As in…
“HeyMama…JaWannaMakesomeMUSICwithMe for some great causes‽
Live on the
Harrison Square’s hot new Entertainment District
and inside the always-cool Lyric Theater
3:00PM–11:00PM
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Join us on June 10, from 3:00–11:00, both in the Lyric (7–11) and on the Harrison Square (3–6) for the first ever Mama JaWanna Music Festival—showcasing talented female performers from our area who have banded together to raise funds for Hope Cottages and The Sanctuary, Inc. of Boone County!
7 Hours of multi-genre music on 2 stages, featuring women singer/songwriters of the area, supported by local musicians.
Singers include: Susan Swanson, Sierra Schwanz, Brooke Albright of Angels and Outlaws, Rachel Hewitt-Groves, Snowflake Henson, Susan Boone-Rowan, Denise Dore, Maggie Lee, and Shelly Watson.
Ticket prices: $20 – preferred seating; $30 – 2 drink tickets; $50 – 2 drink tickets and an invitation to the Aftershow Party at Buffalo Chateau
The Theatre Co. of the Ozarks will have auditions for lower case, by Stephen Enersen on Saturday April 15 at 6pm and Sunday April 16, 2023 at 2:00pm at the Lyric Theater. For more questions, please click to email us or call 870-391-3504.
The Requirements
Doors will open at 5:30pm on Saturday and 1:30pm on Sunday. Only those auditioning may be present.
Auditions will consist of sides from the script, chosen by the director.
Ages 18 and up.
The Story
lower case is by Stephen Enersen. Cast is 2 men, 2 women.
Show dates: June 22-24, 2023 at 7:00pm and June 25, 2023 at 2:00pm at the 1929 Historic Lyric Theater.
This smart romantic comedy wrestles with the miseries of the mid-life, recycled dating scene. Having recently decided that he is through with romantic relationships (though not through with women), George has made an impulsive bet with his meddling sister that he will solve all his dating problems by “hiring” a mistress. Now, just two days before the “show and tell” dinner where he must produce said mistress to avoid losing the high-stakes bet, a mistress-less (and clueless) George tries to engage a 30-something theatre student to play his paramour for the dinner. A contentious though talented Meredith finds the assignment disgusting but needs the money and, truth be told, is excited by the acting challenge of a full evening of improvisation. While the antagonistic couple is attempting to fashion a convincing backstory for the dinner charade, sister Betsy suddenly appears, throwing Meredith and George into a frantic, ill-prepared improv a full day early. Amidst the chaos, Meredith and George gradually come to appreciate each other’s odd yet strangely sensible takes on life and relationships.
HHS Theatre Dept. presents The Election, by Don Zolidis at the Harrison High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $8 for children, when bought in advance; prices rise $3 if purchased at the door—$11 for children, $13 for seniors and students, and $15 for adults.
After embattled student body president Skip (Garland Watson) resigns in disgrace – and has a public break-up with his girlfriend (Lydia Thomas) – Mark Davenport (Mark Green) figures he will cruise to victory in the special election with a little help from the secretary (Victoria Grae Smith). After all, his only opponent is nerdy Christy Martin (Brinkley Brewer), who wants to eliminate football and snacks. But when a mysterious Super PAC gives her an unlimited budget, things start to get very ugly. Mark must face total annihilation with his friend and campaign manager, Karl (Isaiah Wallis), or accept the services of a slick professional campaign manager (Angelina Briggs) with questionable ethics and a million-dollar Super PAC of his own. With the school news reporters (Allyson Hyatt, Hayden Allen, Ellison Jones, Matthew Phelps, Brycen Myers, Andi Parrish, Jude Bilbee, Natalie Sims) dogging his every move, especially Kyli (Emma Bock), a reporter who cares more about ratings than reality; a bevy of wishy-washy voters who turn on a dime (Hannah Edwards, Alexa Duggan, Jacob Waters, Maci Bright, Casey Williams, Reagan Hersh, Mysteri Cotton, Carter Malachi Baker, Ricky Bates); and a revolving door of actors hired specifically for his campaign (Ella Domino, Cierra Lundgren), Mark has to decide if losing his soul is really worth a good mark on his college resume. The Election, by prolific playwright Don Zolidis, is an hilarious and timely satire on the contemporary political scene, all set in a normal, every-day high school with normal, every-day students.
