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March/April 2017 Theatres Directors Dancers Actors Singers Fundraisers Festivals Theatres
Premiere Edition
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The Cavern Club
“Britain’s Finest is my personal time
As close to the real deal as you may ever find in this lifetime." – CBS LA Britain's Finest transcends far above other Beatles tributes due to their precise attention to detail and youthful appearance. With uncanny, note-for-note live renditions of Beatles’ classics such as “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “Yesterday,” She Loves You," “Twist And Shout,” “Hello Goodbye", Sgt. Pepper's," “Something,” “Get Back” and “Hey Jude,” Britain's Finest will make you think and feel you are watching the real thing. Their good looks, witty personality, and amazing stage performances include three costume changes representing every era of the Beatles career. This admiring and faithful tribute to the Beatles has amazed audiences nationally and internationally and performed at this years International Beatle Week in Liverpool at the world famous Cavern Club. Britain's Finest is truly the complete Beatles experience.
machine, they brilliantly conjure up all that Beatle Magic” -Ivor Davis (Author of The Beatles and Me on tour) “Britain’s Finest sounds better than we did back in the old days, they remind me of an incredible period in my life.” -Ringo Starr (Drummer of The Beatles)
Booking Contact: Christian Simmons Mike Moloney Entertainment LLC Phone: 702-228-8300 Email: christian@mmec.com
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Contents in order by city of venue Alma 5 Arkadelphia 6 Batesville 7 Benton 8 Bentonville 9 Blytheville 11 Cabot 12 Conway 14 Eureka Springs 21 Fairfield Bay 25
Fayetteville Forrest City Fort Smith Harrison Hot Springs Jonesboro Little Rock Magnolia Morrilton Mount Ida
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North Little Rock Paragould Perryville Rogers Russellville Searcy Springdale St. Vincent Texarkana
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Hello theatre enthusists! Welcome to the debut edition of Onstage Arkansas. This is an exciting journey for me as we try to represent and cheerlead theatres that may not necessarily get the attention they deserved otherwise. I love live entertainment, and I know Arkansas' talent is just as good as what you would see on Broadway or at some major arena. We get excited when we hear that our local grocery clerk has a budding rock band or our dentist has the lead role in the local musical. They all need to be celebrated! Please join me in encouraging your budding ballerina/opera singer/ dramatist. If you aren't one, then the person sitting next to you probably is. Go out and support your local theatre! They've worked hard! I would like to thank my friends Michael, Diana and Linda, and my wonderful husband and children for helping me chase a dream I didn't even know I had. This magazine wouldn't have been possible without you all! If you have a show coming up, please let us know. We want to tell the world.
Donnie Lee Strickland, me, Lulu Roman 4 OnstageArkansas.org
Sincerely, Theresa Bertram - Creator of Onstage Arkansas Onstagearkansas.org www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas
Alma Education and Arts Foundation The AEAF is a non-profit organization that strives to encourage post-secondary education, promote education in the arts and provide arts exposure to the local community. The foundation is run by a 7-member board of directors who represent different facets of the community. The foundation funds a variety of programs at the Alma Performing Arts Center including annual professional seasons, educational seasons, and the student scholarship program.
Alma Performing Arts Center The Alma PAC is a facility shared by the AEAF and the Alma School District. The facility includes a full stage theatre with more than 1500 seats, black box theatre space with fluid seating capabilities, visual art gallery, greenroom and kitchen, dressing rooms, laundry room, build shop, costume shop, box office, and staff offices. The PAC is located at 103 E. Main Street, Alma, AR 72921.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017 7:30 PM – $41, $32, $25 for adults, $31, $22, $15 for children Leapin’ Lizards! If you missed the national touring performance of this show in Fayetteville last year, here is another opportunity to see the very same production, with the same wonderful set and cast. Unlike most of the other children at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage, Annie believes that her parents are still alive and will one day return to claim her. So when Mr. Warbucks offers to adopt her, she asks the most powerful man in America to help find her real mom and dad instead. Warbucks’ whopping reward for Annie’s parents attracts the attention of con artists who hatch a plot to kidnap Annie and take the $50,000 reward. But don’t fret: This classic family musical has a happy ending for Annie, Daddy Warbucks and the whole gang. The world’s best-loved musical returns in time-honored form. Featuring unforgettable songs such as “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.” Tickets for this show can be purchased through the box office or online. Purchase Tickets Online Call 479-632-2129 to purchase by phone. Presented by the Alma Education and Arts Foundation.
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OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS PRESENTS
Book by 20-22, 7:30 April JOSEPH STEIN April Lyrics by23, 2:30 SHELDON HARNICK Jones Performing Music by JERRY BOCK Arts Center Tickets $12 3XUFKDVH WLFNHWV RQOLQH DW ZZZ REX HGX ER[RIÆ“FH RU FDOO 870-245-5555 for more information, Mon.-Fri. 1-5 p.m. or an hour before each show. Ask about our discounts for groups, OBU faculty/staff, Henderson students, and Gold Tigers. Fiddler on the Roof is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019. Phone: 212-541-4684. Fax: 212-397-4684. www.MTIShows.com.
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Batesville Community Theatre is excited to offer FREE theater workshops for children in kindergarten –6th grade. Join us for fun-filled sessions designed to teach basic theater skills. 10am-11am: Kindergarten – 2nd grade 11:30am—12:30pm: 3rd — 6th grade March 25th, Brown Chapel at Lyon College April 22nd, Brown Chapel at Lyon College May 13th, Batesville School District Auditorium (on Water Street) Registration is open for the March 25th workshop! Register on-line at https://batesvillecommunitytheatre.wufoo.com/forms/z12eysp617be6mv/ or visit the Batesville Community Theatre Facebook page to click on the registration link. Questions? E-mail BCTArkansas@yahoo.com
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Thursday, March 30, 7pm Ovation Music Academy Free Concert Series 406 W. South St. Benton, AR 72015
Concert Violinist Oksana Barbara Muller, Accordion Bob Nagy, Mandolin
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer the Broadway Musical The Royal Players and Mid- adults, $10 for seniors 60 and older ing his strict Aunt Polly, and falls dlebrooks Electric are excited to announce the production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer the Broadway Musical, written by Ken Ludwig with music and lyrics by Don Schlitz and based on the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer written by Mark Twain. Directed by Tony Clay of Sheridan, the Royal Players will present this classic story on April 20th-23rd and April 27th30th at The Royal Theatre at 111 S. Market St. in Benton.
and military, and $5 for ages 3 years old to college students with a school ID. Tickets can be purchased online at www.theroyalplayers.ticketleap. com. For phone reservations, call (501) 315-5483 beginning March 19th, 2017 and pay at the box office. Tickets also can be purchased at the door on a first-come, first-served basis.
The musical comedy presents the tale of a fourteen-year old boy, Tom Sawyer, growing up in 1840’s St. PeShow times are 7 p.m. on Thursdays, tersburg, Missouri, a busy town on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. the banks of the Mississippi River. on Sundays. Tickets cost $12 for Clever Tom matches wits with various characters in the story, includ8 OnstageArkansas.org
in love with Becky Thatcher, the spirited, beautiful “girl next door.” He experiences the adventure of a lifetime with Becky and his friend Huckleberry Finn and meets Injun Joe, a villain to frighten the stoutest of heart. He interacts with his own half-brother, Sid, and all the other boys and girls and townspeople in the village during this superb romp of a story. Filled with foot-stomping, toe-tapping songs, this musical adventure is a tale of thrilling escapes, comedy and inspiration for the whole family.
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Performance Lab + INVERSE Performance Art Festival
Stories From the Trees by Paul Rucker March 30, 7:30 Stories From the Trees performances hosted by INVERSE in various Museum is a multi-disciplinary performance by visual artist, composer, and musician Paul Rucker. The work features Rucker performing a live soundtrack on cello to animated re-imaginings of vintage lynching postcards. Based on one survey, 4,742 African Americans were murdered by lynching between 1882 and 1968. The performance will bring to life the different lynching scenarios, examining the places where communities gathered with women and children to proudly watch these atrocities. The images shown in the performance will suggest those of postcards that were made as common practice from photographs of lynchings. Many of these postcards are from the personal collection of the artist and will be on view during the show.
spaces. Sponsored by Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Demara Titzer, and JTH Productions. $10 ($8 for Members), register online or with Guest Services.
Rucker’s performance will kick off Northwest Arkansas’s INVERSE Performance Art Festival, which will continue throughout the night with politically-charged
Fashionistas Lisa Perry and Yvonne Force Villareal Thursday, April 20, 7 to 8 pm Join us for a conversation between two of New York City’s most prominent art-fashion mavens, friends and collaborators Lisa Perry and Yvonne Force Villareal. Designer Lisa Perry is a style fixture who continually takes her appreciation of the design of the 60s to new heights. She blends her love of vintage fashion with her love of collecting modern art, including works by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Yvonne Force Villareal is the co-founder of the Art Production Fund, an organization that commissions ambitious public art projects with the aim of reaching wider audiences and expanding awareness through contemporary art. The fund works to reduce the physical as well as the psychic distance of cultural, class, linguistic, racial, and income barriers that may hinder participation in contemporary art. Following the lecture, there will be a signing featuring designs by Perry and Force Villareal.
