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Disaster…at the Lyric! — How the ‘next act’ goes…is up to you!

As if 2020 weren’t enough…

May 24, 2021

Dear Friend of the Lyric and of the Arts,

We began a letter to you…

It’s been a rough year, we know. We know it so well from how our own families and friends have had to struggle. From the moment Albert Cummings canceled his tour and we had to begin canceling or postponing theatre productions, we committed to getting through 2020 without adding to your own family’s or business’s struggles. The Arts are meant to enrich us, not to impoverish us. Through creative cost reductions, a couple of key grants, and so strictly complying with the Arkansas Department of Health guidelines as to maximize the earnings from the limited number of shows we could do, we are pleased to say that if the mandates ended tomorrow, we could open our doors by the weekend.

Water Damage, Initial Assessment
Our ceiling isn’t sealing anymore

…but then disaster struck…and we’ve had to take a deep look at things before completing our letter.

The disaster was a literal one: a burst pipe above the ladies’ restroom while we were shut down was only discovered when our friends at the Harrison Daily Times saw water flowing out of the box office wall onto the side­walk. Our immediate assess­ment—“the ceiling’s going to have to be repaired and we have a mess to clean up”—became more dire as our insurance called on MitiServe to keep us from having a future mold issue, etc. Not only the ceiling, but the floor and the walls had to be removed…not only throughout that restroom, but some in the men’s room, too. We guess it’s a good thing that the concert we had scheduled for late April had already canceled due to ongoing Covid concerns, as we’re still working on repairs.

Drying under the restroom floor
Let all the fans of Kevin Cronin say: “I believe it’s time for me to dry-y-y-y-y…It’s time for me to dry.”

While our original draft continued with, “we still will have several months to get through before any semblance of normalcy returns,” though, we are happy to say that those months are getting quickly behind us and the Lyric should soon be ‘physically’ ready to reopen. There is another concern, though, that is slowing that reopening down: as one might expect, insurance doesn’t cover everything we need to do, and our disaster has uncovered some other work that would really best be done now, rather than in the future when what is now exposed would have to be uncovered again at additional cost.

Thus, the fact is, while we were able to make it through the past year without asking you to renew your OAC membership with a donation, a continuing lack of events and now this repair work has really put us in a bind. After having worked down the mortgage and wiped out our other operational debt over the past five years, we really need your help to reopen and to keep moving ahead.

We have a phenomenal season planned for 2021-2022, from bringing the joy that was The Carol Burnett Show back to life on the Lyric stage to a series of comedies and musicals—as well as a couple favorite dramas, one in a world premiere new adaptation!—to the long-anticipated return of Albert Cummings and a growing list of other concerts and events (including the return of movie nights!). All we need is your help to bring about the completion of these repairs and additions and to get the ball rolling with restocking, paying for licensing, and so on.

Let’s simplify that last paragraph a little: all we need is you.

Regressing stools
“Quo vadis?” Forward, ever forward!

Just like the Lyric was saved from the wrecking ball in the 90s and built back into a functioning venue in the next decade by the involvement of our community, we believe that with your help we can not only overcome the pandemic shutdown and the damage of this winter, but move forward in bringing the Arts to greater prominence in our area for the enrichment of the lives of all. Please join the OAC as a member for the 21–22 Season as soon as you can, so we can continue to move forward in serving you.

Thank you for your continued devotion to enriching our community through the Arts!

OAC Ticketing Link

Laugh…at the Lyric! Featuring Comedian Sam Adams! — Thursday, November 19, 2020 at 7:00 — #LiveAtTheLyric!

Comedian (and Hall of Fame Sportswriter) Sam Adams Invites you to
Laugh at the Lyric!
Thursday, November 19 at 7:00PM

Join us on November 19 at 7:00pm, for a great time with Sam Adams! Sam is an acclaimed sports journalist, who is able to be both funny and serious in a way that draws you in, making him in great demand as a motivational speaker, as well. Unlike some entertainers who are inclined to ‘coast’, Sam is both fearless and a student of places to which he travels to entertain—even becoming a dedicated fan of Harrison Golden Goblin Football before his first trip to the Lyric! Now, he has heard of how this year’s pandemic has harmed our theater and is coming to provide us all with some time to laugh and to raise some funding to keep the Lyric alive.

That’s the kind of guy Sam is: his humor comes from caring and his performances are hilarious precisely because of his deftly touching on things that everyone can relate to, in a way that doesn’t just entertain, but helps you see ‘the funny’ in things, so that the show goes on long after he has left the stage and you have left the theater. That’s why his comedy has resonated so well at the Lyric, where we are not typically bombarded with entertainers to distract us from life, but enjoy concerts, plays, and the like that involve a lifestyle and help us get more out of life. That is to say, the comedy of Sam Adams ‘fits’ an organization that has as its goal the enriching of lives through making the Arts available to all—his comedy shows him to be what his listing with the Denver Speakers’ Bureau says: a true Renaissance Man.

Brought to You By…

About Sam Adams

On the pages and the stages, Sam Adams always tells a story. They are shared often when he performs an energetic, hilarious brand of comedy that is 100-percent profanity-free.

Sam is the only dual prize winner in the history of the Great American Comedy Festival. It happened in 2009, just four months after his newspaper employer of 13 years abruptly went out of business. Sam won the festival’s amateur competition, and when asked to compete with the professionals, he placed second — giving him an impetus to pursue a professional career in stand-up comedy at age 49.

