Auditions: Saturday September 14 at 6:30pm and Sunday September 15 at 2:00pm for The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe!

 

Auditions! Saturday, September 14 at 6:30PM and Sunday, September 15 at 2:00PM for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe!

Auditions for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will be held at The Historic 1929 Lyric Theater. Performance dates are December 13-15 and 20-22, 2024. Ages 8 and up ONLY

Please register to audition at our ticketing page to receive more information!

The Story

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will be performed Live at the Lyric December 13-14, 2024 at 7:00PM, December 20-21, 2024 at 7:00PM, Sunday December 15 at 2:00PM, and Sunday December 22 at 2:00PM.

This dramatization of C.S. Lewis’ classic work faithfully recreates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the great lion, his struggle with the White Witch, and the adventures of four children who inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never-to-be-forgotten Narnia. The intense action features chases, duels and escapes as the witch is determined to keep Narnia in her possession and to end the reign of Aslan. All the memorable episodes from the story are represented in this exciting dramatization: the temptation of Edmund by the witch, the slaying of the evil wolf by Peter, the witnessing of Aslan’s resurrection by Susan and Lucy, the crowing of the four new rulers of Narnia, and more. The supporting characters are also here: the unicorn, the centaur and other forest animals, along with Father Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and Tumnus the Faun. This story of love, faith, courage and giving, with its triumph of good over evil, is a true celebration of life. 

Please register to audition at our ticketing page to receive more information!

The Requirements

  • Only those auditioning may be present, unless the auditioner is a minor
  • Auditions will consist of sides from the script, chosen by the director. To see more information, please register here.
  • Ages 8 and up ONLY.

Thank you for supporting the Arts and good luck!

Drama: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe #LiveAtTheLyric December 13-14, December 20-21 at 7:00pm and December 15 & 22, 2024 at 2:00pm

The Ozark Arts Council Presents:
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Friday–Saturday, December 13-14, December 20-21, 7:00PM
Sunday December 15, December 22, 2:00PM

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will be performed Live at the Lyric December 13-14, 2024 at 7:00PM, December 20-21, 2024 at 7:00PM, Sunday December 15 at 2:00PM, and Sunday December 22 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (55 and up) and students, and $11 for children (under 12), when purchased in advance; prices are $3 higher if purchased at the door.

This dramatization of C.S. Lewis’ classic work faithfully recreates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the great lion, his struggle with the White Witch, and the adventures of four children who inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never-to-be-forgotten Narnia. The intense action features chases, duels and escapes as the witch is determined to keep Narnia in her possession and to end the reign of Aslan. All the memorable episodes from the story are represented in this exciting dramatization: the temptation of Edmund by the witch, the slaying of the evil wolf by Peter, the witnessing of Aslan’s resurrection by Susan and Lucy, the crowing of the four new rulers of Narnia, and more. The supporting characters are also here: the unicorn, the centaur and other forest animals, along with Father Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and Tumnus the Faun. This story of love, faith, courage and giving, with its triumph of good over evil, is a true celebration of life. 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will be performed Live at the Lyric December 13-14, 2024 at 7:00PM, December 20-21, 2024 at 7:00PM, Sunday December 15 at 2:00PM, and Sunday December 22 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (55 and up) and students, and $11 for children (under 12), when purchased in advance; prices are $3 higher if purchased at the door.

 

OAC Ticketing Link

Comedy/Drama: Steel Magnolias #LiveAtTheLyric July 26-27, August 2-3 at 7:00pm and July 28, August 4, 2024 at 2:00pm

The Ozark Arts Council Presents:
Steel Magnolias
Friday–Saturday, July 26–27, August 2–3, 7:00PM
Sunday, July 28, August 4, 2:00PM

Steel Magnolias will be performed Live at the Lyric (with 2 different casts!) July 26–27, 2024 at 7:00PM, August 2–3, 2024 at 7:00PM, Sunday July 28 at 2:00PM, and Sunday August 4 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (55 and up) and students, and $8 for children (under 12), when purchased in advance; prices are $3 higher if purchased at the door.

