Theater: Rock Candy, Arkansas Times

UCA unveils 2013-2014 Public Appearances lineup

Robert Bell — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:47:00 -0500

If you're interested in catching the standup comedy of Bill Cosby, the gentle country stylings of Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan, an evening with Tony-winning actress and singer Audra McDonald or an mind-blowingly intriguing presentation from astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, you will be pleased to know that all of those folks are on the bill for the University of Central Arkansas's upcoming Public Appearances series.

Other highlights: "The Addams Family Musical," journalist Lisa Ling, The Haifa Symphony Orchestra and a performance from Bela Fleck and Chick Corea.

A press release with the full schedule is available after the jump.

UCA PUBLIC APPEARANCES ANNOUNCES 2013-14 SEASON

CONWAY — The comedian Bill Cosby will highlight the 16 events scheduled for the 2013-14 UCA Public Appearances season at the University of Central Arkansas.

An Evening with Bill Cosby: “50 Years of Making You Laugh, Smile, and Feel Good” will kick off the Night Out Series on Sept. 26. The season will also include Broadway and Pops series (featuring the return of the popular Straight No Chaser), two Distinguished Lectures and a family matinee.

“I can't believe that, after 25 years in the business, I have finally managed to book Bill Cosby, and now I am retiring and won't be hanging out backstage with him,” said Jerry Biebesheimer, who will retire as director of UCA Public Appearances in May. “But I will be in the audience.”
All performances will be in the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall.

The season includes:

• Cirque Dreams ROCKS, Broadway Series, Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m.;

• An Evening with Bill Cosby: “50 Years of Making You Laugh, Smile, and Feel Good”, Night Out Series, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.;

• Lightwire Theater presents: The Ugly Duckling and The Tortoise & The Hare, family show, Oct. 5, 10 a.m.

• Paul Taylor Dance Company, Night Out Series, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m.;

• Grits & Glamour: Pam Tillis & Lorrie Morgan, Pops Series, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m.;

• An Evening with Audra McDonald, Night Out Series, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.;

• Straight No Chaser, Pops Series, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m.

• The Addams Family Musical, Broadway Series, Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m.;

• Lisa Ling, UCA Distinguished Lecture, Nov. 25, 7:30 p.m.

• Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Wild & Swingin’ Holiday, Pops Series, Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m.

• Broadway on Ice, Broadway Series, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m.;

• Winner of the 2013 Van Cliburn Piano Competition with the Conway Symphony Orchestra, Night Out Series, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.;

• Neil deGrasse Tyson, UCA Distinguished Lecture, Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m.

• From Haifa Israel, The Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Night Out Series, March 3, 7:30 p.m.;

• Sweet Charity, Broadway Series, March 20, 7:30 p.m.;

• An Evening with Béla Fleck & Chick Corea, Pops Series, April 22, 7:30 p.m.

"The 2013-14 season will be by far our biggest season to date,” said Ashley Love, director of finance and marketing for UCA Public Appearances.
Subscription renewals for current season ticket holders will begin May 8. Subscriptions will go on sale to the general public July 8. Single tickets will go on sale to the general public Aug. 12. Patrons who have purchased a series subscription may purchase individual tickets during subscriber courtesy week Aug. 5-9.

This year patrons may once again subscribe to their choice of the Night Out Series, Broadway Series or Pops Series. They may also subscribe to the Performing Arts Package, which combines all 13 events in the Night Out, Broadway and Pops series. A new Pick-6 option allows anyone who donates at the Star Player level ($100+) and above to create their own six-event season ticket, picking any six events from the Broadway, Pops and Night Out series.
To purchase a subscription package, call (501) 450-3265 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning July 9. Individual tickets may be purchased online at www.uca.edu/reynolds or by calling (501) 450-3265 beginning Aug. 13.

For more information, contact Love at (501) 852-7889; alove@uca.edu or Ryan Warren at (501) 450-3680 or visit www.uca.edu/reynolds. Details about all the upcoming performances as well as information about Reynolds Performance Hall may be found there.

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Friday and Saturday To-Do: The Main Thing's 'Wiener Day at the Rollercade'

Robert Bell — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:09:16 -0500

THE MAIN THING: 'WIENER DAY AT THE ROLLERCADE'
8 p.m. The Joint. $20.

Anybody who digs giggles, chortles, chuckles, titters, yukkety-yuk-yuks, and/or laughs will probably want to go ahead and get on down to The Joint, where the in-house comedy experts, collectively known as The Main Thing, will this very weekend unveil their latest two-act comedic play.

The crew is once more inviting the audience along for a trip to the bucolic little burg of Dumpster, Ark., where the Fertle Family is gearing up for the town's biggest event of the year, Wiener Day. Who knows what manner of small-town foofaraw and hillbilly high jinks those wacky Dumpsterites (Dumpsterinians?) will get up to on Wiener Eve? Ol' Doc Moore is hosting and cain't nobody understand what he says, and Bridgette is in the running for Weiner Queen, and Country Wayne Conaway is mixed up in this Shinola, but don't ask me how.

And Lordy, what if the fine citizenry of Wiener, Ark. was to find out that the folks in Dumpster had up and stoled their town's name what for to call their festival? Could get dicey, so hang onto your hats folks. The show runs at 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays through July 13.

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TheatreSquared in northwest Arkansas announces new lineup

David Ramsey — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:34:00 -0500

Fayetteville’s TheatreSquared last week announced the lineup for its eighth season. The five-play season will feature the world premiere of “The Spiritualist” by Robert Ford; “4,000 Miles” by Amy Herzog, a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize; Charles Dickens’s holiday classic “A Christmas Carol”; “Good People” by David Lindsay-Abaire; and Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Five-play packages start at $105. Call the Walton Arts Center for more information at 489-571-2785, or visit their website at theatre2.org/subscribe.

More information about the plays from the press release, after the jump.

The 2013/14 Season launches with the World Premiere of THE SPIRITUALIST, a new comic drama by Artistic Director Robert Ford. The play introduces Rosemary Dunn, an English widow who cooks for the school lunch service and communes with the spirits of dead composers. When a crusading American newspaperman tries to unmask her as a fraud, he finds more to the so-called spiritualist than meets the eye. Inspired by true events, The Spiritualist reveals an unlikely intersection between art and commerce, sanity and the hope for transcendence. Directed by Kevin C. Fox (Sundown Town, The Fall of the House) and featuring Amy Herzberg as Rosemary Dunn.
August 29-September 15, 2013 (recommended for ages 13+).

The season continues with 4,000 MILES, the 2012 Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award-winner by Amy Herzog. After a disastrous coast-to-coast bike ride, 21-year-old college dropout Leo arrives at his communist 91-year-old grandmother’s Greenwich Village apartment. Over a month’s time, these unlikely roommates find each other at turns infuriating and bewildering—but ultimately discover unexpected kinship in this humorous and critically acclaimed portrayal of two outsiders finding their way in the world. September 26-October 13, 2013 (recommended for ages 13+).

