Spirit of Holidaze Continues with Charitable Donations

Holidaze brought some cheer to the end of a difficult 2020 when the pop-up bar was able to safely open in Walton Arts Center’s indoor and outdoor spaces. Now, that cheer is continuing into 2021 in a tangible way with charitable donations made to local nonprofits from the bar’s proceeds.

The Stony Bird was the signature cocktail for Holidaze, and a Secret Santa donated $10 for each one purchased. Patrons purchased 928 cocktails resulting in $9,280 raised. Fayetteville Independent Restaurant Alliance, Northwest Arkansas Equality, Peace at Home Family Shelter and Roots Festival’s Meals for Musicians will each receive $2,320. Each of these nonprofits does important work for our community.

Two of these nonprofits, Fayetteville Independent Restaurant Alliance (FIRA) and Meals for Musicians benefit employees in industries hard-hit by the pandemic. FIRA provides resources for local hospitality professionals with a focus on livable wages, healthier lifestyles and access to benefits that are not often prioritized in the industry. Roots Meals for Musicians provides meal care packages for members of the music community to help them bridge the gap during these uncertain times.

The two other nonprofits benefitting from Holidaze proceeds, NWA Equality and Peace at Home Family Shelter, focus on creating safe, inclusive spaces in our community. NWA Equality provides programming, education and advocacy to serve, connect and empower the LGBTQ+ community in Northwest Arkansas.  Peace at Home Family Shelter provides shelter, services and support to women, men, and children fleeing domestic violence in Northwest Arkansas.

In addition to funds raised from Stony Bird sales, FIRA also hosted its annual “Nog Off” eggnog competition. Participants included bartenders and mixologists from nine local restaurants, bars and breweries. Amber Hurlbut from Infusion took home the trophy, and the event raised an additional $800 for the FIRA which will be used in their efforts to provide relief to hospitality professionals

As the host location for Holidaze, Walton Arts Center’s Ghost Light Recovery Fund will receive $30,000. The Ghost Light Recovery Fund helps Walton Arts Center offset lost revenue from canceled performances, continue education and public programming, maintain facilities and support staff until full-scale performances can resume.

More than 9,400 patrons attended Holidaze during its 40-day run. Holidaze and Walton Arts Center were able to employ 22 hospitality workers and 30 event staff, and throughout the run seven artists or groups were hired to provide entertainment for patrons. Workers in these industries have been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and this seasonal employment provided some relief for the workers and artists.

We are proud to have partnered with Holidaze for the 2020 iteration of the festive Fayetteville favorite, and even prouder of the good it will do in our community.  

Celebrate Arkansas Profiles Bret Shuford and "Charming"

Celebrate Arkansas recently chatted with Bret Shuford, who is bringing his one-man show Charming: A Tale of an American Prince to Walton Arts Center this month. This piece appeared in Celebrate’s January issue. Read on to hear the inspiration behind Shuford’s show, why he’s particularly excited to bring it to Northwest Arkansas and more. Charming: A Tale of an American Prince hits the Walton Arts Center stage for one night only on January 16. Get tickets here!

By Marisa Lytle

We always hear the tale from the princess’s point of view, but what about from the prince’s? In his one-man show, Charming: A Tale of an American Prince, Broadway actor Bret Shuford bucks tradition and presents a refreshing take on the fairy tales and musicals we all love.

In Charming, Shuford tells the tale of one prince’s trek from the faraway kingdom of Texas to a castle in The East Village. Shuford’s quest is highlighted by the music of Stephen Sondheim, Steven Lutvak, Prince the Artist, Stephen Schwartz, Rascal Flatts, Sara Bareilles, and more, with a little Disney magic thrown in for good measure. Friendship bracelets, giants, and perhaps even a furry woodland creature help guide this prince along the way. Will he get his “happily ever after”?

According to Shuford, Charming was born out of a cabaret conference he attended at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Wisconsin several years ago. For him, the show became a unique way to tell his own autobiographical story of growing up in southeast Texas and the tension he felt with his family over politics and religion, as well as his early struggles with his sexuality. Performing a one-man show like this, he says, is definitely a vulnerable experience.

“My hope with this show is that people, especially right now, will be lifted up and have some hope and see that there’s a lot that’s in there that you can pull from to live the life you want to live,” Shuford says. “You don’t need other people’s permission. The kingdom you’re looking for is within you. So, how do you become prince or princess of your own kingdom?”

With musical direction by Tracy Stark and direction by Lennie Watts, Charming, A Tale of an American Prince features Shuford, a Texas native bitten by the theater bug at a very young age who has spent the last 20 years working in New York City. He has been seen on Broadway in The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour, and Wicked. In addition to working as a Broadway actor, he found a passion for being a content creator, director, choreographer, producer and collaborator with other artists.

“Charming has some really great medleys that Tracy and I put together,” Shuford says. For example, “Something Better Than This” from Sweet Charity mashes up with a song from Into the Woods, and Shuford teases intriguingly that he performs a solo version of “Agony,” which in its original Broadway stage form is a humorous duet sung by two sparring brothers.

For the past year, while Broadway has been shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shuford hasn’t been able to do any theater work and no acting work other than sending in a few audition tapes for ads and commercials. While he and his husband, Stephen Hanna, were self-isolating, someone made an offer on their New York City apartment, so the couple sold it and moved to Texas to be near Shuford’s family. He says he was very grateful to receive the call from Walton Arts Center asking him to perform Charming at the beginning of this year.

As an acting teacher, Shuford has tried to bolster his students’ morale during the pandemic by likening current events in New York City to the trouble the city faced after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. He was living and working in NYC at the time and says that although that was a really tough time for the city, they got through it, and they’re going to get through it this time, too. Additionally, the advice he gives is this: “I would say, the main thing right now is to be gentle with yourself. Don’t expect to be really on top of creating and working right now. We are grieving and mourning. You have to be gentle with yourself. But also, don’t get lost in that. Every day, try to do two or three more things that take you a step closer to who you’d like to be.”

In looking to the future, Shuford says one of his main goals is to be a dad. Professionally, his dream role would be to create something new that makes an impact and that causes people to say, “Wow, that’s that role that Bret Shuford created.”

Education Returns to WAC with Small Group and Virtual Tours

Under normal circumstances, Walton Arts Center’s Learning and Engagement teams would be welcoming busloads of students from area schools into our building for Colgate Classroom Series performances, artist talkbacks, workshops and other educational activities. While that isn’t possible right now—that hasn’t stopped our team from finding new ways of engaging with students!

Sallie Zazal shows the Teen Leadership ‘X’Perience Group the Baum Walker Hall stage

The L&E team is now offering in-person and virtual venue tours, giving students or community groups an opportunity to learn about the various spaces in Walton Arts Center including the unique opportunity to go on-stage and backstage.

Recently, the L&E team continued WAC’s relationship with the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce’s Teen Leadership ‘X’Perience. The program engages high school juniors and educates them about community issues while also connecting them with local businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions and public offices.

Two groups from the program’s current cohort visited WAC in early November for small, socially distant venue tours lead by Sallie Zazal, director of L&E. The students also learned about WAC’s history and place in the Fayetteville community. After the tour, they were joined by President and CEO, Peter B. Lane, in the Bradberry Rose Garden for a question and answer session. The students diligently took notes and photos for a presentation given to their larger cohort.