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The American Civil War It is January 1863, and the battle for Arkansas is still raging. 1st Michigan Battery G, Light Artillery is sent in as part of the Vicksburg Campaign to capture Fort Hindman also known as Arkansas Post. In the insuing battle that lasted three days from January 9th through the 11th, the Union forces would emerge victorious. Outnumbered and out-gunned, the ConPhoto by Ailsa McCartney federate forces were compelled to surrender the fort. Though other Michigan units fought throughout Arkansas, this is the only battle where a Michigan Artillery Battery participated. 7KH EDWWHU\ ZRXOG JR RQ WR ÂżJKW GRZQ WKH 0LVVLVVLSSL WR WKH 7H[DV JXOI FRDVW ZLWK LW ÂżQDO EDWWOH EHLQJ IRXJKW in Mobile, AL in the spring of 1865. Throughout the duration of the Civil War, three hundred twenty men would DQVZHU WKH FDOO WR DUPV XQGHU VWDQGDUG RI %DWWHU\ * DQG IRUW\ VL[ ZRXOG QHYHU UHWXUQ KRPH
Today August 2015, 1st Michigan Battery G is reformed in Cabot, Arkansas with a new band of volunteers with the sole purpose of preserving history by teaching the public through what is known as Living History reenactments. The battery was founded by Robert and Grace Helsel who moved to Arkansas in 2013 from Vassar, MI. “When we moved down here we were in search RI DQ DUWLOOHU\ JURXS LQ WKH DUHD WR MRLQ QRW ÂżQGLQJ RQH we decided to start our own groupâ€?, says Robert. The choice of becoming a Union battery was an obvious one, since there are very few units in the south that portray Union. “The hardest part is getting people to go against their heritage to wear the Union Blueâ€? Robert tells us “but we also portray a confederate side when QHHGHG´ 7KLV &RQIHGHUDWH VLGH LV RŕľśFLDOO\ NQRZQ DV the Arkansas 5th Field Battery or the Appeal Battery do to its funding by the Memphis Appeal, which was a newspaper in circulation at that time. As a coincidence, both of these batteries would face each other during the upcoming Battle of Vicksburg later in 1863. Battery G is currently equipped with a fully functional UHSURGXFWLRQ ,QFK 2UGQDQFH 5LྡH FRPSOHWH ZLWK D limber that they use as part of their interpretation; the RQO\ WKLQJ PLVVLQJ DUH WKH VL[ KRUVHV WR SXOO LW 7KH\ hope one day to be able to add an equestrian side to complete their impression. 1st Michigan Battery G is a growing group with apSUR[LPDWHO\ WZHQW\ PHPEHUV LQ LWV UDQNV DQG LV FXU-
UHQWO\ ORRNLQJ WR H[SDQG WKHLU EDWWHU\ WR LQFOXGH DQG additional gun. With that, they are always looking for more people to crew the guns. So if you ever thought \RX PLJKW OLNH WR WU\ \RXU KDQG DW ÂżULQJ D FDQQRQ KHUH is your chance. You can contact Battery G via e-mail at batteryg@hotmail.com or if you are just wanting to attend a local reenactment you can check out their website by going to www.1stmichiganbatteryg.com . There are many upcoming events in the 2017 season, including the all new Cabot Civil War Muster that will be held on the grounds of Changepoint Church from April 28th-30th. This event is being sponsored by the Cabot A&P Commission and local businesses, and is hosted by the members of 1st Michigan Battery G in conjunction with the 9th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. The address is 3525 Highway 89 South in Cabot and is located across from Crossroads Cafe. The event ZLOO EH NLFNHG Rŕľľ ZLWK D VFKRROGD\V SURJUDP RQ )ULGD\ which will be geared toward children of all age groups. On Saturday and Sunday the event will be open to the general public where you can tour the both union and confederate camps to see what life was like for the common soldier during the Civil War. There will be Blacksmith demonstrations, period photography, sutOHUV DV ZHOO DV EDWWOHÂżHOG UHFUHDWLRQV DQG DUWLOOHU\ QLJKW ÂżUH 7KHUH ZLOO DOVR EH SHULRG DUWLIDFWV IURP WKH DUHD RQ display by local historians. So mark it on your calendars and join in on the history, heritage and fun! www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 13
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presents a panel discussion on:
March 29th – 6:30pm Kings Live Music 1020 Front Street Conway AR 72032 Join us for an informal panel discussion on the chemistry, culture, and criminality of drugs of all types. Public participation is encouraged! Plan to arrive early as seating is limited. Science Wednesday is sponsored by the Society of Physics Students at UCA. See the “Events” tab at http://uca.edu/cnsm/ for more information.
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SpringSing 2017 Concert Reynolds Performance Hall University of Central Arkansas
May 2, 2017 7:00pm (Doors open at 6:30pm) Free admission and free parking
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8Q¿QLVKHG %XVLQHVV April 22, 7:30pm Reynolds Performance Hall Kelly Johnson will wow the audience with Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, plus Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, and a commissioned piece by Ryan Key, winner of the Conway Composers Guild competition.
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The US Army Jazz Ambassadors The Auditorium in Eureka Springs March 28th
The internationally acclaimed Jazz Ambassadors of Washington, DC will continue its long tradition of present ing free public performances when it appears at The Auditorium in Eureka Springs on March 28th at 7 p.m. 7KH -D]] $PEDVVDGRUV LV WKH R൶FLDO WRXULQJ ELJ EDQG RI WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV $UP\ )RUPHG LQ WKLV PHP ber ensemble has received great acclaim at home and abroad performing America’s greatest original art form, jazz. Concerts by the Jazz Ambassadors are programmed to entertain all types of audiences. The band’s diverse rep ertoire includes big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, vocals and patriotic selections, many of which are written or arranged by members of the Jazz Ambassadors. )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ FKHFN RXW WKH JURXS V ZHEVLWH DW KWWS ZZZ DUP\¿HOGEDQG FRP 7KH $XGLWRULXP V ZHE VLWH DW KWWS WKHDXG RUJ RU (XUHND 6SULQJV ZHEVLWH DW KWWS ZZZ HXUHNDVSULQJV RUJ
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The Ozark Mountain has been Hoe-Down around since 1981. Over the years the theater has been through many changes, but the Hoe-Down is well known for having only top entertainers and musicians anywhere in the country!
It is home to the AMA Award winning comedy character "Tator (Chip) Patches" played by Mike Nichols as well as the ever familiar and popular character "Uncle Posture Pedic" also played by Mike Nichols!
The (2017) cast of players, Many well known artsingers, entertainers, and ist have graced the stage musicians are DYNOMITE! of the Ozark Mountain It is a mind blowing night of Hoe-Down such as Dongood, clean family fun!! na Douglas (Ellie Mae From the Clampets), Joe Don A little potty humor, hillbilly antics and a few family Rooney of (Rascal Flatts fame), Big Country (NBA Star) stories will make you laugh until your sides hurt, along and many , many more! with some great music, classic and contemporary counThe Ozark Mountain Hoe-Down has been the favorite try, gospel , bluegrass and foot stompin' instrumentals! show of thousands and thousands of visitors over the It's a family night out that is much needed in today's years, from all over the country, and around the world! time!
Tickets On Sale Now! Phone 479-253-7725 http://www.theozarkmountainhoedown.com/
Location + Hours 3140 E. Van Buren Eureka Springs Arkansas Show Times 8pm. Tuesday Thru Saturday Doors Open at 7pm. All Seating Reserved 22 OnstageArkansas.org
THE 30TH ANNUAL OZARK MOUNTAIN UFO CONFERENCE RETURNS TO THE INN OF THE OZARKS IN EUREKA SPRINGS
APRIL 14-16, 2017 Linda Moulton-Howe, longtime Ozark Mountain UFO Conference speaker and one of the world’s foremost UFO investigators, award-winning television producer and editor and reporter for Earthfiles News, will present IS OUR UNIVERSE SOMEONE ELSE’S COMPUTER SIMULATION?, which explores a reported claim by exSince the late 1980’s, when the late Ufologist Lucius O. traterrestrials visiting Earth that our universe is a 3-D Farish founded the Ozark UFO Conference, it has been hologram projected from another dimension by a Super a gathering place for the top experts and investigators Intelligence. in the field of UFOs, Extraterrestrials, lost civilizations, crop circles and otherworldly phenomenon. In 2013, af- Keynote Speaker Grant Cameron will close Day 1 with ter Lucius O. Farish passed away, the late metaphysical his presentation THE PARANORMAL WORLD OF author, researcher and pioneer in hypnosis and past life MUSIC, CREATIVITY AND ALIENS, which will take regression Dolores Cannon became director of the con- the audience through a series of stories and short videos ference and renamed it the Ozark Mountain UFO Con- showing where some of the great inventions, music and ference. Forrest Crawford, who has hosted the Ozark art really came from and the unbelievable connection Mountain UFO Conference for many years, will return between UFOs, aliens, and music. this year as Master of Ceremonies. On Day 2 of the Ozark Mountain UFO Conference,
The 30th Annual Ozark Mountain UFO Conference, the oldest UFO conference in the U.S., will take place April 14-16, 2017 at the Best Western Inn of the Ozarks in Eureka Springs, a resort town in the Ozarks known both for its beauty and paranormal activity.