Join us at the HHS PAC for TheElection April 13-15 at 7:00pm and April 16 at 2:00pm. Tickets at HHSPAC.org. Tickets on sale at HHSPAC.org. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $8 for children, when bought in advance; prices rise $3 if purchased at the door—$11 for children, $13 for seniors and students, and $15 for adults.
NorthArk Drama and the Ozark Arts Council Present:
April 28-29; May 5-6, 2023 at 7pm, April 30 & May 7, 2023 at 2pm! ! #LiveAtTheLyric!
The Ozark Arts Council and NorthArk Drama present Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, at the Historic 1929 Lyric Theater but with TWO separate casts! The Alpha Cast will perform April 28-29 at 7:00PM and April 30 at 2:00PM. The Omega Cast will perform May 5-6 at 7:00PM and May 7 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $8 for children, when bought in advance; prices rise $3 if purchased at the door—$11 for children, $13 for seniors and students, and $15 for adults.
During an ostentatious wedding reception at a Knoxville, Tennessee, estate, five reluctant, identically clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reason to avoid the proceedings below. They are Frances, a painfully sweet but sheltered fundamentalist; Mindy, the cheerful, wise-cracking lesbian sister of the groom; Georgeanne, whose heartbreak over her own failed marriage triggers outrageous behavior; Meredith, the bride’s younger sister whose precocious rebelliousness masks a dark secret; and Trisha, a jaded beauty whose die-hard cynicism about men is called into question when she meets Tripp, a charming bad-boy usher to whom there is more than meets the eye. As the afternoon wears on, these five very different women joyously discover a common bond in this wickedly funny, irreverent and touching celebration of the women’s spirit.
WARNING: This play contains strong language, adult content, and adult subject matter.
Join us at The Lyric for Five Women Wearing the Same Dress #LiveAtTheLyric. Tickets on sale at TheLyric.org. The Alpha Cast will perform April 28-29 at 7:00PM and April 30 at 2:00PM. The Omega Cast will perform May 5-6 at 7:00PM and May 7 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $8 for children, when bought in advance; prices rise $3 if purchased at the door—$11 for children, $13 for seniors and students, and $15 for adults. Become an OAC Member at Join.TheLyric.org!
NorthArk Drama will have auditions for Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, on Saturday January 14 and Sunday January 15, 2023 at 5:00pm at the Lyric Theater. For more questions, please click to email us or call 870-391-3504.
The Requirements
Doors will open at 4:30pm. Only those auditioning may be present.
Auditions will consist of sides from the script, chosen by the director.
NorthArk Drama will have auditions for Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, on Saturday January 14 and Sunday January 15, 2023 at 5:00pm for ages 17 and up ONLY. For more questions, please click to email us or call 870-391-3504.
The Story
Five Women Wearing the Same Dress is by Alan Ball. Cast is 6 women, 1 man.
Show dates: May 3-6, 2023 at 7:00pm and May 7, 2023 at 2:00pm at the 1929 Historic Lyric Theater.
During an ostentatious wedding reception at a Knoxville, TN estate, five reluctant, identically-clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reasons to avoid the proceedings below. They are Frances, a painfully sweet but sheltered fundamentalist; Mindy, the cheerful, wise-cracking lesbian sister of the groom; Georgeanne, whose heartbreak over her own failed marriage triggers outrageous behavior; Meredith, the bride’s younger sister, whose precocious rebelliousness masks a dark secret; and Trisha, a jaded beauty whose die-hard cynicism about men is called into question when she meets Tripp, a charming bad-boy usher to whom there is more than meets the eye. As the afternoon wears on, in this cramped bedroom above the wedding, these five identically dressed women talk, laugh, argue, cry, console one another, and slowly become friends and joyously discover a common bond in this wickedly funny, irreverent, and touching celebration of the women’s spirit.
Eli Cook
Maybe the Best Vocals
in Today’s Blues…and the Guitar Work
is Top Notch, Too!