The action is set in Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies who are “anybody” come to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married) (Laken Rudelis & Jerry Carter), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy (Jane Harrison) dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser, (“I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a bad mood for forty years”) (Lisa Johnson & Toinette Madison); an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee (Kelly Goodwin & Ann Lemley), who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M’Lynn (Julianna Hamblin & Lisa Bailey), whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town) (Katie Davis & Ella Rush), is about to marry a “good ole boy.” Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, when the play moves towards tragedy, the ladies must rely on the underlying strength—and love—which give the play, and its characters, the special quality to make them truly touching, funny and marvelously amiable company in good times and bad.

Concerned with a group of gossipy southern ladies in a small-town beauty parlor, the play is alternately hilarious and touching—and, in the end, deeply revealing of the strength and purposefulness which underlies the antic banter of its characters.

Chinqapin Parish Cast July 26–28

  • Truvy: Jane Harrison
  • Annelle: Jerry Carter
  • Ouiser: Lisa Johnson
  • Clairee: Ann Lemley
  • M’Lynn: Lisa Bailey
  • Shelby: Ella Rush

Natchitoches Cast August 2–4

  • Truvy: Jane Harrison
  • Annelle: Laken Rudelis
  • Ouiser: Toinette Madison
  • Clairee: Kelly Goodwin
  • M’Lynn: Julianna Hamblin
  • Shelby: Katie Davis

“…suffused with humor and tinged with tragedy.” 

– New York Post

“Harling has given his women sharp, funny dialogue…The play builds to a conclusion that is deeply moving.” 

– New York Daily News

Steel Magnolias will be performed Live at the Lyric (with 2 different casts!) July 26-27, 2024 at 7:00PM, August 2-3, 2024 at 7:00PM, Sunday July 28 at 2:00PM, and Sunday August 4 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (55 and up) and students, and $8 for children (under 12), when purchased in advance; prices are $3 higher if purchased at the door.

OAC Ticketing Link

Comedy/Drama: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten! #LiveAtTheLyric March 1-2, 2024 at 7:00pm and March 3, 2024 at 2:00pm

The Ozark Arts Council Presents:
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
Friday–Saturday, March 1–2, 7:00PM
Sunday, March 3, 2:00PM

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten will be performed Live at the Lyric March 1–2, 2024 at 7:00PM, and Sunday March 3 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (55 and up) and students, and $8 for children (under 12), when purchased in advance; prices are $3 higher if purchased at the door.

PLEASE NOTE: Adult themes and language.

Based on Robert Fulghum’s best-selling books, Kindergarten takes a funny, insightful, heartwarming look at what is profound in everyday life. It’s an evening of theatrical storytelling in revue format, with monologues, dialogues, and multiple-voice narration, enhanced through the use of live piano underscoring, which provides fluidity and charm to the experience. While not a musical per se, the play also includes some well-placed songs to enhance the emotional texture of the storytelling.

Heartwarming, charming, funny and touching. The stories are about all of us.

– National Public Radio

The delightful stories feature colorful characters such as: a shy little boy who insists on playing the “pig” in his class production of Cinderella and steals the show; a man whose dream of flying carries him high over Los Angeles…in a lawn chair buoyed by surplus weather balloons; a “mother of the bride” who’s staged a perfect wedding—until the bowling ball of fate rolls down the aisle; and a modern-day Greek philosopher who finds the meaning of life in a piece of broken mirror from World War II.

These stories celebrate our very existence, from the whimsy of childhood to the wisdom of old age, giving performances of Kindergarten the sort of lasting relevance that is fitting for those who know Fulguhm’s book.

A refreshingly intimate combination of theatre and storytelling. Gentle…funny…joyous. Sparks of recognition ignited the audience.

– The Chicago Sun-Times

Our cast includes a wide range of ages and experience levels all brought together by new-to-us-but-highly-experienced director Leslie Austin (who taught Theatre and worked with several troupes in the DFW area for several decades). Actors include Lisa Johnson, Shelly Watson, Beth Lambeth, Rachel Hayes, Kelly Copeland, Susan Spradlin, Andrew Coble, Fred Lutz, Amy Sorenson, Alexis Poor, Ann Lemley, and Daniel Seay.