Day 1 of the 2017 Ozark Mountain UFO Conference kicks off on Friday, April 14 with Ufologist James E. Clarkson, who looks back 30 years over 700 UFO investigations from the Pacific Northwest where Kenneth Arnold first saw Flying Saucers over Mount Rainier in 1947, to present UFO REALITY FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST – 30 YEARS OF INVESTIGATIONS.
extraterrestrial contactee Debra Kauble, the subject of Budd Hopkins’s bestselling book, “Intruders: The Incredible Visitations at Copely Woods,” will present THE STORY OF THE INTRUDERS CONTINUES: 34 YEARS AND COUNTING, a lecture about the changes in her life since her incredible story of alien abduction that took place on June 30, 1983 was first made public.
Kathleen Marden, UFO researcher and niece of world famous alien abductees Betty and Barney Hill, will present EVIDENCE OF THE UFO COVER-UP BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, her unique look into the truth and fiction behind some the most compelling UFO cases on record.
Illustrator and UFO researcher Mike Clelland will then present OWLS AND UFO CONTACT, a wealth of firsthand accounts in which owls manifest in the highly charged moments that surround alien contact. From the mythic legends of our ancient past, to the first hand accounts of the UFO abductee, owls are playing some www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 23
vital role.
On Day 3, Travis Walton, the Arizona logger whose 1975 encounter with a UFO is the best documented case of alien contact ever recorded, will present the final lecture of the 2017 Ozark Mountain UFO Conference, FIRE IN THE SKY: WORLD REACTION THEN & NOW, a recap of the original events he experienced followed by his current understanding of its implications to humanity and our future.
David Marler, former Field Investigator, State Section Director, as well as Illinois State Director of MUFON, returns to the Ozark Mountain UFO Conference in 2017 to present THE BATTLE OF L.A. – UFO IN FEBRUARY 1942 – THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY, one of the most dramatic events in UFO history that was sighted by thousands of witnesses, tracked on radar, photographed by a member of the press and fired upon re- All of the amazing speakers at the Ozark Mountain UFO Conference will then gather for our highly anticipated peatedly by the United States military. Speakers Panel, a fascinating discussion and Q&A sesKeynote Speaker, nuclear physicist and world renowned sion between the speakers and the audience. UFO researcher, author and lecturer Stanton T. Friedman will close Day 2 by presenting FLYING SAUCERS The Ozark Mountain UFO Conference will wrap up on AND SCIENCE, lecturing that the evidence is over- the afternoon of Sunday, April 16 with an annual drawwhelming that some UFOs are intelligently controlled ing of door prizes that includes a Full 3 Day Pass to next extraterrestrial spacecraft, the subject represents a Cos- year’s UFO Conference. mic Watergate and that the flying saucer reality and its During the entire Ozark Mountain UFO Conference, cover-up is the biggest story of the past millennium. our vendor area featuring a wide variety of books, The annual Speakers Dinner on the evening of Saturday, April 15 will provide a special opportunity to dine and mingle with all the speakers at the Ozark Mountain UFO Conference. The Lone Star Cash Bar will also be open each evening for attendees and speakers to gather and discuss groundbreaking theories about extraterrestrial life. Separate tickets to the Speakers Dinner are available on the Ozark Mountain UFO Conference website.
handcrafted goods and metaphysical products including Aliens, ETs, UFOs, Tarot and more will be open to the public with free admission at the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center.
Jim Marrs and friend at the 2016 Ozark Mountain UFO Conference
Race Hobbs of KGRA Radio at the 2016 Ozark Mountain UFO Conference
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For more information visit www.ozarkufoconference. com and follow the Mountain Ozark UFO Conference on Facebook: www.facebook.com/OzarkMountainUFOConference.
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Advice to an early career playwright (from an early career playwright) by: Rachel Lynett
The most infuriating advice I’ve received as a playwright is “Never give up, even after a million rejections, never give up.” In every other field, there are markers, there are indicators that maybe this isn’t the right career choice. If you fail the BAR exam, you’re probably not going to be a lawyer. If you can’t pass the MCATs, then you’re probably not going to be a doctor. But if you can’t get a production after three years of really pushing your work? “Keep trying, never give up.” We’ve all heard the stories. The story of the magical playwright, X. X tried for years to get a production and couldn’t get produced anywhere. But X didn’t give up, X kept pushing and bleeding for theatre, hoping some company would notice the merit of X’s work. And then, out of nowhere, right when X was about to give up, a theatre company finally produces their work. And suddenly, vindication. X is now getting productions from theatre companies from all over the country and thank God X never gave up. In X’s acceptance speech for the Pulitzer Prize we hear the same advice, “You don’t have to go to the top schools or get into the top programs. You just have to keep writing and never give up.” What’s missing from that story is how X paid the bills while they were waiting on vindication. If playwriting is your career, what’s your job? What do you do to make sure you’re not literally a starving artists? What’s missing from that story is the messy details that go in between “never give up” and that glorious streak of performances. I’m not the sort of person many people would call an optimist. I believe I’m an optimist but growing up the way I did instills a certain amount of realism in you as well. My mother worked three jobs just so I could
go to the best private schools, on scholarship. I went on to go to a top 20 university and now I’ll be in debt from student loans for the rest of my life. From there, I went to graduate school to get my MFA Playwriting. I expected the world to be my play pen and instead I had the hardest reality check of my life when I realized how much an adjunct made per class. My advice to early career playwrights is simple: Stop striving towards “one day, I’ll get an amazing production if I never give up” and start striving instead towards “my work says something that I need people to hear.” I have spent so much time wondering why my plays weren’t getting produced. I have gained weight over it. I’ve fallen into a deep depression over it. I’ve even started to purchase LSAT and GRE prep books, basically resorting to picking my next career out of a hat because I have no idea what else I want to do. I’ve been writing plays for eight years now and I’ve had three productions. Three. While three may be enough to hold people over, when it comes to ambition, I put Lady M to shame. In high school, when we’d have career day, every time someone asked me what I wanted to do, my response was “become a corporate defense attorney for Microsoft.” And everyone would stop breathing for a second, that quick inhalation as if they were trying to process what to say this poor, urban child going to school in the bad part of Los Angeles. Some people would say “Don’t you think that’s a bit too high? You’d have to get into a really good school.” Other people would say “Those people aren’t very happy” to try to discourage me. I told them that I was going to get into a good school and I didn’t care about happy. It was never about being happy. When it came to applying to college, I goggle-d Top 20 universities and applied to the four I liked the best. I was always striving, always three steps ahead of www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 27
myself until I came to theatre.
them. Edit your work and then put it on again.
Theatre has made it hard to be ambitious because we’re so used to the idea that without stage time, without getting produced, our work isn’t valid. That we are not valid. Tell anyone you’re a playwright and the immediate response back is “Where can I see your work” or “Where have you been produced?” Sometimes, you’ll get asked “How many plays have you written” but that question is just as sticky. Plays that I’ve written that I’m proud of? Total plays? Plays that I’ve written that someone else liked enough to produce? And then suddenly, you’re in a tail spin trying to prove you matter to someone who was probably just asking to be nice and has no real concept of what “playwriting” actually is.
This is how we grow.
We don’t have to do this to ourselves. Slow down. Start over. Are you only writing plays to get produced? Or, like most writers, is there something you want to share with an audience? If you’re just writing to get produced, stop. Go to law school. This career isn’t for you. But if you’re writing because there’s something inside of you that needs to shared, to be explained, to be nurtured, then write because of that.
It’s easy, too easy, to get stuck wallowing and waiting. I’ve kept track and since January 2017, I’ve received ten rejection letters already and it’s only March. I expect to receive three more before March ends. I could easily say, okay, enough. I could go to law school and I know that I could thrive because my ridiculous ambition will have it no other way. But I’m not seventeen anymore and happiness matters. Let’s stop drowning our depression but hoping some theatre company will notice our merit. I’ll say it now.
If your work has a message, a pick me up, anything that other people need to hear, don’t wait around for a production. Go out and produce it yourself. Grab some friends, pay them with pizza, and put on your play. Do a reading in a bookstore or a bar. Network. Go out and talk to people. For every one playwright that wishes they could get a production, there are three actors who just want a chance to perform in front of an audience. Work with your actors. Let them read the play and tell you what moments they’d like expanded, what moments they think need more depth. Trust
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Produce someone else’s work. Find a playwright you love and respect and put their play on. Find actors for them. Find a venue. Gather an audience. I started Arkansas Theatre Collective because there’s nothing more rewarding than helping someone else in the same field. We’ve all been sinking on this “never give up” boat we’re pushed ourselves on. Let’s provide life boats for each other. Also, learning what goes into making a play makes you a better writer. Understanding the production process challenges us to write better material. What kind of work would you love to produce? Why aren’t you writing those kinds of plays?