At the Lyric for a Class and a Concert
Saturday, October 22, 2022 Class at 3:00PM — Concert at 7:00PM
Join us on October 22 at 7:00pm, for the guitar mastery and rich baritone voice that brought the writers of Blues Matters magazine to rank him as a “top international solo artist” above Devon Allman and Elvin Bishop…before he had reached his 30th birthday: Eli Cook’s busy hands and feet (resonator and 12-string, plus tambourine and stompbox) are coming back to the Lyric this Fall!
Even Better: Join us earlier in the day, too: from 3:00PM to 5:00PM Eli Cook’s Acoustic Blues Guitar Workshop returns! Ages 13 and up with a moderate skill level and an interest in “Blues-based music” are welcome. You must bring an acoustic guitar (no electric instruments will be allowed this time). If you know basic chords and want to play the Blues or incorporate its influences into your playing, there will be something here for you; if you know more than that, there will be something here for you, too! BUT: Get your concert tickets first, so that you save $10 on this class! (More info below!)
AllMusic noted that Eli Cook “has what it takes to be the best blues singer of his generation.” Blues Matters! stated that Cook is “among the top 3 solo blues artists world-wide.” Arnie Goodman’s words in Elmore Magazine immediately make sense when you consider Eli’s main influences—John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Soundgarden, and Rage Against the Machine—
What Eli is doing is giving an authenticity to the blues, but giving it the energy a modern rock band would give it. That’s the key to it.
As Eli himself says, “Everything I do is always deeply rooted in classic blues—meaning the feeling of it and the music theory aspect of it. It’s especially rooted in what they call pre-war blues, the more acoustic, rootsy stuff.” Joe McSpadden, writing in the roots music quarterly No Depression sums it up this way:
On the seventh album of his career the phenom from Nelson County, Virginia reins in his inner guitar god and makes his most focused roots blues album yet. High-Dollar Gospel finds Cook showcasing his acoustic mojo and the result is the most satisfying record of his career.
That album—released to universally rave reviews in 2017—was a blend of Cook’s love of country pickers to blues rockers and included covers from Muddy Waters and Roosevelt Sykes that have been in his live shows for years, as well as an outstanding cover of Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight.”
Through the years, Cook has performed and recorded both acoustic and electric blues, and his Primitive Son album (2014), contained guest appearances by Vinny Appice and Artimus Pyle (drums); Tinsley Ellis, Eric Gales, Leslie West, Pat Travers and Harvey Mandel (guitar); Sonny Landreth (slide guitar); Rod Piazza (harmonica); and Reese Wynans (Hammond B3 organ). He has shared the stage with B. B. King and other greats from Johnny Winter, Robert Cray, and Robin Trower to Shemekia Copeland and Parliament-Funkadelic, appearing every where from the Kennedy Center to the South by Southwest festival…and now we are pleased to welcome him back to The Roots Music Palace of the Ozarks,Harrison’s historic Lyric Theater!
“Everybody knows the story of the crossroads, where blues guitarists go at midnight to trade their souls to the devil for musical prowess. It’s just a myth, of course, but if it were true, firebrand Eli Cook could have bragging rights, as his scarifying solo-country blues chill like a hellhound on your trail.” – Guitar Player (2007)
Eli Cook is a mystifying soul. He’s a keen observer and a provoking thinker…but with swagger!
Under the messy blonde hair is a passionate heart with fingers of silver and gold that recalls John Lee Hooker, Chris Smither, and Chet Atkins, mixed in with a dirty, grungy sound. It’s clean playing mind you; it’s just his fingers are covered in the dirt left over from the crossroads.
Coming from Albemarle County in Virginia at the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Eli Cook grew up listening to the blues, country, classic rock, and alternative rock. He grew up with no TV, but radio shows like Prairie Home Companion were his Saturday night entertainment. Life moves slowly in this rural area of the world giving him time to hone his skills with his voice and guitar chops. At 18 he was opening up for B.B. King—a few years later he’s playing in Canada the one week and then the next week he’s blending in with his hometown locals.