For the holiday season, T2 presents a new, original stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Shrewd and heartless Ebeneezer Scrooge, who spends his workdays scorning joy and saving shillings in Victorian London, is deeply unsettled by the appearance of four ghosts at his bedside on Christmas Eve. Dickens’s classic tale of redemption, rediscovered each year by generations of families, is newly re-imagined for the stage in a holiday gift for Arkansas audiences of every age and walk of life.
December 5-29, 2013 (for all ages).

In 2014, Season 8 continues with Pulitzer Prize-Winner David Lindsay-Abaire’s GOOD PEOPLE, recipient of the 2011 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. In South Boston, sharp-tongued single-mom Margie has lost her job at the Dollar Store. Scrambling to make ends meet, she tracks down an old high-school flame—who is now successful, married and living well—but a favor turns to blackmail when a dark secret surfaces in this humor-laced new drama.
February 13—March 9, 2014 (recommended for ages 13+).

The 2013/14 Subscription Series concludes with TheatreSquared’s new production of HAMLET, by William Shakespeare. The king is dead—murdered by his brother, who claims the throne and the widowed queen. The world moves on, but Prince Hamlet cannot, and vows to take revenge. Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy is equal parts ghost story, political intrigue, doomed romance and murder mystery, driven by one of literature’s most intriguing, enigmatic and controversial characters.
April 10—May 4, 2014 (recommended for ages 13+).

The 2014 ARKANSAS NEW PLAY FESTIVAL, Arkansas's premiere celebration of new works for the stage, will be held June 12-15, 2014, with dates and titles for the celebration of new works to be announced in February 2014. Now in its sixth year, the festival seeks to give voice to emerging playwrights whose timely and relevant stories resonate with the shifting demographics of mid-America, and will be staged both at T2’s home venue in Fayetteville and at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock.
June 12-15, 2014

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Review: 'Death of a Salesman' at Arkansas Repertory Theatre

Robert Bell — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:03:00 -0500

The Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s current show “Death of a Salesman” — its first production of Arthur Miller’s iconic and storied play — is a wrenching affair, a glimpse into a dysfunctional family finally confronting reality after years of failure, denial and unfulfilled promise. The story will probably ring familiar for most theatergoers: a salesman, in the waning days of his career, falls to pieces in the face of a lifetime’s worth of disappointment and delusion.

In Robert Walden’s Willy Loman, you feel the weight of the years and all of life’s thousands of disappointments great and small in every lumbering step. His posture and crumpled frame communicate nearly as much as Miller’s words to convey the brokenness of this man. He pinballs fitfully between bursts of manic optimism, convulsions of rage and rose-colored recollections of the good old days, when his sons Biff and Happy showed such promise.

As Linda Loman, Carolyn Mignini effortlessly alternates between diminutive, devoted wife and mother and fiercely loyal defender of her crumbling spouse. In one moment, smilingly accepting each interruption and shushing as she tries to chime in, in another, heaping guilt and rage on her two sons and utterly owning the famous line: “Attention must be paid.”

As Biff, Rep veteran Avery Clark embodies the directionless angst and wanderlust of his character. In the flashback scenes, he’s a cocksure and carefree football star Adonis, while the present-day Biff, 34 and still trying to figure out what to do with his life, is desperate and still deeply wounded by a scarring, long ago encounter with his father’s failings.

Craig Maravich’s Happy Loman is all libidinous id, more successful than his brother only in that he’s managed to maintain a job and an apartment, but still an emotionally stunted man-child.

The use of Alex North’s original score feels somewhat anachronistic, but this adds an unsettling layer to the production that deepens the experience. Similarly, the period-perfect costumes and props lend a preserved-in-amber visual quality to the show, but the grief and the rage and the disappointment and fleeting optimism are all alive and breathing in the moment. Mike Nichols’ set is both visually appealing and economical in its use of the space, and the lighting works beautifully with the design.

The Rep has put together a cast that brings this emotional and at times traumatic work to messy, tearful life on the stage. The play is nearly three hours long, but under Bob Hupp’s deft direction it neither drags nor feels rushed. This show seems like it will be one of those Rep productions that people will talk about long after its run has ended. It is not to be missed.

“Death of a Salesman” runs through May 12, with performances at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $25-$40.

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Friday-Sunday To-Do: 'American Idiot'

Robert Bell — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:27:00 -0500

'AMERICAN IDIOT'
Various times. Walton Arts Center. $53-$79.

For a certain species of crusty old punker — maybe, say, the sort of miscreant who grew up worshipping Cometbus and once dubbed all of Sewer Trout's records onto one handy cassette — it's still really weird on some level that Green Day made a Broadway musical.

Sure, the band has been enormously famous for the better part of two decades now, so there's certainly a case to be made for telling those sorts of folks to just get over it, you know? And it's not that there's anything wrong with making a Broadway musical ... with a pop-punk soundtrack ... about a bunch of bored suburban kids who turn to drugs and alcohol ... and have names like St. Jimmy and Whatsername ... which would become hugely popular and go on to gross millions of dollars and win a Grammy and two Tony Awards among others ... .

Sure, there's nothing wrong with any of that. But man, it still seems kinda weird. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

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Friday-Saturday To-Do: 'The Odds are Against U.S.'

Robert Bell — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:33:00 -0500

'THE ODDS ARE AGAINST U.S.'
7:30 p.m. Argenta Community Theater. $20-$30.

Chris James is a native of Little Rock and a member of the Foreign Tongues Poetry Group, a collective that has produced numerous events over the last few years.

James wrote "The Odds are Against U.S.," a play in verse that will make its debut this weekend. Via email, James said the play "captures the reality of the youth in black America and how they are often affected by urban environments or ghettos." He was inspired to write the play because he felt it was important for people to understand the struggle of black American youth growing up in such environments.

The play's nine-strong cast includes several members of Foreign Tongues, Roots of Life Theatre Group and other folks who are involved in the local poetry, theater and spoken word communities, so if you've got an interest in checking out some of the next generation of talent from Little Rock's fertile scene, don't miss "The Odds are Against U.S." The play also runs Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Get tickets here or at Ugly Mike's Records or Pyramid Art Books & Framing.

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Friday and Saturday To-Do: 'Doubt: A Parable'

Robert Bell — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:02:13 -0500

'DOUBT: A PARABLE'
7:30 p.m. The Weekend Theater. $12-$16.

John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt: A Parable," won some pretty hefty awards, namely the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play.