You have merit. You are important. Your work is important. So write. And don’t stop writing. I believe all writing is a way for our souls to communicate with one another. Stop silencing yourself. Write what you need to tell your audience and get out there. No more wallowing, no more waiting. Give your work the attention it deserves and know that no one can do that better than you.
495 W. Dickson St. Fayetteville, AR 72701 Monday - Friday / 10am to 6pm Saturday 12pm to 4pm One hour prior to showtime Phone: (479) 443.5600 Fax: (479) 443.9024 tickets@waltonartscenter.org
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EACC PRESENTS ALEXANDER WHO'S NOT NOT NOT GOING TO MOVE
is where your family is, where you’re with the people who love you best of all. Two Beans Productions’ musical, Alexander Who’s Not Not Not Going to Move, based on the classic book by Judith Virost features music by Shelly Markham, with direction by Rob Barron and choreography by Cynthia Thole. Scene design is by Richard Harrison and costume design is by Hannah Blair Butler. The musical production features five actors, and is appropriate for children ages four and up.
The production is part of the Theatreworks USA’s 201617 touring season. Theatreworks USA’s mission is to create, produce, and provide access to professional theatre for young and family audiences nationwide. Since 1961, Theatreworks USA has presented more than 90 million children and their families with opportunities to enBased on the beloved children’s books, joy theatrical productions in forty-nine Alexander has just received some restates and Canada. Theatreworks USA ally bad news. His dad has taken a job has a distinguished history of not only in a city a thousand miles away, which providing young audiences with quality means he and his family are going to performing arts productions, but also have to move. Even though his mom giving young actors, writers, directors, and designers an says, “Wait, You’ll like it,” Alexander already knows that early opportunity to work in this field. he’ll hate it. He can’t bear to leave the people and places he loves, so he decides that he won’t move. First, he tries Tickets for Alexander Who’s Not Not Not Going to to live with three different neighbors. Then, he tries to Move are $14.50 and may be purchased online, by callbuild a tent so he can live by himself. After that, he de- ing 870-633-4480, ext. 352, or in person at the Fine Arts cides he’ll hide so his parents will never find him. With Center Ticket Office. Group discounts are available and a little help from his mom and dad and even his bossy save 20%. The EACC Fine Arts Center is located at 1700 older brothers, they help him to understand that home Newcastle Road in Forrest City right off of I-40, forty miles from Memphis. www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 31 East Arkansas Community College presents the Family Series performance of Alexander Who’s Not Not Not Going to Move on Sunday, April 2 at 3:00 p.m. in the EACC Fine Arts Center in Forrest City. Purchase tickets online at www.eacc.edu.
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Spring UAFS Symphonic Band Concert Tuesday, April 4 at 7:30pm at the Arc Best Performing Arts Center in the Fort Smith Convention Center -Under the direction of Dr. Alexandra Zacharella, the UAFS Symphonic Band performs classic wind band repertoire as well as exciting contemporary pieces. From rousing Sousa marches to inspirational symphonic hymns and most everything in between, they perform challenging music of artistic and historical significance.
Spring UAFS Jazz Concert
A Grand Night For Singing
Thursday, April 20 at 7:30pm at the Arc Best Performing Arts Center in the Fort Smith Convention Center -The highly energetic and entertaining Jazz Band delivers topnotch performances of varied repertoire by talented student musicians at UAFS as well as world-renowned guest artists. The award-winning Jazz Catz are one of the Fort Smith area’s outstanding vocal ensembles, having performed with other well-known national groups. This year's special guest will be Vince DiMartino.
Tuesday, May 2 at 7:30pm at the Arc Best Performing Arts Center in the Fort Smith Convention Center -A Grand Night for Singing will present an evening of music theatre and light opera, with songs from the great American songbook and some of the enduring Broadway musicals. The young vocalists and musicians bring a high level of energy to the performance, which is certain to delight listeners of all ages.
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One Man, Two Guvnors! April 27–29 at 7:00PM — April 30 at 2:00PM May 4–6 at 7:00PM — May 7 at 2:00PM Lyric Theatre in Harrison One Man, Two Guvnors is old and new at the same time: it is a 2011 British adaptation of a 1743 Italian play, Il servitore di due padroni (Servant of Two Masters) and it will come to the Lyric stage in April and May as a joint production of Northark Drama and the Theatre Company of the Ozarks.
Want to see your name in lights? If you are interested in performing in the Lyric, please email us at info@ozarkartscouncil.org or call 870.391.3504.
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Auditions
Murder at the Howard Johnson's Sunday, April 9 at 5:00pm Monday, April 10 at 6:00pm Parts for 2 men and 1 womanwww.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 35
Established in 1975, the award winning Hot Springs Concert Band has grown from twenty local residents into an 80-member band – the largest community band in Arkansas rehearsing and/or performing year round. Its members come from seventeen communities in Central Arkansas, some driving 70 miles each way to rehearsals and performances. Current members range in age from teenagers to octogenarians. This age diversity brings to the band a wealth of talent and performance experience ranging from eager amateurs to currently working or former professional musicians and educators.
Springs National Park’s 175th anniversary, and hosted three national band conventions; it also sponsors a bi-annual national composition competition and an annual student scholarship program.
With a very active performance schedule, the Hot 6SULQJV &RQFHUW %DQG RŕľľHUV VRPHWKLQJ IRU DOO PXVLFDO tastes. Musical selections vary from lighter fare served with the Summer Park Series to more serious concert works performed during the winter season. To support WKLV ZLGH UDQJH RI PXVLFDO VW\OHV WKH EDQG DQG LWV DŕľśOiate organizations enjoy a membership of over 120 area musicians from more than ten communities in Central THE HOT SPRINGS CONCERT BAND performs and South Arkansas. four indoor and four outdoor concerts annually; audience sizes range from 650 (indoor and formal) to 1,100 Musicians may participate in a variety of musical (outdoor and informal in Hot Springs National Park) groups under the auspices of the main organization, for these concerts. Each 90-minute concert has a theme, which include The Hot Springs Concert Band and The and the music is selected accordingly. The HSCB has New Horizons Band, Other musical ensembles in the earned the coveted Hot Springs’ “Tourism Organization JUHDWHU +RW 6SULQJV FRPPXQLW\ DUH DŕľśOLDWH RUJDQL]Dof the Yearâ€? award. tions of the HSCB which include The Hot Springs Village Big Band, The Hot Springs Flute Ensemble, the The HSCB has commissioned three pieces, performed Village Dixielanders and various Chamber Music Enat two U.S. Naturalization ceremonies, played for Hot sembles.
Next performance: Sunday, May 7th 3pm Annual Spring Concert and Ice-Cream Social Woodlands Auditorium Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
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1959 PINK THUNDERBIRD by James McLure Based on the plays Laundry and Bourbon and Lone Star
April 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 2017 at 7:30pm In Maynard, Texas, local hero Roy Caulder has returned from the Vietnam War. While his prized 1959 pink Thunderbird runs as good as ever, he finds his hometown profoundly changed. As Roy reconnects with his brother over a case of beer, Roy's wife Elizabeth wonders if their marriage will ever be the same again. James McLure’s enduring comedy offers a glimpse at the racy side of small town life.
Upcoming Events
April 11, 2017 @ 7:30PM www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 37
ADULT AUDITIONS for
Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 2017 Company Actors, Guest Artists, and Performance Internships for the 2017–2018 Season Please call or email Stage Management to schedule an audition time. Audition slots begin at 5 p.m. StageManager@arkansasartscenter.org 501-396-0336 2017 SUMMER THEATRE ACADEMY AUDITIONS for Child + Teens Sunday, April 9, 2017 Sunday, April 30, 2017 All auditions are at 5:00 p.m.
