Tag Archives: Wildwood Park for the Arts

Creative Class 2016: Erin Anson-Ellis

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cc16-anson-ellisToday’s member of the Creative Class is Erin Anson-Ellis, General Manager of Ballet Arkansas.  A native of Little Rock, she earned her B.A. in Theatre Arts from UALR and graduated with honors in May of 2012. In the fall of 2012, she stage managed the educational tour of Lily and the Appleseed which was presented by Wildwood Park for the Arts; and in December of 2012, she served as the production stage manager for Ballet Arkansas’ production of The Nutcracker.

Erin became Ballet Arkansas’ production, company, and stage manager in the spring of 2013, and has managed all of Ballet Arkansas’ productions since that time. In addition to her work at Ballet Arkansas, Erin’s credits include stage managing the the 2015 “Back to School” and 2016 “Happy Feet” Shuffles and Ballet II Dance Recitals, 2015 ACANSA performances by PUSH Physical Theatre and Urban Bush Woman, and the Bill Bowers’ 2014 ACANSA performances of “It Goes Without Saying.”

While at UALR, Erin directed the 2012 UALR production of Criminal Hearts, several student fringe productions between 2008 and 2013, and served as the lighting designer for the Artists in Resonance summer dance concert for three years. Her acting credits include the roles of Viola in Twelfth Night, The Jester in Once Upon a Mattress, Yvonne in The Ladies Man, Kate in Kate Crackernuts, Roberta in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, and in 2008 she traveled to Canterbury, England to perform various roles from the works of Christopher Marlowe for the International Marlowe Conference at the University of Kent.

Today is #ArkansasGives Day

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Arkansas GivesIf you are like me, you’ve been receiving notifications about Arkansas Gives Day for months.  Well, today is the day!  From 8am until 8pm, you can help grow the love for Arkansas’s nonprofit organizations by making a donation to the charity of your choice.  The event is sponsored by the Arkansas Community Foundation.

As a special incentive to give, each gift made through ArkansasGives on April 7, 2016 will be matched with additional bonus dollars; the more you give, the more bonus dollars your favorite charity will receive.

Nonprofit organizations and other tax-exempt charitable organizations may participate if they:

  • Are headquartered in Arkansas or have a base of operations in Arkansas.
  • Are a member of the Arkansas Nonprofit Alliance.
  • Have 501c3 tax exempt status under IRS code AND are qualified as a 509(a)(1), (a)(2) or (a)(3) organization or as a private operating foundation.

The minimum amount is $25; there is no maximum amount you may give. You may designate up to 10 charities per transaction.

Accepted Forms of Payment: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit cards online.
You will receive an email receipt of your gift; please retain it for tax purposes. Unless you choose to remain anonymous, your donor information will be sent to the nonprofits to which you give.

Here is a list of cultural organizations which offer services within the boundaries of the City of Little Rock.

There are MANY MANY MANY other worthy nonprofits which are participating. But since this is a culture blog, only the cultural institutions are listed.  But please consider visiting the website and perusing the entire list.

Governor’s Arts Awards presented today

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Arts Community Development recipient Dean Kumpuris

Arts Community Development recipient Dean Kumpuris

The Arkansas Arts Council will present the 2016 Governor’s Arts Awards today at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion. Sponsored annually by the Arkansas Arts Council, the Governor’s Arts Awards recognize individuals and corporations for outstanding contributions to the arts in Arkansas.

The recipients were nominated by the public and then selected by an independent panel of arts professionals from around the state. Each recipient will be honored at a ceremony in the spring and will receive an original work of art created by Arkansas artist Kelly Edwards.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Suzanne Vining Kunkel, Little Rock

Arts Community Development Award
Dr. Dean Kumpuris, Little Rock

Arts in Education Award
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, Pine Bluff

Corporate Sponsorship of the Arts Award
Deltic Timber, El Dorado

Folklife Award
Sonny Burgess and The Legendary Pacers, Newport

Individual Artist Award
RB McGrath, Jacksonville

Patron Award
Dr. Thomas A. Bruce, Little Rock

Judges Recognition Award
Theresa Timmons-Shamberger, Maumelle

The selection committee members included Mildred Franco, Arkansas Arts Council board, Pine Bluff; Ed Clifford, The Jones Center, Bentonville; Aj Smith, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Chris James, The Roots Art Connection, North Little Rock; and Cathy Cunningham, Southern Bancorp Community Partners, Helena.

