Tag Archives: Robinson Center Performance Hall

Tickets to WICKED in LR go on sale today!

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wickedOz returns to the Rock as the Tony winning musical Wicked returns to Robinson Center Music Hall from September 25 through October 6.

Tickets go on sale today.

When Wicked was here in 2010, it set box office records.  It also sold out in a record time.

Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked, has won a Grammy and three Tony Awards.  Wicked features songs by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, and Working) and a book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”).  It tales the untold story of the witches of Oz.  The musical is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Receptionist).

Two other girls meet in the Land of Oz.  One – born with emerald-green skin – is smart, fiery and misunderstood.  The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.  “Wicked” tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Presented by Celebrity Attractions, the production takes center stage at Robinson Center Music Hall for a limited two-week engagement.

The performance schedule is as follows:

  • 7:30 p.m Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday
  • 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
  • 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
  • 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 (special matinee)

Prices start at $43.

Tickets can be purchased here, or by calling (501) 244-8800 or stopping by the Celebrity Attractions Box Office at 300 S. Spring, Little Rock.

For more information about the performances, click here.

JERSEY BOYS in Little Rock this week

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6a00d8345212eb69e20115713d0c1b970c-800wiCelebrity Attractions is bringing the Tony winning musical Jersey Boys to Robinson Center Music Hall this week from June 19 – 23.

Jersey Boys is not recommended for all ages. The show contains smoke, gun shots, strobe lights, and profane “authentic Jersey language.

Jersey Boys features a Tony nominated book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice as well as a score of songs made famous by the Four Seasons.  The production is directed by Des McAnuff and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo.  The design team includes Klara Zieglerova (scenery), Jess Goldstein (costumes), Howell Binkley (lighting) and Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound).

The cast includes Nick Cosgrove, Brandon Andrus, Nicolas Dromard, Jason Kappus, Barry Anderson, Thomas Fiscella, Kaleigh Cronin, Brent DiRoma, Marlana Dunn, Larry Esparza, De’lon Grant, Dave Hiltebrand, Hayden Milanes, Ian Joseph, John Rochette, Rachel Schur, Skye Scott, Candi Boyd, Stephen Cerf, Devon Goffman, Bryan Hindle and Michelle Pruiett.

LR Look Back: Mayor J. V. Satterfield Jr.

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SatterfieldOn May 14, 1902, future Little Rock Mayor John Vines Satterfield, Jr. was born in Marion.   He grew up in Little Rock and Earle. J.V. was a star quarterback for the Earle football team and is ostensibly featured in a painting of that team by respected painter Carroll Cloar.

Following high school, J.V. taught and coached and sold Fords.  He then moved to Little Rock and sold insurance and later securities.  In 1931 he opened his own business; that same year he built a house at 40 Beverly Place in Little Rock, which would serve as his home until his death.

J. V. Satterfield was elected to serve as Mayor of Little Rock in 1939 and served one term, until 1941.  He was credited with saving the City from bankruptcy because of his fiscal policies. Among his efficiencies were the creation of a central purchasing office and using grass moved from the airport to feed the Zoo animals.

Satterfield was a staunch supporter of the airport and worked to expand it.  He would serve as the chair of the first Municipal Airport Commission.  He also established the Little Rock Housing Authority (on which he would later serve on the board) and oversaw the bonds needed to finish constructing Robinson Auditorium.  He was mayor when the building opened.  Mayor Satterfield also served as President of the Arkansas Municipal League in 1941.

Following the outbreak of World War II, Satterfield enlisted in the Army and was given the rank of a Major. He later was promoted to a Colonel and worked in the Pentagon during its early days.

In the late 1940s Satterfield became president of a small Little Rock bank called People’s Bank.  The bank changed its named to First National Bank when it moved into new offices at 3rd and Louisiana in 1953.  By focusing on smaller customers and courting corporate customers, Satterfield grew the bank into one of the state’s largest banks.  He maintained his desk in the lobby of the bank so he could interact with the customers and ensure they were having a positive experience.