Peter B. Lane answers questions from students in the Bradberry Amphitheater and Rose Garden

“It’s been so great to have students in the building again,” Zazal said of the tour. “Working with students is such a huge part of who we are and what we do and we didn’t realize how much we were missing that interaction until we started giving these tours again. It’s really helped us rediscover our purpose, and it’s so good to have learning happening in Walton Arts Center.”

For larger groups, the L&E team has adapted their venue tour to a virtual format. The virtual tour process was recently piloted with a local Girl Scout troop. Each troop member joined the tour from home via a Zoom meeting while L&E team members Mallory Barker, Sallie Zazal and Dr. Patricia Relph joined the meeting from various spaces in the venue, allowing for smoother transitions during the tour.

Mallory Barker took the troop through patron-facing spaces including Tyson Plaza, Walker Atrium and the General Mills Box Office. Sallie Zazal then showed off the stage in Baum Walker Hall and included educational touchpoints about the theater’s proscenium arch and fly system. Finally, Dr. Pat taught the scouts about Starr Theater’s black box layout and how it can be adapted for many kinds of performances.

The virtual tour format was successful and has been offered to all teachers that the L&E team works with on a regular basis. Any groups interested in a tour can contact Sallie Zazal at szazal@waltonartscenter.org.

Dickson Street Gift Guide

Small businesses and nonprofits have been hit hard this year due to COVID-19. Now more than ever, it’s important to support local business. With the holiday season upon us, you can do just that while also marking friends and family off your gift list!

Walton Arts Center is a member of Dickson Street Merchants, an organization of businesses that celebrate Dickson Street as an epicenter for culture, cuisine, entertainment and the arts. We’re offering gift cards this holiday season (they’re good for five years!) and several other members of our partners in Dickson Street Merchants offer gift cards too. We’ve put together some gift ideas that will help you mark off your gift list while also supporting local.

Dinner and a Show

First up, give the gift of an arts night out! Pair a gift certificate from Walton Arts Center with a gift card to Bordinos Restaurant and Wine Bar, an upscale restaurant on Dickson Street. Your loved one can enjoy a meal before or after taking in a performance at Walton Arts Center—be it a smaller Procter & Gamble Ghost Light Programming show or a Broadway show when full-scale performances return.

A recent menu item from Bordinos (credit: Bordinos on Facebook)

With this idea, your gift will not only support local businesses but will have even more of an impact! Throughout the month of December, Bordinos will donate $10 to the Fayetteville Independent Restaurant Alliance (FIRA) for every $100 spent on gift cards. FIRA provides immediate financial relief to local hospitality professionals in need, and is also one of the beneficiaries of funds raised through The Stony Bird drink sales and Nog Off at Holidaze at Walton Arts Center.

Cheers to You

For the alcohol connoisseur in your life, pair a bottle of their favorite booze from Dickson Street Liquor with a Walton Arts Center gift certificate that can be redeemed for a Broadway cocktail class. One of our performance add-ons during full-scale programming is a series of cocktail classes where patrons learn to make craft cocktails created by local bartenders and inspired by Broadway shows! With this gift, you give a fun experience to look forward to and a bottle that will come in handy as they recreate those themed cocktails at home.

Live Music Legacy

We can’t forget live music lovers! Walton Arts Center gift certificates can also be redeemed for tickets at the Walmart AMP. Grab a gift certificate and a piece of merchandise from George’s Majestic Lounge, a iconic music venue right down the street from Walton Arts Center, for a gift that the supports live music in Northwest Arkansas. George’s also offers gift certificates that can be purchased on-site.

The Local List

Dickson Street Merchants member businesses that we confirmed as offering gift cards or gift certificates this holiday season include:

• Walton Arts Center

• C4 Nightclub & Lounge

• Wasabi

• Farrell’s

• Marley’s Pizza

• Bordino’s Restaurant & Wine Bar

• Puritan Coffee & Beer

• George’s Majestic Lounge

Other Members of Dickson Street Merchants:

• Collier Drug Store

• Infusion

• Brewski’s

• Theo’s

• Arsaga’s at the Depot

• Buster Belly’s Bar

• Dickson Street Liquor

No matter where you shop this holiday season, we hope you’ll consider supporting Dickson Street Merchants and other local businesses and give a gift that also gives back!

A preview of merchandise available from George’s Majestic Lounge (courtesy of George’s)

October Saturday Cinema: Explore Themes Through New and Old Stories

Walton Arts Center and the Walmart AMP have found new ways to engage with the community in light of the ongoing pandemic. Intermission programming—small scale events that allow for safe social distancing and other health and safety precautions—has been the result. The Saturday Cinema series is one of those intermission initiatives that kicked off in September. Each weekend brings films grouped by a theme.

On October 17, enjoy two films showcasing stories about immigrants. The matinee screening, The Sun is Also a Star, tells a contemporary love story about two strangers, Natasha and Daniel, who meet and immediately see sparks fly—but the clock is ticking as Natasha fights against her family’s impending deportation. This film explores the question of whether our lives are determined by fate or the random events of the universe.

The evening screening, Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles, chronicles the story of Fiddler on the Roof, the timeless musical about immigrants and refugees escaping persecution in their homeland. The documentary film explores the unexpected richness of the musical’s themes and its reach across time and culture.

After a weekend of immigrant stories, WAC gets in the spirit of spooky season on October 24 with two horror films! First is High Anxiety, a comedic roast of the horror genre. Mel Brooks directs and stars in this film about a director of a psychoneurotic institute who is accused of murder by his colleagues and struggles to clear his name.

Then, patrons have the opportunity to enjoy Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film The Birds on the big screen. This natural horror-thriller is loosely based on a 1952 story of the same name and focuses on a series of sudden and unexplained violent bird attacks. These two films will help get audiences members into the Halloween spirit for safe celebrations the following weekend.

October 31 falls on Saturday this year, which means Saturday Cinema will be all about the holiday! You can kick off the day with a screening of the cult classic Hocus Pocus. This family-friendly film stars Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as a trio of witches who run amok in Salem, Mass,, after three children unwittingly free them.

The evening will bring back Fayetteville’s favorite Halloween tradition—a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show! This interactive musical film boasts the longest theatrical release of all time, having been in distribution since its release in 1975. Costumes are encouraged and patrons can bring their own approved props or purchase a prop bag at concessions.

After the fun on Halloween, WAC is offering special screenings of Disney/Pixar’s Coco—presented in both English and Spanish in partnership with the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and the traditional Mexican holiday the Day of the Dead. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance.

Saturday Cinema is made possible by the Ghost Light Recovery Fund. State-approved health and safety protocols will be in place for all activities at Walton Arts Center.

Diversity Through Programming at Walton Arts Center

Guest Blog by Scott Galbraith, vice president of programming and executive producer for Walton Arts Center

Diversity has long been a hallmark of Walton Arts Center’s programming (what we put on stage), and it’s one aspect of our work that always excites me. Our mission is all about bringing great performing artists from around the world to Northwest Arkansas, and that commits us to showcasing a wide array of people, cultures and art forms.