During the summer of 2018, the “True Color” video clip from Sam’s Dry Bar Comedy special (titled ‘Incoherently True’) went viral, with more than 10 million Facebook views in less than 72 hours. Since then, the “True Color” video clip has amassed more than 32 million Facebook views, and the overall social media views from all of Sam’s Dry Bar Comedy clips for one year have surpassed 41 million.

Sam has received a befitting label of ‘Renaissance Man.’ Prior to his established career in entertainment, Sam spent three decades as an award-winning newspaper sports journalist. In October 2019 he was honored by the prestigious Denver Press Club with induction to its Hall of Fame. Sam is the first African-American sports journalist to be inducted, and only the fifth African-American journalist inducted in the club’s 153-year history.

Sam's Book Cover
Sam’s book is a great read that moves from ‘sports’ to ‘more’.

In 2003 Sam’s media peers elected him Colorado’s Print Journalist of the Year. His experiences as a sports journalist for major daily newspapers in the U.S. began with the Denver Post in 1986, included a stint with the Charlotte Observer (1995-96) and finished with 13 years at the Rocky Mountain News. His coverage for many of the world’s most popular sporting events (from Super Bowls to Olympiads) helped Sam gain perspective for his book titled, If You Don’t Believe Me: Lessons Learned from Listening To The Greats (released in April 2013.) In the book, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway offers the following tribute to Sam…“Through the ups and downs of an NFL career, I developed great trust, respect, and appreciation for him. Blending an uncanny ability to mix humor with keen insight and knowledge, Sam is a one-of-a-kind storyteller.”

Sam’s motivational keynote presentation is titled ‘Going Up: Taking Steps To Elevate Your Levels Of Success.’ The keynote offers riveting stories and intriguing references from his personal and professional odysseys. The audience will gain insightful and humorous tips for success gleaned from Sam’s numerous encounters with an A-List of stars — from professional sports Hall of Famers to world-renown, award-winning entertainers.

Comedian. Storyteller. Journalist. Speaker. Commercial actor.

Count on Sam Adams to live up to the professional quality of entertainment he promises to give audiences of all ages.

There were two stars on the night…….Host Sam Adams….not the beer guy…..who was hysterical in a PG way that reminded us of Bill Cosby. They should have let him do the whole two hours. The other big winner was the funnel cake fries which were sweet and delicious and served in a big basket. Sam Adams, in my opinion, is a spectacular talent waiting to be discovered on a national stage. If you see him on the list of performers, you should go. — Review of Comedy Works of Denver

Sam has appeared with the likes of Daniel Tosh, Mike Epps, Jake Johannsen, Wendy Liebman, Greg Warren, and Frank Caliendo, as well as opening for musicians and bands like The Guess Who, Three Dog Night, Al Jarreau, Air Supply, Al Stewart, and Starship. A world-class entertainer—and a classy guy in general—the Ozark Arts Council is thankful for the sponsorship of Arvest Bank (and the Arvest Foundation) that allows us to bring Sam Adams back to the Lyric stage to fight the financial and emotional damage caused by nearly a year of Covid-19 and the attempts to prevent its spread!

Comedian Sam Adams #LiveAtTheLyric Saturday, November 19, 2020 at 7:00. Tickets are available on our ticketing page, by visiting the OAC office at 115 W. Rush Ave. (just to the left of the Lyric doors) or by calling (870) 391-3504; $15 in advance, $18 at the door.

OAC Ticketing Link

Farce of Habit, August 14–15 & 21–22 at 7pm, 16 & 23 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

 

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and
the Ozark Arts Council Present a
Jones Hope Wooten Comedy:

Farce of Habit

Friday–Saturday, August 14–15 & 21–22, 7:00PM
Sunday, August 16 & 23, 2:00PM

 

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and The Ozark Arts Council, will present Farce of Habit, a typically raucous Jones Hope Wooten comedy, #LiveAtTheLyric the middle two weekends of August, 2020 (August 14–16 & 21–23)! Tickets are available through The Lyric’s ticketing page with Advance Tickets priced at $8 children, $10 seniors, $12 adults. Ticket prices at the door will be $11 children, $13 seniors, $15 adults.

Just when you thought it was safe to fish in the Ozarks…

Kay Arthur

Comic fireworks explode in Farce of Habit (the sequel to 2016’s Farce of Nature), an absurdly funny Southern-fried romp that takes us back to the Reel ’Em Inn, the finest little fishing lodge in the Ozarks. The proprietor, D. Gene Wilburn (Preston Garrison), is looking forward to a peaceful weekend on the lake. But there are only two chances of that happening: slim and none!

Why, for example, has his wife, Wanelle (Michelle Dees), picked these three days to white-knuckle her way through caffeine withdrawal? Why is his son Ty’s (Shade Roberts) marriage to Jenna (Shelby Waters) falling apart so fast? Could it have something to do with the French can-can costume Ty is wearing? How on earth would D. Gene’s feisty sister, Maxie (Kay Arthur), allow herself to get caught up in such a bizarre undercover police assignment?

