Category: Comedy
An Evening with Carol Burnett and Friends, June 11–12 at 7pm, 13 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!
The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and
the Ozark Arts Council Present a
Sketch Comedy Cavalcade in Tribute to:
The Carol Burnett Show
Friday–Saturday, June 11–12, 7:00PM
Sunday, June 13, 2:00PM
The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and The Ozark Arts Council will present a tribute to a wonderful lady and the glorious sketch comedy and variety she shared with us through her weekly CBS TV series—a tribute to The Carol Burnett Show, performed #LiveAtTheLyric June 11–13! 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. Face coverings for disease transmission are not required, but no one will object if you still wish to wear one.
Eight comedy sketches from Carol Burnett’s televised shows will be performed, including such favorites as “The Old Folks,” the deadbeat “Fusco” family, and a parody of Bonnie and Clyde. Cherished memories of Carol, Harvey, Tim, and the gang are sure to flood back for you, just as they have for the cast.
But that’s not all…
The show is nonstop with entertainment between the sketches, as well, and a half time intermission. Concessions will, of course, be available in the lobby and libations up upstairs.
The Theatre Company is sponsoring this event as a fundraiser for the Lyric to help pay for repairs from water damage sustained during the winter storm. We will also gladly accept donations (see the potty in the lobby!).
The cast and crew are so excited to have the Lyric open after nine months being dark.
Harrison, welcome back to the Lyric!
Join us at The Lyric for some of the greatest comedy sketches in TV history, for the first time ever #LiveAtTheLyric! Performances will be June 11–13. Tickets for our Tribute to Carol Burnett 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).
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…
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?
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?
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).
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).
Auditions Monday, May 18 and Tuesday May 19 at 7:00pm
Auditions! But carefully…
As we slowly reopen Arkansas, our patrons’ health and well-being is first and foremost on the OAC’s mind. After much discussion, we have come to, what we hope, will be the safest measures for our volunteers and audience, while still bringing you the quality entertainment you deserve. So, to do that, we will be postponing Nunsense II to September (dates to be announced soon!), and moving into some more plays that have fewer cast and crew so that we can continue practicing social distancing. We will have auditions for the first of these shows, Always a Bridesmaid, on Monday, May 18 and Tuesday May 19 at 7:00pm. Please closely read the guidelines below that we have set in place for these auditions and the rehearsals to follow. For more questions, please click to email us or call 870-391-3504.
The Requirements
Doors will open at 6:45pm. Only those auditioning may be present.
The following Social Distancing and sanitation guidelines will be followed at auditions and rehearsals. If you feel sick or have had a fever within the last 24 hours, please do not attend.
- Temperature will be taken of everyone coming to auditions and rehearsals, keeping a log of names and temps, and if anyone has a fever, they must immediately go home; as well as asking the screening questions (have you been out of the state, have you been sick, have you been in contact with anyone who has COVID-19, etc).
- Everyone must wear masks at all times. Please wear your own clean mask.
- Scripts for cold reads will not be shared. Each person auditioning will get a copy of audition material to use and it will be disposed of at the end of evening auditions.
- Everything will be disinfected before and after each night of auditions.
- Everyone must maintain 6 ft distance at all times.
- Only cast and crew may be present during rehearsals. No other family members or children.
- Children under 18 will not be cast and will not be allowed at auditions or rehearsals, in order to adhere to ADH guidelines. Children under 18 will be able to attend the performances.
The Story
Always a Bridesmaid is a Jones Hope Wooten Southern Comedy. Cast is 6 women.
Kari—20s—Kind-hearted Southern charmer
Libby Ruth—-late 40s, hopeless romantic, sweet country woman, plain spoken
Sedalia—60s—- gregarious, energetic hostess of wedding venue
Monette—late 40s—kinda flashy, kinda trashy, voluptuous southern flirt,
Charlie—late 40s—-tree hugging, Birkenstock wearing, Southern free spirit
Deedra—late 40s—headstrong dry wit, no-nonsense Northern transplant attorney
Characters ages are relative—no one under 18 will be cast.
Show dates: June 25-28
Rehearsals begin: May 25–4 days per week
Thank you for supporting the Arts and please be safe and healthy.
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).
Steel Magnolias, August 16, 17, 18! Raising Money for #JDRF — #LiveAtTheLyric!
