Hoping to find treasure on their own central Arkansas version of an island, a theatrical threesome has spent the past seven years creating a new musical based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, the story of Jim Hawkins, a young boy who goes on a journey that has consequences.
Brett Smock is directing and choreographing the musical, which will have its premiere this weekend at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre. Smock and Carla Vitale wrote the book; Corinne Aquilina wrote the music and lyrics.
The trio is hoping the show will appeal to audiences in Little Rock and eventually find its way to Broadway.
"The story captures those larger-than-life experiences and adventures and I think the score adds a lot of layers of humanity, and serves to bring out those dimensions of character,” Smock says.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Weekend section for more details.