L-R: Emily Still, Carl Palmer, Michelle Dees

And that’s just his family. If this isn’t enough to thwart D. Gene’s weekend plans, he’s got a gaggle of nuns who’ve converged on the Inn, hell-bent on experiencing a nature retreat—which might be tolerable if D. Gene didn’t have a chronic fear of anything in a habit. Add to this the presence of Jock McNair (Carl Palmer), a nationally known relationship guru whose colossal ego threatens everyone’s sanity; a shy retiree, Huddle Fisk (Joseph Cotton), anxious to cut loose and embrace his “inner caveman,” and a couple of wild women, Barb Stratton (Emily Still) and Sister Myrtle Agnes (Emily Perkins), who may or may not be who they claim to be. Throw in the storm of the century that’s fast bearing down on Mayhew, Arkansas, and D. Gene has no prayer of baiting a hook any time soon. Oh, and did we mention there’s an ax murderer on the loose?

L-R: Shade Roberts, Joseph Cotton, Michelle Dees

If you enjoy gloriously preposterous hilarity, then laughing your way through the take-no-prisoners lunacy of a Jones Hope Wooten comedy is one habit you’ll never want to break! Tickets on sale right here on our website…and don’t forget to check out our new Theatre Company Season Passes!  When you become an Ozark Arts Council member, you become eligible for these exclusive passes, which will save you money on our upcoming season, including Farce of Habit, Nunsense II, Freaky Friday, and…Arsenic and Old Lace! Visit the ticketing page or call 870-391-3504 for more info!

In trying times, what could be better than a healthy dose of Jones Hope Wooten comedy? Three of the most popular and widely-produced playwrights in the country, with Broadway, film, and TV credits (e.g., The Golden Girls and Disney’s Teacher’s Pet), Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten specialize in laugh-out-loud comedies, and this will be a great one!

Please Note for Your Safety and Comfort: We have our patrons’ health and well-being first and foremost in our minds as the Covid-19 numbers rise but we’re all learning to work around it, so please make sure you read the guidelines below that we have put into place (per the Arkansas Department of Health’s directives) to keep you protected. Please read carefully, as we are required to abide strictly by these guidelines—and please note that, as we’ve seen these past several months, these guidelines may change at any moment. If they do, we will be sure to update you. We are doing everything we can in our cleaning procedures and following of the ADH guidelines to keep you safe, and we appreciate your doing the same for our volunteers and performers.

The ADH Requirements

  • Patrons must be required to wear a mask if over 10 years of age.
  • Every patron’s temperature must be checked upon entrance and will be asked several questions pertaining to travel and health. Patrons will not be able to enter if:
    • They have fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell.
    • They have had known exposure to someone with Covid-19 in the past 14 days.
  • A 6-foot gap must be maintained between patrons who do not “shelter together,” so only groups with family members should get tickets with adjoining seats. If you plan on going with anyone who does not live in the same household with you, please call 870-391-3504 for our help on getting you seats as close together as possible, while still allowing for the “social distancing” regulations.
  • We are allowed to serve refreshments, so our concession stand and the upstairs Immortal BarD will be open. However, we will have signs posted reminding patrons to keep a 6 foot distance, and we will not be able to accommodate clustering of groups at the counters.
  • Though it is a tradition at the Lyric to allow audience members to come up and greet the cast at the end of plays, we will forego this for now to keep the required 12 feet of distance between those on stage and those in the audience. If you wish to tell the cast “good job!” you can leave comments right here on this page!

If you have any questions about how we are protecting our volunteers, or about any of the guidelines, please don’t hesitate to call 870-391-3504 or send an email here.

Join us at The Lyric for great southern comedy August 14–16 & 21–23. Tickets for Farce of Habit are available now here at TheLyric.org by clicking any “Get Tickets” link or by calling (870) 391-3504 (please leave a detailed message if you get our voicemail).

OAC Ticketing Link

Always a Bridesmaid, June 25-27 at 7pm, 28 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and
the Ozark Arts Council Present a
Jones Hope Wooten Comedy:

Always a Bridesmaid

Thursday-Saturday, June 25–27, 7:00PM
Sunday, June 28, 2:00PM

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and The Ozark Arts Council, will present Always a Bridesmaid  #LiveAtTheLyric the last weekend of June, 2020 (June 25–28)! Tickets are available through TheLyric.org with Advance Tickets priced at $8 children, $10 seniors, $12 adults. Ticket prices at the door will be $11 children, $13 seniors, $15 adults.

In trying times, what could be better than a healthy does of Jones Hope Wooten comedy? Three of the most popular and widely-produced playwrights in the country, with Broadway, film, and TV credits (e.g., The Golden Girls and Disney’s Teacher’s Pet), Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten specialize in laugh-out-loud comedies, and this will be a great one!

Please Note for Your Safety and Comfort: We have our patrons’ health and well-being first and foremost in our minds as the Covid-19 numbers rise but we’re all learning to work around it, so please make sure you read the guidelines below that we have put into place (per the Arkansas Department of Health’s directives) to keep you protected. Please read carefully, as we are required to abide strictly by these guidelines—and please note that, because the play is still a month away, these guidelines may change. If they do, we will be sure to update you. We are doing everything we can in our cleaning procedures and following of the ADH guidelines to keep you safe, and we appreciate your doing the same for our volunteers and performers.

Wedding Season is just around the corner…

…and we can’t wait to see our darling Southern Belles marry their soulmates this month (June 25-27 at 7:00pm and June 28 at 2:00pm) at our own beautiful and historic “wedding venue,” The Lyric Theater! More about the story will follow the ADH guidelines for attending plays this Summer.