The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and the Ozark Arts Council Present:
Steel Magnolias
Friday & Saturday, August 16 & 17, 7:00PM
Saturday, August 18, 2:00PM
Have a little slice of Southern life and visit the elegant ladies of Chinquapin, Louisiana, a lovely bouquet of Steel Magnolias! Discount tickets are on sale now for Steel Magnolias LIVE at The Lyric Theater in Harrison, Arkansas, on August 16, 17, & 18. Friday and Saturday performances will be at 7:00 pm, and the Sunday performance will be at 2:00 pm. 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.
Tickets to the Friday performance will support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation!
In Truvy’s (Trish Lockridge), beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies who are anybody come to have their hair done, the shop is abuzz with gossip and coffee and hairspray. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (Katie Blessing), who may or may not be married, the wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoo and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser (Mary Bishop), whose 40-year-old bad mood has only sharpened her wit; an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee (Gwen Gresham), who has a sweet tooth for football teams; and the local social leader, M’Lynn (Lisa Johnson) and her vivacious daughter, Shelby (Callie Johnson), who is about to marry a “good ol’ boy.” Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions between the five ladies, the play moves toward tragedy when the spunky Shelby (who has Type I Diabetes) risks pregnancy. Though we see how it much it affects them, we are also shown the strength and love of these women who are delicate as flowers, and tough as steel.
Steel Magnolias will be performed #LiveAtTheLyric August 16 and 17 at 7:00pm, and August 18 at 2:00pm. Proceeds from the August 16 show will go to the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Tickets on sale NOW at TheLyric.org, by calling 870-391-3504, or visiting the office T–F 9:00am–1:00pm.
Beauty & the Beast, Jr., July 20, 25, 27! #LiveAtTheLyric!
The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and the Ozark Arts Council Present:
Beauty & The Beast, Jr.
Saturdays, July 20 & 27, 2:00PM & 7:00PM
Thursday, July 25, 10:00AM
What you’ve been waiting for all summer is almost here: the enchanting and exciting story of Beauty and the Beast! The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and The Ozark Arts Council, under license from Music Theatre International, will present Beauty and the Beast, Jr. LIVE at The Lyric Theater in Harrison, Arkansas, on July 20, 25, and 27. Saturday performances will be at 2:00pm and 7:00pm, and the Thursday performance will be at 10:00am. 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.
Don’t let the “Jr.” in the title lead you to expect a watered-down production missing your favorite songs: when Disney commissions an adaptation for young performers, it’s name is still on the line! Based on the original Broadway production that ran for over thirteen years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, and the Academy Award-winning motion picture, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr. is a fantastic adaptation of the story of transformation and tolerance. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr. features some of the most popular songs ever written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice.
As with many of our children’s plays, rehearsals were preceded by a two-week-long workshop, which 
focused on vocals, acting, and choreography, as well as the proper etiquette for being in a play and attending a play, all of which culminated in a short performance for the family and friends of the children—many of whom are gracing the Lyric stage for the first time ever. Only then was attention turned fully to this play, where those new or refined acting, singing, and dancing skills could be put into practice for the sellout performances this July will bring.
Beauty and the Beast tells the story of an arrogant young prince and his castle’s servants who fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress when he turns her away from his door. The enchantress turns the prince into the hideous “Beast” until he can learn to love and to be loved in return. The spirited, headstrong village girl Belle enters Beast’s castle after he imprisons her father, Maurice. With the help of his enchanted servants, including the matronly Mrs. Potts, Belle begins to draw the cold-hearted Beast out of his isolation. But when the similarly cold-hearted Gaston and his henchman Lefou decide to destroy the Beast, will Belle be able to save the Beast from eternal doom?
We hope you will join us both for the entertainment and lesson imparted by this classic story and for the building of our community that attendance at Arts events—especially at young people’s theatre—always brings. The OAC and its Member Organizations are committed to having children of all ages learn about the Arts and develop a love for them that reaches beyond their early years, so that they grow up to be well-rounded, empathetic adults. These “Jr.” plays, and the directors who bless us by giving up a portion of their summers, are a huge first step in that direction.
Says Director Debbie Waters:
“I have been blessed with the best cast of young people between the ages of 6-18 who are a joy to work with. We have a cast of 30 who are working hard and excited to ask everyone to ‘Be Our Guest’ at the Historic Lyric Theater during our 90th Birthday Celebration season.”