The play, which premiered in 2004, concerns the tension that arises between Father Flynn, a liberal young priest, and Sister Aloysius, the harsh and judgmental principal of the parish school. The play's full title is accurate; "Doubt" is indeed a parable, one about the bulldozing power of self-righteous certainty, the gnawing, toxic effects of uncertainty and the way truth often evaporates in the midst of the two forces.

I haven't seen a stage production of "Doubt," but the 2008 film adaptation — directed by Shanley — was tense and engrossing, with a stellar cast. I don't want to give away too much about the story, but suffice it to say that Shanley, who grew up in the Catholic Church, has some strong feelings about the institution, and the way it exerts control and crushes the individual, planting the seeds of doubt. "Doubt" runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. through April 20.

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Here are the winners of our 'Monty Python's Spamalot' giveaway

Robert Bell — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:21:00 -0500

Congrats to Molly Miller, Dawn Jackson, Tim Jones, Matilda Louvring and Dan Limke, they each won a pair of tickets to see "Monty Python's Spamalot" at Robinson Center Music Hall.

For everyone else, tickets are still available for the critically acclaimed comedy, Monday and Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., $27-$64.

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Win a pair of tickets to see 'Monty Python's Spamalot' at Robinson Center Music Hall

Robert Bell — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:05:28 -0500

All you "Life of Brian"-quoting geeks out there are likely already aware that "Monty Python's Spamalot" will be at Robinson Center Music Hall April 1-2. It's probably a safe bet too that there are a couple-three of y'all out there who wouldn't mind winning two tickets to see the musical comedy in person.

Well pardners, five of you will be in luck: The Times will be giving away five pairs of tickets for the April 1 performance. "Spamalot" on April Fool's Day? Does it get any better than that? No, it does not.

All you have to do is correctly identify where in Arkansas The Holy Grail is located in five of the following six photographs and you'll be entered. Email your answers to tiffany@arktimes.com with "FIND THE GRAIL" in the subject line. The deadline for entry is Friday, March 29 by noon. Winners will be drawn and contacted that day.

Oh yeah, one thing: DON'T WRITE THE ANSWERS IN THE COMMENTS. YOU WON'T BE ENTERED IN THE CONTEST AND ALSO IT KINDA MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE YOU CAN'T READ INSTRUCTIONS. Cool? Thanks.

The photos are included after the jump.

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Review: 'Treasure Island' at Arkansas Repertory Theatre

Robert Bell — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:04:00 -0500

Based on what I knew ahead of time about the brand new musical version of "Treasure Island" that premiered last week at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, I was expecting an adaptation of a classic children's tale that focused on the ways greed can motivate us at our own peril.

Prior to opening, book writer Carla Vitale and director/choreographer and co-book writer Brett Smock discussed the production with the Times. "We've always put greed at the front, and we've leveraged the show against what people do in the face of having more, wanting more, getting more," Smock said. While those elements are certainly examined in the production, their treatment isn't in any way distracting from the action-filled story.

And it's not that I was anticipating that the creative team had transformed the tale into some hand-wringing, deeply philosophical treatise on the nature of greed or anything. It's just that "Treasure Island" ended up being more fun, and a lot funnier, than I was anticipating.

The show will definitely appeal to musical theater lovers of all ages, but for families with children it will prove to be an absolute blast, with riveting action, soaring music, deft choreography and a cast that, by turns, makes the audience laugh, grimace and cheer. That said, this is an intense show and might be a bit scary for very young kids. The story — somewhat condensed, out of necessity — moves along briskly. But it nonetheless feels complete and satisfying.

Most audiences are probably familiar with the story of young Jim Hawkins, Squire Trelawney and, of course, the pirate Long John Silver. Even so, I don't want to give away too much, so I'll stick with some of the things that stood out the most and made this musical so enjoyable:

* Stanley Meyer's set works wonderfully in its multiple duties as The Admiral Benbow Inn, the deck of The Hispaniola and various points on The Island. Also, Rafael Colon Castanera's costumes look simply awesome.

* By nature, a historically accurate 18th-century nautical setting won't allow for too many women, but Kristy Cates is fantastic as Mother Mary Hawkins. Not only can she sing beautifully, she gets in some hilarious lines.

* Speaking of hilarious lines, there are many in "Treasure Island," including a slight variation on the original text, in which Squire Trelawney, in hiring one of the ship mates, says to Doctor Livesy, "The abominable age we live in — to have lost your pension!" That line elicited a few knowing chuckles from a post-Great Recession crowd.

* Richard B. Watson is excellent as Long John Silver, a role that calls for an actor with the chops to turn on a dime, transforming from a shifty-eyed deceiver to a snarling animal and back again. Watson does so effortlessly. There's a particular laugh that emanates from deep within his second-act Silver that will make you shudder. He shines in this production. That he does so while traversing the stage in a prosthetic peg-leg makes his performance all the more impressive.

* If I had to point to one person from this richly talented cast as having stolen the show, it would be Patrick Richwood in the role of the castaway Ben Gunn (you might remember Richwood from his role as the doorman in "Pretty Woman"). Richwood's Gunn is a tortured, slinky, space-cadet survivor who resembles more than anything some shell-shocked rodent that somehow survived Armageddon. And despite possessing riches beyond imagination, all this mousy weirdo really wants some is some cheese. That simple desire seeps hilariously from his every move. I can't overstate how physically magnetic and funny Richwood is.

Really, though, there isn't a cast member that doesn't command your attention, nor a song that falls flat or goes on too long. And again, if you're looking to take your children to a show at The Rep, don't skip "Treasure Island," because while the upcoming productions of "Death of a Salesman" and "Avenue Q" that close out this season will probably be entertaining, they're not exactly made for kiddos.

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Arkansas Repertory Theatre announces 2013-2014 season

Robert Bell — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:35:12 -0600

The Arkansas Repertory Theatre unveiled its 2013-2014 season yesterday afternoon at a champagne reception in its lobby.

A re-concieved version of the Rodgers & Hart classic "Pal Joey" kicks off the season (Sept. 6-29). The new incarnation "explodes with song and dance while exploring morality, race, class and the timeless relationship between power and sex," according to a Rep press release.

Up next is "Red" (Oct. 25-Nov. 10), a bio-drama about a tense period in the life of painter Mark Rothko. The play is produced in partnership with the Arkansas Arts Center, which has an upcoming Rothko exhibit called "Mark Rothko in the 1940's: The Decisive Decade."

Next is a world premiere musical, "Because of Winn Dixie" (Dec. 6-29), based on the Kate DeCamillo novel and created by a Tony-winning team, including Grammy-winning songwriter Duncan Sheik. The show will be "the first pre-Broadway musical starring a live dog as the central character," according to The Rep.

"Clybourne Park" (Jan. 24-Feb. 9) is a "bitingly funny and fiercely provocative new play about the volatile combination of race and real estate."