The ADH Requirements

  • Patrons must be required to wear a mask if over 10 years of age.
  • Every patron’s temperature must be checked upon entrance and will be asked several questions pertaining to travel and health. Patrons will not be able to enter if:
    • They have fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell.
    • They have had known exposure to someone with Covid-19 in the past 14 days.
  • A 6-foot gap must be maintained between patrons who do not “shelter together,” so only groups with family members should get tickets with adjoining seats. If you plan on going with anyone who does not live in the same household with you, please call 870-391-3504 for our help on getting you seats as close together as possible, while still allowing for the “social distancing” regulations.
  • We are allowed to serve refreshments, so our concession stand and the upstairs Immortal BarD will be open. However, we will have signs posted reminding patrons to keep a 6 foot distance, and we will not be able to accommodate clustering of groups at the counters.
  • Though it is a tradition at the Lyric to allow audience members to come up and greet the cast at the end of plays, we will forego this for now to keep the required 12 feet of distance between those on stage and those in the audience. If you wish to tell the cast “good job!” we will have a digital guestbook set up where you can leave your well wishes!

If you have any questions about how we are protecting our volunteers, or about any of the guidelines, please don’t hesitate to call 870-391-3504 or send an email here.

The Story

Always a Bridesmaid is a Jones Hope Wooten Southern Comedy.

If you’ve ever elbowed a stranger out of the way to catch a brideís bouquet, seriously questioned the mental stability of the duo saying “I do” or been forced to wear the world’s ugliest bridesmaid dress, this deliriously funny Jones Hope Wooten comedy is definitely for you—and your dearly beloved!

In this hilarious comedic romp, four friends have sworn to keep the promise they made on the night of their Senior Prom: to be in each other’s weddings—no matter what. More than thirty years later, these Southern friends-for-life are still making “the long walk” for each other, determined to honor that vow. Libby Ruth (Julianna Hamblin), the hopeful romantic with the perfect marriage, believes—in spite of all evidence to the contrary—that her friends can find the very same happiness. Headstrong Deedra’s (Spree Hilliard) “rock-solid” union hangs by a thread when she discovers her husband of many years not only has a wandering eye, but the hands to match. Monette (Kirstyn Walker), flashy, high-spirited and self-involved, continues to test her friends’ love and patience with all-too-frequent trips down the aisle. And salt-of-the-earth, tree-hugging Charlie (Emily Akins) discovers—the hard way—that marital bliss is not the end of her rainbow and panics in outrageous style when the opportunity presents itself.

Narrated hilariously by blushing bride Kari (Callie Johnson) and with energetic life-force Sedalia (Linda Henson) running the show, this is sure to make you believe in what friendship can do. Libby Ruth, Deedra, Monette and Charlie are committed to the notion that careers, waistlines and even marriages may disappear, but real friendships last a lifetime. Forsaking all others, in sickness and in health, they repeatedly struggle to stage the perfect wedding in spite of fistfights at the altar, runaway brides and the mistaken, and unfortunate, release of a flock of white doves on the first day of hunting season.

Hop on this marriage-go-round for a laugh-out-loud journey with these beleaguered bridesmaids as they navigate the choppy waters of love and matrimony. Always a Bridesmaid is the rollicking tale of four loyal and determined women who definitively answer the question, “Just how far are you willing to go to keep a promise to a friend?”

Join us at The Lyric for great southern comedy June 25–28. Tickets for Always a Bridesmaid are available now here at TheLyric.org by clicking any “Get Tickets” link, by stopping by the OAC office at 115 W. Rush Ave. between 9 & 1 Tuesday through Friday, or by calling (870) 391-3504 (please leave a detailed message if you get our voicemail).

OAC Ticketing Link

An Update from the OAC about Postponements and Changes Due to Coronavirus

New Stuff!

New stuff is about to be posted here! Sam Adams! Carol Burnett Skits! The HHS Choir! Albert Cummings! Spring Plays! Breaking news ahead, y’all!

A Message from the Ozark Arts Council’s Board of Directors

Dear Friends of the Arts,

The Ozark Arts Council’s purpose is always “To enrich lives by promoting the Arts in Harrison and North Arkansas through exhibitions, performances, and education” because we truly believe our vision statement to be true: “Equal access to the Arts builds a vibrant, healthy community.” We carry out our mission, of course, by our stewardship of the historic Lyric Theater and by the organizational and programming support that we are able to provide our Member Organizations as they bring the Arts to our North Arkansas community.

To keep providing the Arts to you and with you, we need to make sure that everything we do keeps your health and safety in focus, as well. From the food and beverages we serve and the environment we establish being in accord both with the regulations and best practices of the ADH (and its Boone County Health Unit), ABC, HFD (and its fire code enforcement especially as it pertains to historic buildings), HPD, and the statutes and ordinances of our County and City, to recognizing when something even more radical has to be done for the wellbeing of you, our members and patrons, and for society at large.

Because of this, and at the recommendation of our city, we postponed our March production of Nunsense II—which proved to be prescient, as Albert Cummings, who was to perform the evening that play closed, postponed his entire tour the very next day. While Boone County’s infection rate started very slowly, the number of people who were coming from what we later learned would be early hotspots means that this early inconvenience may have helped to some extent in keeping our area from being one of the ones slammed early by multiple cases.

As we are starting to reopen, we are doing so in a way that may seem overly-cautious to some, but in a way that will, we believe, give great comfort to the large number of our usual patrons who are in one or more ‘high risk’ groups for COVID-19…some of which are things that will also make us a safer venue in future times of widespread viral infections such as, even, the seasonal flu…for instance, our conversion to completely touchless hand soap and towel dispensing in our restrooms. Even with the uneasiness that typically comes with ‘opening night’, our all-volunteer staff won high praise from at-risk members of the audience when we premiered Always a Bridesmaid on Thursday, June 25, and we hope only to make everything both safer and more seamless as we move forward.