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten will be performed Live at the Lyric March 1–2, 2024 at 7:00PM, and Sunday March 3 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (55 and up) and students, and $8 for children (under 12), when purchased in advance; prices are $3 higher if purchased at the door by standing in the cold wind and rain of early March in the Ozarks…

OAC Ticketing Link

Drama: Radium Girls! #LiveAtTheLyric January 25-27, 2024 at 7:00pm and January 28, 2024 at 2:00pm

Radium Girls will be performed Live at the Lyric January 25-27 at 7:00pm, and Sunday January 28 at 2:00pm. Tickets are $8-12 and raise $3 at the door. Tickets at TheLyric.org.

In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie (Mattea Emerson) an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage—until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer (Emma Bock), a dial painter, as she and the other “Radium Girls – Irene (Liani Cash) and Kathryn (Ella Domino) fight for their day in court. Their chief adversary is former employer, Arthur Roeder (Isaiah Wallis), an idealistic man who cannot bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees. As the case goes on, however, Grace finds herself battling not just with the U.S. Radium Corporation and their lackeys (Markley, played by Wyatt Villines; and Lee, played by Mark Green), but with her own family and friends (Tom, her fiancé, played by Laith Boswell, and Anna, her mother, played by Destiney Walker), who fear that her campaign for justice will backfire. Called a “powerful” and “engrossing” drama by critics, Radium Girls offers a wry, unflinching look at the peculiarly American obsessions with health, wealth, and the commercialization of science. For more information of this incredible story of strength, we recommend visiting Juris Magazine to be linked to a fascinating and informative article.

Other cast members include the allies, scientists, reporters, and witnesses that were part of the trial, played by: North Phifer, Angie Briggs, Natalie Sims, Nicole Olcott, Cordelia Kaeser, Fred Lutz, Emily Akins- Sexton, Hayleigh Rodery, Julie Davis, Caylee Arthur, Arrowyn Arthur, Joseph Cotton, Trinity White, Kathern Scott-White, Simone Ruff.

Radium Girls will be performed Live at the Lyric January 25-27 at 7:00pm, and Sunday January 28 at 2:00pm. Tickets are $8-12 and raise $3 at the door. Tickets at TheLyric.org.

OAC Ticketing Link

Auditions Friday August 12 and Saturday August 13, 2022 at 6:00pm

Auditions!

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.

Show dates: September 29-30, October 1-2, 2022

Rehearsals begin: August 23, 2022–4 days per week

More info to come soon!

Thank you for supporting the Arts and good luck!

Wait Until Dark, September 29–30, October 1 at 7pm, October 2 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

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

Wait Until Dark, a Suspense Thriller

September 29–30, October 1 at 7pm, October 2 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and The Ozark Arts Council present Wait Until Dark, performed at the Historic 1929 Lyric Theater September 29–30, October 1 at 7:00PM and October 2 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.

A sinister con man, Roat (August Gideon), and two ex-convicts, Mike (Joe Cotton) and Carlino (Lexi Knight), are about to meet their match. They have traced the location of a mysterious doll, which they are much interested in, to the Greenwich Village apartment of Sam Hendrix (James Melton) and his blind wife, Susy (Katie Blessing).

Sam apparently had been persuaded to transport the doll across the Canadian border, not knowing several grams of heroin were sewn inside.

When the woman is murdered the situation becomes more urgent. The con man and his ex-convicts, through a cleverly constructed deception, convince Susy that the police (Fred Lutz, Chasity Price) have implicated Sam in the woman’s murder,

and the doll, which she believes is the key to his innocence, is evidence. She refuses to reveal its location, and with the help of a young neighbor (Emma Pruitt), figures out she is the victim of a bizarre charade. When Roat kills his associates, though, a deadly

game of cat and mouse ensues between the two. Susy knows the only way to play fair is by her rules, so when darkness falls she turns off all the lights leaving both of them to maneuver in the dark until the game ends.