In concert tonight at Wildwood Park – Chamber Music Society of Little Rock presents Brooklyn Rider

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The Chamber Music Society of Little Rock, in collaboration with Wildwood Park for the Arts, is proud to present Brooklyn Rider in its second concert of the season.

Hailed as “the future of chamber music” (Strings), the game-changing string quartet Brooklyn Rider presents eclectic repertoire in gripping performances that continue to draw rave reviews from classical, world, and rock critics alike. NPR credits Brooklyn Rider with “recreating the 300-year-old form of string quartet as a vital and creative 21st-century ensemble”; the Los Angeles Times dubs the group “one of the wonders of contemporary music”; and Vice likens its members to “motocross daredevils who never screw up a stunt.”

Program:
Dig The Say – VIJAY IYER (b. 1971)
“Maintenance Music” – DANA LYN (b. 1974)
“Show Me” – AOIFE O’DONOVAN (b. 1982)
Ping Pong Fumble Thaw – GLENN KOTCHE (b. 1970)
John Steinbeck – BILL FRISELL (b.1951)
“Five-Legged Cat” – GONZALO GRAU (b. 1972)
Bradbury Studies – GABRIEL KAHANE (b. 1981)
String Quartet No.13, in A minor, Op. 29, D.804, “Rosamunde” FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828)

Adult admission is $30 and FREE for students (K-College). Tickets available at the door or at www.ChamberMusicLR.com

This program supported, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Special Tales from the South tonight at Wildwood with Nancy Nolan and friends

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talesfromsouthWildwood welcomes Tales from the South and a Tin Roof Project featuring Nancy Nolan this Tuesday, November 10th. The event includes a Community Conversation featuring exhibiting artist Nancy Nolan, Dave Anderson, Park Lanford, and Ken Clark of Chenal Family Therapy. Live music will be performed by Joshua Asante, lead singer in Amasa Hines and Velvet Kente bands.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

6pm:  Dinner with Music performed by Joshua Asante (Amasa Hines, Velvet Kente)

7pm:  Storytelling by Nancy Nolan

7:30:  Community Conversation   

To purchase tickets, click here.

$15 General – Storytelling & Community Conversation Only 

“Tales From the South” is a radio show created and produced by Paula Martin Morell.“Tales from the South” is a showcase of writers reading their own true stories. While the show itself is unrehearsed, the literary memoirs have been worked on for weeks leading up to the readings. Stories range from funny to touching, from everyday occurrences to life-altering tragedies. 

Dracula Unearthed at Wildwood Park

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Dracula unearthedThursday, Friday and Saturday at Wildwood Park for the Arts, Arkansas Festival Ballet and Praeclara collaborate to tell a new Dracula story in song, dance, and dramatic narrative! Dracula’s servants help him rise from the grave, expecting him to resume his evil works — but instead, he becomes entangled in the life of his daughter, Wilhelmina, who does not realize what her father is. But how long can the count deny his own nature? And what will happen when Wilhelmina comes to truly know her father … and realizes what she herself may be?

This show is appropriate for adults and teens. Its story is told through the interaction of choreography and dramatic masterworks by Bach, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Bartok, and more. Coffins, fog, and strobe lights will occasionally be used to set the mood on stage.

The Wildwood gates open at 6:30 p.m. for guests to enjoy a bit of life in the village of Bran before Dracula’s castle (thetheatre) opens for seating at 7:45. Enjoy the “Dead Ringers” handbell concert — take your picture with Dracula and his coffin — sample garlic-based hors d’oeuvres and bat-themed sweets!

Performances begin at 8pm.  Tickets are available at the Wildwood website.

This afternoon at Wildwood Park, the Vienna Boys Choir

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The world renowned Vienna Boys Choir comes to Wildwood for an unforgettable afternoon of music and culture.

On Sunday, October 25th, the newly refurbished Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre will reopen with the angelic voices of the Vienna Boys Choir. This group of 25 boys tour around the world with a repertoire that spans the classics of Mozart and Schubert to contemporary hits.

Reserved seats are $35 and VIP seats are $75.
VIP Reception begins at 2 pm
Performance at 3 pm

The Vienna Boys Choir was originally founded in the 15th century to perform in the royal court of the Austrian Empire. Today there are around 100 choristers between the ages of ten and fourteen, divided into four touring choirs. The four choirs give around 300 concerts and performances each year in front of almost half a million people. Each group spends nine to eleven weeks of the school year on tour. They visit virtually all European countries, and they are frequent guests in Asia, Australia and the Americas.