See more at: https://www.arkansasartscenter.org/ 38 OnstageArkansas.org
Introducing The Rep's new Education Department Arkansas Repertory Theatre has begun a new chapter of their Education 'HSDUWPHQW QRZ R൵HULQJ \HDU URXQG WKHDWUH WUDLQLQJ IRU \RXWK DQG DGXOWV (GXFDWLRQ DW 7KH 5HS ZRUNV WR HQJDJH $UNDQVDV VWXGHQWV RI DOO DJHV HQ FRXUDJLQJ H[SUHVVLRQ FROODERUDWLRQ FUHDWLYH SUREOHP VROYLQJ UHÀHFWLRQ DQG D GHHSHU FRPPXQLW\ FRQQHFWLRQ WKURXJK LQYROYHPHQW LQ WKHDWUH DUWV 7KH PLVVLRQ LV PDQLIHVWHG WKURXJK VWXGHQW PDWLQHHV \HDU URXQG FODVVHV and camps in music theatre, acting, singing, and dance, workshops with JXHVW DUWLVWV RXWUHDFK HGXFDWLRQ DQG VFKRODUVKLS RSSRUWXQLWLHV +LVWRULFDOO\ WKH WUDLQLQJ SURJUDP RQO\ RFFXUUHG LQ WKH VXPPHU EXW QRZ ZLWK WKH DGGLWLRQ RI WKH EHDXWLIXO VWDWH RI WKH DUW (GXFDWLRQ $QQH[ VSDFH LQ WKH &UHDWLYH &RUULGRU RI 'RZQWRZQ /LWWOH 5RFN 7KH 5HS R൵HUV \HDU URXQG SURJUDPV )XO¿OOLQJ WKH SKLORVRSK\ RI OLIH ORQJ OHDUQLQJ WKH VWXGHQW EDVH KDV H[SDQGHG WR LQFOXGH ORZHU HOH PHQWDU\ DQG DGXOWV WKLV IDOO WKH \RXQJHVW VWXGHQW ZDV DQG WKH ROGHVW 7KH V\OODEXV KDV H[SDQGHG DQG QRZ LQ DGGLWLRQ WR PXVLF WKHDWUH WUDLQLQJ (GXFDWLRQ DW 7KH 5HS R൵HUV DFWLQJ VLQJLQJ DQG GDQFH FODVVHV 1HHG EDVHG VFKRODUVKLSV DUH DYDLODEOH IRU HYHU\ FODVV FDPS DQG ZRUNVKRS HQVXULQJ WKDW WKHDWUH HGXFDWLRQ LV DYDLODEOH WR DOO DQG WKH SURJUDP LV IRFXVLQJ RQ RXWUHDFK H൵RUWV E\ VHQGLQJ WHDFKLQJ VWD൵ RXW LQWR FRPPXQLW\ SURJUDPV IRU ZRUNVKRSV DQG UHVLGHQFLHV 7KH 5HS KDV DOVR ZHOFRPHG D QHZ 'LUHFWRU RI (GXFDWLRQ $QQD .LPPHOO ZKR LV VSHDUKHDGLQJ WKH SURJUDP DORQJVLGH D WDOHQWHG IDFXOW\ RI LQGXVWU\ SURIHVVLRQDOV $QQD PRYHG WR /LWWOH 5RFN DQG EHJDQ ZRUN RQ WKH QHZ (GX FDWLRQ 'HSDUWPHQW LQ ODWH $XJXVW 2ULJLQDOO\ IURP $WODQWD VKH PRVW UHFHQW O\ OLYHG LQ 5RDQRNH 9$ OHDGLQJ WKH (GXFDWLRQ 'HSDUWPHQW DW 0LOO 0RXQ WDLQ 7KHDWUH IRU RYHU \HDUV $QQD LV DQ DFWRU DQG SHUIRUPHU KHUVHOI ,Q IDFW LQ KHU ¿UVW YLVLW WR /LWWOH 5RFN D IHZ \HDUV EDFN VKH SHUIRUPHG DW WKH 5RELQVRQ &HQWHU RQ WKH 1DWLRQDO 7RXU RI 7KH :L]DUG RI 2= $QQD LV YHU\ PXFK HQMR\LQJ JHWWLQJ WR NQRZ WKH FLW\ RI /LWWOH 5RFN DQG ORRNV IRUZDUG to meeting new students and community members as The Rep's Education 'HSDUWPHQW FRQWLQXHV WR JURZ $QQD EHOLHYHV WKDW WKH EHQH¿WV RI D WKHDWUH HGXFDWLRQ UHDFK IDU EH\RQG WKH VWDJH OLJKWV 7KH JRDO LV WR QRW RQO\ HQFRXUDJH DQG LQVSLUH JHQHUDWLRQV RI DUWLVWV EXW DOVR QXUWXUH JHQHUDWLRQV RI FUHDWLYH WKLQNHUV OHDGHUV DQG FROODE RUDWRUV 7KH VNLOOV \RX OHDUQ LQ D WKHDWUH FODVV DUH VNLOOV \RX FDQ DSSO\ WR \RXU OLIH ZRUN DQG UHODWLRQVKLSV ´ ³$W D WLPH ZKHQ PDQ\ RI XV ¿QG RXUVHOYHV JOXHG WR RXU SKRQH RU computer screens, the power of making genuine connections is signif LFDQW DQG QHFHVVDU\ 7KURXJK ZRUN LQ WKHDWUH \RX DUH VLPXOWDQHRXVO\ JDLQLQJ D EHWWHU XQGHUVWDQGLQJ RI \RXUVHOI ZKLOH DOVR VWUHWFKLQJ \RXU DELOLW\ WR HPSDWKL]H ZLWK RWKHUV 7KHDWUH EULQJV DOO NLQGV RI SHRSOH WRJHWKHU WR FRPPXQH LQ D FUHDWLYH VSDFH ,W V EHDXWLIXO DQG LPSRUWDQW IRU DUWLVWV RI DOO DJHV ´ 7R OHDUQ PRUH DERXW 7KH 5HS¶V (GXFDWLRQ 'HSDUWPHQW YLVLW www. therep.org/learn RU OLNH WKHLU )DFHERRN SDJH (GXFDWLRQ DW 7KH 5HS
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Spring Classes April 3 - April 27 2nd Grade - Adult Registration is now open for Spring Classes at Education at The Rep. Classes in music theatre, improvisation, dance, technical theatre, and audition prep are organized below by age. Scroll and click on a class title to read the full description, dates, tuition, and to register online. Intro to Music Theatre | 2nd - 4th Grades Discover the fundamentals of musical theatre technique by integrating acting, singing, and simple choreography in the development of Broadway repertoire. Behind-the-Scenes | 5th - 8th Grades Go behind-the-scenes at The Rep to explore sound, lights, costume, props and set design. Audition Prep | 9th - 12th Grades :RUNVKRS PRQRORJXHV DQG VRQJV OHDUQ DXGLWLRQ HWLTXHWWH DQG SUHVHQW SROLVKHG SLHFHV LQ D ÂżQDO PRFN DXGLWLRQ Theatre Dance | 9th Grade - Adult Get moving in this fun, high energy dance class focusing on Broadway-style choreography. Beginner Tap | 9th Grade - Adult Make some noise in this beginner course building upon the foundation of tap dance technique. An Improvisational State of Mind | Adult Enhance your professional and personal skills through the study of beginning improvisation.
Summer Sessions June 19th – August 4th Kindergarten – 12th Grade Mark your calendar for six weeks of summer theatre training for K - 12th grade students at Education at The Rep! Public registration will begin on March 13th. No auditions required. Need-based scholarships are available upon application. Theatre | Rising K - 2nd Grades June 19th – June 23rd 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Musical Theatre | Rising 3rd - 5th Grades July 10th – July 14th 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Acting | Rising 3rd - 5th Grades June 26th – June 30th 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Musical Theatre | Rising 6th - 8th Grades July 17th – July 21st 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Acting | Rising 6th - 8th Grades June 26th – June 30th 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Conservatory | Rising 9th - 12th Grades (2017 high school graduates welcome) July 24th – August 4th 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Armadillo Rodeo Teen Improv Troupe Celebrates Its 10th Season! The nightlife scene in Little Rock is exploding with improv, stand-up and sketch comedy. Adults can find good laughs in the capitol city with places like The Joint and The Loony Bin, and with troupes like Improv Little Rock and Red Octopus there’s comedy fare almost every night of the week. In this hotbed of hilarity there’s a place for teens too with Armadillo Rodeo. The Rodeo celebrates its 10th season this year which has been lassoing laughs since 2007. The troupe weaves comedy gold using only audience suggestions, their wit, and ensemble storytelling. Every show is made up on the spot which means each night what the audience witnesses “has never been done before and will never be done again!”
this current season there are eleven improvisors along with a musical accompanist, and a lighting/sound operator, all of which are teens and members of the Rodeo. These dedicated students spend three hours every Sunday in rehearsal building skills, developing group mind, and learning formats with adult mentors Katie Campbell and Brook Scalzo. One weekend of every month from October to May, The Public theatre in downtown Little Rock is packed with area high school students excited to see what the Rodeo will do next. Audiences are greeted with the smell of fresh popped popcorn and smiling faces by the box office manager and concessions team, also run by teens. The $8 admission, concessions, and t-shirt revenue all go towards an annual trip to Chicago The company consists of central Arkansas teens ranging in May. in age from 13-18 who remain in the troupe until graduating high school. Shows change monthly and show- In Chicago the Rodeo has the opportunity to see shows case short-form games and scenes like those made pop- at some of the most prestigious comedy theatres in the ular by the television series, Whose Line Is It Anyway, in country with tickets at Second City, I.O., and The Anaddition to long-form musicals and narrative stories. In noyance. These teens also take an intensive workshop www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 41
with industry professionals to hone their improv skills. In past years this has included Joey Bland of the Improvised Shakespeare Company and John Hildreth of Second City fame. The Chicago trip is also a great time to catch up with a few Rodeo alums who have continued their love of improv and currently study at Second City and I.O. Since 2007, there have been over 50 teens to come through the Rodeo, some of which have con-
tinued in theatre, while others have pursued their own paths in architecture, music, cosmetology, social justice and other careers. For Campbell, a member of Improv Little Rock, The Joint Venture, and associate director at the Arkansas Arts Center, working with Armadillo Rodeo is the most rewarding work of her professional career.