Join us at The Lyric for Wait Until Dark, September 29–30 and October 1 at 7:00PM, October 2 at 2:00PM #LiveAtTheLyric. Tickets on sale NOW!

OAC Ticketing Link

To eliminate ticketing and card processing fees
become an OAC Member at Join.TheLyric.org!

Meet the Cast!

My name is Chasity Price and I’m excited to do this play…one thing that the people need to know is that I have autism and I have a love for theatre. Here’s to a good show!

Police woman #2 is the type of cop that is not afraid of anything and she doesn’t care who did what and as long as the killer is put up, every thing is chill.

Fred Lutz is very excited about being in this production. This is his first Lyric experience. Fred has had numerous acting parts but this is the first dark and serious play in which he has been cast. Fred wants to thank his wife Sue for her encouragement.

Policeman 1 is a typical New York policeman that is called out on varied calls to bring calm and restore peace out of chaos. He is taken aback by this call, however, by its darkness and bodies.

I’m Lexi Knight and my world is a stage!—well, since I was 7/8. Acting is my greatest passion and hope to one day see my name in lights! When I am not at home (the Lyric) I am educating and attending to the needs of tiny humans, or at my place of residence watching shows, reading, sewing, or yes blasting showtunes!

Carlino isn’t the sneakiest thief in the night. He is greedy, clusmy, and easily distracted. After all, he is a first grade dropout. He has an interest in photography and also loves food, so the worst thing he will do is raid your fridge, which is probably what got him arrested in the first place!

Joe Cotton says…

“I have been in a few plays, but this is my first non-musical, non-comedy play. Looking forward to my first drama. Acting in the Lyric always brings back good memories. Just remember that the actors are the face of the play, but nothing happens without the backbone of the play, the unseen movers and shakers that make the play happen.

“Mike Talman is your typical con-man, but he makes the unforgivable mistake of developing sympathy for the mark. This is the first film that truly scared the ‘you know what out’ of me that I watched back in the late sixties, at the historic Lyric Theater. Let the suspense begin!”

Today’s “Meet the Cast” is a special one. This person stepped into a role about two and a half weeks prior to opening night. He’s had less than half the amount of time to become his character than the rest of the cast, and we think he’s doing spectacularly! Meet James Ian Melton, playing the role of Sam Hendrix.

A Harrison resident all my life, I have participated in Theatre Company productions doing a variety of roles since I was about 14. My acting work experience was playing “Howard,” the Haint of Mutton Hollow, for about 16 years at Shepherd of the Hills, Branson, Missouri. After not doing acting for several years, I’m trying to get back into it.

Sam Hendrix is a loving husband, who married Susy after an accident had taken her eyesight. He is a perfectionist and a photographer, who wants to see the best in himself and everyone around him. When returning from a photography trip, a woman at the airport asks Sam to hold a doll, that he didn’t know was full of heroin, and she would get it from him later—which leads to other sinister activities.

Emma Pruitt says…

“I am 12 years old and The Lyric is like a second home to me as I have been doing plays regularly since I was 5. I feel this is my biggest and most important role yet. I am excited and honored to be playing the part of Gloria. My dream, when I grow up, is to be on Broadway! Thank you to the directors and all the other amazing castmates! Here’s to a great show!

Gloria, the little girl upstairs plays a very pivotal role in the play. She is a headstrong, bratty, stubborn, and adventurous child. Although she loves Sam, she and Susy don’t always see eye to eye. Gloria gets them all into a big predicament when she takes a toy doll that doesn’t belong to her.

My name is August Gideon and I currently reside in the Branson area. I have always enjoyed art, especially music, but after accepting my first role in “The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama,” I became addicted to acting. After some encouragement from my friends and family, I decided to branch out to community theater. I am thrilled to be part of this cast and it is a true honor to share the stage with so many talented individuals.

Harry Roat, Jr. is a con man who takes great pleasure in manipulating people. He is a violent mysterious individual who will stop at no end to get what he wants. If you look past the manipulation and the violence you see him for what he really is, an actor who uses his talent for evil.

