ENTERTAINMENT

Two theaters producing ‘The Carole King Musical’; UCA announces Broadway Series

Comedian Brian Regan and "The Elton John Experience" are part of the University of Central Arkansas' 2023-24 schedule at Reynolds Performance Hall.

(Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
Comedian Brian Regan and "The Elton John Experience" are part of the University of Central Arkansas' 2023-24 schedule at Reynolds Performance Hall. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)


The Argenta Community Theater, 405 Main St., North Little Rock, and the Studio Theatre, 320 W. Seventh St., Little Rock, will both produce "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" during the 2023-24 season.

The jukebox musical, with a book by Douglas McGrath, tells the story of King's early life and career using her songs, many of which she wrote with Gerry Goffin, and other contemporary songs by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector and others.

The two theaters will create the show using different casts. Studio Theater Artistic Director Justin Pike will direct the production there Oct. 26-Nov. 12. Vincent Insalaco will be in the directing chair for the Argenta Community Theater production, April 17-27.

Visit StudioTheatreLR.com and argentacommunitytheater.org.

THEATER/MUSIC

UCA season

■ The University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway opens its Reynolds Performance Hall 2023-24 Broadway Series with a touring production of the musical "Annie" (music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, book by Thomas Meehan, based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie).

The rest of the series lineup (all shows, 7:30 p.m. at Reynolds):

■ Jan. 21: "The Cher Show" (jukebox musical with a book by Rick Elice)

■ Feb. 22: "Little Women" (music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, book by Allan Knee, based on the Louisa May Alcott classic)

■ April 1: "Chicago" (music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, book by Ebb and Bob Fosse) Night Out Series (all shows, 7:30 p.m.):

■ Oct. 30: "Wheel of Fortune LIVE!"

■ Nov. 4: "Coco" Live-to-Film Concert, 20-piece band on tour from New York Disney

■ Feb. 7: Jazz at Lincoln Center SING & SWING

■ March 3: Comedian Brian Regan


photoComedian Brian Regan and "The Elton John Experience" are part of the University of Central Arkansas' 2023-24 schedule at Reynolds Performance Hall. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Leavitt Wells for Netflix)


Pops Series

(all shows, 7:30 p.m.)

■ Sept. 29: The Barricade Boys

■ Oct. 14: The Bacon Brothers

■ Jan. 25: "The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston"

■ Feb. 3: "Batman" with the Conway Symphony Orchestra

Main Stage EdUCAtion

(except as noted, all shows at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.)

■ Sept. 8: Arkansas Se Pinta de Mexico, 10 a.m.

■ Nov. 9: "Cat Kid Comic Club The Musical"

■ Dec. 1: "Mission Nutrition,"

■ Feb. 13: Bill Blagg The Science of Magic

■ March 8: "Janet's Planet"

■ May 2: "NORTH The Musical"

Main Stage EdUCAtion benefits

■ Sept. 8: Folkloric Dance of Mexico presented by CICA: Collaborative Institute of Cultural Arts Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

■ Nov. 9: "Cat Kid Comic Club The Musical," 6 p.m.

■ March 9: "Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience"

Add-on:

■ April 6: The Elton John Experience featuring The Rocket Band

Windgate Collection

(all shows, 7:30 p.m., in the new 480-seat concert hall at UCA's new Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts)

■ Oct. 10: singer/songwriter Ben Folds. $50

■ Dec. 8: Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats. $17-$50, $10 for children/students.

■ April 4: Sean Ardoin Kreole Rock and Soul. $17-$50, $10 for children/students.

Distinguished Speakers series

(all shows, 7:30 p.m., Windgate Center)

■ Oct. 5: ESPN journalist and documentarian Jesse Washington

■ April 7: NASA astrophysicist Amber Straight.

Individual series package prices are $90-$160; Performing Arts Packages (all three series) are $245-$480; individual tickets for all shows in the Broadway, Pops and Night Out series are $27-$50. Tickets for speakers are $15, $5 for children/students; Main Stage shows are $10, $5 for children/students.

Tickets for Folkloric Dance of Mexico are $25, $10 for children/students; for "Cat Kid Comic Club," $10, $5 for children/students; for "Yesterday and Today Beatles Experience," $30-$50, $10 for children/students; for "The Elton John Experience," $27-$50, $10 for children/students. Call (501) 450-3265 or visit uca.edu/reynolds.

photo"Wander-Thirst: The Choral Music of Florence Price," the first-ever recording of Price's choral music, performed by the University of Arkansas' Schola Cantorum, is now available from Hill Records, the student-run record label. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)

MUSIC

Price for voices

Hill Records, the student-run record label at the University of Arkansas, has released "Wander-Thirst: The Choral Music of Florence Price," the first-ever recording of Price's choral music, performed by the university's Schola Cantorum.

The album, now available on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services, features several world-premiere recordings of works that had been preserved in the the University of Arkansas Libraries' Florence Beatrice Smith Price Collection.

The album includes Price's "Weathers," "Wander-Thirst," "Poem of Praise," "Summer Clouds," "Song for Snow," "Resignation" and "Praise the Lord" and her nine-movement "Presbyterian Communion Service in F."

Price, a Little Rock native, was the first Black woman to have a work performed by a major American orchestra -- the Chicago Symphony, which played her Symphony in e minor after it won the Wanamaker Prize in 1932.

UA created its Price archive in 1974 when Price's daughter donated the materials she had to the university. Many of her works were assumed lost until the renovation of a home outside Chicago where Price had lived revealed a trove of music that the university subsequently acquired in 2014.

ETC.

CAFTA Awards

Conway Alliance for the Arts is accepting nominations for its annual arts awards through Sunday via conwayarts.org/artsawards in seven categories:

Outstanding Arts Educator

Faulkner County Library Outstanding Student Achievement in four divisions: grades K-4, 5-8, 9-12 and College

Gene Hatfield Outstanding Individual Artist

CAFTA Community Advocate for the Arts.

Nominees must demonstrate significant ability, progress made, and/or contribution to the arts in the Conway area, according to a news release, and are not strictly limited to people who live in Conway city limits. All mediums and types are eligible, including visual art, digital art, music, theater, dance and poetry.

The awards will be handed out in a 6-8 p.m. ceremony June 20 at The Max event venue, 1007 Spencer St., Conway.


photoJoel Murray (from left), Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops and Jeff B. Davis bring their "Whose Live Anyway?" show to Fayetteville's Walton Arts Center Sept. 24. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)

TICKETS

'Line' up

Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis and Joel Murray, cast members from the Emmy-winning TV show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?", are bringing their "Whose Live Anyway?" improvisation tour back to Fayetteville's Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St., for a show at 7 p.m. Sept. 24. The 90-minute show, in which the performers act out suggestions from the audience, features musical direction by Bob Derkach. The show is part of the center's LOL@WAC Series. Tickets are $33-$67 plus fees. Call (479) 443-5600 or visit waltonartscenter.org.



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