Our Cast and Crew include:
Belle: Liani Cash
Beast: Shade Roberts
Gaston: Caleb Lord
LeFou: Jacob Cothran
Maurice: Logan Cole
Mrs. Potts: Alayna Davis
Chip: Ivan Hanschu
Lumiere: Nicholas Prpich
Babette: Chyler Caraway
Cogsworth: Bannon Jones
Madame de la Grande Bouche: Lexi Sprenger
Silly Girls: Brinkley Brewer, Avery Skinner, Emily Still
Enchantress: AnneJanette Cole
Ensemble: Kaden Allen, Zoë Arthur, Laura Bracken, Callie Caraway, Ethan Causey, Landon Clements, Joshua Cothran, Ella Domino, Dierdra Goldman, Jadah Gregory, Kalel Lewis, Tarron Lewis, Mia Ostberg, Emma Claire Pruitt, Natalie Sims, Jerome Sweatman, Jenna Wilson
Director: Debbie Waters
Assistant Directors: Courtney Lantis, Yaffah Lewis, Michele Reynolds
Front: Avery Skinner & Brinkley Brewer
Join us at The Lyric for this heartwarming tale of the transformative power of love on July 20, 25, and 27. Tickets for Beauty and the Beast, Jr. are available now through TheLyric.org by clicking any “Get Tickets” link, by stopping by the OAC office at 115 W. Rush
Ave. between 8 & 2 Tuesday through Friday, or by calling (870) 391-3504 (please leave a detailed message if you get our voicemail).
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum — Fridays & Saturdays, May 3 & 4, 10 & 11 @ 7:00, Sundays, May 5 & 12 @ 2:00 — #LiveAtTheLyric!
Northark Drama and the
Ozark Arts Council Present:
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Fridays & Saturdays, May 3 & 4, 10 & 11, 7:00PM
Sundays, May 5 & 12, 2:00PM
If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times: do not fan the girls when they’re wet! But you’ll never learn; you’ll be a eunuch all your life!
– Marcus Lycus
This May, come to the Lyric for something familiar…something peculiar…something for everyone…yes, it’s “a comedy tonight”! In fact it’s the comedy of comedies that transcends time and space, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum! Produced by NorthArk Drama and The Theatre Company of the Ozarks, in association with the Ozark Arts Council and under license from Music Theatre International, Forum brings a full 21 centuries of laughs from Rome to the Lyric stage on May 3, 4, 10, 11 at 7:00PM and May 5, 12 at 2:00PM. 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.
Set in Rome during the first century A.D., when the Roman Empire was in its youth, the film opens with one of musical theatre’s most famous songs, “Comedy Tonight,” performed by Pseudolus (Preston Garrison). The action, Pseudolus tells the audience, takes place in Rome around three adjacent houses: the house of Erronius (Clark Middleton), an old man who has been searching for his children who were stolen by pirates while they were infants; the house of Marcus Lycus (Jamie Taylor), a buyer and seller of beautiful women, and the house of Senex (Jim Gresham), a Roman senator, his wife, Domina (Ann Lemley), their son, Hero (Laine Hilliard), and the family slaves, Pseudolus and Hysterium (Michael Amburn).
When Senex and Domina leave for the day, Hero declares his love for one of the ladies who live at his next door neighbor’s house, Philia (Katie Blessing), and that’s when Pseudolus begins to hatch a scheme to buy his own freedom.
When the two visit Lycus’s house, once they get past the eunuchs (Donovan Walters and Nicholas Prpich) they meet Tintinabula (Cady Wheeler), a bell-wearing beauty; Vibrata (Kennedy Bottoms), an energetic, lively lovely with a leopard skin bikini; the Geminae (Faith Nix and Dante Lowe), a “matched pair”; Panacea (Nikki Forehand), a seductive dancer; and Gymnasia (Spree Hilliard), with a body upon which “a thousand dramas can be played.” They and the other lovely courtesans (Lena Rocole, Jenna Wilson, Rilee Young, Kaley Jones) are tempting, but Hero and Pseudolus are alarmed to find out that Philia has been sold to the great Captain Miles Gloriosus (Caleb Lord), and will be claimed that very day.