Just wanted to express how impressed we all were last night at the precautions taken at the theatre. [One member of our party] had been a little concerned about going. He has been working from home and only going grocery shopping in mask at Hudson’s. He said after coming in, being screened and seeing the precautions being taken, he felt safe! We all agreed how great it was to come to live theatre and feel comfortable.

 — Mary Bishop

If you have questions or concerns, please email

in**@oz**************.org











 or call 870-391-3504 and give us your name, number, and a “short, but detailed” message, so that we can get back to you with an answer/solution/etc., in the most efficient and conscientious way possible.

The ADH Requirements

  • Patrons must be required to wear a mask if over 10 years of age.
  • Every patron’s temperature must be checked upon entrance and will be asked several questions pertaining to travel and health. Patrons will not be able to enter if:
    • They have fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell.
    • They have had known exposure to someone with Covid-19 in the past 14 days.
  • A 6-foot gap must be maintained between patrons who do not “shelter together,” so only groups with family members should get tickets with adjoining seats. If you plan on going with anyone who does not live in the same household with you, please call 870-391-3504 for our help on getting you seats as close together as possible, while still allowing for the “social distancing” regulations.
  • We are allowed to serve refreshments, so our concession stand and the upstairs Immortal BarD will be open. However, we will have signs posted reminding patrons to keep a 6 foot distance, and we will not be able to accommodate clustering of groups at the counters.
  • Though it is a tradition at the Lyric to allow audience members to come up and greet the cast at the end of plays, we will forego this for now to keep the required 12 feet of distance between those on stage and those in the audience. If you wish to tell the cast “good job!” we will have a digital guestbook set up where you can leave your well wishes!

If you have any questions about how we are protecting our volunteers, or about any of the guidelines, please don’t hesitate to call 870-391-3504 or send an email here.

Thank you for supporting the Arts and please be safe and healthy!

Got Albert Cummings? You’d Better “Believe” We Do! — September 23, 2021 at 7pm — #LiveAtTheLyric!

NEW Blues from and for the Working Man: Albert Cummings Returns to the Lyric—
Believe!
Re-Rescheduled to September 23 at 7PM 

The blues is best served up live, with an enthusiastic audience and a killin’ band, and that’s exactly what guitarist Albert Cummings does[…]. Cummings effortlessly shifts from chimney subdued stylings to raucous roadhouse raunch to soaring yet stinging lead lines, driving his audience to frenzy in all the right places.”

– Guitar Edge Magazine

From full on, straight ahead hard-edged to mellow-without-being-prissy, Blues-rock guitar with lyrical mastery is headed back,  in all its glory, to the historic Lyric Theater, as Harrison, Arkansas enjoys “An Evening with Albert Cummings” on Thursday, September 23 at 7:00 PM, for which tickets are now available.

Entertaining audiences from his phenomenal guitar work to his incredibly impassioned lyrics and overall songwriting prowess – one thing has certainly become clear about Albert Cummings’s music: he is far more than simply just the guitarist or the bluesman he’s often painted as by fans and the media alike. He offers the complete package.

Albert Cummings
Albert Cummings, Live at the Lyric, 9/23/21 @ 7pm

Though undoubtedly a masterful guitar player who burst onto the blues-rock scene in the early 2000s and almost immediately began gaining praise in that realm, his latest live release “Live at the ‘62 Center” and his new studio album, “Believe,” further portray not only his versatility as singer/songwriter and live performer but as an artist first and foremost.

While generally performing live as a trio, the true spontaneity and creative spirit of these albums show Albert’s mastery of the whole art form, as he put together a newly formed version of his usual trio that afternoon of the October 2016 recording, along with keyboards and backing vocals that hint at just how massive Albert’s talent for composition and improvisation really is. With longtime friend and Grammy Winner Jim Gaines behind the soundboard, what comes through in both sight and sound is an incredible journey into the live performance world and true artistry of one of today’s most seasoned musicians.

“His muscular guitar work is simply outstanding. He’s a great blues singer as well, with passion for the tunes inherent in his full-throttle approach.”

– Rock and Blues Muse on Live at the ‘62 Center

Like many greats before him who’ve been painted into a corner as merely great blues players, or guitar players, or singers, Cummings seeks to rise above these labels and be praised for the devotion to his overall craft as a true musician. In artist terms, he’s sought to be known for ‘the overall pallet of his music’, rather than one specific color. From greats like Eric Clapton to the more recent stylings of John Mayer, his artistic integrity has allowed him to focus on the big picture, writing songs from the heart rather than catering to his specifics strengths as a singer, guitarist, or bandleader (all of which he does impeccably, however!).

His musical journey began when young Albert first picked up a guitar – learning the requisite three chords from his father, but later switched over to banjo at the age of 12 after becoming a bluegrass fan. After hearing the early recordings of Stevie Ray Vaughan, he was impressed by the sheer virtuosity of the artist, and following his first chance to see him live while in college in Boston he returned to the guitar with a new outlook and resolve.

“He attacks his axe with unbridled ferocity and deep soulfulness… his depth and expression are matched only by his terrifying technique and tone.”

