About Us
ShowTime Starts with "Willy Wonka"
(Posted: November 2, 2009) (Printable Version)
The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Academy of the Arts, in partnership with the Young Actors Guild, kicks off the 2009-10 ShowTime Series with two performances of Disney’s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory KIDS.”
The performances will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, with a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22. Both performances will be in Breedlove Auditorium on the UA Fort Smith campus. Admission is by ShowTime Series season ticket or individual tickets are $10 and are available at www.uafortsmith.edu or by calling the Box Office at (479) 788-7300.
Disney’s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory KIDS” is a stage adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl book and 1971 film. The story tells of poor Charlie Bucket whose wildest dreams come true as he finds the final of five golden tickets allowing him a tour of the world’s most famous and secretive candy factory. Led by the reclusive and eccentric Willy Wonka, Charlie and four other children are introduced to the magic of Wonka’s chocolate world, and learn a few lessons along the way with songs of moral encouragement from the factory’s workers, the Oompa Loompas.
“This story has been a children’s favorite since the movie came out in the ’70s,” said Director Nancy Mathis of Winslow. “Most people first think of all the special effects and magic in the movie. Our actors have done a great job making their own magic come alive on the stage.”
Dr. Rosilee Walker, artistic director for the Academy, agrees that the actors are turning out another spectacular performance worthy of any Disney classic.
“Despite their youth, we have a lot of experience in these children,” she said. “Some of them have been performing for years and it really shows. The effort they put into the play’s production, with rehearsals and memorizing lines and music and choreography, is just phenomenal and the final product is a reflection of that effort.”
Performing in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory KIDS” are:
Alma: Erin Boyd.
Barling: Dakota Lineberry, Andrew Smith, Kelsey Vickery and Lindsay Vickery.
Cameron, Okla.: Loren Emerson.
Fort Smith: Blake Bulger, Emily French, Madeline Haga, Cameron Law, Jessica Newman, Rylee Norton, Hannah Pair, Abby Parker, Francesca Rossi, Faith Schrader, Erich Schwarz, Ashton Spencer, Madison Stites, Makala Strang and Carey Woodie.
Greenwood: Madelyn Casey and Jessica Kolljeski.
Hackett: Cooper Black.
Lavaca: Garin Morris.
Rudy: Kaitlyn Morgan.
Other ShowTime Series productions this season include “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” Dec. 18-20, Disney’s “AristoCats KIDS” May 15-16 and “Schoolhouse Rock Live” May 26-29.
For more information on the Academy of the Arts, e-mail Dr. Walker at rwalker@uafortsmith.edu or call (479) 788-7546 or contact Kathy Zeller, administrative assistant for the Academy, at kzeller@uafortsmith.edu or (479) 788-7251. More information on what the Academy has to offer and how to register for spring can be found at www.uafortsmith.edu/academy.
| Article by: Jessica Martin, Public Relations Assistant |
Top Stories:
5210 Grand Ave. • P.O. Box 3649