The confusion, comedy, and chases that ensue when Captain Miles and his illustrious soldiers (Kinder Hinrichs, Laken Rudelis, Andrew Coble, Daniel Hart, Wynn Mahoney) come to claim her will have audiences
doubled over with laughter, attempting to keep up with what wackiness will occur next.
So join us again at the Lyric Theater for a fun evening, where “weighty affairs will just have to wait,” and where we promise to have “morals tomorrow, comedy tonight!”
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will be performed May 3, 4, 10, 11 at 7:00 pm, and May 5, 12 at 2:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now at TheLyric.org or by calling 870-391-3504 or visiting the Ozark Arts Council office M-W-F 8:00-2:00. Advance Tickets are $8 children, $10 seniors, $12 adults. Ticket prices at the door will be $11 children, $13 seniors, $15 adults.
Grease! — Tuesday through Saturday, November 27–December 1 @ 7:00 & Sundays, December 2 & 9 @ 2:00 — #LiveAtTheLyric!
What’s the word that you heard…that you heard…
that you heard? If it’s got a groove, if it’s got meaning…
if it is the time…is the place…is the motion…then…
Grease
is the way you are feeling!
Performances: Tuesday through Saturday, November 26–December 1 at 7:00PM
Sundays, December 2 & 9 at 2:00PM
It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s what you do with your dancin’ shoes.
– “Vince Fontaine”
If Grease is the way you are feeling, the end of November and beginning of December are your time of the year this year, because…yes, Grease the Musical is coming to the Lyric Theater LIVE for your viewing pleasure!
As Executive Director Hamblin was excited to announce, this is a play everyone can enjoy, whether you have nostalgia for the 1950s, for the play and film of the 1970s, or just for young people blasting energy from the stage to invigorate you in the midst of all your holiday preparations!
Join Greased Lightning, the Burger Palace Boys, and the Pink Ladies as they tell one of the most lasting love stories of all time. The 1950s high school dream is about to explode in this rollicking musical that is both an homage to the idealism of the fifties and a satire of high schoolers’ age-old desire to be rebellious, provocative and…rebellious! It’s 1959, and Rydell High School’s senior class is in rare form. The too-cool-for-school “Burger Palace Boys” (Andrew Coble, Gavin Wilson, Daniel Seay, Nathan Edwards) are stealing hub-caps and acting tough, and their gum-snapping, chain-smoking “Pink Ladies” (Katie Blessing, Eden Wilson, Ella Rush, Callie Johnson) are looking hot in bobby sox and pedal pushers.
At the heart of the story is the romance between hot-rodding gangster Danny Zuko (Laine Hilliard) and the sweet new girl in town, Sandy Dumbrowski (GiGi Crenshaw). They had a secret romance in summer, but now back in the context of school, peer-pressure and cliques make their love a bit more complicated. Can Danny maintain his “cool dude” status and still make demure Sandy his girl? The whole gang (Ann Lemley, Rowen Bolonsky, Nic Prpich, David Wilson, Preston Garrison, Serena Bolonsky, Candace Lambert, Abby Potter, Lena Rocole, Lexi Knight, Spree Hilliard, Haley Bright, Sky Blue Keen, Dylan Newby, Kinder Hinrichs, Jaxon Whitney, Zoe Arthur, Daniel Hart, Wesley Sanders, Liam Dupre, Julian Moehr) sings and dances around Danny and Sandy’s romance, through such hit songs as “Greased Lightnin,” “We Go Together,” and “Mooning,” recalling the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation.
Hamblin adds: “With an absolutely rockin’ 50s band (Steve Richards, Christopher Dees, Chris LaFata, Tony Foster, Jake Woolston, Eli Barrett, and led by Leisa Phillips) you won’t want to miss it! Not only do they play the classic soundtrack to perfection, but for those who arrive before the 7:00 curtain time, they will be performing a mini-concert of songs from ‘back in the day’…so boogie, bunny hop, and hand jive your way at least a half-hour early out to Grease, a NorthArk Drama and Ozark Arts Council production, LIVE at the Lyric Theater, November 27-30, Dec 1 at 7:00 PM, December 2 & 9 at 2:00PM.” Tickets available at TheLyric.org. Special discount if bought online!
Tickets are available by clicking any “Get Tickets” link on this site or by calling (870) 391-3504. Advance Tickets are $12 Adults, $11 Seniors, $10 Students; tickets purchased at the door are $15 Adults, $14 Seniors, $13 Students.