Tag Archives: Elvis Presley

Elvis Lives in Central Arkansas this weekend

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Celebrity Attractions, in association with On Stage Touring and Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE), is presents ELVIS LIVES at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center October 23-25, 2015.  ELVIS LIVES, is a multi-media and live musical journey across Elvis’ life featuring winners from Elvis Presley Enterprises’ annual worldwide Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, each representing Elvis during different stages in his career.

The Elvis tribute artists will be joined by a live band, back-up singers and dancers, along with an Ann-Margret tribute artist, as well as iconic imagery made available from the Graceland archives.  The high energy show features Ultimate winners, Bill Cherry, Kevin Mills and Jay Dupuis as the principle cast for the production of ELVIS LIVES.

Welcomed by Hutchinson Financial, ELVIS LIVES will take the stage at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center October 23-25.  Celebrity Attractions’ 2015-2016 Broadway Season is held at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center, located on the campus of Maumelle High School.  The performance schedule is Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm.

Tickets are priced $35, $55, and $65.  Tickets are available by phone at (501) 244-8800 or (800) 982-ARTS (2787) or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by calling (501) 492-3312.

Before Phantom arrives in LR, Celebrity Attractions offers 4 shows for 2015-16 season

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201516 CALRCelebrity Attractions invites you to discover Broadway with the 2015–‐2016 Broadway Season at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center.

The adventure begins as four national Broadway tours take the stage: Celebrate the King himself in ELVIS LIVES. Deck the halls with Broadway and Christmas classics in NEIL BERG’S BROADWAY HOLIDAY. Sing along with the world’s best–‐loved orphan, ANNIE and travel back in time with 13 time Tony® Award nominated musical, RAGTIME.

“We are excited to be able to continue bringing national tours to the Little Rock area during the Robinson Center renovation. The Maumelle Performing Arts Center, located on the Maumelle High School campus, provides an intimate theatrical experience for our patrons,” said Ed. L. Payton, Celebrity Attractions CEO. “We are sure you will become a Broadway fan after discovering our lineup for the Celebrity Attractions’ 2015–‐2016 Broadway Season.”

ELVIS LIVES October 23–‐25, 2015 ELVIS LIVES captures the imagination and interest of fans of all ages and all types including Broadway theatregoers, concert lovers and, of course Elvis aficionados. Welcomed by Hutchinson Financial, the theatrical production is an unforgettable multi–‐media and live musical journey across Elvis’ life. Each performer represents Elvis during different stages in his career. The Elvis tribute artists will be joined by a live band, back–‐up singers and dancers, and an Ann–‐Margret tribute artist. Celebrate the King of Rock and Roll in the national hit ELVIS LIVES!

NEIL BERG’S BROADWAY HOLIDAY December 18–‐20, 2015 This winter Neil Berg’s critically acclaimed musical revue BROADWAY HOLIDAY will deck the halls with Christmas tunes from Broadway scores along with celebrated favorites from Broadway’s hottest shows. Five of Broadway brightest stars direct from New York will take the audience on a journey celebrating the great American songbook, songs from Broadway’s recent blockbusters and Christmas songs to help guarantee you’ll “Have a Merry Little Christmas.” An evening of Broadway stars singing Holiday songs and standards will be the perfect way to warm your heart this Christmas season.

ANNIE February 19–‐21, 2016 Leapin’ Lizards! The world’s best–‐loved musical will return in time–‐honored form. Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin and choreographed by Liza Gennaro, this production of ANNIE will be a brand new incarnation of the iconic original. Welcomed by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, ANNIE features a book and score by Tony® Award–‐winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, ANNIE includes such unforgettable songs as “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You,” plus the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.” “Overflowing! Big, warm–‐hearted and funny!” –‐New York Post.

RAGTIME April 15–‐17, 2016 At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing…and anything is possible. Welcomed by Arkansas Federal Credit Union, RAGTIME will take to the road in all–‐new touring production and is directed and choreographed by Tony nominee Marcia Milgrom Dodge. The stories of an upper–‐class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a daring young Harlem musician unfold –‐ set in turn–‐of–‐the–‐century New York –‐–‐ all three united by their desire and belief in a brighter tomorrow. Their compelling stories are set to theatre’s richest and most glorious Tony® Award–‐winning score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. Winning Tony® Awards for Best Book and Best Musical Score, this 13 time Tony® Award nominated musical is a timeless celebration of life –‐ what it could and should be! Welcomed by KATV and the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce

Celebrity Attractions’ 2015–‐2016 Broadway Season is held at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center, located on the campus of Maumelle High School. To guarantee great seats for all four nationally touring Broadway productions, become a Celebrity Attractions’ 2015–‐2016 Broadway Season Subscriber.

