has recently delighted audiences of Joffrey Ballet Co., San Francisco Ballet and Kansas City Ballet.

Spring into Motion marks an important step in the evolution of Ballet Arkansas. For the first time, the company will perform at Arkansas Repertory Theatre in downtown Little Rock.   This production will be the first collaboration between Ballet Arkansas and The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, and “this collaboration adds a new dimension to what arts patrons can enjoy on The Rep stage,” said Bob Hupp, producing artistic director at Arkansas Rep.

Tickets 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. Spring into Motion will open Friday, April 5, 2013 with an evening performance starting at 7:30 p.m. Other show times include an evening performance on Saturday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee on Sunday, April 7 at 2:00 p.m. Student Matinees for Spring into Motion at The Rep are currently scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on April 3, 4, and 5 for statewide student groups.

Spring into Motion will travel to the University of Central Arkansas’ Reynolds Center for a student matinee and an evening performance on Thursday, April 18. Show times include 1:00 p.m. for the student matinee and 7:30 p.m. for the evening performance. To purchase tickets for the evening performance, visit http://uca.edu.ticketforce.com/. All student matinee program reservations can be made by calling (501) 223-5150 or emailing erin@balletarkansas.org for reservation information.

Ballet Arkansas Master Class Tomorrow

FBLOGOBallet Arkansas presents the fourth in a series of open master classes tomorrow.  Guest artist Darrell Grand Moultrie is will be teaching a class on Saturday, February 2, from 10:30 to noon at the UALR Dance Studios.

Mr. Moultrie is choreographing a new work for Ballet Arkansas’ spring concert, Spring into Motion, which premieres at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre April 5-7, 2013.

The class fees are: $25 to participate, $10 for UALR students (with ID) and $15 to observe.  Reservations are required. Space is limited. Reserve your spot now by emailing info@balletarkansas.org

DarrellHS-bioDarrell Grand Moultrie has quickly emerged as one of America’s most sought after choreographers and master teachers. Not one to be pigeonholed into any particular genre, Moultrie has carved out an impressive career that seamlessly weaves his distinctive and highly praised ballet and modern dance choreography, to on-stage Broadway performer (most recently seen in Billy Elliot), and to television work where he has choreographed national commercials for Mastercard, Mod’s hair products, Schick Quattro 4razor, and has worked on the Dave Chappelle Show.

His work is often marked by sharp contrasts and bold patterns with an eye for form, a strong theatrical sensibility, and a knack for showcasing the great athleticism of his dancers.

A proud recipient of the 2007 Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Award, Darrell’s work has been performed by Ailey 2, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Colorado Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, The Juilliard School, BalletMet Columbus, Milwaukee Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Rasta Thomas and his Bad Boys of Dance, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Tulsa Ballet, and Ballet X. In 2010 he participated in Sacramento Ballet’s Capital Choreography Competition where his work “Moved” won both the judges and the audience awards.