Tag Archives: Robinson Center Performance Hall

Little Rock Look Back: Miss America 1964 comes to Little Rock

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Photo from Encyclopedia of Arkansas, courtesy of Mike Polston

Photo from Encyclopedia of Arkansas, courtesy of Mike Polston

Tonight a new Miss America will be crowned.  This ceremony marks the 50th anniversary since Miss America 1964, Arkansan Donna Axum, ended her reign.

A native of El Dorado and a student at the University of Arkansas, during her reign as Miss America Miss Axum (or simply Donna as the newspaper headlines referred to her) made four public visits to Little Rock.  As the first Miss Arkansas to become Miss America, the state’s Capitol City was very interested in giving her a warm welcome.

After being crowned on September 7, 1963, her first visit to Arkansas was November 1 through 3.  In addition to stops in Hot Springs and El Dorado, she appeared in Little Rock to attend events including an Arkansas Razorback football game at War Memorial Stadium.  Her entourage included the top four runners up from the Miss America pageant.

In February 1964, she made a brief appearance in Little Rock which included a press conference.

Donna Axum spent nearly two weeks in Arkansas in May 1964 attending several pageants as well as spending time with family.  During that visit she appeared in Little Rock twice.  The second time she headlined a concert with the Arkansas Symphony (not related to the current Arkansas Symphony Orchestra) and the Arkansas Choral Society. It took place at Robinson Auditorium.

“Intermission” at Robinson Center comes on July 1

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Robinson IntermissionAfter several years of planning and an overwhelming vote of support by the Little Rock electorate, the renovations of Robinson Center Music Hall start after a press conference and ceremony on Tuesday, July 1 at 10am.

The building will be closed for two years as the music hall space is re-envisioned with a new, dynamic design implemented which will create not only an outstanding experience for the audience but also for the performers.

In addition, a new special event space will be built along the north side of the building taking advantage of Arkansas River and Riverfront Park views.

Though the Music Hall interior will be re-purposed and re-designed including a two level lobby space, the historic Markham Street lobby a the top of the stairs will be preserved.  In a nod to the appearance when it opened in February 1940, the lobby will be refurnished to its Art Deco splendor.  While the original chandeliers and accents have been lost to time, they are being recreated and will be installed. In addition, the front doors and windows will be re-designed to mimic the original entrances to the historic lobby.

Following the two year intermission, the building is scheduled to re-open in 2016.

(If two years, seems a long time for an intermission, when one considers that the first act was 74 years, it is actually a proportionally shorter interval than one normally gets at performances.)

Little Rock Look Back: Richard Rodgers

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richard_rodgersOn June 28, 1902, Richard Rodgers was born.  He grew up to become a composer, producer and arts educator. For his talents he was recognized with two Pulitzer Prizes, a Kennedy Center Honor, and seven Tony Awards.

He is featured on this blog, because one of his shows was the musical South Pacific.  The fictional heroine was Little Rock native Nellie Forbush.  Through the success of the show, this “cock-eyed optimist” represented Little Rock to the world.  Rodgers composed a song called “My Girl Back Home” which contained references to Little Rock.  It was cut from South Pacific before it opened on Broadway in April 1949.  However it was used in the movie version and appeared in the 2008 Broadway revival.

The works of Rodgers have been performed by the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Arkansas, Wildwood Park for the Arts, Little Rock Wind Symphony and many other cultural organizations.  Numerous tours of Richard Rodgers musicals have been performed at Robinson Center Music Hall since it first opened in 1940.

Little Rock Look Back: Ark Municipal League President R. E. Overman

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Overman

Mayor Overman in a photo from a campaign flyer

The Arkansas Municipal League is having the 2014 convention and celebrating its 80th anniversary this week here in Little Rock.  The first meeting took place in 1934 at the Hotel Marion.

On Friday, Mayor Mark Stodola will become the sixth Little Rock city official to be president of the Arkansas Municipal League.

Each day this week will feature a look at a previous Little Rock leader who led AML.

Mayor Richard “R. E.” Overman, was the third president of the Arkansas Municipal League serving in 1937.  While he was AML president, he started his second two year term as Little Rock Mayor.

First elected in April 1935, he was re-elected in April 1937.  Mayor Overman led efforts to create the first public water utility in Little Rock and to upgrade the wastewater system.  He also worked with the various New Deal programs to build up the city’s infrastructure.  In November 1936, he asked the City Council to call a special election for January 1937 to pass the bonds to allow for the construction of a new municipal auditorium. That initiative was passed by the voters.  Mayor Overman spent much of his last two years in office dealing with the water, wastewater and auditorium projects.

Mayor Overman was defeated in a bid for a third term in 1939.  He continued to live in Little Rock until his death in April 1947.

Hear the Glenn Miller Orchestra blow off the roof of Robinson Center Music Hall tonight

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GMO2When Robinson Auditorium opened in 1940 (though the downstairs convention hall opened in late 1939), big band was THE music genre.
Over the years the legends of Big Band have played on both the stage of Robinson Auditorium as well as in the lower level. Before the building closes for a remodeling, the sounds of Big Band music return to the Robinson stage for one final time.
The legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra from New-York will perform one night only in Little Rock as they tour the world, bringing timeless classics like “In the Mood,” “Moonlight Serenade,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” “String of Pearls” and “Tuxedo Junction” back to the stage. Even 75 years after founding his famous orchestra, Glenn Miller’s music is alive and well.
Tonight at 8pm, twenty musicians and singers will bring the unforgettable Glenn Miller sound to the Robinson Center Music Hall, performing timeless songs that everyone remembers. This is a must-see show for jazz and swing fans alike or the incurable romantics who want to step back in time. The legendary Glenn Miller was the most successful of all the dance bandleaders back in the Swing era of the 1930s and ’40s.
Producer Didier Morissonneau is proud to bring the most famous orchestra of all time to the Little Rock music scene, to perform their classic two-hour greatest hits show, directed by their new leader, the young and dynamic Nick Hilsher!

ROCKing the TONY AWARDS – Larry Payton

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Rock the TonyspaytonLARRY PAYTON

Little Rock connection: Founder and longtime leader of Celebrity Attractions which has brought Broadway shows to Little Rock since 1998. Though he died in 2013, the firm continues to bring shows to Little Rock.

Tony Awards connection: Nominated for producing the revivals of Peter Pan and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

He was a partner in the Independent Presenters Network which won Tonys for producing Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002), Spamalot (2005), and La Cage aux Folles (2010). It also was nominated for producing The Color Purple and Leap of Faith as well as revivals of Guys and Dolls and Ragtime. Last season, it won Tonys for producing Kinky Boots and Pippin.

Larry was also served on the Board of Governors for The Broadway League, the presenter of the Tonys, and was a Tony voter.

ROCKing the TONY AWARDS – Cathy Rigby

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Rock the TonysCathy+Rigby+Arrivals+Tony+Awards+Viewing+Party+WRZOEScg6aplCATHY RIGBY

Little Rock connection: Has appeared in Little Rock at Robinson Center Music Hall as part of national tours of Peter Pan

Tony Awards connection: As a performer, was nominated for Actress in a Musical for Peter Pan in 1991.  As a producer, was nominated for Musical Revival for a production of Peter Pan in 1999.