Arkansas Festival Ballet performances next month

Arkansas Festival Ballet (AFB) announces its production of Alice in Wonderland, a storybook ballet, May 20 through 22 at the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre.

Following the classic story of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, the ballet features the standard cast of characters, who bring the story to life through dancing and theatrics.

Original choreography is by Rebecca Miller Stalcup, AFB Artistic Director.

Music is by Carl Davis who created the score in 1995 for the English National Ballet’s production of Alice in Wonderland. The score is derived primarily from Tchaikovsky’s Album for the Young. Davis also drew on Tchaikovsky’s Theatre Music, Tone Poems and Operas, as well as the beautiful waltz from the Fifth Symphony for The Garden of Living Flowers.

Costume design is by professional seamstress Heather Gray, who created fantastical costumes for last year’s production of Peter Pan.

Joining AFB dancers are students from UALR’s Department of Theatre Arts and Dance and young adult artists who have studied at Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s Summer Musical Theater Intensive training program. Eric Harrison, a veteran Little Rock actor who made his ballet debut in AFB’s 2009 production of Coppélia and appeared as a pirate in Peter Pan, will join the wacky cast of characters as the Walrus.

Special guest artist Dennis Glasscock, well known throughout the region as an actor, dancer, and instructor, takes on the role of the Mad Hatter. Mr. Glasscock drew enthusiastic accolades for his portrayal of Captain Hook in Peter Pan.

Rounding out the cast will be dance students from AFB’s official school, Arkansas Academy of Dance, as well as students from other dance schools in central Arkansas.

AFB’s classically trained ballet dancers are from various areas in the region, including Little Rock, North Little Rock, Cabot, and Hot Springs Village.

Sponsors for Alice in Wonderland include the Bill and Sharon Arnold Family Foundation, the Significance Foundation – Harshfield Family Charitable Fund, Argenta Community Theater, St. Vincent Health System, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Following last year’s successful response to special school performances, AFB will present three school performances of Alice in Wonderland on May 19 and 20. The 10:00 a.m. performances on both days are already sold out.

Tickets for the May 20-22 public performances of Alice in Wonderland can be purchased online at www.arkansasdance.org or by calling Arkansas Festival Ballet at 501-227-5320. Performances are Friday, May 20, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 21, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 22, 2 p.m.

Arkansas Festival Ballet promotes, presents, and enhances the art of Classical Ballet through quality performances and dance education.

The Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre is at 9th and Commerce Streets in Little Rock.

Tickets are advance purchase: $15 students and children, $20 adult; at the door: $20 students and children; $25 adult.