Kt Blessing is a sixteen-year veteran of the Lyric stage. You may recognize her from past performances as Rizzo (Grease), Philia (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), and Rosencrantz (Hamlet), among many others. Kt would like to thank the amazing cast and directors of Wait Until Dark for all their hard work, and would like to thank her family and friends for all their support during this whirlwind production.

Susy Hendrix is newly married and recently blind. She is still learning how to navigate the world in the dark. And in Wait Until Dark, she has to use her wits and resourcefulness to try to outsmart the conmen invading her home.

 
OAC Ticketing Link

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, December 2–4 at 7pm, December 5 at 2pm Live At the #HHSPAC!

The Harrison High School
Theatre Department,
ITS Troupe 2715,
and the
Ozark Arts Council
present:

The Best
Christmas Pageant
Ever!

Thursday–Saturday, December 2–4, 7:00PM
Sunday, December 5, 2:00PM

Harrison High School Theatre Department presents The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at the HHS PAC on December 2, 3, 4 at 7:00pm and December 5 at 2:00pm. Tickets are available through HHSPAC.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. All performances will be held at the Harrison High School Performing Arts Center (HHS PAC).

Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is speeding merrily closer! What better way to get in the holiday mood than by going to a performance of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever?

 

In this hilarious Christmas classic, a mother (Faith Nix) struggles to put on a church Christmas pageant with her husband’s (Joseph Claus) help, but is faced with casting the Herdman kids—probably the most inventively awful kids in history (Cookie Simpson, Jude Bilbee, Donovan Walters, Rilee Young, Lily Brockelman, Addie Jones), as well as wrangling her own unenthusiastic children Beth (Lilly Mangrum) and Charlie (Zachary Jimerson) into assisting.

When you add an unwilling menagerie of kids of all ages into the mix (Ricky Bates, Brinkley Brewer, Maci Bright, Mysteri Cotton, Liam Dupre, Victoria Hudson, Caden Lambert, Ethan Rouse), as well as some nosy busybodies who can’t wait to see it all crash and burn (Mandy Prpich, Jennafer Wilson, Iria Delgado, Camron Edwards, Laken Steiner, Elijah Ford), you’re in for one wild sleigh ride! You won’t believe the mayhem—and the fun—when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on!

This delightful comedy is adapted from the best-selling Young Adult book by Barbara Robinson, and will certainly put you in the mood to sing a carol, drink some hot chocolate, and pull your loved ones in close. 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever will be performed at the HHS PAC on December 2, 3, 4 at 7:00pm, December 5 at 2:00pm. Tickets available at HHSPAC.org and TheLyric.org (please note: all performances of this play will be at the HHS PAC; the ticket selection page will indicate accessible seating options).

Donations are also being accepted for Children’s Charity Ministry at each performance. If you would like to donate, please bring your donations to the play and put them in front of the tree at the entrance to the PAC.

The following are the items we need donated; please stick to this list, as it is what CCM is equipped to use:

  • Single-serve mac and cheese
  • Single-serve cereal
  • Single-serve oatmeal
  • Fruit/applesauce/jello/pudding cups
  • Granola bars
  • Beanie weenies
  • Vienna sausage
  • Ramen noodles
  • Snack cracker packs
  • Pull-tab Chef Boyardee pasta
  • Pull-tab soups

Hey, Herdmans…it’s a BOOK, too!

As with any adaptation of a book to a live performance—and our season is full of them this year!—we suggest a (re-) reading of the book both before and after the performance. We suggest this because it both prolongs the entertainment and makes the experience more enriching. By reading the book before and after, you are able to engage your own imagination of the characters and scenery, etc., or even of the nuances of the plot, then gain insight into the playwright’s imagination of the same, and then deepen and broaden your own imagination through the post-performance reading. You may agree or disagree with any playwright’s choices in an adaptation…and, maybe, if you disagree enough, another playwright will have been created!

To read Barbara Robinson’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (and the other two volumes of her series with the Herdman kids!), visit the Boone County Public Library or a library near you…or buy it online for under $6! A version to read on tablets (or with the Kindle app for Chromebooks and MacOS, Windows, and Linux computers) is available for FREE in the same place! If you follow our links to buy the book, you’ll notice that where ‘www’ normally is, it says ‘smile’, which means you can designate the OAC/Lyric to receive a portion of what you pay for the book (it won’t increase your price or take money away from creators or producers of a product, but comes out of Amazon’s profit).