"Les Miserables", that unstoppable juggernaut of musical theater, returns (March 7-30, 2014) and with it, actor Douglas Webster in the role of Jean Valjean. You can get your yucks on with The Second City (April 21-May 4, 2014). The laughs continue with the season closer, "The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged)" (June 6-22, 2014). The widely loved truncation is "a parody of the 37 plays written by William Shakespeare, with all of them being performed in shortened, and side-splitting, form."

After the jump, check out The Rep's complete press release about the 2013-2014 season.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2012

ARKANSAS REPERTORY THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2013-2014 SEASON

Season includes vibrant new artistic experiences, including two world premieres

(Little Rock) — Arkansas Repertory Theatre (The Rep), the state’s largest nonprofit professional theatre, is proud to announce its 38th MainStage Season. The new season will include vibrant new artistic experiences that exemplify The Rep’s mission of producing diverse work of the highest artistic standards for its Arkansas audience.

“We welcome you to experience a variety of bold plays, new artistic experiences and vivid stories that will engage and entertain in our most vibrant season yet,” says Bob Hupp, Producing Artistic Director at Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

THE 2013-2014 MAINSTAGE SEASON

PAL JOEY
Sept. 6 — Sept. 29, 2013

Taking the stage Sept. 6 — Sept. 29, 2013 is a re-conceived version of the Rodgers & Hart 1940 classic Pal Joey. After an enthusiastically received concert reading at Pasadena’s prestigious Boston Court Theatre last year, Director Peter Schneider was encouraged by the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization to move forward with a fully realized production.
With direction by Peter Schneider, a book by Patrick Pacheco based on the short stories and "Pal Joey" libretto by John O'Hara, and musical supervision and arrangements by Michael Reno, this new incarnation explodes with song and dance while exploring morality, race, class and the timeless relationship between power and sex. The new score has been enhanced with other memorable songs from the Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart catalogue.
Such classics as “The Lady Is A Tramp,” “Sing for Your Supper,” and “Glad To Be Unhappy” are now intermingled with gems from the original 1940 show like “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” and “I Could Write a Book.” Also included is the song “What is a Man?” This Pal Joey answers that question in the most provocative and unexpected ways.

Peter Schneider is the Tony-Award-winning producer of the internationally acclaimed Broadway musical, The Lion King, the director of Sister Act, The Musical in London and My Life with Men...and Other Animals, starring Maria Cassi. He produced the award-winning documentary, “Waking Sleeping Beauty,” about Disney Animation from 1984 — 1994, and served as President of Animation and Chairman of the Studio for the Walt Disney Company for 17 years.

“Arkansas Repertory Theatre is the perfect environment for the artistic collaborative process required to reinvent a musical," says Schneider. “I am thrilled to partner with Arkansas Rep and Bob to present the world premiere of this exciting new version of Pal Joey."

Joey has the voice of an angel and a devilish charisma. When the ambitious young black singer lands at a white Chicago nightclub in 1948, he intrigues the sassy chorus girls, the jazz-loving pianist and, most dangerously, a rich beautiful socialite. Hungry to headline at his own glittering club, Joey is willing to do whatever he can to get there.

“It’s exciting to introduce this classic American musical to our audience,” says Hupp. “Edgy for its time, Pal Joey is perhaps best known for the film version starring Frank Sinatra. Peter Schneider’s production breathes new life into this classic tale and brings new relevance to the story that unfolds amidst this powerful score.”

RED
Oct. 25 — Nov. 10, 2013

In partnership with the Arkansas Arts Center’s upcoming exhibit “Mark Rothko in the 1940’s: The Decisive Decade,” we are thrilled to announce the production of the revealing Rothko bio-drama Red, on stage Oct. 25 — Nov. 10, 2013.

Directed by Rep Producing Artistic Director Robert Hupp, Red will star Rep favorite Joe Graves (Othello, The Tempest, Of Mice and Men, Moonlight and Magnolias) as the abstract artist Mark Rothko. The production will open in Fayetteville in September before moving to Little Rock in October.

Written by John Logan and set in Rothko’s studio on the Bowery, Red drops you squarely inside the world of the painter and sets your heart pounding, chronicling the tormented artist's two-year struggle to complete a lucrative set of murals for Manhattan's exclusive Four Seasons restaurant. This production provides a rare glimpse of an artist through the lens of his relationship with his naïve young assistant, who must choose between appeasing his mentor—and changing the course of art history.

Amid the swiftly changing cultural tide of the late 1950s, Red is a startling snapshot of a brilliant artist at the height of his fame. When his new assistant challenges his artistic integrity, Rothko must confront his own demons or be crushed by the ever-changing art world he helped create.

“The Rep’s first-time partnership with the Arkansas Arts Center offers a depth of artistic exploration never before offered to Little Rock audiences,” says Hupp.

BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE
Dec. 6 — Dec. 29, 2013

A world premiere musical brings a Tony Award-winning creative team to Little Rock this holiday season. On stage Dec. 6 — Dec. 29, 2013, Because of Winn Dixie, with book and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and music by Duncan Sheik, is a new musical based on the popular 2000 novel by Kate DeCamillo.

Taran, an Irish Wolfhound, has been cast in the title role of “Winn-Dixie,” trained by Broadway’s foremost animal trainer, Bill Berloni. This will be the first pre-Broadway musical starring a live dog as the central character.

This unique production will include music by Duncan Sheik (Tony and Grammy Award Winner for Spring Awakening), lyrics and book by Nell Benjamin (Tony Nominee for Legally Blonde), direction by John Tartaglia (Tony Nominee for Avenue Q) and animal direction by Bill Berloni (a 2011 Tony Honor recipient).

“It has always amazed me the reaction animals have on an audience,” says Berloni, “My theory is we all know anything onstage is an extension of reality. We love when actors go up on lines and become real. We love seeing two partners in real life play characters onstage. So when a dog or cat comes onstage, our collective reality is ‘Wait a minute, you can't get an animal to act, what is it going to do?’ And it brings the audience closer into the piece. While you can create animals as main characters in film, it has never been tried onstage.”

Because of Winn Dixie tells the story of lonely young girl who moves to Florida with her father. She goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket and comes out with a large stray dog who helps her rekindle an almost lost relationship with her father.

“We were honored that the creative team of Winn Dixie approached us for this world premiere. I think this project has tremendous potential to introduce a significant new work into the American musical theatre canon,” says Hupp. “Duncan Sheik is my favorite contemporary Broadway composer and this story will melt your heart. It’s a departure from what we’ve been doing for the holidays these past few years, but the themes and family friendly nature of this new musical will be a cause of celebration for the theatre and our patrons.”

CLYBOURNE PARK
Jan. 24 — Feb. 9, 2014

Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize and 2011 Tony Award for Best Play, Clybourne Park is a bitingly funny and fiercely provocative new play about the volatile combination of race and real estate.

