What's on stage in Northwest Arkansas
It's the perfect time to check out some plays in the area.
The big picture: Here's what will be on stage in Northwest Arkansas in the next few months.
📚 "Primary Trust" — A bookstore employee is laid off and thrust into a fresh start in this comedy.
Now through Feb. 23 at TheatreSquared. $15-$53.
⛪️️ "The Book of Mormon" — Missionaries try to spread the word in Uganda in this musical comedy.
Feb. 20-23 at Walton Arts Center. $94-$104.
🎭 "Twelfth Night" — Now's as good a time as any to see this Shakespeare comedy for the first time.
March 5-30 at TheatreSquared. $15-$66.
🎵 "The Sound of Music" — See Art One Presents' production of the classic where Maria brings music back into the Von Trapp home.
March 6-8 at The Medium in Springdale. $25-$45.
💃 "Funny Girl" — Fanny Brice becomes a Broadway star to everyone's surprise in this musical comedy.
March 18-23 at Walton Arts Center. $56-$109.
🎹 "In the Grove of Forgetting" — This play written by TheatreSquared artistic director Robert Ford takes place in 1930s Hungary as a concert pianist sees her fellow Jewish artists and academics leave in fear of Nazis.
April 16-May 4 at TheatreSquared. $15-$53.
🕰 "Back to the Future: The Musical" — See the Broadway version of the classic 1985 film where Marty McFly travels back in time with his scientist friend.
April 8-13 at Walton Arts Center. $42-$109.
🎤 "MJ" — It's the story of Michael Jackson's 1994 Dangerous World tour with plenty of the pop star's music.
May 20-25 at Walton Arts Center. $69-$169.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Here's how Pat Sajak said goodbye to 'Celebrity Wheel of Fortune' in his final episode as host
Pat Sajak is officially leaving Wheel of Fortune — for real this time. The beloved, Emmy-winning, longtime host of the game show staple took his last-ever spin on Tuesday's episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. "I want to thank ABC for the opportunity to host season 5 of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. I hope they'll take a close look at my proposed primetime series, Sajak Senior Secret Agent," he joked at the top of the show. "Sounds like a winner," bandied Vanna White, Sajak's cohost of over 40 years. The episode proceeded as usual, with Broadway legends Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and Bernadette Peters as celebrity contestants. After a scintillating round of game play, in which a laissez-faire Sajak threw Peters' million-dollar wedge over his shoulder after she spun a Bankrupt and joked with the trio, Ferguson won, taking home $59,300 for his charity, No Kid Hungry by Share Our the end of the episode, Sajak, White, Ferguson, Goldsberry, and Peters all took to the stage to bid the maestro a final adieu. "See you next time for more Celebrity Wheel of Fortune," Sajak said — though of course, we won't see him next time. Sajak, 78, announced his retirement from Wheel of Fortune in June 2023, exactly four decades since he took the show from daytime to nighttime in 1983. "Well, the time has come," Sajak said in a statement shared to social media at the time. "I've decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It's been a wonderful ride, and I'll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it'll keep the clickbait sites busy!)" The Chicago native has made good on that promise, joining his longtime friend and KHON-TV Hawaii anchor Joe Moore for a stage production of Prescription: Murder, the play which was eventually adapted into the pilot episode of Columbo. He spun the wheel on the main series for the last time last June, dedicating his parting statement to White. "Like me, she takes the show very seriously, but not herself. I shudder to think what these 40-plus years might have been like had they brought someone in all full of themselves, playing the prima donna role," Sajak shared in a statement. "Vanna is as sweet and unassuming as she seems. We've seen a lot of changes in each other's lives over the years but we've always been there for each other." With reporting from Jillian Sederholm Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Over 30 Million People Watched Tom Felton's Bad Interview — Here's Why He Should Be Embarrassed
Note: This post is an Op-Ed and shares the author's personal views. Tom Felton is facing a ton of backlash right now, but I actually think it's fully deserved, so let's get into it. Warner Bros. Pictures, Jenny Anderson / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions If you don't know, Tom played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, and he's about to return as Draco again for his Broadway debut in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the end of this year. However, while attending the Tony Awards on Sunday, he was asked about J.K. Rowling's disgusting anti-trans comments over the years. (For reference, she also just launched an organization to help fund anti-trans legislation, which is described as a "legal fighting fund for women protecting their sex-based rights.") Tom was specifically questioned about how Rowling's controversies