Our 10x10 Arts Series is known throughout the industry for the diversity it represents. Just last season, 10x10 included Nobuntu, a female a capella ensemble from Zimbabwe; Tiempo Libre, a three-time Grammy®-nominated Afro-Caribbean band; Socks in the Frying Pan, a rollicking Irish folk trio; and The Nature of Forgetting, a poignant dance-theatre performance from London.  Had the season not been interrupted by the pandemic, 10x10 would also have kicked off the first U.S. tour of Punya Dance Company, a classical ensemble from Bangalore. 

Nobuntu performing on a local TV show during their visit to Northwest Arkansas.

But 10x10 isn’t the only series to represent artists and cultures from around the globe. Our Colgate Classroom Series, which annually serves tens of thousands of NWA students, regularly features artists from Australia, Europe and Asia. The Starrlight Jazz series recently presented ASPADA, an ensemble that explored the synchronicity between American Jazz and classical Indian music. Martha Redbone, an American blues and soul singer whose ancestry is Cherokee-Choctaw-European-African American, appeared as part of our West Street Live series. Our last P&G Broadway Series included Once On This Island, an epic love story that’s complicated by colorism in the Caribbean. The Broadway Series (pre-COVID) was also scheduled to feature The Band’s Visit, which shows how the ancient divide between Egyptians and Israelis was bridged by a shared love of music.  And we were also preparing to present America’s acclaimed transgender modern dance choreographer, Sean Dorsey Dance Company. 

But diversity in the arts doesn’t end with race, gender or ethnicity.  Rather, it leads us to explore different artistic disciplines, styles and genres. Our palate includes dance, theatre, music, puppetry, film, contemporary circus, etc.  And just within music, there are both classical and contemporary forms, jazz, gospel, roots, zydeco, klezmer – the list goes on.

Mosaix Festival, originally scheduled for Spring 2020, highlighted the arts and culture of India in Northwest Arkansas.

All of which is to say, our work as programmers is never dull!  We’re constantly being exposed to artists and art forms that are unfamiliar. Our work isn’t easy, either, since we’re often making decisions outside our areas of expertise. Thankfully, we have a vast network of industry colleagues who freely share their insights, expertise and experiences. And, since we live in a community where more than 50 languages are spoken, we’re forever forging new relationships to help us understand and appreciate the cultural expressions that are meaningful to our neighbors.

Our new Mosaix Festival, which was delayed by COVID-19, was curated just that way. The focus of the first Mosaix was India, and we started two years ago listening to a group of advisors from the NWA Indian community to help inform what we would present. We are continuing to learn about the regions of South Asia from which our neighbors emigrated; the art forms, foods, and customs of those regions; and even the cultural connections they want to create for their first-generation American children.

At the end of the day, diversity at Walton Arts Center is both a goal and a way of life. Every person on this earth has roughly 99% of the same DNA and yet, too often, we allow divisions to grow based on skin color, culture or beliefs. For us, diversity is about showcasing, understanding and reveling in what makes people unique. Doing that together is what it is all about.

Vision to Reality: The History of Walton Arts Center

Billie Jo Starr and Helen Walton celebrate the Grand Opening of Walton Arts Center in 1992.

Walton Arts Center began because the public and private sectors in Northwest Arkansas had a vision and worked together for the good of the community. Negotiations, compromise, persistence and a shared vision ultimately yielded a facility and an organization that has enriched the cultural life of the region for nearly three decades.

In the late 1980s the Walton Family, the University of Arkansas and the city of Fayetteville each individually realized the need for a community arts facility that could accommodate major touring shows, local and regional performing acts and even corporate meetings. The University and the city formed an Interlocal Agreement and proceeded with plans for the arts center focusing on a 1,200-seat hall located on Dickson Street.

Walton Arts Center before the 2016 renovation and expansion

Initial funding for Walton Arts Center came from generous donations by the Walton Family Foundation, the University of Arkansas and the city of Fayetteville. Additional funds were also raised from the private sector, and Walton Arts Center was completed debt free and opened on April 26, 1992.

In November 2016, Walton Arts Center debuted an expanded facility that dramatically increased front of house and event space, production support space and administrative offices. The expansion added more than 30,000 square feet and improved the experience for both patrons and artists alike.

Today Walton Arts Center has become Arkansas’ premier arts presenter, bringing great performing artists and entertainers from around the world to the region each year. The organization has grown significantly since opening and now operates two additional facilities—Nadine Baum Studios and the Walmart AMP.

Walton Arts Center is home to two resident companies: the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas—the region’s professional symphony orchestra, and Community Creative Center—an art studio for adults and youth. Artistic affiliates include Trike Theatre (Northwest Arkansas’s professional theater company for children) and Opera Fayetteville.

Walton Arts Center believes that access to the arts is essential for all. We strive to make performing arts experiences accessible to the community through our education initiatives and diverse programming.

The 2016 renovation gave Walton Arts Center a new façade that connects the building to Dickson Street and many expanded areas including Walker Atrium.

In a typical season more than 26,000 children get to see a live theater performance at Walton Arts Center each through our school partnerships and education initiatives. We also take professional artists into classrooms and schools to teach and inspire students. In partnership with the Kennedy Center, we provide arts integration training for teachers to transform how teachers teach as well as how students learn.

Every year we bring performances that are “new to Arkansas” for our audiences, ranging from touring Broadway shows and concert artists of every genre to dance and cirque companies.

Some of the most diverse and accessible productions at Walton Arts Center are part of the 10x10 Arts Series. Tickets for these performances are deeply subsidized by grants and corporate sponsors, resulting in a ticket price of merely $10. Many of these performances also offer reduced-price matinee performances for area school children.

Walton Arts Center also brings diverse and accessible programs to Northwest Arkansas as an arts programming producer. Our original festivals include Artosphere: Arkansas’ Arts and Nature Festival, Voice Jam Acapella Festival and the Mosaix Festival.

Walton Arts Center is helping to ensure that the performing arts continue to be a vital part of life in our region. We look toward the future, now positioned to respond to the needs of one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country.

What to Expect at the Expanded AMP

The Walmart AMP, a Walton Arts Center venue, was recently expanded with new amenities for both patrons and artists. Patrons will be able to experience the expanded Walmart AMP in a fun, new capacity through the newly announced Saturday Cinema series and Happy Hour at the AMP. Read ahead to learn about the new spaces at the AMP that you’ll have the opportunity to preview through these events and more information about exciting backstage changes as well!

The most noticeable change is the expanded space at the top of the lawn, which includes the Choctaw Plaza, named for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts. This 12,300 square foot covered plaza space is home to an 80-foot bar and flexible seating area for concert viewing and event rentals.

Choctaw Plaza, named for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts

An 80-foot bar, flexible seating, and AMP Vision screens are the highlights of Choctaw Plaza.

Choctaw Plaza will be the primary location for Happy Hour at the AMP. The 80-foot bar and flexible seating area allows patrons to enjoy libations with their party while staying an appropriate distance from other guests (you can learn more about additional health and safety protocols here). Live music will also accompany each happy hour, with local bands performing on a stage distanced from those present.

Also at the top of the lawn are two uncovered areas flanking Choctaw Plaza featuring additional restrooms, Tyson concession stands and gathering spaces that will be used when full-scale concerts return. Below the new plaza spaces is an expanded Kraft Heinz Entrance with additional gates and shaded space which will be the entry point for Happy Hour at the AMP.