– Guitar One

The whiz-kid carpenter began his ascent to masterful blues rock guitarist at age 27, with his first public performance on guitar. As he continued to grow in his newfound passion, he landed on the Northeast blues circuit with his first band Swamp Yankee. Then, in 1998, after walking into a Northeast Blues Society open jam, Cummings won the right to compete in the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge the following year. By 2000, his debut single “The Long Way” was released to rave reviews, and began opening new doors for the artist. Bluesprint magazine said it was “a barrage of guitar pyrotechnics that calls to mind a grand mix of the styles of past masters like Albert King, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Hendrix.”

Albert Cummings
Albert Cummings, Live at the Lyric, September 23, 2021, 7pm

His first big opportunity came in the form of a chance to work with Double Trouble, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan’s rhythm section. So taken with Albert’s fire and passion were bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton that they volunteered to play on and produce his solo debut recording, 2003’s self-released From the Heart. Recorded in Austin, Texas, it featured Cummings fronting Double Trouble (including Reese Winans) in their first recording project since Stevie Ray’s passing. Having begun his musical journey in part due to Vaughan’s inspiration, it seemed Cummings’ passion had brought him full-circle.

Cummings’ soulful and explosive approach to blues and rock then caught the attention of Blind Pig Records (Muddy Waters, Jimmy Vivino, Elvin Bishop), which signed him to a multi-album deal. On his label debut, True to Yourself, released in 2004, Cummings was again joined by bassist Tommy Shannon. Recorded by producer extraordinaire Jim Gaines (Santana, Stevie Ray, Buddy Guy), the all-original release showcased Albert’s rapidly developing songwriting chops and deeply emotional vocals as well as stunning guitar pyrotechnics, fully showcasing his well-rounded talents.

 “a barrage of guitar pyrotechnics that calls to mind a grand mix of the styles of past masters like Albert King, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Hendrix. – Bluesprint Magazine

Soon tours and shows with blues legends B.B. King, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy and others brought Albert’s music to a much larger audience.

His second release, Working Man (2006), also produced by Jim Gaines, furthered a growing focus and maturity both in Albert’s stinging, incisive guitar work as well as in his fluently idiomatic songwriting, leading Billboard Magazine to exclaim “This recording is the calling card of a star who has arrived”

2008 saw Albert’s first live album “Feel So Good,” recorded at the historic Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Massachusetts which has hosted everyone from Will Rogers to Al Jolson. The audience was so enthralled and supportive they became part of the performance in a way that’s rarely heard. As AllMusic put it, “It sounds like it was one hell of a party that night.” Music Connection also called it “one of the best live albums recorded in a long time.”

Albert Cummings
Albert Cummings, Live at the Lyric, 9/23/21 @ 7pm

As he continued to grow, playing with the likes of legends from B.B. King (who called dubbed him “a great guitarist”), Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, and many more – Cummings built on not only his all-around songwriting and musicianship but his guitar playing skill as well. Using his knowledge to give back to fellow guitarists wanting to advance in their craft, he released the instructional DVD “Working Man Blues Guitar” in 2011. His next album, 2012’s self-released “No Regrets” followed as a return to his true musical roots, poignantly capturing the core of his influences and displaying the impact that R&B, Rock, Soul, Country, and the Blues have had on both his playing and writing. It debuted at #1 on iTunes music charts in the USA, Canada, and France.

Now, as he continues writing and performing, relentlessly devoting effort to his craft, Cummings is ready to continue on his ever expansive musical journey. “An Evening with Albert Cummings” in support of his new album, “Believe,” is scheduled at the historic Lyric Theater on the Harrison, Arkansas square for Thursday, September 23 at 7:00PM . Tickets are now available.

tickets

RESCHEDULED: Nunsense II: The Second Coming, September 10-12 at 7pm, 13 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and the Ozark Arts Council Present:

Nunsense II:
The Second Coming!

Thursday-Saturday, September 10–12, 7:00PM
Sunday, September 13, 2:00PM

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and The Ozark Arts Council, will present the raucous comedy, Nunsense II: The Second Coming  #LiveAtTheLyric the second weekend of September (September 10–13)! Tickets are available through TheLyric.org with Advance Tickets priced at $8 children, $10 seniors, $12 adults. Ticket prices at the door will be $11 children, $13 seniors, $15 adults.

Nunsense II: The Second Coming takes place six weeks after the convent has staged its first benefit. The sisters are back presenting a “thank-you” show for all the people who supported them in the past. They’re a bit slicker, now, though, having been “bitten by the theater bug”…

Things get to off to a rousing start as the sisters sing Nunsense, the Magic Word, but before long. chaos erupts. Two Franciscans come to claim Sister Mary Amnesia (who has won the Publishers’ Clearing House Sweepstakes) as one of their own. At the same time, the nuns hear that a talent scout is in the audience to see them strut their stuff. From the riotous bingo game run by Sister Amnesia to the hilarious duet, “What Would Elvis Do?”, to the rousing finale (“There’s Only One Way to End Your Prayers and That’s to Say Amen!”, this show will have you rolling in the aisles!

Join us at The Lyric for music and laughter September 10–13. Tickets for Nunsense II are available now here at TheLyric.org by clicking any “Get Tickets” link, by stopping by the OAC office at 115 W. Rush Ave. between 9 & 1 Tuesday through Friday, or by calling (870) 391-3504 (please leave a detailed message if you get our voicemail).