On stage in the new year from Jan. 24 — Feb. 9, 2014, written by Bruce Norris and directed by Rep founder Cliff Baker, this ferociously sharp play is inspired by Lorraine Hansberry's popular classic A Raisin in the Sun.

Clybourne Park portrays fictional events set before and after the Hansberry play and is loosely based on historical events. In 1959, a white couple sells their home to a black family (the Younger family from A Raisin in the Sun), causing an uproar in their middle-class neighborhood.

Fifty years later in 2009, the same house is changing hands again, but the stakes have changed. As neighbors wage a hilarious and pitched battle over territory and legacy, Clybourne Park reveals just how far our ideas about race and gentrification have evolved.

When our houses become our homes, and our neighborhoods become our identities, what will we do to protect them? As hidden agendas unfold, an unforgettable story is revealed without good guys or bad guys, just real people with real concerns about the future of their community.

“The impact of this play is immediately relevant to our lives in Little Rock. This is a play about neighborhoods and identity. I never thought real estate could be the subject of life changing drama, but after seeing Clybourne Park a few years ago, I knew it belonged on The Rep stage,” says Hupp. “Its searing wit, intriguing plot twists and hard hitting social commentary make Clybourne Park a theatrical tour de force not to be missed.”

LES MISERABLES
March 7 — March 30, 2014

A co-production with Arizona's Phoenix Theatre, Les Miserables returns to The Rep stage March 7 — March 30, 2014, directed by Rep Producing Artistic Director Robert Hupp and featuring an all new set design.

The Rep is pleased to announce the return of Douglas Webster to The Rep stage as Jean Valjean in the world’s longest-running musical, Les Miserables, seen by over 60 million people in 42 countries and now an Academy Award-winning major motion picture.

Les Miserables features music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, original French lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, an English-language libretto by Herbert Kretzmer and is based on the novel of the same name by French poet and playwright Victor Hugo.

Discover a nation in the grip of revolution, where convict Jean Valjean is on the run. Hunted relentlessly by the policeman Javert for breaking his parole, he must leave his past behind and keep his vow to raise the young orphaned Cosette. But with revolution in the air and Javert closing in, Jean Valjean has no choice but to fight for his life and sacrifice everything to protect the people he loves.

This legendary production of Boublil and Schönberg’s classic sweeps its audience through an epic tale of passion and destruction in 19th century France. “The recent film illustrates that star power is no substitute for vocal power, or the emotional connection of experiencing the epic Les Miserables on The Rep’s intimate stage,” says Hupp.

THE SECOND CITY
April 21 — May 4, 2014

The Second City Touring Company loads up the tour bus and heads to Little Rock April 21 — May 4, 2014. Hilarious, fast-paced and always topical, and highly interactive with priceless audience interactions, The Second City has audiences rolling in the aisles all across the country. No institution escapes the satiric eye of The Second City — from the blowhards of the Beltway to the Hollywood elite.

“From John Belushi to Tina Fey to Stephen Colbert, The Second City alumni define comedy in America,” says Hupp. “You’ll want to be the first to check out the rising new stars on their all-new tour.”

THE COMPLEAT WORKS OF WLM SHKSPR ABRIDGED
June 6 — June 22, 2014

Life is short. The complete works of Shakespeare are long. Now all of the bard’s most familiar pieces are condensed into one hilarious roller-coaster spoof. Ending The Rep’s season is an entertaining romp on stage June 6 — June 22, 2014, as audiences will see all of Shakespeare 37 plays in only 97 minutes.

Directed by Rep Director of Education and Resident Director Nicole Capri, The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) is a parody of the 37 plays written by William Shakespeare, with all of them being performed in shortened, and side-splitting, form.

The play was written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield, former founding members of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, and first performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1987 and later played at the Criterion Theatre in London, where it ran for nine record-breaking years.

It has become one of the world’s most popular shows, playing frequently in a variety of languages. The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) is most notable for holding the (self-proclaimed) world record for the shortest-ever performance of Hamlet, clocking in at just 43 seconds.

EDUCATIONAL WORK AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

In addition to The Rep’s MainStage productions, educational work and community partnerships fill The Rep’s calendar.

The extremely popular Summer Musical Theatre Intensive (SMTI) workshops for young artists will be held July 7 — July 20, 2013. SMTI, under the direction of Nicole Capri, The Rep’s Resident Director and Director of Education, is an intensive, audition-based theatre training program designed exclusively for motivated young artists who are serious about the arts and musical theatre.

From equity-card carrying actors living and working in New York, to LA where graduates are pursuing film careers as actors, writers and film-makers, to Nashville where they are recording artists and video stars, to national and international tours, teachers, choreographers, directors and even a third SMTI finalist on American Idol, the most talented young artists in the state have made The Rep's Young Artists Program a success.

"SMTI has experienced tremendous growth and success over the past eight years," says Capri. "Our fan-base has grown by leaps and bounds and our alumni graduates have gone on to pursue successful careers as working professionals in the performing, visual and creative arts."

Now Capri is taking the program in another direction, and plans to create a brand new, all-original musical with a life potential beyond Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s stage. The goal for the original musical is to produce a diverse and “culture-current” musical score and soundtrack that could be heard on any radio station across the country, to introduce new songs from almost every genre of music (contemporary-alternative, acoustic-folk, urban-rock, indie-pop, jazz-fusion, Nashville-sound, progressive-Broadway and sunshine-pop) and to develop a relevant and relatable original project.

Young artists ages 16 — 23 selected for the program will workshop the original production from July 7 — July 20 and perform their show on July 20. Ages 10 — 15 will workshop from July 21 — August 3 and take the stage on August 3.

"This does mean no fall SMTI Mainstage production," says Capri. "The creative team, comprised of myself, Bobby Banister, Conly Basham, Mark Binns, Sam Clark, Robert Frost, Jimmy Landfair and Charity Vance, will continue to work for an additional eight to ten months to revise and refine our product."

Ballet Arkansas will return to The Rep stage in April 14 — April 20, 2014, and the Little Rock Film Festival will return to 601 Main Street in May 13 — May 18, 2014, with spring dates for the Arkansas New Play Fest at the Oxford American Magazine's Main Street venue to be announced at a later date.

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS

Advance Season Subscriptions are on sale now and will range from $180 - $260 through March 31, making subscribing to The Rep the best way to get the best seats at the best price ahead of sellout shows. Subscription pricing will go up in April. Single ticket sales open to the public in August.

Call The Rep’s Box Office at (501) 378-0405 for more information on Season Subscriptions or visit www.therep.org.