“It’s what was around me, and I just tried to pick up on everything and everybody, including Doc Watson and Chet Atkins. In fact, hearing Chet fingerpick made me realize I didn’t need a band.” – Guitar Player (2007)
Tickets are available now for Eli Cook’s Saturday, October 22 performance at Harrison’s historic Lyric Theater, now celebrating its 90th year. This is a venue perfectly constructed for a performer like Eli, with the maximized ‘live’ acoustics that were necessary for the first generation of talking motion pictures—and the dedicated Lyric fans that consistently fill our seats for blues concerts will make for the sort of electric environment this acoustic blues concert deserves, so choose your seats early for what promises to be an outstanding evening!
Classic turnarounds, walking patterns, tricks for transitioning between chords, and signature riffs and licks will all be included and discussed from both a player’s technical standpoint and from a historical perspective, using examples from players such as Robert Johnson, Son House, Albert King, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. This class will have something for anyone who wants to play Blues guitar or just enjoys the music and wants to learn more about it.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Friday, October 28 at 7:00PM
Let’s do the Time Warp again!
Some people like “prop comics” and some people don’t…but everybody loves a whole theater full of happy people adding to a movie’s hilarity because they all have the right props!
On October 28th at 7:00 pm, join your fellow Time Warp enthusiasts for The Rocky Horror Picture Show! In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a scientist. Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.”
Harrison Art League Fall Show “Artistic Expressions” Opens October 3rd
HAL’s Fall Show at the Boone County Public Library
This annual HAL-sponsored art show will take entries on Monday, October 3rd at the Boone County Library from 1–4PM. The art will then be up in the library for about a month. The show will be judged, with various categories and prize money awarded.
Albert Cummings Returns to the Lyric with his newest album and, as you’d expect, it’s a
TEN!
Sunday September 11 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, with local favorite The Hedley Lamar Band opening, to the historic Lyric Theater, as Harrison, Arkansas enjoys “TEN” on Sunday, September 11 at 7:00 PM, for which tickets are now available.
Rave reviews are hitting for TEN. “The opening track is pure Cummings blues/rock power. With Ten, it’s not so much the blending of genres that speaks the loudest but it’s the songs themselves…With powerful vocals and harmonies, Albert proves his talent…Albert Cummings gets a 10 on Ten.” – Rock and Blues Muse
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, Live at the Lyric, 9/11/22 @ 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, “TEN,” 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, Live at the Lyric, September 11, 2022, 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, Live at the Lyric, 9/11/22 @ 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 in support of his new album, “Ten,” scheduled with opener local band The Hedley Lamar Band at the historic Lyric Theater on the Harrison, Arkansas square for Sunday, September 11 at 7:00PM. Tickets are now available.
We will have auditions for Wait Until Dark, on Friday August 12 and Saturday August 13 at 6:00pm. For more questions, please click to email us or call 870-391-3504.
The Requirements
Doors will open at 4:45pm. Only those auditioning may be present.
Auditions will consist of sides from the script, chosen by the director.
We will have auditions for Wait Until Dark on Friday August 12 and Saturday August 13 at 6:00pm for ages 18 and up ONLY. One part for a child aged 10-12 ONLY will begin at 5:00pm. For more questions, please click to email us or call 870-391-3504.
The Story
Wait Until Dark is by Frederick Knott. Cast is 8 people.
The Theatre Co. of the Ozarks will have auditions for lower case, by Stephen Enersen on Saturday April 15 at 6pm and Sunday April 16, 2023 at 2:00pm at the Lyric Theater. For more questions, 
NorthArk Drama will have auditions for Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, on Saturday January 14 and Sunday January 15, 2023 at 5:00pm at the Lyric Theater. For more questions, 
international solo artist” above Devon Allman and Elvin Bishop…before he had reached his 30th birthday: 
AllMusic noted that Eli Cook “has what it takes to be the best blues singer of his generation.” Blues Matters! stated that Cook is “among the top 3 solo blues artists world-wide.” Arnie Goodman’s words in Elmore Magazine immediately make sense when you consider Eli’s main influences—John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Soundgarden, and Rage Against the Machine—
We will have auditions for Wait Until Dark, on Friday August 12 and Saturday August 13 at 6:00pm. For more questions,