Season Subscriber benefits include many advantages: the best seats at the lowest prices, the same great seats for every show, the ability to buy additional tickets to individual shows before the public, the option to exchange show tickets to another performance before the public on sale and will be among the first to reserve seats in the newly renovated Robinson Center Music Hall for the 2016–‐17 Season which features Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

Little Rock Look Back: Elvis plays final Robinson Auditorium Show

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Photo by Wayne Cranford

Photo by Wayne Cranford

After two visits in 1955 where he was down on the bill, Elvis Presley made his third and final appearance at Robinson Auditorium on May 16, 1956.  This time he was the star and Robinson was packed. The tickets were $1.50 in advance at Walgreens and $2.00 at the box office.  The ads featured 8 great acts in “his” variety show which consisted of the Jordonaires; Rick and Emil Flaim and their orchestra; vocalists Frankie Conners and Jackie Little and comedian-magician Phil Maraquin. A second show was added at 9:30 p.m. to accommodate the ticket demand.

About 30 minutes late, due to a missed flight, Elvis appeared on stage in a purple blazer and started singing “Heartbreak Hotel.”  The crowd rushed the stage. Little Rock police officers were able to control them eventually and get the teenagers back to their seats.  While the crowd was impressed, the police officers were less so.  One of the patrolmen told the Arkansas Gazette reporter: “I wouldn’t know him if I saw him. And I wouldn’t be here unless I was being paid.”

Disc jockey Ray Green recorded the concert that night.  Copies of the concert on CD (which also includes an interview with Presley) are prized possessions of Presley collectors.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has a special section on its website containing quotes from some of the concert attendees.

A MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is in town this weekend

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MDQMillion Dollar Quartet, the Tony winning musical, has been brought to Central Arkansas by Celebrity Attractions this weekend.

It is inspired by the electrifying true story of the famed recording session that brought together rock ‘n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time.

Featuring  timeless hits including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Ring of Fire,” “That’s All Right,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “See Ya Later, Alligator,” “Fever,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Hound Dog” and more, this thrilling musical brings you inside the recording studio with four major talents who came together as a red-hot rock ‘n’ roll band for one unforgettable night. Rock and Roll’s best kept secret… revealed, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET!

Performances are at 8pm on Friday (4/24) and Saturday (4/25) and 2pm matinees on Saturday (4/25) and Sunday (4/26). Though all four of the legendary singers played at Robinson Auditorium, due to that facility’s renovation, this production will be held at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center.

The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau is the presenting sponsor of Million Dollar Quartet in Little Rock.

Light Up the Night This Weekend with LANTERNS! at Wildwood

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Don’t miss THE MOON! at this year’s LANTERNS! Festival March 6 – 8. You can check out our giant moon balloon, delight in a moon-pie, and sip on a Blue Moon beer. Visit six locations spread throughout the park!

Located in Wildwood’s award-winning Asian Woodland Garden, the Asian Vista is a perennial highlight of LANTERNS! Don’t miss the wide variety of foods, including sushi, dumplings, egg rolls and fried rice. Sake and beer will be available as well as hot jasmine tea. Two bands, The Lemon Drops and The News Kids will perform in the garden’s Tea House while a Chinese harpist and a calligrapher will be on hand to showcase their art!

Wildwood is alive with the sound of music! Austria comes to Arkansas in the lobbies of Wildwood’s Cabe Theatre. Piping hot Viennese beef soup with crepe slivers will be served with apple strudel and delectable pastries. Be on the lookout for bands of gypsy vagabonds. The theatre’s south lobby has been transformed into a Alpine winter wonderland – complete with gourmet chocolate shoppe, mountain goats and polka band!

There is a literal pot of gold at the end of Wildwood’s Ireland rainbow, and a bit o’ gold for everyone who makes it through the leprechaun’s maze. Traditional Irish dancers entertain while festival goers dine on two Irish staples: beer and potatoes. For those looking to stay warm, there’s a steaming cup of Irish coffee waiting for you, and there’s Fizzy Leprechaun punch for the kids! Be careful where you step! Daffodils are a’bloom and William Wordsworth, one of Ireland’s greatest poets, will be on hand to tell you all about them!

Are you ready to live la vida LANTERNS!? All the tastes of Mexico can be found in Wildwood’s gazebo. Beer and tequila shots will be on hand, while a mariachi and DJ get the party started. The festival’s famed floating lanterns are launched from the gazebo, piñatas will be broken nightly!

It is England in 1600 in Wildwood’s Studios, and Shakespeare’s greatest works are being performed on the hour! Smoked turkey legs and brats are for sale and you’ll find a few lovely ladies hawking cherry tarts to passers by. Make your way down High Street and be on the lookout for carnival performers of all kinds. If you’re visiting with someone special, get them a fresh orange – these rare fruits are the ultimate symbol love!

Visit America in the 1950s as the Greatest Generation is home and ready to rock! Stop by your local soda shop to enjoy a Coke Float and snack on some classic American treats. Grab your poodle skirt and get on the dance floor where Elvis, Chuck Berry, and the Supremes are waiting for you. When you’re ready for a break, sit bit and enjoy a show by amazing performance artists!

Buy your tickets at http://bit.ly/1v4DDa4.