Due to some health issues, Satterfield retired from the bank in 1964. He died in March 1966.

ASO Pops concludes 2012-13 with Cirque de la Symphonie

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20121020-054530.jpgThe Arkansas Symphony Orchestra concludes the 2012-2013 Pops series this weekend with Cirque de la Symphonie.

The big-top meets classical music at this crowd favorite!  This high-flying event brings the magic of cirque to the music hall. See aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen while listening to classical masterpieces and popular contemporary music.

The musicians will be under the baton of ASO associate conductor Geoffrey Robson.

The concert is at 8pm tonight and 3pm tomorrow at Robinson Center Music Hall.

ASO and ASYO go SIDE BY SIDE on Friday

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asoyo
The Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra members will have the chance to play “Side by Side” with members of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra tomorrow night (Friday, May 10) at the annual “Side by Side” concert.

The musicians will play under the baton of Music Director Philip Mann.

The concert will take place at Robinson Center Music Hall at 7pm.  The tickets are $10 for adults, free for children.

This is a great opportunity to see not only what the members of the ASYO have been doing, but to see the next generation of musicians and music patrons in action.

Architect Kevin McClurkan in conversation tonight

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Kevin_McClurkanTonight at 6pm at the Arkansas Arts Center, award-winning architect and Arkansas native Kevin McClurkan, AIA, will make a presentation entitled THREADS: Ennead Architects’ Recent Works.  This is part of the monthly Architecture and Design Network lecture series.

A founding partner and management principal of  Ennead  Architects, New York-based architect Kevin McClurkan, has Arkansas roots and  continuing connections. An alumnus  of Pine Bluff High School, McClurkan earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where, in 1983, he received the Edward Durell Stone Award for Excellence in Design.

McClurkan has  continued to earn awards – a prestigious national American Institute of Architects Honor Awards among them. His  commitment  to design excellence, supported by  technical innovation,  is the hallmark of his work.  Little Rock’s William J.  Clinton Presidential Center; the Newseum/Freedom Forum Foundation World Headquarters, Washington D.C.; New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts  and  the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law are among the firm’s recent award-winning projects.

Ennead is the name of the firm formerly known as Polshek Partnership Architects. The firm’s  2010 renaming emphasizes  its identity as a group of architects rather than that of a single design leader.  The new name,  which means a group of nine,  reflects the democratic and collaborative culture of the partnership.

Currently working with Little Rock’s  Polk Stanley Wilcox on the redesign of the city’s  Robinson Auditorium, McClurkan  is a member of the  the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture’s Professional Advisory Board.  Of interest to the whole community,  his April talk is  free and open to the public.

For additional information, contact ardenetwork@icloud.com.

“Fool”ish Fun at SPAMALOT

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Better SpamalotA great way to spend April Fools Day evening (or the day after) is at Robinson Center Music Hall.  Celebrity Attractions is bringing the national tour of Spamalot to Little Rock.  Performances are at 7:30pm tonight and tomorrow.

Spamalot opened on Broadway in 2005 at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre. Following the trend of other musicals in the 2000s, this show was based on a movie and a spoof of musical theatre.  Featuring a book and score by Eric Idle and John Du Prez, this stage version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail skewered not only the Arthurian legend, but also Broadway, popular culture and Spam.  At the 2005 Tony Awards, it was nominated for fourteen Tony Awards. It won three Tony Awards including Best Musical.

On tour, the cast is led by Arthur Rowan as King Arthur.  Others in the cast include Abigail Raye, Glenn Giron, Adam Grabau, Kasidy Devlin, Thomas Demarcus, Joshua Taylor Hamilton and Joe Beuerlein.  The ensemble includes Barbara Jo Bednarczuk, Kimber Benedict, Jason Elliott Brown, Melissa Chaty, Carl Deforrest Hendin, Andrew Leggieri, Amy Owens, Alec Varcas and Ryan Jacob Wood. B. T. McNicholl recreates Mike Nichols Tony winning direction for this production.   Scott Taylor recreated the Broadway choreography.