An expanded main entrance with more gates and shade for both patrons and workers will be the entry point for Saturday Cinema at the AMP. Between the Kraft Heinz Entrance and the main gate, the venue can now operate up to 12 gates at once during concert season, increasing traffic flow into and out of the venue. The main gate opens to the expanded entry plaza, which is double its original size at 19,500 square feet and includes new restrooms and a new Tyson concession stand.

The new Procter & Gamble Box Office has seven windows, up from four in the original.

Outside the main entrance is a new Procter & Gamble Box Office with seven service windows, expanded from four windows at the original box office. The original box office is still intact and located inside the venue on the main entry plaza where it will serve as an internal customer service point for seating upgrades, ticket purchases for upcoming concerts, special promotions and more.

Lighting fixtures made using cymbals were custom made by the WAC production team.

The backstage area features unique art with local ties. Using a piano donated by a local music teacher, AMP production manager J.C. Schroder created three one-of-a-kind wall hangings. The instrument’s hammers are the focus of the first piece, pictured below. The other two pieces feature the piano keys and the soundboard. In this same vein, the backstage dining room also features lighting fixtures made using cymbals created by the Walton Arts Center production team.

Updated artist amenities in the backstage area include four luxury dressing rooms with private bathrooms, an artist’s green room, a shower room for tour crew and a laundry facility. The updated catering kitchen can now serve the expanded dining room that seats 80, double the original capacity. The loading dock has also been expanded to accommodate six trucks instead of four, which allows faster load in and out for tours.

These additions to the AMP will create an elevated concert experience for both patron and artist alike when full-scale concerts return. Until then, we look forward to previewing some of the new amenities with Happy Hour at the AMP and Saturday Cinema

AMP production manager J.C. Schroeder created three custom art pieces using a piano donated by a local music teacher. This piece hangs in the artist’s green room and features the instrument’s keys.

Anti-Racism Resources from WAC's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Learning Subcommittee

Conversations about race in America have escalated this summer, including within the performing arts space. Walton Arts Center is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and to standing against racism in all forms. Recently, the WAC Board of Directors formalized a standing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) committee to complement the staff DEI committee that formed last year.  

The staff DEI committee takes an active role in educating committee members and staff about diversity topics to better inform WAC’s commitment to DEI on multiple levels—from staffing to programming to creating safe spaces and more. The DEI learning and resources subcommittee identifies educational materials on topics including race, for the committee to study.

Rachel Burkevich, programming specialist at WAC, leads the learning and resources subcommittee. Here, she shares five resources on race and racism that the DEI committee has studied and along with what she personally learned in each one. If you are a racial ally interested in learning more on the topics of race and racism, we recommend exploring Rachel’s picks:

Books

So You Want to Talk About Race – Ijeoma Oluo – If you have ever been frustrated when speaking to someone about racism because you were having trouble finding the right words and/or connecting with them, then this is the book for you. In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo takes the reader through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make honest conversations about race and racism possible, and break down how they are a part of almost every aspect of American life. This book has been an invaluable resource to me as I conduct thoughtful conversations with family, friends and others.

How to Be an Anti-Racist – Ibram X. Kendi – In How To Be An Anti-Racist, Ibram X. Kendi does an incredible job illustrating racism and racist behaviors by using stories from his own life growing up as a Black American where he is not always on the right side of racist behavior. Kendi explains that there is no such thing as “not racist” – one is either racist or anti-racist. “Not-racist” is a label but being anti-racist is an action and Kendi takes great care in distinguishing the two. This was an incredibly interesting read as I (a late ‘80s baby) was raised in a time when proclaiming you were “not a racist” and “didn’t see color” were considered progressive statements/ideas. This book helped to educate me on how those statements/ideas are misguided and do not serve to inspire growth and understanding.  

Articles

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack – Peggy McIntosh – In this article, Peggy McIntosh writes about what privilege looks like and how racist “invisible systems” have infiltrated and shaped the way America operates. These systems are what secure power and wealth for certain groups while simultaneously locking other groups into inability and poverty. Once we can recognize these “invisible systems” and understand what makes them racist, only then will we be able to address and change them to be more equitable. Now that these “invisible systems” have been revealed to me, I am able to spot and then interrupt them.

“Father and Son,” from Ruddy Roye’s “When Living in Protest” series

Walking While Black – Garnette Cadogan – In this article, Garnette Cadogan beautifully illustrates what it is like to just take a walk as a Black man in America. In order to survive walking, Cadogan must be constantly aware of his posture, gaze, disposition, clothing, gait, etc. Most people do not consider how something as simple and pedestrian as walking down the street can be a completely different experience for others. I think this article resonated so deeply with me is that I am a woman who has also walked down the street before. My experiences are in no way the same, but there are enough similarities that I was able to imagine how much worse these experiences are for a Black person.

Listen

How White Parents Can Talk To Their Kids About Race – Michel Martin – Talking to children about racism can be very difficult, but it is so important for parents to take time and care to facilitate thoughtful dialogue and also be ready to address things as they come up. Martin explains that parental silence on racism has helped to perpetuate confusion and apathy in white children. As a parent of two young white children, I know how intimidating these conversations can be. I had a hard time accepting that I would not always have the exact right answer and that it was ok because I could learn with my children. Once you push through that fear of being wrong, I believe you will find that children are much more understanding and thoughtful than we give them credit for.

The Ghost Light - An Apt Metaphor for Our Recovery Fund

When in full operation, sounds of music, laughter and life resound within Walton Arts Center. But when our stages are empty, a relic of a long-standing theatrical tradition lights the space.

There’s an old superstition in the performing arts community that theaters are prone to be haunted by ghosts. For example, it is rumored that Palace Theater on Broadway is home to over 100 spirits, including that of Judy Garland!

Theater professionals take superstition seriously (like saying “break a leg” to an actor who is about to take the stage), and the idea of theater spirits is no exception. It is thought that the belief in haunted theaters is what inspired the long-standing tradition of ghost lights.

Typically, a ghost light is a bare light bulb that is left on the stage when a theater closes for the night. Legend has it that the light is left on either to give the ghosts a chance to perform or to keep them from causing mischief. Even though its origins are supernatural, the ghost light continues to serve a practical purpose in modern theaters.

Performing arts stages typically have an orchestra pit at the end of the stage. This pit can be very deep and poses a danger to anyone on the stage if they get too close to the edge. When the lights go off at the end of the day, it is especially risky to be on the stage—that’s where the ghost light comes in.

The ghost light acts as a beacon for any person who finds themselves in a dark, empty theater. It lights the way for a safe return to the stage. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our theater is emptier than usual.

Walton Arts Center has been unable to host large-scale performances since March and our ghost light has been keeping the stage lit throughout our long intermission. We’ve also placed ghost lights in Walker Atrium, the Walmart Lobby and the Sudduth Garden Room as a reminder to our community that as Walton Arts Center faces an uncertain future, the true beacon of hope during this difficult time is you—the patron.