Join us at The Harrison High School Performing Arts Center for a literary classic brought to life! Tickets for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, December 2–5 Live At The #HHSPAC, are available now through HHSPAC.org or here at TheLyric.org by clicking any “Get Tickets” link, or calling the OAC office at (870) 391-3504 (please leave a detailed message if you get our voicemail).

OAC Ticketing Link

Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, November 17–20 at 7pm, November 21 at 2pm #LiveAtTheLyric!

Northark Drama and
the Ozark Arts Council present Rudyard Kipling’s:

The Jungle Book

Thursday-Saturday, November 17–20, 7:00PM
Sunday, November 21, 2:00PM

Landon Clements and Andrew Coble square off as Mowgli and Shere Khan!

Northark Drama and The Ozark Arts Council, will present Vera Morris’s beloved adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book #LiveAtTheLyric Wednesday–Saturday, November 17–20, 2021 at 7:00pm and Sunday, November 21 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.

Mowgli and Friends: Brinkley Brewer as Kaa the Python, Dante Lowe as Baloo the Bear, Landon Clements as Mowgli, and Wyatt Mahoney as Bagheera the Panther

Come hear the incredible tale of Mowgli (Landon Clements), a young boy raised by wolves. With the help of his friends—the bear Baloo (Dante Lowe), the panther Bagheera (Wyatt Mahoney) and the python Kaa (Brinkley Brewer)—Mowgli learns the ways of the jungle. Some of the jungle boy’s adventures are gripping, like the time he encounters the hooded cobra (Michael Amburn) who guards the treasure vault in the Deserted City.  Others, like the coconut-tossing monkeys (Landon Kirkpatrick, Maegen Sterling, Lexi Knight, Macy Middleton, Zachary Linn, Emma Pruitt, Chasity Price, Lexi Poor) who take him prisoner, are hysterical. But the jungle is also dangerous, for it is the home of Shere Khan (Andrew Coble), the man-eating tiger who has vowed to destroy Mowgli. With his fawning jackal follower (Jude Bilbee), Shere Khan plots to take control of the jungle. Mowgli must use all his strength and courage, and the help of his friends to stop Shere Khan before it is too late.

Not birds of a feather! Mang (William Dorsey) is a night-flying mammal, while Mor (Valeria Carbajal) has brilliant feathers, but doesn’t fly much at all.

With a stellar cast including Danielle Devito, Maci Bright, Wynn Mahoney, Caleb Lord, Michele Reynolds, William Dorsey, Valeria Carbajal, Elise Halsted, Lily Brockelman, Jacob Cothran, Laura Bracken, Jennafer Wilson, Skyler Grebe, Emily Perkins, Jerome Sweatman), this adaptation will enchant you and have you cheering when Mowgli declares, “I am Mowgli, Keeper of the Law and Guardian of the Jungle!”

Please Note: Along with Disney, we acknowledge that this play includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and they are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. The producers of this play believe that, perhaps in spite of Kipling’s or the playwright’s own understanding of the these issues, the search and struggle for belonging presented in Mowgli’s story is the very key to understanding the struggles that are even more magnified among us today.

Super Group ALERT! The Village People + The Monkees…and Mowgli, too!

As with any adaptation of a book to a live performance—and our season is full of them this year!—we suggest a (re-) reading of the book both before and after the performance. We suggest this because it both prolongs the entertainment and makes the experience more enriching. By reading the book before and after, you are able to engage your own imagination of the characters and scenery, etc., or even of the nuances of the plot, then gain insight into the playwright’s imagination of the same, and then deepen and broaden your own imagination through the post-performance reading. You may agree or disagree with any playwright’s choices in an adaptation…and, maybe, if you disagree enough, another playwright will have been created!