Upcoming Audition April 1 Auditions for Armadillo Rodeo are open to anyone ages 13-18 (rising 9-12th graders) in Central Arkansas and held every spring. To set up an audition time email the Rodeo at ArmadilloRodeoLR@Gmail.com
Upcoming show dates: April 7-8, May 5-6 All shows are $8, 7pm at The Public Theatre, 616 Center Street, downtown Little Rock. Keep up to date with the Rodeo on Facebook @ArmadilloRodeoLR Want to help make a difference in the lives of young people?! You can help sponsor the Chicago trip by making a donation!
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Israel Getzov, Music Director and Conductor
Band Camp Scholarship Application Period March 10 thru April 10 The Little Rock Wind Symphony offers summer band camp scholarships to students who have completed at least one year of band. Scholarship(s) are awarded for attendance at any accredited band camp in Arkansas. The award is for full tuition, up to $300, and will be paid directly to Arkansas band camp the student will attend. Application Process Any band student from a public or private school in Arkansas is eligible to apply. The applicant must be an active member of the band program at the school he or she attends. The application period is March 10th through April 10th, and applications must be submitted to the address below by the end of the application period. Submit to: LRWS Band Camp Scholarship Committee Post Office Box 250341 Little Rock, Arkansas 72225
April 20 Godzilla Eats Las Vegas! Robert Russell Bennett: Suite of Old American Dances Arturo Marquez: Danzรณn #2 William Schuman: George Washington Bridge Eric Whitacre: Godzilla Eats Las Vegas Second Presbyterian Church Little Rock 7:30 p.m. 43 www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas
Brain Candy Live March 28
Gladys Knight April 3
Beethoven & Blue Jeans April 8-9
Price Is Right-Live Stage Show April 10
Celebrity Attractions Broadway Theater Series – Riverdance: 20th Anniversary World Tour. April 14-16
Ron White April 20
David Sedaris April 21
Bethal Music April 27
Rick Smiley April 29
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March 31, April 1, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 2017 Directed by Tommie Tinker
SYNOPSIS The scene is a small Southern town where Colonel and Christine Penmark live with their daughter, Rhoda. On the surface Rhoda is sweet, charming, full of old-fashioned graces, loved by her parents, admired by all her elders. But Rhoda’s mother has an uneasy feeling about her. When one of Rhoda’s schoolmates is mysteriously drowned at a picnic, Mrs. Penmark is alarmed; for the boy who was drowned was the one who had won the penmanship medal that Rhoda felt she deserved. You may remember the movie by the same name… A real thriller at TWT!
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This delightful operetta, one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular, will please vocal arts connoisseurs and comedic theater fans alike. “This production mixes the vocal versatility of Praeclara with the innovative choreography of Rebecca Stalcup — always a powerful combination. The show’s lighthearted take on romance combined with the beautiful setting of Wildwood Park makes for perfect springtime fare,” says director Bevan Keating. Friday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 2 at 3:00 p.m. Wildwood Park for the Arts 20919 Denny Rd., Little Rock, AR 72223
For one night only, the Praeclara Vocal Company joins with the UA Little Rock Community Chorus and the choir of Second Presbyterian Church to create a combined choir of more than 100 voices—accompanied by professional symphony players from all over central Arkansas—to present Mozart’s soul-stirring masterpiece.
Tickets: $30 general public; $15 for students
Purchase tickets at www.praeclara.org or call 501.859.9000
Purchase tickets at the Wildwood Park for the Arts website or call 501.821.7275 Music by Arthur Sullivan | Libretto by W.S. Gilbert
Saturday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. Second Presbyterian Church of Little Rock 600 Pleasant Valley Dr., Little Rock, AR 72227 Tickets: $20 general public
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Conducted by Bevan Keating
Directed by Bevan Keating | Choreography by Rebecca M. Stalcup
Luke Angelo, Matthew Tatus, and Jacob Sturgeon Photo courtesy of: Elizabeth Wheeler
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, c. 1780; painting by Johann Nepomuk della Croce. Art Media/Biblioteque de l’Opera, Paris/Heritage-Images/Imagestate britannica.com
AUDITIONS FOR SAU THEATRE BFA IN THEATRE & BFA IN MUSICAL THEATRE (MARCH 14TH & APRIL 4TH) Southern Arkansas University will be holding on-campus auditions for the Theatre Department on Tuesday, March 14 and Tuesday, April 4th, 2017. In addition to admission to the program, students will be evaluated for potential scholarship awards during this audition. Contact Director of Theatre, Cason Murphy, at casonmurphy@saumag.edu or 870-235-4263 for more information and make an appointment.
B.F.A. in Theatre track: Students should prepare two (2) two-minute contrasting monologues (classical/contemporary, comedic/dramatic) to perform for SAU Theatre faculty. Students are also requested to bring résumés and headshots (if available).
B.F.A. in Musical Theatre track: Students should prepare one (1) two-minute monologue and 48-64 bars of a musical theatre song. Students should bring a digital accompaniment track (on a phone/tablet/computer), as no accompanist will be provided or sing a cappella. Students are also requested to bring résumés and headshots (if available).
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Directed by Cason Murphy Musical Direction by David De Seguirant
Originally Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions Based on Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written & directed by John Musker & Ron Clements
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Upstart detectives Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are on their first case. Their client, a young H.G. Wells, has hired the novice detectives to find a manuscript by Arthur Conan Doyle. Hiding from their angry landlord, Holmes and Watson duck into Wells’s time machine, push a few buttons, and soon find themselves in the 21st century. They end up at the Freudly Institute, where they meet Marilyn Monroe, George Washington, Tarzan, Emily Dickinson, Count Dracula, Lizzie Borden, and Queen Victoria. Actually, these are patients at the institution with grandiose delusions that they are these famous characters, which explains why Holmes is treated like just another patient! And they think Watson is his doctor who’s just “playing along”! This year's production is directed by Seniors Avery Croswell and Sharon Duvall. Show times are Friday 7:00pm with an optional dessert bar. Tickets $5.00 Saturday Dinner Theater beginning at 6:00pm with meal and 7:00pm show. Tickets $15 for meal $5 for show only. To purchase tickets online, visit: www.sacredheartmorrilton.org 50 OnstageArkansas.org
Montgomery County Council for the Performing Arts In October 1984..... a small troupe of would-be Thespians came together at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds near Mount Ida, Arkansas. That meeting set in motion a plan for bringing to their community the opportunity to enjoy live theater. In their constitution the purpose was formally stated as being “operated exclusively for cultural, literary or educational purposes.� The new organization chose the name Montgomery County Council for the Performing Arts, but it has become more familiarly known to the community as MCCPA.
