Conway Community Arts to open season Friday

Appearing in the Conway Community Arts Association’s upcoming production of [title of show] at the Lantern Theatre are, from left, Darby Burdine as Susan, Saxon Whitehead as Hunter, Dana Kordsmeier as Jeff and Jessica Thompson as Heidi. Not shown is Kayla White, who appears as Mary, the piano player.
Appearing in the Conway Community Arts Association’s upcoming production of [title of show] at the Lantern Theatre are, from left, Darby Burdine as Susan, Saxon Whitehead as Hunter, Dana Kordsmeier as Jeff and Jessica Thompson as Heidi. Not shown is Kayla White, who appears as Mary, the piano player.

CONWAY — The Conway Community Arts Association and the Lantern Theatre will open the 2017 season Friday with a musical comedy called [title of show].

No, that’s not a misprint — the title of the show is [title of show].

“It’s basically a play within a play,” said Jeff Ward of Conway, director of the local production. “It’s about two men — Jeff and Hunter — who are actors and writers in New York City. They decide to write a new play, with the help of their two lady friends — Susan and Heidi — and enter it in a festival, hoping to get it to Broadway.

“They are filling out the entry form for the festival, and the first thing on the form is a blank space, in brackets, for [title of show],” Ward said. “They don’t have a title; they decide to just call it [title of show]. In fact, there’s a song about it in the show — ‘Filling Out the Form.’”

Jeff Bowen of Brooklyn, New York, wrote the music and lyrics for the musical, and Hunter Bell of New York City wrote the book. Both men starred in the show, which tells the true story of their efforts to write the musical that was ultimately chosen for the New York Musical Theatre Festival. The show premiered at the festival in September 2004 in New York City and later ran off-Broadway in 2006. The musical then ran on Broadway in 2008 for 13 previews and 102 regular performances.

Bowen and Bell both won an Obie Award for their work on the off-Broadway production, and Bell was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical in 2009.

“Our production stars three women and one man,” Ward said. “Dana Kordsmeier plays a man; she’s wonderful in the role.

“This is a very funny show,” Ward said. “It’s hilarious. But it also has some good poignant moments as they struggle to write the musical. It shows how their friendship prevails despite all their ups and downs.”

This is the third production Ward has directed at the Lantern. He directed Pvt. Wars in 2015 and The Normal Heart in 2016. He has also appeared in several productions, including, most recently, 110 Stories. Ward is vice president of the CCAA Board of Directors.

Kordsmeier said this is the first time she has portrayed a male character.

“I play Jeff, the composer of the two men in the play,” said Kordsmeier, who lives in Conway and is a dental hygienist in Little Rock.

“I had never heard of the show, but when it was announced, I took a look at it and thought it was right up my ally. “It’s funny … campy, even silly. It’s all about having a good time,” she said.

“My character, Jeff, and I are similar in some ways, so getting across his personality has not been a challenge,” Kordsmeier said. “It’s the physicality that has been a challenge. I’ve had to come up with different ways of sitting, … of carrying myself.

“But I am really having a good time with this show.”

Kordsmeier most recently appeared in Almost, Maine and 110 Stories at the Lantern Theatre.

Other cast members in [title of show] include the following:

• Saxon Whitehead of Conway appears as Hunter.

“I play the writer of the book for the show,” said Whitehead, who is a senior at the University of Central Arkansas, where he is majoring in speech pathology.

“I had kind of heard of the show but really did not know much about it. When I heard more about it at the launch party [in November] at the Lantern, I went back and looked it up. It sounded like something I wanted to audition for, so I did,” he said.

“My character, Hunter, is kind of successful,” Whitehead said. “He’s dreaming of becoming a success on Broadway.

“I am definitely having a good time with this show. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s the most fun I’ve ever had on any production.”

Whitehead most recently appeared in Almost, Maine and 110 Stories at the Lantern.

• Jessica Thompson of Conway portrays Heidi in the production.

“I had never heard of this play, but it is hilarious,” said Thompson, who is a paralegal in Conway. “I play Heidi, who wants to be an actor on Broadway. That’s her life’s goal. She’s taken understudy and ensemble roles, hoping to get her chance to make it big.

“I love fun pieces like this one. I’m usually typed as more of a character actor. This is different for me. It’s a challenge. A challenge is always welcome.”

Thompson most recently appeared in 110 Stories at the Lantern.

• Darby Burdine appears as Susan.

“My character is kind of boisterous and cracks jokes a lot,” Burdine said. “She’s very humorous, but she is insecure about her musical-theater abilities.

“I like her. She’s so different from me, but I can relate to her at times, especially her insecurity. She goes on to Broadway and has a big song, ‘Die Vampire, Die!’”

Burdine has appeared in several recent productions at the Lantern, including Smoke on the Mountain and Almost, Maine. She was also the dramaturge for 110 Stories. Burdine teaches English, speech and drama at Bigelow High School.

• Kayla White of Conway plays Mary, the piano player, who appears on stage during the entire show. White is also the music director for [title of show].

This is the first time White has appeared in a CCAA production. She teaches choir at Conway Junior High School.

“I was the music director of The Music Man last summer for the Red Curtain Theatre in Conway,” White said. “That’s when I met Jeff [Ward]. He asked me if I would be interested in helping Conway Community Arts if they ever did a musical, and I said yes.

“I am having a great time with this show. It’s a great cast. Everyone has been wonderful.”

White is a graduate of Guy-Perkins High School and UCA, where she received degrees in piano and music education.

Elizabeth Williams of Conway is the understudy for all of the characters in [title of show]. She is a longtime supporter of CCAA and serves as secretary of the organization’s board of directors.

Other members of the crew include Kelly Green of Conway, choreographer; Shane Atkinson of Morrilton, stage manager; Emily Madden of Conway, lighting manager; and Stephanie Atkinson of Morrilton, costumer.

Show times for [title of show], which is rated PG-13, are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and again Jan. 26, 27 and 28. Matinee performances will be presented at 2:30 p.m. Sunday and again Jan. 29. The theater will open 30 minutes prior to each performance.

Tickets are $20. Depending upon availability, tickets and student rush tickets, which are $5, may be available at the door.

For tickets and more information, visit the conwayarts.org or thelanterntheatre.com.

The Lantern Theatre is at 1021 Van Ronkle St. in Conway.

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