About the Arkansas Repertory Theatre
Founded in 1976, Arkansas Repertory Theatre is the state’s largest nonprofit professional theatre company. A member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT D), The Rep has produced more than 280 productions, including 40 world premieres, in its historic building in downtown Little Rock. Producing Artistic Director Robert Hupp leads a resident staff of designers, technicians and administrators in the creation of seven or more productions for an annual audience in excess of 70,000 for MainStage and SecondStage productions, educational programming and touring. The Rep produces works that range from contemporary comedies and dramas to world premieres and the classics of dramatic literature. For more information, visit www.therep.org.

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'Wicked' kicks off 2013-2014 season for Celebrity Attractions

Robert Bell — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:49:16 -0600

Celebrity Attractions released its 2013-2014 lineup this week, and first up is a "back-by-popular-demand" run of the hit "Wicked," Sept. 25-Oct. 6.

There's no question that it's been one of the most popular Broadway shows in recent memory, and it looks like folks who missed out when last the show was in Little Rock will get another chance at finding out how the Wicked Witch of the West got that way. The show was here in 2010 and broke box-office and sales records, according to Celebrity Attractions.

Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" comes to town Dec. 3-5. "Hello Dolly" is Jan. 14-16 and "Hair" closes out the season Feb. 18-20.

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Thursday-Sunday To-Do: 'Sons of the Prophet'

David Koon — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:45:00 -0600

'SONS OF THE PROPHET'
7:30 p.m. Nadine Baum Studios. $10-$22.

There's something lovely and personal about seeing a stage play. A big part of it is knowing that the actors you're watching are working without a net, and are doing so not for hundreds of thousands of people, but just for whoever is in the audience. That takes a certain amount of bravery, and comedy takes another layer of bravery yet.

Featured this week at Fayetteville's Walton Arts Center, in the Nadine Baum Studios, is Stephen Karam's critically acclaimed comedy "Sons of the Prophet." A finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for drama, the play is the story of two Lebanese-American brothers dealing with the accidental death of their father.

It's recommended for ages 17 and older. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday.

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Saturday To-Do: 'Drumline Live'

Robert Bell — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:50:00 -0600

'DRUMLINE LIVE'
7:30 p.m. UCA's Reynolds Performance Hall. $30-$45.

If you've ever been captivated by the sights and sounds and overall amped-up, brassy spectacle of a live marching band, here's one you'll want to consider.

"Drumline Live" is a touring stage show based on the rich tradition of the Historically Black College and University marching band experience.

According to the producer Halftime Live, the show incorporates "original compositions and soul-infused interpretations of top 40 hits," so if you've been wanting to hear marching-band versions of your top-of-the-pop-charts favorites done up with cracking drums and blasting brass and woodwinds, here is your opportunity.

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Wednesday-Thursday: 'West Side Story'

Robert Bell — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:57:00 -0600

The Broadway classic "West Side Story" is at Robinson Center Music Hall, courtesy of Celebrity Attractions, Wednesday and Thursday night at 7:30 p.m., $25-$63.

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Arkansas Repertory Theatre to host auditions for 'Death of a Salesman'

Robert Bell — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:15:11 -0600

Local actors take note: The Arkansas Repertory Theatre will host auditions for Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" on Feb. 10.

It's open to union and nonunion actors, and all ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to audition. However, if you've got the sweaty, nervous, mumbling-to-yourself thing down, you should know that the role of Willy Loman has already been cast.

But they're still looking for folks to be Linda, Biff, Happy, Charley and the rest of the cast. Actors will be provided with sides from the script, and the show will be directed by Robert Hupp. Rehearsals start April 2 and the production runs April 26-May 12.

More details on the full press release, after the jump.

Arkansas Repertory Theatre to host local auditions for Arthur Miller’s

Death of a Salesman

Arkansas Repertory Theatre (LORT D) is holding auditions for its upcoming production of Arthur Miller’s, “Death of a Salesman,” directed by Robert Hupp. Auditions will be held on Sunday, February 10 at Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 601 Main St., Little Rock, AR 72201.

All actors who are interested in auditioning in Little Rock, please call Peter Mensky, Company Manager/Casting Associate, at 501-378-0445, extension 215 to schedule an appointment time. Actors will be provided with sides from the script to prepare for the audition. No monologue necessary. Actors of all ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to audition. Character breakdowns can also be found on The Rep’s website at www.therep.org/work-with-us/auditions

Actors who wish to audition in NYC should submit a picture and resume by mail for consideration or through Breakdown Express/Actors Access. Please see the following webpage for more details regarding NYC auditions: www.actorsequity.org/CastingCall/browse_notice.asp?NoticeID=30094&NoticeType=2

First rehearsal in Little Rock will be held Tuesday, April 2, 2013. Death of a Salesman opens April 26 and closes May 12. All roles are paid.

Seeking AEA and Non-AEA actors for the following:

LINDA LOMAN: 50’s-early 60’s; Willy’s wife; even-tempered, utterly devoted to Willy, deeply buried emotions

BIFF LOMAN: 30’s; Athletic, high school football star, now a drifter who has lost his way

HAPPY LOMAN: late 20’s early 30’s, the younger son; has always lived in his older brother’s shadow, compensates by pretending to be overly-confident, doesn’t know himself

CHARLEY: 50’s to early 60’s; The next door neighbor. Willy’s friend, a good man, practical, joker, a successful businessman

BERNARD: 30’s, Charley’s son; a book-worm who later achieves success and confidence

BEN: 50’s - 60’s Willy’s older brother, rich, successful, confident, appears only in Willy’s memory

HOWARD WAGNER: Mid-30’s — Willy’s boss, practical, non-sentimental

THE WOMAN FROM BOSTON: 40’s — Willy’s mistress, loud, gauche. Will understudy Linda Loman.

STANLEY mid 50’s—early 60’s: a waiter, friendly with the brothers, Will understudy Willy Loman.

MISS FORSYTHE and LETTA: Late 20’s — women, possibly call girls, who meet the brothers at a restaurant, attractive.

*THE ROLE OF WILLY LOMAN HAS BEEN CAST

For more information about auditions contact Casting Associate, Peter Mensky at 501-378-0445 ext. 215 or visit http://www.therep.org/work-with-us/auditions.aspx

###

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Audition for 'Jesus Christ Superstar' at Argenta Community Theater

Robert Bell — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 11:17:12 -0600

As promised last year, Argenta Community Theater is gearing up for its second in-house theatrical production, "Jesus Christ Superstar," which will run July 23-28.

There are open calls and dance calls at ACT scheduled for 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Jan. 10 and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Jan. 12. Rehearsals start in June. The show will be produced by Judy Tenenbaum, directed by Vincent Insalaco and choreographed by Christen Pitts, with music and orchestrations by Kurt Kennedy and technical set by Sara Cooke.

All of the details are available here.