As we began canceling shows due to health and safety concerns surrounding COVID-19, many generous patrons chose to donate all or a portion of the cost of those tickets in lieu of a refund. As the concert season at the Walmart AMP (a Walton Art Center venue) was canceled, many members of Club AMP decided to donate the price of their membership to Walton Arts Center. These donors have become a symbolic ghost light for Walton Arts Center as their funds help us weather the storm. Their generosity inspired the Ghost Light Recovery Fund.

The loss of all large-scale performances at Walton Arts Center and the Walmart AMP until at least January 2021 has created a significant revenue shortfall for our nonprofit organization. Donations to the Ghost Light Recovery Fund will allow us to maintain our facilities, provide intermission programming (including virtual performances and educational content), retain our staff and offset lost revenue.

By donating to the Recovery Fund, you’ll help light the way for our return to the stage—just like a ghost light in a dark theater. Can you become a ghost light for Walton Arts Center?

Walton Arts Center Participates in Sprayetteville Street Art Festival

By Laura Goodwin, Vice President of Learning and Engagement

Walton Arts Center is participating in Northwest Arkansas’ newest festival, the Sprayetteville Street Art Festival. Eight festival murals by 11 artists are planned in and around the entertainment district of downtown Fayetteville on July 6-12th. The event was created by Loudy Bousman & Ranaga Farbiarz, founders of Shaman Art and owners of the American Shaman Kava Bar. A mural map is planned and available on the website: www.sprayettevillestreetart.com. Most murals are within walking or biking distance of downtown.

As an anchor arts organization, Walton Arts Center cherishes its role and history as a catalyst and incubator in Fayetteville’s emerging cultural corridor. We’re thrilled to continue our commitment to public art in partnership with Sprayetteville.

Artist Octavio Logo is creating the Walton Arts Center mural on the North wall of the Grubs building. He began painting on July 2 and will continue through the duration of the festival. His mural is called Harvesting the Winds of Change. The mural will communicate the importance of creativity in solving the challenges the world faces today. He says, “The changes we need for the present and future can only come from creative minds.” He believes that both science and art will be essential tools to change our world and lives.

Octavio’s Mural Begins to Take Shape

The north wall of Grub’s Bar and Grill is a prime mural location, and we’re excited to experience how it will activate the garden space next to it. Since 1992, Walton Arts Center has been charged with managing and maintaining the property that includes Grub’s. We’re confident that Octavio’s transformation of this space will stimulate reflection, inspire enjoyment and renew interest in the cultural corridor.

The mural is inspired by William Kamkwamba, from Malawi. The film William and the Windmill documents the story of William’s commitment to change life in his village by creating a clean energy source from cast-off and repurposed materials. The documentary was Grand Jury Award winner at the 2013 SXSW Festival. There’s also a children’s picture book about William.

Octavio states that, “Harvesting the Winds of Change is saying we can change if we seek creativity and community instead selfishness and mediocrity.”

Thank you, Octavio, for bringing your work to Walton Arts Center and the Sprayetteville Street Art Festival!

How Your Support of WAC Impacts Our Community

Walton Arts Center is a non-profit dedicated to providing impactful and educational arts experiences to Northwest Arkansas. When you become a Friend of Walton Arts Center, attend Art of Wine, Masquerade Ball or AMPfest, you are giving our staff the resources they need to do life-changing work in the community.

Former Learning and Engagement intern Rachel Dukes said, “I'm so thankful for the time I spent with the team and am so grateful for the mentorship and leadership I received during that phase of my life! Though my time spent at WAC was short, I'm realizing that the impact those months had on my life was immeasurable.”

That’s the goal of our Learning and Engagement team—to positively impact people’s lives. One way we do this is by partnering with local educators to provide arts learning experiences to students throughout the region.

“Learning has always been at the core of what Walton Arts Center does,”

— Laura Goodwin, Walton Arts Center's vice president for learning and engagement

We believe that all students should have access to formative arts experiences. That’s why we work with local schools to bring students into the theater, artists into the classrooms and empower their teachers to integrate art into their teaching to make lessons creative and interactive.

Experiencing Theater

The Colgate Classroom Series is one of the ways we provide opportunities for students. The series is designed to give students of all ages an opportunity to take an arts field trip to the theater. There are multiple performances to choose from each season including shows like Blue Man Group to educational shows like Digging up Arkansas that effectively teach students the history of Arkansas.

But it doesn’t stop there. Walton Arts Center’s Learning & Engagement team coordinates masterclasses and workshops for the Northwest Arkansas community throughout the year. That means dance students get to spend time with Broadway performers, vocal students get to learn from a cappella legends and the community gets to experience a yoga workshop from a master.

Arts Integration

Walton Arts Center also works with local educators to provide them with professional development opportunities. In 1991, nine partnership teams from Alaska to Arkansas to Massachusetts joined the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in efforts to increase students’ access to the arts through professional development for teachers. Walton Arts Center was among these founding partners. Twenty-seven years later, the non-profit arts organization is still working with teachers, helping them learn how to bring the arts into their classrooms through the Arts With Education Institute and the SmART Residency.

Community Impact

• Since 2001, more than 600,000 students and teachers have been served by our arts education programs

• More than 26,000 students from nearly 90 schools annually experience a live performance at Walton Arts Center as part of the Colgate Classroom Series 

• Each year, nearly 100 teachers and teaching artists learn to use the arts to teach core curriculum subjects like literacy, social studies and science. These exemplary educators brought the arts to more than 1,000 students, kindergarten through high school.

• More than 69,000 students in 75 Arkansas counties have learned about Arkansas History through the arts programs since 2013.

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You Can Help

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, our stages are currently on intermission. If you want to help us continue to do this important work once performances resume, please consider becoming a Friend of Walton Arts Center or by making a donation.

2020 Artosphere Photo Contest Winner Announced

Walton Arts Center’s Artosphere Festival has been connecting and bringing to life art, nature and sustainability in fun and exciting ways for the past 11 years. For the second Artosphere Photo Contest, Arkansas photographers were invited to submit photographs during March and April related to the “Beauty of Reuse.” These could include nature and landscape photos, images that depict environmental issues and other pictures that encourage people to be “green.”

Rebecca Drolen, assistant professor of photography at the University of Arkansas, judged the 30 images submitted from 11 photographers. All of the submissions were fantastic, but one stood out among the rest as the grand prize winner, and seven others were earned runners-up honors.

Grand Prize Winner

David Cagle is the grand prize winner of the 2020 Artosphere Festival photo contest with his “Milky Way Over Boxley.”

Cagle’s winning photograph “Milky Way Over Boxley Church”

Cagle’s winning photograph features a stunning view of the starry night sky over a striking white chapel in Boxley Valley. His expert technique made details of the Milky Way visible that typically cannot be seen by the naked eye.

Cagle has been taking photos for 14 years. He started because he was looking for a hobby that would motivate him to get out and enjoy nature, and his favorite subject to photograph is waterfalls.

“I like to photograph waterfalls mainly because I enjoy being in the presence of the waterfall and listening to the water,” he said.

“This scene is a majestic and beautiful reminder of how we exist within much larger ecological systems that we must contribute to upholding,” Drolen said. “To see our land as ordinary or a simple backdrop that we control would be short-sighted. And if you are looking for it, sometimes the sky will open up to reveal the extraordinary.”