OAC Ticketing Link

12 Angry Jurors, Thursday & Saturday, November 14 & 16 at 6pm, Friday, Nov. 15 at 5pm, and Sunday Nov. 17 at 2pm! #HHSTheatre!

The Ozark Arts Council
is pleased to announce the
Harrison High School Theatre Department’s
production of
12 Angry Jurors

Thursday & Saturday, November 14 & 16, 6:00PM; Friday, November 15, 5:00PM; and
Sunday, November 17, 2:00PM

Harrison High School Theatre Dept. proudly presents 12 Angry Jurors, sponsored by Sprott, Golden & Bardwell. This play will be held in the black box theatre in the Theatre Room at HHS. Tickets are limited as it will be theatre-in-the-round, and are available at TheLyric.org. Note the difference in Friday’s showtime to allow you to see the play and cheer on the Goblins as the state football tournament begins.

Please Note: This play will take place at Harrison High School; many thanks to the Ozark Arts Council for the use of their ticketing software!

12 Angry Jurors is based on the Emmy-Award winning TV movie 12 Angry Men, and students ranging from freshman to senior will present this intense play November 14–17. Our cast includes: Ashlee Piske, Lena Rocole, Natalie Sims, Zach Jimerson, Addie Jones, Mysteri Cotton, Faith Nix, Candace Lambert, Kinder Hinrichs, Jenna Wilson, Serena Bolonsky, Tyler Madison, Liam Dupre, Caleb Lord, Dakota Furr, Chasity Price.

A 19-year-old man has just stood trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. “He doesn’t stand a chance,” mutters the guard as the 12 jurors are taken into the bleak jury room. It looks like an open-and-shut case…until one of the jurors begins opening the others’ eyes to the facts.

12 Angry Jurors featured on GobTV News

“This is a remarkable thing about democracy,” says the foreign-born juror, “that we are noticed by mail to come down to this place and decide the guilt or innocence of a man; of a man we have not known before. We have nothing to gain or lose by our verdict. We should not make it a personal thing.” But personal it does become, with each juror revealing his or her own character as the various testimonies are re-examined, the murder is re-enacted, and a new murder threat is born before their eyes. Tempers get short. Arguments get heated. And the jurors become 12 angry men and women. The jurors’ final verdict and how they reach it will electrify you and keep you on the edge of your seat.

12 Angry Jurorspresented by the HHS Theatre Dept. and sponsored by Sprott, Golden & Bardwell will be performed November 14 and 16 at

Many thanks to our sponsors for their constant support of the Arts in our area!

6:00pm, November 15 at 5:00pm (to allow you to see the play and cheer on the Goblin Football team as the state tournament begins in F. S. Garrison Stadium at 7:00!), and November 17 at 2:00pm.

 

All performances will be at HHS in the black box theatre in the Theatre classroom. Tickets are available at TheLyric.org.

OAC Ticketing Link

The Outsiders, December 2–7 at 7pm, December 8 at 2pm, plus school matinees! #LiveAtTheLyric!

Northark Drama and the
Ozark Arts Council
present:
The Outsiders

Tuesday–Saturday, December 3–7, 7:00PM
and Sunday, December 8, 2:00PM
with School Matinees Monday & Tuesday, December 2 & 3 at 10:00AM

The Ozark Arts Council and NorthArk Drama present The Outsiders #LiveAtTheLyric Theater in Harrison, Arkansas, December 2–8. Tuesday through Saturday will feature evening performances, which start at 7:00pm, and Sunday’s performance will begin at 2:00pm. Monday and Tuesday will feature matinee performances for area schools (and homeschools). Tickets for the evenings and Sunday are available through TheLyric.org with Advance Tickets priced at $8 children, $10 seniors, $12 adults. Ticket prices at the door will be $11 children, $13 seniors, $15 adults.

Matinee tickets must be purchased through the OAC office; please call (870) 391-3504 and leave a message and send an email to our Executive Director.

In the midst of urban warfare, somehow Ponyboy (Karson Deatherage) can’t forget a short poem that speaks of the teens’ fragile young lives:

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
so dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

“Robert Frost wrote it,” Ponyboy tells Johnny (Wyatt Mahoney/US Ella Domino). “I always remembered it because I never quite got what he meant by it.”

Cherry (Chyler Caraway/US Lena Rocole), a beautiful Soc, comes to share a special sensitivity with Ponyboy as she discovers that he remembers poems and needs to watch sunsets. At the same time, Cherry is attracted to the older, tougher Dallas (Gavin Wilson/US Isaac Stevens), and in a sense she’s caught in the violent space between the Greasers (Darry: Andrew Coble/US Daniel Seay; Two-Bit: Laine Hilliard; Sodapop: Nathan Edwards/US Nicholas Allen) and the Socs (Marcia: GiGi Crenshaw/US Jennafer Wilson; Sandy: Eden Wilson/US Faith Nix). While the Socs appear to have everything, the only thing a Greaser has is his friends.

As these young people try to find themselves and each other, as the sadness of sophistication begins to reach them and their battles and relationships reach a resolution, Ponyboy’s friend, Johnny, sends him a message: “I’ve been thinking about the poem that guy wrote. He meant you’re gold when you’re a kid, like green. When you’re a kid everything’s new, dawn. It’s just when you get used to everything that it’s day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That’s gold. Keep it that way. It’s a good way to be.”

This is a play about young people who are not yet hopeless, about latent decency in the midst of struggle.