Last summer, ACT hosted its first in-house show, "Cabaret." Insalaco told the Times that the upcoming production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" would be an homage to his late wife, Sally Riggs.

Riggs was in the original production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock musical in London. "It's a great show that needs to be done here locally, and I think it will capture a lot of people's attention," Insalaco told the Times.

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Review: 'White Christmas' at Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Friday Nov. 30

Aaron Sarlo — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:27:00 -0600

Opening night of The Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s production of “White Christmas” happened to coincide with my wife’s birthday this year. When she first saw the Rep’s schedule, she picked “White Christmas” as the one Rep production she would not miss, and so, very early this fall, we planned to celebrate her birthday watching this tremendous and heartwarming production. Afterwards, as we drove home in the balmy night, we reflected on how sweet and endearing the play remained after all these years, and we talked about the actors and their performances, and our favorite parts of the play, the way that people do, and I realized that this was one of those special birthdays with a friend that I will be looking back upon in fondness until my premature death at age 130. This was, in no small part, due to The Rep’s lavish rendition of Irving Berlin’s classic.

The first thing we saw when entering the theater was a projected image on the velvet stage curtains that read “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” with tiny cartoon sprigs of holly framing the sides. It was a nice touch, and put us instantly in the holiday spirit, which, considering the unseasonably warm weather was a bit of a feat. But the night’s unseasonably warm weather, in fact, mirrored part of the plot of the play (nicely done, Rep folks). Soon, the overture began, the lights dimmed, and the play commenced, instantly dropping us into the final moments of a play-within-the-play stage show for the troops of the 151st Division, stationed somewhere in Europe. We, the audience, played the part of the 151st Division for the opening (and closing) scenes. Bob Wallace (Shane Donovan) and Phil Davis (Case Dillard) perform a vaudevillian (read: intentionally corny) song and dance number for us, and then a very stoic General Waverly (Charles Karel, in a great, patronly performance) gives us a farewell speech. It was a tidy quasi-prologue that neatly outlined the principle characters and set the story into motion.

The story truly begins shortly thereafter as Bob and Phil have become post-war singing and dancing stars. They perform regularly on The Ed Sullivan show, and are beloved across the nation. While setting off for a holiday trip to Miami, the two instead take a detour to a picturesque Vermont town (by way of Phil’s unchecked libido) with two bright-faced and talented showgals, Betty and Judy Haynes (Jennifer Sheehan and Sarah Agar, respectively) who are booked to perform a Christmas show at a sleepy little inn. One couple, Phil and Judy, hit it off immediately. The other couple, however — the emotionally staid Bob and Betty — keep their distance from one another, only to eventually begin to fall in love. But you probably know the story. Based on my informal research, almost everybody has seen “White Christmas” at least once, but for the two or three Arkansans who haven’t yet, I won’t reveal the outcome.

It is interesting to see the choices a director makes when tailoring a story for particular means, and it was interesting in kind to watch the Rep’s Nicole Capri’s excellent direction bring the storyline of “White Christmas to inhabit The Rep’s stage. While some of the initial bonding between Bob and Phil is omitted, and other parts of the plot truncated, the overall story — and its characters’ friendships — does not suffer. In fact, I felt that the slight deviations from the original film (which is The Standard in “White Christmas” productions) that did occur were appropriate and timely.

As the two leads, Donovan and Dillard played off each other perfectly, and my wife and I could not decide which of the two performances we liked better. Donovan’s Bob Wallace had the familiar easy charm and light-heart-in-a-cynical-world feel inherent to the character. It was easy to identify with his take on stilted love, and Donovan’s Bob was easily the centerpiece of the story. That said, Dillard’s Phil Davis was immensely entertaining, and danced like his life depended on it. Both actors are amazing talents, and their leading ladies were beautiful and pitch perfect. But the character my wife and I kept coming back to in our discussion after the show (during our drive to the eggnog store) was Martha Watson (Ann-Ngaire Martin). She was just so much fun to watch.

Cleverly, many of Martha’s lines are contemporary in intent, which affords her a slight narrative edge over the other characters. This is sweetly borne out in the character of Susie Waverly (Maddie Lentz, Ella Moody), the general’s granddaughter, who, of all the characters swirling around her, chooses Martha to emulate, performing a terrific reprise of Martha’s own “Let Me Sing and I’m Happy,” ultimately scoring the end of the night’s biggest round of applause.

Perhaps the best part of the production, however, was the singing and dancing, which was phenomenal. I’ve been a fan of Berlin’s music for years, and it was splendid to hear it so well-represented by this great cast.

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Friday To-Do: 'The Outsiders'

Robert Bell — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:29:05 -0600

'THE OUTSIDERS'
7:30 p.m. The Weekend Theater. $12-$16.

S.E. Hinton was only 17 in 1967 when her first novel, "The Outsiders," was published. The book was widely credited with expanding the scope of young-adult fiction and would go on to sell millions and millions of copies, inspiring the 1983 film of the same title.

Hinton has said that she wrote the book out of frustration with much of what was marketed to young readers at the time. Her tale of switchblades and gang fights was informed from her real-life experiences and was probably fairly shocking to the square community at the time.

In 2012, the idea of "rumbles" between Greasers and Socs seems pretty quaint, especially compared to the inner-city warfare we've witnessed in the intervening years. But many of the book's themes — class rivalry, dysfunctional families and relying on literature and art to escape the grind of daily life — are evergreen.

This stage adaptation, by Christopher Sergel, breaks the book into two acts and hews closely to the original. The Weekend Theater is back up and running again after a car smashed into the front of it earlier in the month.

This production runs at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 15.

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Sunday To-Do: Moscow Ballet's 'The Nutcracker'

David Ramsey — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:23:00 -0600

MOSCOW BALLET'S 'THE NUTCRACKER'
3 p.m. Robinson Center Music Hall. $37-$191.

I have only vague childhood memories of what happens with the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Mouse King in the Land of Sweets (seriously, "The Nutcracker" must be our most psychedelic of holiday traditions), but Tchaikovsky's gorgeous score is still stuck in my head all these years later.

The familiar music, lavish costumes, and kitschy production make for a family favorite that's more spectacle than high art, and the Moscow Ballet, on tour with its 20th-anniversary production of "The Great Russian Nutcracker," has a rep for going all-in on the Christmas schmaltz.

In addition to the Russian pros, local student dancers from DanceArts Studios will be on stage as various mice, snow maidens, butterflies, and the like.

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Friday To-Do: The Main Thing's 'A Fertle Holiday'

Robert Bell — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:55:02 -0600

THE MAIN THING'S 'A FERTLE HOLIDAY'
8 p.m. The Joint. $20.

With Election Day 2012 now thankfully in the rearview mirror, the folks behind The Main Thing (The Joint's in-house comedy team) have retired their recent "Electile Dysfunction" play and are unveiling what is sure-to-be a witty homage to the Christmas season, "A Fertle Holiday."