Caddo Cowboys Roosevelt Auditorim March 31, 2017 On March 31 the doors will open at 5:30pm to feature a young local artist (Hayden Powell) and his band, "The Caddo Cowboys". Hayden is a student at the Caddo Hills School and the band members are all local with a great deal of talent. The Caddo Cowboys provide a variety of country music and old rock. They will be performing from 6-8pm at the Roosevelt Auditorium (338 Whittington St) which is home of the Montgomery County Council for the Performing Arts in Mt Ida. This is a collaboration of both units to help raise money for a new roof. Plate dinners can purchased for $10 and will include: roast chicken, baked beans, potato salad, Texas toast and a drink. We encourage everyone to come out to support both groups and have quite the enjoyable evening. For more information you may call Mary Gail 4792164030 or Edwenna 8704901678. www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 51
Actor Profile Grace & Corbin Pitts Siblings: Sharing the Stage/Screen and Loving Life... together! Grace and Corbin Pitts are brother and sister and live in central Arkansas. In addition to sharing the same last name, they share many of the same passions! Both began singing, dancing, modeling and acting at a young age. In addition to their impressive resumes, both Grace and &RUELQ KDYH EHHQ DEOH WR ¿QG D EDOance between school/community activities and their love of theatre DQG ¿OP Grace takes dance, voice and acting lessons, is a Student Council Representative and a cheerleader at school. She is an honor roll student and is also involved in the youth program at church. Her grades, school activities, performing, family and friends are all are very imSRUWDQW WR KHU *UDFH MXVW ¿QLVKHG a successful run of THE SECRET GARDEN at the Argenta Community Theater where she played Mary Lennox and had a wonderful time with the talented cast and production team. She has been in over 10 VKRUW ¿OPV RQH RI WKHP ZRQ ¿UVW SODFH LQ DQ LQWHUQDWLRQDO ¿OP FRQWHVW and was screened in Hollywood), a television pilot, 14+ commercials, countless plays/musicals, and over ten full length storybook ballets. Her website is www.gracejpitts. com and IMDb page is imdb.me/ gracepitts. 52 OnstageArkansas.org
Corbin is an honor roll student at school, videographer for school and community projects, Student Council Historian, a Boy Scout, plays soccer on the competitive traveling team, and takes voice, dance, and acting lessons. Corbin has EHHQ LQ RYHU VKRUW ¿OPV PDQ\ DUH DZDUG ZLQQLQJ DW ¿OP IHVWLYDOV around the country), a television SLORW ZRQ EHVW WY SLORW DW D UHFHQW
¿OP IHVWLYDO LQ &DOLIRUQLD RYHU FRPPHUFLDOV LQFOXGLQJ WKH *$0( OF WAR commercial-Mariah Carey is the spokesperson for this game), two full length storybook ballets, and countless plays/musiFDOV LQFOXGLQJ SHUIRUPDQFHV ZLWK Broadway stars Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy from the Broadway national tour of THE MUSIC 0$1 ,1 &21&(57 +H MXVW ¿Qished performing in THE NERD at Murry's Dinner Playhouse as Thor Waldgrave and will begin work on the world premiere of DURING WIND AND RAIN- an Arkansas period piece set in 1895 written by Michael Rice and Margaret Jones %ROVWHUOL -XG\ 7ULFH GLUHFWRU DW the Argenta Community Theater in April. He has been writing screenplays, created his own production FRPSDQ\ Heroe Productions) and has cast many of his friends and former co-stars in his upcoming ¿OPV &RUELQ¶V ZHEVLWH LV www. corbinpitts.com and his IMDb link is imdb.me/corbinpitts. Grace and Corbin have been able to share the stage/screen many times. They were both cast in ELF, MARY POPPINS, and the world premiere of PROJECT ELAN at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre. They shared the stage as Judy and Toby Miniver in the world stage premiere of
MRS. MINIVER at the Argenta Community Theater, Tiny Tim and Belinda Cratchit in A CHRISTMAS CAROL, SNOW WHITE, and the NUTCRACKER. Grace and Corbin have also been in many ÂżOPV FRPPHUFLDOV WRJHWKHU 7KH\ are currently working on the feature ÂżOP ,7 .12:6 D SV\FKRORJLFDO horror and is very intense. They SOD\ EURWKHU DQG VLVWHU DQG DUH WKH children of the lead actress who is KDXQWHG E\ WKH SDVW DQG LV WUDSSHG LQ D SUHVHQW VKH GRHVQ W XQGHUVWDQG EXW EHLQJ SXUVXHG E\ VRPHWKLQJ VKH GRHVQ W NQRZ
In addition to the training they receive locally, Grace and Corbin work with Broadway Kids Auditions and Ethan Paulini in New York. They will continue to audiWLRQ IRU SOD\V PXVLFDOV ÂżOPV DQG FRPPHUFLDOV DQG DUH LQ WKH SURFHVV of auditioning for national tours. They will also attend a week long Broadway Bound intensive in New York City this summer with Young Performers of America where they will work with eight Broadway stars! When not on stage or on cam-
Grace Pitts Training: Dance \HDUV RI EDOOHW WDS MD]] PXVLFDO WKHDWUH GDQFH WUDLQLQJ WKUHH \HDUV RI SRLQWH Voice- three years with Mark Binns, Dr. Peter Thoresen, Kurt Domoney, and Sharon Douglas Acting IRU ÂżOP FODVVHV $FWLQJ FODVVHV PDVWHU PXVLFDO WKHDWUH GDQFH DFWLQJ FODVVHV DQG LQWHQVLYHV ZLWK 6XPPHU DW WKH 5HS SURJUDP $&7LQJ 8S SURJUDP DW WKH $UJHQWD &RPPXQLW\ 7KHDWUH Bill Hastings, Warren McCullough, Ethan Paulini, Broadway Kids Auditions in NY (Kurt Domoney, Dr. Peter Thoresen, School of Rock on Broadway), and Young Performers of America with %URDGZD\ VWDUV 0DQG\ *RQ]DOHV /DXUD 2VQHV 7RPP\ %UDFFR Robin DeJesus, and Corey Cott)
Future Plans:
era, they can be found enjoying time with their friends and family. Grace and Corbin are enjoying each “stage� of their life and are both very GHGLFDWHG DQG GULYHQ 7KHLU SDUHQWV can be found cheering them on in the audience at every one of their SHUIRUPDQFHV JDPHV HWF 7KH\ VXSSRUW HDFK DQG HYHU\ RQH RI WKHLU dreams and say that they live by this: “There are two gifts we should give our children: one is roots and the other is wings.� Stay kind, stay KXPEOH VSUHDG \RXU ZLQJV DQG EH the best you can be.
Corbin Pitts Training: Dance \HDUV RI EDOOHW WDS MD]] PXVLFDO WKHDWUH GDQFH WUDLQLQJ Voice- three years with Mark Binns, Dr. Peter Thoresen, Kurt Domoney, and Sharon Douglas Acting IRU ÂżOP FODVVHV $FWLQJ FODVVHV PDVWHU PXVLFDO WKHDWUH GDQFH DFWLQJ FODVVHV DQG LQWHQVLYHV ZLWK 6XPPHU DW WKH 5HS SURJUDP $&7LQJ 8S SURJUDP DW WKH $UJHQWD &RPPXQLW\ 7KHDWUH Warren McCullough, Ethan Paulini, Broadway Kids Auditions in NY (Kurt Domoney, Dr. Peter Thoresen, School of Rock on Broadway), and Young Performers of America with Broadway stars: 0DQG\ *RQ]DOHV /DXUD 2VQHV 7RPP\ %UDFFR 5RELQ 'H-HVXV and Corey Cott)
Future plans:
Corbin ZDQWV WR ÂżQLVK WKH VFUHHQSOD\ KH LV ZULWLQJ DQG WKHQ GLUHFW Grace will continue to train in voice, dance and acting. She will WKH ÂżOP FRQWLQXH WR WUDLQ LQ YRLFH DFWLQJ GDQFH +H ZLOO DWWHQG DVVLVW WKH $&7LQJ 8S 6XPPHU $UWV 3URJUDP DWWHQG WKH VXPPHU the Young Performers of America Broadway Bound Intensive in &RQVHUYDWRU\ DW WKH $UNDQVDV 5HSHUWRU\ 7KHDWUH DQG ZLOO DWWHQG New York City this summer working with eight current Broadway the Young Performers of America Broadway Bound Intensive in VWDUV $&7LQJ 8S DW WKH $UJHQWD &RPPXQLW\ 7KHDWHU DQG 6XPPHU New York City this summer working with eight current Broadway DW WKH 5HS 0XVLFDO 7KHDWUH ,QWHQVLYH +H ZLOO FRQWLQXH DXGLWLRQLQJ stars. IRU VKRZV ÂżOPV ZULWLQJ VFULSWV DQG KRSHV WR GLUHFW KLV ÂżOP YHU\ Favorite Theatres: soon. They KDYH ERWK SHUIRUPHG DW WKH $UNDQVDV 5HSHUWRU\ 7KHDWUH DQG What drives Corbin to perform? $UJHQWD &RPPXQLW\ 7KHDWUH *UDFH KDV DOVR SHUIRUPHG DW WKH "I love being onstage and in front and behind the camera!" 6WXGLR 7KHDWUH DQG &RUELQ KDV DOVR SHUIRUPHG DW 0XUU\ V 'LQQHU .HHS XS ZLWK XSFRPLQJ SURMHFWV RQ www.corbinpitts.com. 3OD\KRXVH %RWK KDYH KDG ZRQGHUIXO H[SHULHQFHV DQG DUH WKDQNIXO IRU WKH PDQ\ RSSRUWXQLWLHV WKH\ KDYH KDG .HHS XS ZLWK XSFRPLQJ SURMHFWV RQ www.gracejpitts.com. www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 53
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KASU's Bluegrass Monday March 27 Guest Artists: Chris Jones and the Night Drivers
April 24 Guest Artists: David Davis and the Warrior River Boys Showtime: 7:00 PM There is no admission but they do pass the hat to pay the artists. Recommended donation: $5.00/person %OXHJUDVV 0RQGD\ EXŕľľHW DW 7HUU\ V &DIp RQ 3UXHWW EHJLQQLQJ DW
The Ultimate Oldies Show 0DUFK $SULO 0XVLF RI WKH V V DQG V Showtime: 7:00PM *HQHUDO $GPLVVLRQ $GYDQFH WLFNHWV DYDLODEOH DW 3RVW1HW DQG ,JQLWHG *LIWV RU FDOO 5HVHUYH 6HDWLQJ )RU UHVHUYDWLRQV FDOO
Greene County Fine Arts Council’s production Neil Simon’s “Rumors�. $SULO Paragould
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2017 Fourche River Days Entertainment Schedule Friday, April 21 is “Rock & Roll Night” Friday, Apr. 21, 2017 – 6:00 PM – HEATWVE HEATWVE is an exciting rock & roll band consisting of three Perryville High School Students: Jase Piker, singer/songwriter, vocals & guitar, Drake Henderson, vocals & bass, Dayne Threadgill, drums. Friday, Apr. 21, 2017 – 8:00 PM – TotteN TotteN is an up and coming rock band from Conway, AR. They released their first album, “Never be the Same” in 2016 and is currently working on their second album. The 4 piece band is made up of Seth “Kenny” LaCook, Steven McGhee, Hayden “Skinny” Hester and will be featuring, on the bass, Jeff McGhee, a special guest from the band Southern Wind.