Both veteran and novice actors round out this stellar cast, including: Devin O’Brien and US Caleb Lord as Bob/Paul; Kinder Hinrichs and US Daniel Hart as Randy; Joshua Mann as Jerry; Kaleigh Billings as Mrs. O’Bryant; Abi Coble as the Doctor; Lexi Knight as the Nurse; Lexi Sprenger as Mrs. Syme; Laken Steiner, Kaci Flower, Laken Rudelis, Bannon Jones, Zoe Arthur, Brinkley Brewer, Donovan Walters, Sophia Wilson, Callie Caraway, Wynn Mahoney, Lenora Domino, Zachary Linn, Emma Pruitt, Ivan Hanschu, Xavier Hanschu, Kalysta Douglas as Ensemble.

This a story that you won’t soon forget.

Says Co-Director and Head of NorthArk Drama, Michael Mahoney:

“I have truly enjoyed working with the cast, crew, and especially my co-director Bekah Wilson on [this play]. Finding a vision and through line for these characters has been a challenging, yet rewarding task. S.E. Hinton’s novel is timeless in the powerful and enlightening story about the hard battles fought during adolescence, the search for true belonging to a family, brotherhood, and, most of all, love. The Outsiders is an extremely dramatic piece. I believe it conveys a powerful message about real social issues that arise in so many American homes and social groups today. I hope our production enlightens and educates people about human compassion and love.” 

The Outsiders will be performed December 3–7 at 7:00PM and December 8 at 2:00PM, with 2 special school-only performances December 2 and 3 at 10:00AM.

(If your school has not been contacted about these special school performances, contact Executive Director, Julianna Hamblin by clicking this link to email her and leaving a message at (870) 391-3504 [in case your email ends up in a spam folder].)

Tickets are on sale now.

Note: US denotes Understudy

OAC Ticketing Link

Romeo and Juliet, ONE Day Only! November 1 at 7pm #LiveAtTheLyric!

Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre and the Ozark Arts Council Present:
Romeo and Juliet!
Friday, November 1, 7:00PM

The Ozark Arts Council is thrilled to welcome Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre for a special November 1 7:00pm performance of their Family Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet #LiveAtTheLyric! Tickets are only $10 and are available through TheLyric.org .

Tickets at the door—in the unlikely event that any are available—will be $15.

Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre is Arkansas’s Only professional Shakespeare Company. Each year it produces a selection of the Bard’s plays (along with other productions) in its summer festival in Conway.

Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, which has been featured in The New York Times, is also a major educational force in Arkansas. This professional company brings respected and experienced Shakespearean actors to Arkansas for each season, producing vibrant, engaging, lively and provocative performances for all Arkansans.

With a mission to entertain, engage, and enrich the community by creating professional and accessible productions of Shakespeare and other works that promote educational opportunities, community 

involvement, and the highest artistic standards, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre works with the Arkansas Arts Council as a part of its “Artists on Tour” program to help small venues keep these performances affordable.

In Romeo and Juliet, the fighting families of Montague and Capulet put their feud before their children’s happiness in Shakespeare’s classic tale of “star-crossed” young love, reimagined for audiences of all ages in this one-hour adaptation.

Note from AST: This adaptation is intended for audiences of all ages, and has been shortened to approximately one hour. There are songs and comedy, but also intense emotional situations and some violence. The original story is intact, including Romeo and Juliet’s tragic ending. 

“Our play begins in Italy in the city of fair Verona with a vendetta as old as time. The Capulets and the Montagues have been enemies for as long as either side can remember. Romeo Montague and his friends crash an ancient ball held by Lord and Lady Capulet, risking their lives and the continuation of the feud. Romeo first sees the enchanting Juliet here and immediately falls in love with her. At the end of the ball, Romeo meets Juliet at her balcony, where they express their undying love for each other. The two, with the help of Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s Nurse, marry secretly, despite their feuding families. Blissfully newlywed for just a short while, Juliet is soon shocked to discover that her father plans to force her to marry Count Paris only three days later.

“Romeo walks the streets of fair Verona and stumbles upon his friends Mercutio and Benvolio fighting Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, who he learns has challenged him to a fight. In Romeo’s attempt to halt that fight, Tybalt meets his end at the hand of Romeo, resulting in Romeo’s banishment from Verona. When Juliet learns of this, her desperation to remain with Romeo leads her to Friar Lawrence and he arranges a plot for Juliet to fake her own death. However, the message carrying the information of the plot never reaches Romeo in Mantua and he truly believes that his beloved has died. Because of this, Romeo arranges his own plan to end his life and travels back to Verona to be with Juliet. Upon his return, Romeo enters the Capulet tomb, and sees his Juliet who appears to be dead.”

The above is taken from AST’s excellent and accessible (barely 20 pages) introduction to the play, to Shakespeare, and to live theatre in general, which you may read online (or download and print, by right-clicking/Command-clicking on this link and saving).

This is the first time we have had the honor of hosting AST at the Lyric, and we hope it is just the beginning of a long relationship with them for the enrichment of our community—and the first of many partnerships with those from our larger region to bring us the richness of professional theatre and theatre education, such as we have been so pleased to have from our member organization, Northark Drama.

Tickets to AST Family Theatre’s November 1 production of Romeo and Juliet are available now here at TheLyric.org by clicking any “Get Tickets” link, by stopping by the OAC office at 115 W. Rush Ave. between 9 & 1 Tuesday through Friday, or by calling (870) 391-3504 (please leave a detailed message if you get our voicemail).

OAC Ticketing Link