The two-act original comedy will probably hit a little close to home for those of us here in the hinterlands who have family residing on one of the coasts. It concerns the Fertle Family Reunion in tiny, fictional Dumpster, Ark. The Fertles are hosting their well-to-do kinfolk from way out west in San Diego, Californey.

In a feat of multi-role madness that would make Eddie Murphy proud, the cast of The Main Thing — Vicki and Steve Farrell and Brett Ihler — will perform all 15 roles between the three of them. In addition to politics, the holidays are one of the mother lodes of comedy gold — fertile ground, if you will. If past shows are any indication, The Main Thing's take on the holiday season will be a family-friendly one that doesn't sacrifice on the funny.

"A Fertle Holiday" runs Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 29.

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Review: "Singin' on a Star" at Arkansas Repertory Theatre

Aaron Sarlo — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:07:00 -0500

My family loves musicals. Therefore, I have seen more than my share of movies and plays wherein the entire cast bursts into a lavish, well-choreographed song and dance. Musicals, as a genre, require the audience to know to suspend their disbelief before they set foot in the theater. Reality, while ostensibly orbiting the plot, plays second fiddle to the spectacle in a traditional musical. Revues, on the other hand, are more like a collection of vignettes set to songs, kind of like live-action music videos. Revues are almost 100-percent spectacle, the story more of a theme than a necessary set of waypoints.

It is in this vein that Director Nicole Capri crafted “Singin’ on a Star,” the über-fun, Summer Musical Theatre Intensive production currently running at The Arkansas Repertory Theatre. “Singin’ on a Star” is a true musical revue, and is fantastically entertaining.

For those of you not in-the-know, The Rep’s SMTI program, headed by Capri, enrolls students and young adults from all over Arkansas and immerses them in the dramatic arts. The kids learn acting, singing, lighting, costumery, the whole shebang, and each year they produce a play for Arkansas theater aficionados. This year’s superb SMTI outing, “Singin’ on a Star” is the culmination of the very best the program has to offer, and showcases the drive and determination of a group of very talented young performers.

Where does one begin to praise this terrific show? Well, for starters, it is a blast. This group of students is a powerhouse at theater production, and this revue is out to entertain you with a vengeance. There is singing, dancing, beautiful lighting, terrific set design, even a videography which vacillates between biographical tidbits about the cast and graphics that enhance the action on stage. The whole production is a finely-tuned, well-oiled machine, and there is never a dull moment. You might find yourself liking certain songs more than others, but that would be the closest thought you would have to a complaint as the cast of dozens performs with a precision and verve owed to a troupe of Broadway veterans.

“Singin’ on a Star” is subtitled ‘The actor’s journey from stardust to stardom,’ and the songs neatly reflect the inherent tribulations at the ground floor in show business. The more than two dozen songs selected for the production imbue the it with revolving themes of hope (“I’m a Star”), frustration (“I Wish I Could Go Back to College”), and unbridled determination (“Live Like We’re Dying”), each performance impossibly transcending the one that preceded it. As I stated, I’ve seen numerous plays and musicals, so it’s difficult to impress me with this genre. That said, what Capri and her students have achieved with “Singin’ on a Star” is remarkable in scope and execution. At no time did I feel like I was watching students who were given a very tight timeline to complete a nearly impossible task. Instead, I felt I was watching a true grade-A musical revue employing a cadre of actors who were so good that they made all their tireless work seems light and effortless.

You’ll have your own favorites from “Singin’ on a Star,” but I really liked “The Girl in 14-G,” performed expertly by the very talented Angela Morgan, as the aforementioned “Girl” who sings about the downside of apartment life in New York. Another personal favorite was “Another Hundred People,” which featured very impressive choreography that perfectly illustrated the anonymity associated with living in a big city. The “Jersey Boys Medley” is a throwback to the Doo-Wop era, and all of you Boomers will be shocked at how well those young men pull off Frankie Valli and Leslie Gore. (The audience let out a few happy shrieks when the Boys hit some of those high notes.)

There is, almost literally, a song for everyone in “Singin’ on a Star,” but if you are a cynic, and you think impassioned performances won’t hook you, then I can assure you that the stagecraft undoubtedly will. All-in-all, if you’re looking for a feel-good production, with a cast so impressive you’ll be hard-pressed to pick stand-out performers (because they’re all so flawless), look no further.

"Singin' on a Star" runs through Nov. 3 at Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

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Tuesday To-Do: Mount Holly's Tales of the Crypt

Robert Bell — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 09:59:42 -0500

MOUNT HOLLY'S TALES OF THE CRYPT
5:30 p.m. Mount Holly Cemetery. Free.

The second Tuesday in October is nearly here, and in Central Arkansas, that means it's time for Mount Holly's Tales from the Crypt, which has become a tradition of the season.

This is the 18th year that student actors from Parkview Arts-Science Magnet High School have researched notable Arkansans buried at the Quapaw Quarter cemetery and staged short, full-costume works based on their lives. Guides will give the audiences candlelit tours from grave to grave to observe the performances.

It's free, but donations are encouraged to help maintain the historic cemetery. Also, come early: This is a popular event and lines can get long.

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Friday To-Do: 'Enemy of the People'

Robert Bell — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:36:18 -0500

'ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE'
7:30 p.m. The Weekend Theater. $12-$16.

While The Weekend Theater's current show, "Enemy of the People," is an adaptation Arthur Miller wrote in the '50s of an 1882 Ibsen play, its core message couldn't be timelier.

The story concerns a small town in Norway, blessed with healing mineral springs that the townsfolk are seeking to parlay into a lucrative tourist destination via a recently constructed spa. The play's protagonist, Dr. Stockmann, discovers that factory runoff has fouled the waters and begins warning people. Instead of believing him, the town turns on him, branding him a liar who wants to ruin them. He's smeared in the local press and eventually has to circle the wagons against an encroaching mob.

There are a number of parallels one can draw with the current political climate, the Citizens United decision, global warming, a certain openly biased cable news network and so forth.

The show runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. through Oct. 20.

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Check out these 'Henry V' preview videos from The Rep

Robert Bell — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:55:28 -0500

The Arkansas Repertory Theater's production of "Henry V" has its official opening tonight. Times contributor Aaron Sarlo gave us a preview of what to expect from the production.

The Rep also has something to give you an idea of what to look forward to. After the jump, check out some short videos of actor Avery Clark talking about his role as Henry, and D.C. Wright, fight director, who gives us a glimpse into what all goes into choreographing massive fight scenes in a way that's compelling and safe. He also goes into the grisly details of warfare in the era of the Hundred Years' War.

Interesting stuff about what will likely be an impressive production.

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