Saturday, April 22 Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017 – 10:00 AM – The Boomers The Boomers—J. D. Hatfield, Joe Lombardi, Mike Schaefer, Conrad Shumaker, and Sara Shumaker—originally came together twenty years ago out of a shared love of performing traditional folk music and the songs of writers such as Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, John Prine, Jesse Winchester, and Greg Brown. Today they play a large catalogue of original material as well, dealing with lost and found love, the links between mortality and spirituality, and the frequent strangeness of everyday life. Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017 – 12:30 PM – James Powell Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017 – 2:00 PM – Car Show Presentations Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017 – 2:30 PM – Kids Mini Track Presentations Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017 – 3:00 PM – Arm Wrestling Tournament The arm wrestling tournament will take place during the day on Saturday and the finals will be on the stage at 3:00. For more information see the information flyer in the ‘events’ section of this website. Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017 – 4:30 PM – Six Ways from Sunday Exciting Rock & Blues Band. Brian Adams/ guitar, vocals. Dallas Smith/ drums. Rick Smith/bass. Mike Brimer/ guitar, vocal. Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017 – 6:30 PM – Donnie Lee Strickland Donnie has entertained crowds all over the United States with his rich baritone vocals. He has been showcased on the Music City Hayride Show, Branson Country USA, and Branson’s Country Nights LIVE. He released his first self-titled EP in December of 2015 which earned him three nominations at the 2016 Josie Music Awards including Country Male Artist of the Year and Country Male Entertainer of the Year. His second album will be released in 2017. Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017 – 8:00 PM – Jason Campbell Jason is a singer/songwriter from Perryville, Arkansas. He has written many songs and recorded various albums throughout his career. Jason's talent struck some interest with Star Search producers and Jason and his band "County Line" went on to pursue a once in a lifetime invitation to the show with the legendary Ed McMahon. Jason later moved to Nashville where he signed a major publishing deal and record contract with an independent record label. Jason in the headliner performer for the festival this year.
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Chasing Life with..... The undeniable Southern sound of Donnie Lee Strickland took root when his love of country music began at the age of five. Born and raised in North Carolina, Donnie was influenced as a child by the music of George Strait, Loretta Lynn, Randy Travis, Reba McEntire, and Conway Twitty. That inspired him to sing in church and perform in school plays while growing up.
Brothers Osborne at the Kankakee Valley Barbecue Fest in Kankakee, IL. Donnie has been showcased as a special guest on The Music City Hayride Show at the Texas Troubadour Theater in Nashville, TN, on the weekly TV/radio show “Branson Country USA” at the Grand Country Music Hall in Branson, MO, and the TV show “Ben Stillwater’s Country Junction” at Branson’s Center Stage in Branson, MO. He was a cast member of the Since then, Donnie has entertained crowds all over the American Music Jubilee country variety show at the United States with his rich Rudy Theater in Selma, NC baritone vocals, performing Website: www.donnieleestrickland.com for fourteen years. In 2015, as a special guest on the Er- Facebook: Donnie Lee Strickland Music Donnie starred in two differnest Tubb Midnite Jamboree Twitter: @DonnieLeeMusic ent shows at Branson's Center in Nashville, TN, along with Stage in Branson, MO: "BranGrand Ole Opry stars Jan Instagram: donnieleestrickland son's Country Nights LIVE" Howard and Jean Shepard, Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/donand "Tight Fittin' Jeans: The and Opry veteran Tim At- nieleestrickland4 Music of Conway Twitty". wood. He has also performed during the Loretta Lynn & EP Available for download on iTunes, Google He released his first self tiFriends “Remembering Contled EP in December of 2015, way” concert weekend at Play, Spotify, & Amazon which produced two Number Loretta Lynn’s ranch in HurOne singles and three Top ricane Mills, TN, and has performed in many other Five tracks on the Indsic Charts. That EP also earned Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn tribute shows. In ad- him three nominations at the 2016 Josie Music Awards, dition, Donnie was a featured performer at Tanya Tuck- including Country Male Artist of the Year and Country er’s VIP Birthday Bash in Russellville, AR. Male Entertainer of the Year. He recently performed at the 2016 IGRA World Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, NeOften compared to country crooner Josh Turner, Don- vada. He will be releasing a new full length album early nie has opened for country artists Ty Herndon and 2017, which will include all new music, and feature a Anita Cochran at the HideAway Rock Quarry in Soddy duet with Anita Cochran. This is his most promising Daisy, TN, as well as for Jeff Bates at the Expo Five in record yet. Donnie is currently on the road as part of the Louisville, KY, and country group Shotgun & Lace in Chasing Life Tour. Walker, MO. He also opened for Frankie Ballard and www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 57
U D I T I O N In R O G E R S
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The Odd Couple (female version) by Neil Simon April 21, 22, 28, 29 and May 5 & 6 at 7:30 pm April 23, 30 and May 7 at 1:30 pm. Meals are served one hour prior to performances and must be reserved 48 hours in advance. Tickets available online at www.centeronthesquare.org or by calling the box office at 501-368-0111. Center on the Square is a non-profit, 501(c )(3) corporation dedicated to the expansion and appreciation of the performing arts in the region. Our organization is supported in part by the Arkansas Arts Council, a division of the Arkansas Department of Heritage, the National Endowment for the Arts, and is a member of the Arkansas Community Theater Association. www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 59
PERFORMANCES:
LOCATION:
Thursday, April 27, 7 pm Friday, April 28, 7 pm Saturday, April 29, 2 pm Saturday, April 29, 7 pm Sunday, April 30, 2 pm
Arts Center of the Ozarks 214 Main Street Springdale, AR
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Tickets may also be reserved by phone, 479.521.4932, with a credit card
Band Profile Maximum Overdrive Kyle, Tyler, & Jesse Burgener and Josh Gangluff St. Vincent, Arkansas 1. How long has the band been formed? We've all been playing together for many years, but we weren't Maximum Overdrive until about 2010. 2. What do you play? We play everything from the Foo Fighters to the Weeknd to George Strait. Pretty sure if you handed us a PDQXDO ZH G ÂżQG D ZD\ WR SOD\ WKDW WRR 0RVW DUWLVWV DUHQ W Rŕľľ OLPLWV DQG ZH UH DOZD\V RSHQ WR UHTXHVWV given enough time in advance. 3. Where have you played recently? We're on rotation with JJ's in the Conway and Little Rock areas, so we play at least every couple of months with them. 4. Upcoming gigs? Hope you don't need anything booked in June! We play weddings almost every weekend in June, but if you want some good public gigs, we'll be playing at JJ's on Dickson Street in Fayetteville, as well as May the 5th in Little Rock and the 6th in Conway. 5. Goals? Make people tap their toes, get up and dance, and provoke intelligent conversation, preferably. If we continue to make a name for ourselves, who knows what kind of opportunities will pop up? As long as we get to keep playing, we'll be content. That's where the fun is. 6. How well do y'all get along? For the most part, yes. The beauty of being a band of brothers (and one longtime friend) is that we're generally brutally honest with each other. That doesn't mean it won't be taken personally every now and again. The downside of being a band of brothers is that we're generally brutally honest with each other. Not to mention the fact that we're all liable to cut up since we're all in on the same
inside jokes...I'm pretty sure we thrive on inside jokes. The twisted dynamic is part of our shtick, so whether they're laughing or dancing, we've done our job. 7. Is there a leader? Depends on who you ask. If I answer this wrong, we'll be back to Question 6. Kyle is the lead singer, which might lead you to falsely believe he is the leader. I (Jesse) control most social media functions and am in charge of booking/client interactions, as does Tyler occasionally. Josh is the peacekeeper of the band. We're more like an ensemble FDVW ZLWK HYHU\ERG\ SOD\LQJ D FUXFLDO UROH LQ VSHFLÂżF functions of the band. If we were to label one of us as the leader of the band, they risk becoming power crazy, which is an all-too-real possibility of being a band of brothers. 8. Any funny stories? Plenty. Do you want the one where a "tipsy" man fell over on Jesse's microphone stand mid-song? How about the one where we received a round of applause mid-song only to discover it was for a man in a Santa Clause suit? Oooh, or the one where a couple pulled a "Dirty Dancing" moment next to the stage during "Smooth"? We have plenty, but they're best told around a table post-performance. 9. How are your fans? Our fans are amazing. We've received all kinds of wonderful compliments and RŕľľHUV DQG HYHQ KDYH RFFDVLRQDOO\ KDG WKH RSSRUWXQLty to perform with some of them. Meeting awesome people with great taste in music is one of the biggest SD\RŕľľV RI SOD\LQJ SXEOLF JLJV 10. It would be cool if.... we got to open for a big name musician! Or got to play in a giant arena! Or had jetpacks. I don't think any of us would decline a jetpack. www.facebook.com/onstagearkansas 61
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Raudydesigns.com
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