and anti-trans views have impacted him and his work. The full question was: "Does the sort of Twitterverse controversy around J.K. Rowling's views impact you at all or impact your work on the world at all?" And his answer now has over 30 million views on Twitter. He immediately responded by saying no, declaring that he hasn't paid attention to Rowling's statements: "No, I can't say it does. I'm not really that attuned to it." He continued, "The only thing that I always remind myself is that I've been lucky enough to travel the world – here I am in New York – and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. And she's responsible for that, so I'm incredibly grateful." Variety / Twitter: @Variety Related: Dan Rather's Defense Of A Gay Rights Icon Against Pete Hegseth Is Going Viral First of all, it's incredible how bad that response is. It's even more embarrassing when you realize that a PR rep probably prepared it for him. Like, he's had years of media training and should have anticipated that every interviewer's first question would be about J.K. Rowling. And if this response ~wasn't~ prepped, then, well, double shame on him. Anyway, Tom has expressed similar sentiments over the years, like in 2022 when he claimed to "not know enough about the specifics" in reference to Rowling's constant blows against trans people. He continued by saying, "My dog takes up far too much time for me to go into such matters," as if that was a valid excuse. He then backtracked a little, saying, 'I mean, the obvious things to say are that I'm pro-choice, pro-discussion, pro-human rights across the board, and pro-love. And anything that is not those things, I don't really have much time for." However, in that same interview, Tom also talked about how it's okay for people to have differing opinions and that he doesn't "take any pleasure in putting crosshairs on people that may have said things that we disagree with." The issue I have with this, though, is that basic human rights do not warrant differing opinions. It's disheartening for him to suggest otherwise. Like, we can disagree about favorite colors and movies and foods, but not about the existence and support of trans people. Tom's response is a verrrrry different tune from his Harry Potter co-stars. For example, Daniel Radcliffe wrote an op-ed back in 2020 where he correctly stated that trans women are women. He also called out J.K. Rowling specifically, saying, "Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I." Related: 9 Gay Movies And TV Shows That Are So Criminally Underrated, I Guarantee You've Never Seen Any Of Them Before Emma Watson has done the same, sharing her support for the trans community in 2020. She also tweeted directly to her trans fans and followers, saying, "I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are." And Rupert Grint has also followed suit, declaring that he "firmly stands with the trans community and echoes the sentiments expressed by many of my peers." All three of these actors' 2020 comments were in response to J.K. Rowling's lengthy essay about trans issues that she published during Pride Month that same year. Since then, Rowling has taken aim at all three Harry Potter stars for speaking out against her. She also "jokingly" implied that Dan, Emma, and Rupert are three actors who instantly ruin any movie for her when they appear in it. And this is why Tom Felton's refusal to acknowledge J.K. Rowling's comments is so gross and disappointing. To me, it says that he won't speak out against bigotry or injustice simply because it benefits him. After all, in addition to starring in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, Tom also implied that he'll have a part in HBO's new Harry Potter TV show. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said, "I'll definitely be sneaking into a background shot as an extra." There's also speculation that he'll have a larger behind-the-scenes role on the production side of the series as well. Many veteran actors who've been cast in this new HBO show have also been asked about Rowling's anti-trans views. For example, Nick Frost, who was recently cast as Hagrid, said, "She's allowed her opinion and I'm allowed mine, they just don't align in any way, shape or form." And John Lithgow, who was literally nominated for an Oscar for portraying a trans woman in the 1982 movie The World According to Garp, said he never expected any criticism after accepting the role of Albus Dumbledore. Then, when asked if that backlash made him question his choice, he exclaimed, 'Oh, heavens no.' In case you're curious, Lox Pratt has been cast as Draco Malfoy, the role Tom Felton originated, and Johnny Flynn has been cast as Lucius Malfoy, Draco's dad (aka the role some people thought Tom might play, as he's now 37 years old). Now, my personal relationship with Harry Potter has changed over the years, especially as a queer person. I'm a fan of the series, and though I sometimes struggle with the notion of separating art from the artist, I've distanced myself more and more from the franchise due to Rowling's comments (which is unfortunate