Kyle's back on stage....

Alice cast hops into the rabbit hole with talent, Tennyson, a bit of 'silly'

BY ERIC E. HARRISON
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Writer-director Alan Keith Smith is astounded by the level of talent that showed up to audition for the Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre production of Alice in Wonderland.

"I'm just overwhelmed," he says. "Of course, you can't use everybody, but boy did I want to."

Smith says the talent starts at the top with young Sarah Clagett, who will make her Children's Theatre debut in the title role when the show, which Smith is directing, opens Thursday at the Arts Center in Little Rock's MacArthur Park. The show runs through Dec. 19.

And knowing what he had to work with helped color his script, he adds.

"It's an adaptation of an adaptation that we last did, right around 10 years ago," Smith explains. To Lewis Carroll's classic children's tale he has also added characters and elements from Carroll's companion volume, Alice Through the Looking Glass.

"But it draws from more than that," he says. "A lot of the songs and poems that Carroll used were adaptations or parodies of existing works, including, in Alice Through the Looking Glass, [Alfred, Lord] Tennyson's poem 'Come Into the Garden.' We actually use some of Tennyson's words" for a scene, from Looking Glass, in the Garden of Live Flowers.

Smith cast Melissa Riggins as Tiger Lily, Cari Hunter as Red Rose and Sarah Richardson as White Rose - as flower guides for Alice on her journey through a fantasy land. "We also have lots of Daisies," the director adds, played by Margaret Mc-Murray, Lyndal Steiner, Taryn Thompson and Mary Margaret Donovan.

Alice also meets the usual Wonderland and Looking Glass characters, including Jackson Stewart as the White Rabbit, Thomas Hankins as the Caterpillar, Kyle Lovett as the Cook, Randee as the Duchess, John Isner as the White Knight, Jeremiah Smith as the March Hare, Josh Rice as the Mad Hatter, A.J. Spiridigliozzi as Tweedledee, Gabey Smoller as Tweedledum, Don Rush as the Queen of Hearts; Samantha Davis as the King of Hearts and Justen Balay as the Knave of Hearts.

Smith says the "nontraditional" casting of the Hearts royal family, and also the creation of characters like the 11 of Spades (Stewart Fullerton; Indigo Anderson-Moore Faith Hurtado-Vasquez and Briana Ailene Hill help fill out the deck of cards) is all in the spirit of fun.

"The whole story, the whole play, is about having fun and being silly," he says. "It's full of humor, slapstick and otherwise."

THEATER
Alice in Wonderland
7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
through Dec. 19
Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre
Arkansas Arts Center
MacArthur Park, 10th and Commerce Streets, Little Rock

Sponsors:
Blake, Seth and Anna Grace Middleton; Target Stores

Web site:
www.arkarts.com

Tickets: $14, $12 senior citizens; Arts Center members receive a discount
(501) 372-4000; (800) 264-2787

This story was published Sunday, November 28, 2004

Another guitar alien....

Kaki King is an acoustic guitar explorer whose style recalls our good friend Richard Johnson's. And what a delightful young woman Kaki is.

Life is good....

OMAR2
Originally uploaded by htsmatt.

Here's acupunk, holding on for dear life, and some friends including Omar the Pieman. [That's a good Thanksgiving link, with a recipe for Omar's sweet potato pie as well as a little of his story.]

Life is indeed good. I was with great friends and great art at Gallery 26 for the holiday show opening tonight; wish it were online too. Then on to Cajun's Wharf for Norte de Havana; these guys will absolutely move you around. Rob G plays a mean tres. Ah, the life of a bigtime label exec....

PUSH

What's wrong with health care for every child?

_______


Welcome acupunk.

Told you so....

bono
Originally uploaded by htsmatt.

They say Bono (and his edge-wise compadre) belted it out very well at the Clinton Library dedication. Gotta admire a guy who won't be slowed down by the rain.

Many thanks to Gael S. for the picture.

M.

Live music/art report

ho-hum staged an excellent show last night at Juanita's. No A-list celebs on hand (that I know of, but hell I wouldn't recognize 'em anyway), but the boys from Bradley and their cohorts clearly have been working hard honing their chops. The set list included songs from most every ho-hum cd all the way back to and including 'Local'. I had to leave at 12:07 am, when Lenny was telling the still-substantial crowd, 'OK, but only two more.'

M.

PS: Apologies for the second sentence above to Kevin Kresse, John Kushmaul and Baxter Knowlton, all of whom were in attendance and are definitely A(art)-list guys. I believe Gallery 26's holiday show opening party is Saturday night (November 20) from 7 to 10. I'm about 99% sure Kevin and John have pieces in the show; not sure about Baxter, but I'm hoping.... Rita Henry has photographs in too. Once again not sure about Kevin Kerby's tangible art, but he is providing the music I believe.

I stole this from the Arkansas Times site:

"Feeling salsa? Norte de Havana, which blends Afro-Cuban funk, jazz and a spicy south of the border style, performs two nights at Cajun’s Wharf Friday and Saturday, Nov. 19-20. Joe Cripps and Greg Beck, former members of Brave Combo, provide the percussion, and the group has a full lineup with several vocalists, horns, guitars and more. Robert Gomez (of Rob G and the LPs), who plays the tres (a Cuban guitar), and trombonist David Pierce created the group three years ago. The rest of the band lineup is Ross Shodek (bass), Mark Hereth and Eric Gierroro (on trumpets) and Eugene LeBeaux (on the trombone). Pierce serves as musical director and arranger. The Dallas Observer deemed the band the “hottest new thing to listen to in the area,” and, noted for its high energy, Norte de Havana has been nominated in both the Dallas and Fort Worth music scene for various awards. Gomez has recorded with Norah Jones and Turkish music star Omar Faruk. Pierce has worked with several symphonies.The music starts around 8:30 p.m. both nights, and the cover is $5."

Joe Cripps

fideljoe
Originally uploaded by htsmatt.

Yeah, this is the guy (on the right)....

Party like a former President

111804a
Originally uploaded by htsmatt.

The Clinton Library opens here in Little Rock November 18, 2004. President Bush and every former President are supposed to be there. And Bono. I'm guessing bigshot/celebrity overload and gridlock.

So it ought to be interesting going downtown to catch Ho-Hum and their CD release party at Juanita's. No telling who you'll see. Or which law enforcement agency might be watching you watching her/him....

Where am I?

111804b
Originally uploaded by htsmatt.

An easy drive from the library....

Better yet, walk.

Scott Diffee: presidential tattoo guy?

diffee
Originally uploaded by htsmatt.

I ran into Scott Diffee of Go Fast, not to mention The Parlor, downtown tonight at the free show before the fireworks before the Clinton library opening. [NMA rocked the house as always.]

Scott says GF is touring and releasing a new CD very shortly. Check 'em out if you dare when they rock down YOUR town!

PS: This photo isn't from tonight, or even this year....