Royal Players Inc. gets grant, announces show

Mark A. Burbank and Madeline Martin play the young lovers Tony and Maria in the Young Players Second Stage upcoming production of West Side Story. The musical will open Thursday and continue through Jan. 13 at the Royal Theatre in Benton.
Mark A. Burbank and Madeline Martin play the young lovers Tony and Maria in the Young Players Second Stage upcoming production of West Side Story. The musical will open Thursday and continue through Jan. 13 at the Royal Theatre in Benton.

BENTON — Christmas came a little early for folks at the historic Royal Theatre in downtown Benton.

In early December, the Royal Players Inc., which is the legal name of the community theater group that manages the Royal Theatre, received a $10,000 grant from the Arvest Foundation.

“Needless to say, we are quite excited to get this gift,” said Susan Dill of Benton, a past president of the Royal Players Inc. Board of Directors. “According to the letter from Naccaman G. Williams, director of the Arvest Foundation, ‘Each year, the foundation asks Arvest Bank Benton to advise the foundation of outstanding charities doing great work to improve our local communities.’ The grant funds are to be used to support the theater programming, renovations and maintenance of the theater facility.”

Phillip Partain of Benton, community bank president of Arvest Bank in Saline County, presented the check to Paul Johnston of Alexander, president of the Royal Players Inc. Board of Directors, and other board members during a recent performance of the theater’s Christmas show, A Little Princess, by Andrew Lippa and Brian Crawley, based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

“Arvest realizes that effective support of the communities in which we work requires diversity among the organizations that benefit from our donations, and the arts are an important aspect of our charitable giving,” Partain said. “This theater has been a cherished and important centerpiece in this community for almost a century, and we are honored to offer support to contribute to its longevity.”

Daphne Shoppach, treasurer of the Royal Players Inc. Board of Directors and artistic director of the Royal Players, said, “This grant enables the Royal Players to continue the mission of improving the lives of our community [members] through the arts.”

Dill said the [Independent Motion Pictures] Theater was built in 1920 on the site of what is now the Royal Theatre, opening Jan. 14, 1922.

“There was a 1949 addition to the back of the building,” Dill said. “In the late 1990s, Jerry Van Dyke owned the building and made some improvements. He turned it over to our group at the end of 2000, and we obtained a grant to add an accessible restroom a few years later.

“However, there are many needs for a building that now houses 10 to 15 live theater productions each year and is home not only to the Royal Players, but to the Young Players, a group that has increased in size from fewer than 20 to 130-150 students. Because of the size of the Young Players group, it is divided into Early Stages, Center Stage and Young Players Second Stage. There is overlap to provide older mentors for each group.

Dill said one thing that is unique for the historical Royal Theatre is, “somebody has been in it for the whole time.”

“The building is still structurally sound,” Dill said. “It’s in good shape. It does need a new roof, and we are in the process of getting that done now.”

The Young Players Second Stage is gearing up for its upcoming production of West Side Story, presented through special arrangements with Music Theatre International. This production is based on a conception of Jerome Robbins, with book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

Sponsored by Advanced Alarm Technologies, West Side Story will open Thursday and continue through Jan. 13 at the Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St. in Benton. Curtain times are at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and again Jan. 10-12,

and at 2 p.m. Jan. 6 and 13.

Justin Pike of Little Rock directs the upcoming musical, which tells the story of the young lovers Maria and Tony, who are caught between prejudice and warring street gangs, the American Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks.

“I am excited to once again be directing YP Second Stage at the Royal and excited to be directing this show in particular,” said Pike, who is artistic director of The Studio Theatre in Little Rock. “West Side Story has always been a favorite because it’s not only one of the most beautiful scores written for musical theater; it is also more timely than ever.

“In the hyperpolarizing social and political climate in which we currently live, there is really a lot to take away from the dramatic conflict of West Side Story,” he said. “It asks us if the conflicts we pour so much time and energy into are actually worth it. I hope audiences are moved and inspired by this beautiful love story.”

Pike and Shoppach founded YP Second Stage in 2013 and presented its first production in January 2014. Pike said the group “exists to provide advanced theatrical opportunities to like-minded, creative young people in the greater central-Arkansas area.” Youth ages 13 to 23 are eligible to audition and participate.

West Side Story is choreographed by Reagan Hammonds, and music direction is by Tanner Oglesby.

Appearing in the lead roles in the musical are Madeline Martin as Maria and Mark A. Burbank as Tony.

Martin is a sophomore studying musical theater at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia and has appeared in recent productions at the Royal Theatre. Burbank is working on a degree in theater at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. He has directed several productions at the Royal and has appeared in community theaters throughout central Arkansas.

Other cast members include Christian Waldron as Riff, Luke Ferguson as Diesel, Brennon Humprey as Action, Ethan Davis as Big Deal, Zackary Glover as Arab, Andrew McBride as Bernardo, Jaelun Thomas as Chino, Matthew Glover as Pepe, Matthew Burns as Luis, Nathan Clay as Toro, William Alverio as Indio, Noah Lee as Nibbles and Jack Clay as Baby John.

Also appearing are Hannah Blacklaw as Velma, Meredith Medford as Graziella, Gretchen Bush as Clarice, Meg Amason as Pauline, Amber Thompson as Patty, Izzy Hammonds as Anybodys, Annslee Clay as Consuela,Destiny Marchese as Rosalia, Skyla Conger as Teresita, Chloe Clement as Estella, Mia Simone Parker as Margarita, Katharine Crowe as Daniela and Makayla Shipe as Minnie.

Adult mentors in West Side Story include Hillary Bell as

Lt. Shrank, Tony Clay as Doc and Greg Blacklaw as Krumpke and Gladhand.

Tickets to West Side Story may be purchased online at www.royalplayers.com, or call (501) 315-5483 to make reservations. Tickets are $15 for adults; $12 for senior citizens, military personnel and college students; and $6 for high school students and younger.

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