Little Rock Look Back: Elvis plays first shows at Robinson Auditorium

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eap feb 55 adSixty years ago today, on February 20, 1955, Elvis Presley made his first appearance on stage in Little Rock. He performed at Joseph Taylor Robinson Memorial Auditorium.

He was billed as “an added attraction” to a Grand Ole Opry Show headlined by the Duke of Paducah.  Others on the bill included Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters, Jimmie Rodgers Snow, Charlie Stewart, the Singing Hardens, Sammy Barnhart, Bob Neal, Uncle Dudley and Smilin’ Mac Cyclone. (It is interesting to note that at least some of the advance tickets billed it as The Elvis Presley Show, though the newspaper ads billed the Duke of Paducah as the headliner.)

This concert was part of a weeklong tour of Arkansas and Louisiana.  There were two shows that day – one at 3p.m. and the other at 8:15p.m.  Tickets on the day of the concert were $1.00 for adults and fifty cents for children.  Advanced tickets had sold for 75 cents at Walgreens.

eap receits 05-little.rock_.feb_.55The night before, Elvis played the Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport.  Following his Little Rock appearance (for which he and his band were paid $350 instead of their usual $200), they played in Camden, Hope, and Pine Bluff.

eap 02-little.rock_It is believed that Elvis’ parents attended this concert in Little Rock. Gladys Presley was a big fan of the Duke of Paducah. Elvis apparently also wanted his parents to meet with Colonel Tom Parker, who would become inexorably linked with Elvis’ career.

Robinson Redux – February

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grand opening adHere are some of the highlights from the annals of the Robinson Center Music Hall nee Joseph Taylor Robinson Memorial Auditorium.  This entry looks at bookings from Februarys in years ending with an 0 or 5.

The building was officially dedicated on February 16, 1940.  A few days earlier a children’s theatre troupe had entertained school kids with a performance in the music hall.  Also that month high school basketball continued in the exhibition hall.  The month had kicked off with a much more glamorous event as the Movie Ball took place in the exhibition hall.

The year 1945 featured a ecumenical Christian Youth Rally on February 4, a concert featuring Tito Guizar on February 7, the operetta Blossom Time on February 8 and the long-running comedy Life with Father on February 19.   In 1950, Robinson’s offerings ran from the Grand Ole Opry featuring Hank Williams (February 5), to Dick Contino (February 8) to the magician Blackstone (February 10 & 11) as well as the opera Il Trovatore (February 15) and a recital featuring Mrs. Rece Price (February 21).

By the mid 1950s, the touring business was changing.  The only notable booking at Robinson in February 1955 was on February 20 as it featured the Duke of Paducah and a little known singer from Mississippi named Elvis Presley.  Five years later, Jackie Wilson and Jesse Belvin headlined a concert on February 5, 1960. The Venable Quartet and several other gospel groups performed on February 12 and the Beaux Arts Bal de Tete took place on February 19.  In 1965, Donald Voorhees and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra were in concert on February 21.

February 1970 showed much more activity.  Husband and wife Phil Ford and Mimi Hines starred in the national tour of I Do! I Do! on February 6 & 7. That show had been a hit on Broadway in the 1966-1967 season. Another hit from that season, Cabaret, played on February 19 & 20 with Tandy Cronyn starring.  In between, contralto Bernadette Greevy presented a recital.

Musician Jerry Jeff Walker performed at Robinson on February 23, 1975.  Earlier that month (February 19), the national tour of Pippin stopped by with Barry Williams (aka Greg Brady) in the title role.  Five years later, Ballet Arkansas welcomed Cynthia Gregory and Patrick Bissell in a performance on February 7, 1980. Later that month Mason Williams and his Bluegrass Band performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra on February 23.  The next two nights, a tour of Jesus Christ Superstar took the stage.

David Copperfield kicked off February 1985 with two shows on the 1st.  The next day the musical The Cotton Patch Gospel was performed.  Musican Carman performed on February 25.  In February 1990, Peabo Bryson and jazz extraordinaire Billy Mitchell shared the stage on February 22.

In 1995, the focus was on music.  There was “An Evening with John Bayless” on February 7 as part of the Greater Little Rock Community Concert Association.  On February 11, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra presented an evening of music of Rodgers & Hammerstein.  A few days later on February 17, various musical groups presented an evening of gospel music. The next night, Gladys Knight shook the house in a concert.  The month ended on February 28 with Nancy Griffith and the Blue Moon Orchestra. A February 8 concert with Della Reese was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

Five years later, highlights included a tour of Camelot on February 15 – 18, and a staged concert version of the opera La Boheme presented by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.  In 2005, Kenny Loggins performed with the Arkansas Symphony on the 11 & 12. The ASO also presented an all Tchaikovsky concert with Jon Kimura Parker on piano.  Earlier in the month, President George W. Bush hosted a town hall forum on Social Security at Robinson Center.

In 2010, the ASO Valentine Pops concert featured Christiane Noll and Doug LaBrecque.  From February 16-18 STOMP rang out throughout Robinson.  The month ended on a more quieter note as the ASO and Philippe Quint presented the Violin Concerto by Jean Sibelius.