Runners-up

Drolen also recognized runners-up for their representations of the awe-inspiring and complex relationship that humans have with nature. David Orr’s submissions “Riparian Stick Serpent Right Cranial” stood out among the runners-up for his use of the forest as a site of creation.

David Orr Riparian: Stick Serpent Right Cranial

For his entry, Orr photographed his land art Riparian Stick Serpent. The piece consists of vines and limbs cut and groomed over three months complied into an 80-foot stick serpent occupying space near a river in west Arkansas. The project sustained old-growth oaks, removed invasive non-native trees and shrubs and opened up areas that may benefit southern flying squirrels.

“I enjoy finding the story in a composition, whether told by a spring ephemeral or a monumental waterfall,” said Orr, a long-time photographer who has focused on his craft in retirement and interprets nature through photos.

Sandosh Kumar Ponnusamy: Caught Snake In Bamboo Tree

Ponnusamy has been taking photos for about nine years and took this photo in southern India. He said his favorite thing about photography is going outside and feeding his thirst for nature photography. “You don’t need to look far to find a beautiful scene or book a studio and a model to take photos; just go outside and start clicking that shutter,” he said.

LaDonna Harvey: Blossoms Up Close

Harvey took this photo in the Botanical Gardens of St. Louis. Harvey fell in love with photography in 2013, but says she was interested in it years before then. “I first became interested in photography when my family was young and family photos became expensive but still very much wanted. I started posing my family and sons for photos including building backgrounds and settings,” she said.

Kate Friesen: Natural Captivation

“When I pick up a camera, I hope to capture something inspiring and memorable. I don’t make it a goal because I don’t want to look for something inspirational, I let it find me. It’s moments when you round a corner of a building or the bend in the road and a moment, a view, a subject catches your eye and makes you stop. That’s when my camera is called upon. This particular photo was taken in a moment of speechlessness during a journey through several state and national parks. In a clearing between the base of two mountains, after carefully maneuvering traffic through winding roads, was a moment of vast peace and captivation.”

— Kate Friesen

Mike Bolding: Osprey Surfing A Barracuda

Bolding captured this photo outside of his hotel room in the Gulf Shores. He notes that it looks like the bird is actually riding the fish in this image. Bolding’s love for photography was born out of his time up in tree stands. “In addition to all the mammals, I saw owls, hawks and bird I'd never seen before up close, so I started bringing my camera with me and got some really good shots of birds.” Photographing and identifying birds has become his main focus as a photographer.

Shelby Vaught: Scenic Route

Shelby Vaught is a documentary photographer who is interested in the issues of emotional, mental and physical connectivity as complex systems of navigating our society. Inspired by vulnerability, she uses her surroundings to emphasize the relationship between oneself and their environment. Vaught got her first camera when she was 12-year-old and has been capturing “sweet little moments of life” that she says never last long enough ever since. “Photography became the solution by forever capturing these beautiful scenes and allowing me to share these instances long after they were over,” she explained.

Maurice Konkle: Examined Sky

Konkle has been taking photos seriously for over 40 years, working mainly in black and white in his earlier days. Many of his photos feature the sky prominently. “I don’t see the sky as a subject'; I think of it as the atmosphere enveloping humans and human-made things,” he said. Konkle is interested in how the things humans make fit themselves into the sky, whether gracefully, intrusively, or magically. 

How to Celebrate Artosphere

While Artosphere’s in-person performances were canceled due to COVID-19, you can still celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Artosphere Festival Orchestra Saturday, May 23 on heARTs to homes. This weekly webcast produced by Walton Arts Center airs at 6 pm every Saturday on Walton Arts Center’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Episodes are available for 48 hours after they air.

Artosphere 2020 is sponsored by Walmart, Tyson Foods, Visit Bentonville and Experience Fayetteville. Support for Trail Mix provided by Bank of America and Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield. Support for Dover Quartet and Maestro Corrado Rovaris provided by Mary Ann & Reed Greenwood.

Experience My Fair Lady As Never Before

My Fair Lady tells the classic story of an unlikely relationship between linguistics expert Henry Higgins and working-class florist Eliza Doolittle as he attempts to pass her off as a member of high-society by ridding her of her brash cockney accent.

Based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play Pygmalion, the musical My Fair Lady first graced Broadway in 1956 starring Julie Andrews. Now, decades later, the show is coming to Northwest Arkansas with an elaborate set, classic tunes, lush costumes and an updated ending that empowers women.

See the Detailed Set Up Close

The set of the 2018 revival was considered to be one of the most ambitious sets on Broadway during its time there. Set designer Michael Yeargan said that My Fair Lady was the first musical he saw as a child. He told Playbill, “I was completely enthralled and fascinated; I thought it was the greatest magic trick I had ever seen in my life.” Yeargan captured these feelings and more in his elaborate sets for My Fair Lady. Watch the video below to see Harry Hadden-Paton—who played Henry Higgins in the 2018 Broadway cast—give a tour of the set of the office of his character.

Listen to the Classic Tunes from the Show

My Fair Lady features iconic songs including “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “On the Street Where You Live.” If you liked these musical numbers from the 1964 film starring Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn, you will love hearing them live. You can listen to the 2018 cast recording on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Prime Music.

Take a Look at the Stunning Costumes from the Show

Tony-nominated costumer designer Catherine Zuber created the costumes for My Fair Lady. She told Playbill that it was a challenge to bring a fresh perspective to the design while still honoring the expectations of the audience from prior versions of the show. Take a look at some of her gorgeous designs that you can see during the production’s engagement at Walton Arts Center

My Fair Lady Revival Gives Eliza Doolittle an Empowering New Ending

In light of the #MeToo movement, My Fair Lady was given a new ending that gives more dignity to Eliza Doolittle. The ending recalls how the author of the original play Pygmalion intended for the show to close. Fans of the story will be pleasantly surprised to see this update in the story when they see My Fair Lady this fall at Walton Arts Center.

Get the best seats at the best price with a subscription!

2020/21 P&G Broadway Series subscriptions start as low as $278! Plus, subscribers who renew for the 2021/22 season will be first in line for their seats to the Northwest Arkansas premiere of Hamilton in 2022.

SUBSCRIBE HERE

WAC Employee Spotlight: William Penny

At Walton Arts Center, we have a robust community of volunteers who enjoy using their time and talents to support the arts in our community. Some of them are so invested in our mission that they end up becoming employees! William Penny is one of those passionate people.

In high school, William applied for and was accepted to the Youth Volunteer Corps program. This program allows students to work with Walton Arts Center staff and gain experience in different aspects of the performing arts. For William, it was working behind the curtain with the crew.

After his first experience shadowing the crew of a show, William fell in love with working behind the scenes of a theater.

“I first got into theater because I wanted to be an actor, but I quickly realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do,” he said. William became interested in what the crew did and how they made their unseen impression on the audience. “You may see four actors on stage, but there may be 20 people back in the wings making the show happen.”

William saw a future for himself at Walton Arts Center, so he applied for the local crew at 16. But, he found out that he had to be 18 to join the team. However, this did not discourage him. William continued to invest his time and talents at various arts organizations in NWA. And, two years later on his 18th birthday, he applied to the local crew again and became a Walton Arts Center employee.

William’s favorite part of working on the local crew is the dynamic of the team. “We can come in and do a job, but we also have fun while doing it because we all enjoy each other’s company.”