because so many people have found a home in it!). Spencer Althouse I do believe the world of Harry Potter is bigger than Rowling herself, which is why I can understand when some of the stars publicly share praise for what she's built, especially since it helped launch their careers. However, it's possible (and necessary) to stand up for what's right and draw the line between criticism and blind loyalty. That's exactly what Daniel Radcliffe did in 2024, saying: "Jo [Rowling], obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without her, so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person. But that doesn't mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life." Tom Felton, however, is actively choosing to ignore the elephant in the room. It's disingenuous to pretend that Rowling's statements don't affect him, especially since her very comments endanger the lives of people in the trans and queer community, many of whom are his fans. To me, this implies that Tom cares more about collecting a paycheck than standing up for trans rights, which are human rights, and I desperately need him to do better. Looking for more LGBTQ+ or Pride content? Check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride 2025. Also in LGBT: In An Apparent Attempt To Scrub "Gay" Content From The Department Of Defense, The Trump Administration Got Rid Of The Straightest Content Ever
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
‘Smash' abruptly announces final show after Tony Awards drama in Broadway shocker
Behind every musical is a hot mess. 'Smash,' the Broadway play that opened at the Imperial Theatre on April 10, has abruptly announced its final show date after struggling at the box office and suffering a 2025 Tony Awards shutout. Executive producers Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron made the closing announcement on Tuesday. Playbill confirmed that the comedy's final show date will be June 22 after a total of 32 previews and just 84 regular performances. 6 'Smash' has abruptly announced its final show date after struggling at the box office and suffering a 2025 Tony Awards shutout. Matthew Murphy 6 Producers Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron made the closing announcement on Tuesday. Matthew Murphy Inspired by the canceled NBC series of the same name, 'Smash' is a musical about the making of a musical. Directed by Susan Stroman and featuring music by Marc Shaiman, it follows a group of theater artists as they try to create a Broadway production about Marilyn Monroe called 'Bombshell.' But the box office numbers were not in the play's favor, and the New York Times reported that the meta musical's weekly grosses were down from $1 million at its peak to $656K the week ending June 8. 6 Directed by Susan Stroman and featuring music by Marc Shaiman, 'Smash' follows a group of theater artists as they try to create a Broadway production about Marilyn Monroe called 'Bombshell.' Matthew Murphy The outlet also reported that $20 million was invested to bringing 'Smash' in Broadway to life, and so far, that money has not been recouped. This marks the first Broadway production to shutter after leaving empty-handed at the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday. Although 'Smash' was nominated for Best Choreography and Best Featured Actor, it didn't win either. 6 This marks the first Broadway production to shutter after leaving empty-handed at the 2025 Tony Awards. Matthew Murphy Spielberg, Greenblatt, and Meron's decision to close the musical after less than three months of regular performances comes after some behind-the-scenes drama unfolded at the Tonys. Both 'Smash' and 'Boop! The Betty Boop Musical' were left fuming because the award show's producers refused to let either play perform during the three-hour broadcast on CBS Sunday night. 'It's bizarre,' one Broadway producer said, although neither 'Smash' nor 'Boop!' was nominated for Best Musical this year. 6 Although 'Smash' was nominated for both Best Choreography and Best Featured Actor at the 2025 Tony Awards, it didn't win either. Matthew Murphy The Post exclusively confirmed that both productions were willing to pay the $300K that a Tony Awards appearance costs but were still rejected by the award show's producers. Spielberg, Greenblatt and Meron first announced that 'Smash' was heading to Broadway in 2020, seven years after the NBC series ended in 2013 after just two seasons. The trio also served as producers of the original show. 6 'Smash' was inspired by the canceled NBC series of the same name. Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic ''Smash' is near and dear to my heart, and it was always my hope that a musical inspired by the show would eventually come to the stage,' Spielberg, 78, said in 2023. 'We think we've come up with something the die-hard series fans will love but that will also be exciting for people who never saw an episode of the show,' Meron, 69, added. 'And above all else,' he continued, 'it will be a valentine to the Broadway musical and the exhilarating rollercoaster ride of bringing one to life.'