To read Kipling’s collection of short stories, visit the Boone County Public Library or a library near you…or buy it online. A version to read on tablets is available for under two dollars and is available in the same place. If you follow our links to buy the book, you’ll notice that where ‘www’ normally is, it says ‘smile’, which means you can designate the OAC/Lyric to receive a portion of what you pay for the book (it won’t increase your price or take money away from creators or producers of a product, but comes out of Amazon’s profit).

Join us at The Lyric for a literary classic brought to life! Tickets for The Jungle Book, November 17–21 #LiveAtTheLyric, are available now here at TheLyric.org by clicking any “Get Tickets” link, or calling the OAC office at (870) 391-3504 (please leave a detailed message if you get our voicemail).

And…the cast goes wild on the savannah…!
 
OAC Ticketing Link

Pride and Prejudice, September 2–4 at 7pm, 5 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and
the Ozark Arts Council Present a
World Premiere Adaptation of
Jane Austen’s Classic Novel:

Pride and Prejudice

Thursday-Saturday, September 2–4, 7:00PM
Sunday, September 5, 2:00PM

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and The Ozark Arts Council, will present Pride and Prejudice #LiveAtTheLyric the first weekend of September, 2021 (September 2–5). 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 the rural countryside of England live Mr. Bennet (Michael Amburn) and Mrs. Bennet (Elizabeth Lambert)—who is fixed on her 5 daughters getting married off quickly (and preferably to rich men!). Fortunately, a man of great wealth, Mr. Bingley (Jude Bilbee), has just moved to the neighborhood, and has set his sight on their eldest daughter, Jane (Bri Coleman). Unfortunately, he has brought along his arrogant friend, Mr. Darcy (Caleb Lord), who insults not only the Bennetts, whom he sees as far beneath him, but their second eldest, Elizabeth (Brinkley Brewer), initiating Elizabeth’s hatred for the prideful man. If Mr. Darcy’s attitude weren’t enough, Elizabeth meets many more people who add fuel to the flames in her heart toward him—such as Mr. Wickham (Joe Claus), who has known Mr. Darcy since infancy and is more than happy to enlighten Elizabeth with tales of his past.

As with any adaptation of a book to a live performance—and our season is full of them this year!—we suggest a (re-)reading of the book both before and after the performance. We suggest this because it both prolongs the entertainment and makes the experience more enriching. By reading the book before and after, you are able to engage your own imagination of the characters and scenery, etc., or even of the nuances of the plot, then gain insight into the playwright’s imagination of the same, and then deepen and broaden your own imagination through the post-performance reading. You may agree or disagree with any playwright’s choices in an adaptation…and, maybe, if you disagree enough, another playwright will have been created!

To read Jane Austen’s novel, visit the Boone County Public Library or a library near you…or buy it online. If print size can cause you difficulty, a large print, unabridged hardback is linked in the image to the right, below, and a version to read on tablets is available for under a dollar and is linked in the image on the left! If you follow our links to buy the book, you’ll notice that where ‘www’ normally is, it says ‘smile’, which means you can designate the OAC/Lyric to receive a portion of what you pay for the book (it won’t increase your price or take money away from creators or producers of a product, but comes out of Amazon’s profit).

This play is a world premiere, adapted by the director, Michele Reynolds, from Jane Austen’s classic novel to bring out more of the nuances of the book—both the comedic elements and the reasons behind some of the animosity between characters—and includes a large and talented ensemble, including Andrew Jackson, Addie Jones, Ella Domino, Faith Nix, Chasity Price, Rilee Young, Preston Garrison, Candace Lambert, Tracy Elledge, Cassandra Elledge, Emily Perkins, Alexis Poor, Caden Lambert, AJ Womack, Julie Sooter, Lily Aronson, Owen Elledge, Vive Allen, Jimmy Elledge, Laura Bracken, Lenora Domino, Emily Still.

Join us at The Lyric for a literary classic brought to life! Tickets for Pride and Prejudice, September 2–5 #LiveAtTheLyric, are available now here at TheLyric.org by clicking any “Get Tickets” link, or calling the OAC office at (870) 391-3504 (please leave a detailed message if you get our voicemail).

OAC Ticketing Link