One of William’s favorite memories was working backstage on Blue Man Group’s new North American tour. This was a unique opportunity because the show was built and launched at Walton Arts Center. “It was just amazing seeing a touring show go from loading in set pieces from all over the country to something that was in touring shape that could go anywhere and everywhere.”

Another memorable moment for William was getting to see The Play That Goes Wrong from the other side of the curtain. “It was really cool after working backstage for seven years getting to see the show from a different perspective, especially with the knowledge I have of what goes on backstage.”

This April, William is celebrating his third anniversary at Walton Arts Center.

WAC Celebrates International Jazz Day

April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and April 30th is International Jazz Day! Jazz Appreciation Month (fondly known as "JAM") was created by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2001 to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz for the entire month of April. And although jazz celebrations may look different this year, lovers of the genre are finding ways to observe JAM digitally.

In November 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe. Legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock serves as a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The Institute is the lead nonprofit organization charged with planning, promoting and producing this annual celebration.

"Jazz has the power to make men forget their differences and come together… Jazz is the personification of transforming overwhelmingly negative circumstances into freedom, friendship, hope, and dignity,” said jazz legend Quincy Jones.

This year, JAM celebrates the dynamic impact of the often-overlooked contributions that women have made to jazz, both on and off the stage. As performers and conductors, educators, producers and directors of jazz festivals, women have made their mark but have continued to struggle for recognition on par with their male counterparts. You can find out more at the JAM website.

Cape Town, South Africa was designated the Global Host City for International Jazz Day 2020, but due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, International Jazz Day celebrations in Cape Town will not take place as scheduled. Nevertheless, International Jazz Day will be celebrated on April 30 online. Resources, information and ideas on how to mark International Jazz Day can be found on jazzday.com, a website where jazz lovers and practitioners are invited to post their videos and audio recordings.

In Northwest Arkansas, jazz is alive and well even in the middle of a pandemic, and has shifted to the virtual world. If you are a jazz aficionado or interested in learning more about the American contribution to world culture, check out the following resources:

The Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society (NAJS)

NAJS is a non-profit that was founded in 1992. Their mission is “to present, preserve, promote and celebrate the great American art form known as jazz through education, concert presentation and artist promotion.”

The NAJS is a membership organization that has been a community leader in presenting world-class jazz performers in a variety of venues in Northwest Arkansas. The NAJS provides an email service called “JAZZ EVENTS” so you can stay informed on jazz happenings in our region, the KUAF Summer Jazz Concert Series and the NW Arkansas Jazz All-Star Youth Ensemble. Find more information on their website.

KUAF Radio

KUAF is a National Public Radio affiliate featuring NPR news, classical music, jazz, folk, blues and other public radio programs. KUAF 2 features classical music 24 hours a day and KUAF 3 airs jazz around the clock.

Shades of Jazz

Walton Arts Center’s jazz coordinator Robert Ginsburg has been producing KUAF's jazz program, Shades of Jazz, since 1980. The program focuses on a blend of contemporary and classic jazz recordings (from Armstrong to Zawinul and Adderly to Zorn) with features that include new releases, interviews with touring artists, in-studio performances and guest hosts from our region. Listen to the program on 91.3 FM Fridays at 10 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m on KUAF 3.

The Jazz Scoop

The Jazz Scoop is a two-hour radio program that features a blend of iconic jazz artists and little-discovered musicians from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and beyond. On this show, you will hear Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and modern artists like Donny McCaslin and Maria Schneider. Host Rob Wells brings vintage vinyl recordings and new releases from local and regional musicians. You can listen on 91.3 FM on Sundays at 11 a.m. on KUAF 3.

Community Music School

An outreach program of the University of Arkansas Music Department, a division of the William J. Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the Community Music School offers high quality, year-round, individual and group music instruction for students of all ages and ability levels. Their programs include NWA Youth Jazz Workshop, NWA Adult Jazz Workshop and the Fayetteville Jazz Festival. Find more information on their website.

Walton Arts Center 

Walton Arts Center has been on the front line of jazz music programming for the past 28 years. From Herbie Hancock to Diana Krall, Walton Arts Center has hosted the brightest stars of Jazz with the Starrlight Jazz Series. Walton Arts Center also partners with the NWAJS to help high schoolers learn about jazz music from working musicians with the NWA Jazz All-Stars.

Come From Away: A Story of Hope, Heroes and Healing

Anyone old enough to remember can tell you where they were on Sept. 11, 2001. On that day, America changed forever. In the the aftermath of the tragedy, American airways were shut down and planes were grounded across the country. Come From Away tells the inspiring true story of how a small town in Newfoundland that doubled in population as they welcomed 7,000 stranded passengers in the aftermath of 9/11.

Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night and gratitude grew into enduring friendships as passengers and townspeople alike were coping in the days after 9/11. During one of the worst times, this show tells the uplifting story about how people came together and cared for each other.

How the Musical Came to be

Husband and wife duo David Hein and Irene Sankoff wrote the heart-warming script, music and lyrics for Come From Away after they traveled to Gander, Newfoundland. They spent countless hours interviewing the residents who welcomed the thousands of “plane people” that flooded the town unexpectedly after 9/11. Watch them explain how they managed to tell the stories of 16,000 people in just 100 minutes with 12 actors!

Meet the Real Residents of Gander

The real residents of Gander are the soul of Come From Away, and their involvement with the show didn’t end after they were first interviewed. The original Broadway cast had the opportunity to meet the people their characters were based on. This rare opportunity allowed the performers to get to know their roles in a more intimate way. The video below introduces you to just a few of the people behind the lovable characters from the musical.

Captain Beverley Bass

Beverley Bass is used to having her career in the spotlight. Before she was forced to land her plane in Newfoundland on 9/11, she had already made her mark in 1976 as the first female captain of an American Airlines commercial plane. A decade later, she made history as the captain of the first all-female flight crew. Tony-nominated actress Jenn Colella worked with Beverley Bass to showcase her story as authentically as possible.

Come From Away reminds audiences that in the face of great tragedy and hardship, humanity can come together and support one another. This touching show is sure to leave a lasting impact on all who witness its compelling stories and soaring choruses. Come From Away will be landing at Walton Arts Center May 11-16, 2021. 2020/21 season subscriptions are available now and individual tickets will go on sale at the end of the summer.

Get the best seats at the best price with a subscription

2020/21 P&G Broadway Series subscriptions start as low as $278! Plus, subscribers who renew for the 2021/22 season will be first in line for their seats to the premiere Fayetteville engagement of Hamilton in 2022.

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

Before Hamilton and In the Heights, there was Freestyle Love Supreme

In 2015, the world fell in love with Lin-Manuel Miranda in Hamilton. But, before he was spitting verses about early U.S. history, he was riffing in Freestyle Love Supreme.

This improv-musical-hybrid was created 15 years ago by a team of incredible talents including Thomas Kail and Lin-Manuel Miranda. With 4 Tony Awards® between them, the writing and directing duo behind other Broadway successes like Hamilton and In the Heights broke the rules of theater to create a show like no other.

Freestyle Love Supreme is not a traditional musical that follows the same script each night as actors and actresses sing songs they’ve sung countless times before. Instead, every performance is unique as performers take suggestions from the audience to create impromptu scenes and full-blown musical numbers.

In an interview with Playbill, Miranda said, “What’s amazing is that this is the only thing I do that I feel more energy when I've done it than when I started. It feeds In the Heights, it feeds Hamilton because it’s the only show that sharpens my tools for the other thing. So that fact that we get to just do this, you bring the ingredients and we make this meal, is incredible.”

Like it inspires the writer and composer of the show, the live improvised format of Freestyle Love Supreme is guaranteed to inspire audiences as they participate in the creation of the performance. It invites patrons to see behind the curtain and witness a show develop live right in front of their eyes. It demands that viewers engage in a performance in a way they never have before.

Freestyle Love Supreme is fresh off of a limited Broadway engagement and headed to Northwest Arkansas! This is a unique Broadway experience like no other and is a must-see part of the 2020/21 P&G Broadway series.

Get the best seats at the best price with a subscription

2020/21 Broadway Season Subscriptions start as low as $278! Plus, subscribers who renew for the 2021/22 season will be first in line for the premiere Fayetteville engagement of Hamilton in early 2022.

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

Teaching Arkansas History Through Theater

At Walton Arts Center, our mission is to engage our community through inspiring arts programming. One way we pursue this goal is by promoting arts opportunities in schools across the state.

When talking with educators throughout the region, Walton Arts Center staff noticed a common thread; students were not engaging with Arkansas history. When our education team heard about this problem, they knew that the arts could help bridge the gap. So, they enlisted the expertise of Arkansas playwright Mike Thomas and Trike Theater to create Digging up Arkansas, an original play designed to teach Arkansas history to students in a new and exciting way.

Through music and interactive theater experiences, the play brings Arkansas history to life right in front of students’ eyes. The show takes distant concepts and facts and transforms them into a tangible experience that students can latch onto and learn from.

“As a non-profit, the revenue from our ticket sales, along with support from Friends of Walton Arts Center, donors and sponsors go to support educational programming that ensures the arts remain an essential part of the lives of students, teachers and families. ”

The show had its first performance in 2009 and has since been performed in each of Arkansas’ 75 counties in front of 30,000 third through fifth-grade students. From experience, we knew the show was a success because the kids loved it. However, we wanted to measure just how effective it was in meeting educational goals.

With help from professors at the University of Missouri and Texas A&M, Walton Arts Center researched how students benefited from watching Digging Up Arkansas. The published study proves what we already knew to be true - the arts can be an effective tool for engaging students and addressing their unique learning needs.

The study showed that those who had seen Digging Up Arkansas demonstrated an increase in historical context knowledge, historical empathy, interest in live theater and interest in learning history. The study also found that while increasing interest in history and theater, the show also effectively delivered the content from the state’s curriculum standards.

 “These findings demonstrate that partnerships between schools and arts organizations can offer students remarkable benefits. Cultural institutions like Walton Arts Center, teaching artists and arts integration specialists can improve students’ education with experiences that schools struggle to provide on their own,” said Lauren Goodwin, vice president for learning and engagement at Walton Arts Center.

Digging Up Arkansas engaged all students who saw it, but it had an extra impact on minority students who benefited more in terms of an increased interest in arts and history. Prior studies found that historically under-served groups are less likely to be exposed to enriching arts experiences. Partnerships with performing arts organizations like Walton Arts Center are crucial to exposing students to experiences like Digging Up Arkansas. Without arts opportunities in the classroom, many students would never get to experience the benefits and joy of seeing live performing arts.

Studies show that in recent years, schools have seen a decreased emphasis on arts and humanities curriculum. As a part of our mission, Walton Arts Center stands in that gap to provide life-changing arts experiences to students.

If you want to help us do this important work, please consider becoming a Friend of Walton Arts Center or making a one-time donation.

2020/21 Broadway Season Brings Six Can't-Miss Shows to NWA

Walton Arts Center is your home for the best of Broadway, and with the 2020/21 P&G Broadway Series, the hits just keep coming. This season features six fantastic shows that will help us explore and celebrate what it means to be our authentic selves. Audiences have the opportunity to see five shows make their Arkansas debut, and one show that is on a limited tour to select cities!

My Fair Lady

Sept. 15-20, 2020

The season starts with a classic tale that takes on new meaning in light of the #metoo movement. When linguistics expert Henry Higgins hears the brash, cockney voice of a local flower girl, he makes a bet that he can turn her into a “proper lady.” But, he will realize that he has more to learn than she does in My Fair Lady.

Boasting classic songs like “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “On the Street Where You Live,” audiences will get to experience the tumultuous story of Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins like never before.

Mean Girls

Nov. 3-8, 2020

Mean Girls comes next, and this Arkansas premiere is straight from Broadway and totally fetch. Cady Heron grew up with lions and tigers on an African Savanna, but nothing could prepare her for her next adventure - American high school. With the help of her new friends, Cady tries to climb the social food chain in an attempt to dethrone Regina George. But, she soon learns that you can’t cross the queen bee without getting stung.

From creative geniuses like director Casey Nicholaw (Aladdin, The Book of Mormon), composer Jeff Richmond (“30 Rock,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and book writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock,” Bossypants), this show is a must-see!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Dec. 15-20, 2020

Northwest Arkansas is the lucky winner of a golden ticket, which means you can see the Arkansas premiere of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This version of the childhood-favorite story by Roald Dahl features iconic songs from the film including Pure Imagination, The Candy Man and I’ve Got a Golden Ticket.

Join Charlie Bucket as his bland life takes a sweet turn for the better when he gets to experience the wonders of Wonka like never before. Get ready for Oompa-Loompas, magic chewing gum, the great glass elevator and more, more, more!

An Officer and a Gentleman

March 9-14, 2021

Northwest Arkansas audiences will be among the first to see this new musical on its way to Broadway. Based on the Oscar®-winning film starring Richard Gere, An Officer and a Gentleman tells a timeless story of romance and courage.

When he rolled into U.S. Navy pilot boot camp, Zack Mayo’s over-confidence quickly became a problem for his drill sergeant who was determined to drill his arrogance out of him. Zack seeks comfort in the arms of a local factory girl, but it takes a tragedy that befalls his fellow candidate for him to learn the importance of love and friendship.

Come From Away

May 11-16, 2021

After the tragic events of 9/11, the U.S. airways were closed and planes were grounded. The Arkansas premiere of Come From Away takes audiences to the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small Newfoundland town that welcomed them.

Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships as passengers and townspeople alike were coping in the days after 9/11. During one of the worst times, this tells the uplifting story about how people came together and cared for each other.

Freestyle Love Supreme

June 1-6, 2021

Before Hamilton and In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda was riffing in Freestyle Love Supreme. See this show for the first time every time as the cast takes suggestions from the audience and performs full-length, improvised musical numbers. The show is on a limited tour to select cities, and Northwest Arkansas is one of the lucky few! You do not want to miss out on this unique opportunity!

Get the best seats at the best price with a subscription

2020/21 Broadway Season Subscriptions start as low as $278! Plus, subscribers who renew for the 2021-22 season can guarantee their tickets for the premiere Fayetteville engagement of Hamilton in 2022.

SUBSCRIBE HERE!