159 replies to this topic

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Jan 28 2006, 07:18 AM, said:

Hey Matt, you remember Cirque Eloize.  Apparently their first performance was last night.  I had noticed parking was rather tight while I was out taking some pics last night.  I actually didn't realize they were performing last night but I happened to see their bus at the Radisson last night.  Sorta hard to miss with all the French written on it.  Maybe they are good luck since after their performance with water we now have some good rain chances this weekend.

I heard about that. The performance was called "Rain" or something like that. Are they a French performing group?

You're right about the coincidence with it raining, I bet we've already gotten half an inch, may'be they should perfrom here more often.  

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Jan 28 2006, 12:28 PM, said:

I heard about that. The performance was called "Rain" or something like that. Are they a French performing group?

You're right about the coincidence with it raining, I bet we've already gotten half an inch, may'be they should perfrom here more often.  

They're actually from Quebec.  Probably Montreal if I had to guess, since that's the big city up there.  It's now only a week away when I get to go see the Man Wu performance.  

[masons_dad1]

I'm taking my family to see a show at the Walton Arts Center for the first time on Feb 18th! Going to see a Broadway show you ask? A spectacular symphony you ask? An ancient Chinese dance troupe you ask? Nope. We're going to see Clifford, The Big Red Dog!  

[Mith242]

masons_dad1, on Feb 2 2006, 05:37 AM, said:

I'm taking my family to see a show at the Walton Arts Center for the first time on Feb 18th! Going to see a Broadway show you ask? A spectacular symphony you ask? An ancient Chinese dance troupe you ask? Nope. We're going to see Clifford, The Big Red Dog!  

I'm just glad to see someone else use the facility around here.      Not to say there aren't people going.  But I haven't been able to find any people that I know that seem to go there.  There are some new art exhibits there now.  I haven't been posting info here as much because I wasn't sure if there was any interest in it.  Although I was going to post after I go to the performance this weekend regardless.

[mcheiss]

masons_dad1, on Feb 2 2006, 05:37 AM, said:

We're going to see Clifford, The Big Red Dog!  

Woooooooooo, my favorite show.  

Isn't it suprising they are coming to such a small market to perform that?

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Feb 2 2006, 07:29 AM, said:

Woooooooooo, my favorite show.  

Isn't it suprising they are coming to such a small market to perform that?

The WAC received an endownment that helps bring in performances that we might not usually get.

[masons_dad1]

Mith242, on Feb 2 2006, 02:54 PM, said:

The WAC received an endownment that helps bring in performances that we might not usually get.

At about half the box office price of most Broadway shows.

[Mith242]

Now I get to talk about the performance I went and saw.  Quite a few people came out, although I did notice the left and right sides of the balcony were pretty empty.  Quite a few Asian people were there of course.  Wu Man is probably the most reknown pipa player in the world.  For those of you who don't know a pipa is often called a Chinese lute.  I guess you could call it a cousin to the guitar.  I think both are basically different takes on an instrument that orginated from the Middle East of Central Asia.  I was in the second row, she was probably just 12 feet away from me.  She took time to explain the instrument and explain the different styles of music she was playing.  There was a number of traditional styles of music and some more contemporary mixed in as well.  After the intermission began the Walton Arts Center comission.  Apparently the WAC comissioned a piece called Ancient Dances and it will now be performed at the rest of her Nation Tour with the WAC getting some public attention for comissioning the work, nice touch.  It was a bit odd at first, you had a Chinese women playing a Chinese instrument, a professor from one of the North Carolina on percussion and visuals from an Irish woman.  Catherine Owens who created the visuals has been the director of the visuals on U2's last three world tours.  A very interesting mix.  At first I thought the percussion was overwhelming the pipa a bit but as the performance went on I thought it got better.  It was also some interesting visuals too.  They started off slow then became more interesting as the piece went on.  A very nice performance, certainly worth the price I paid.  I was a bit surprised that it was so cheap.  All the non-balcony seats were only $15.  I'm glad I finally 'got around' to seeing a performance at the WAC.  I haven't thought too much of it but apparently even Little Rock doesn't really have anything like the WAC.  Sure they have the art center and have a nice collection of art but as for as performances apparently the WAC is second to none in Arkansas.  That was mentioned before the performance and as I said I guess I never thought about it.  There's a jazz performance in March that I really should look into although I think it comes rather close to my vacation time.

[mcheiss]

Glad to see you had a good time at the performance.

Also good to see someone as world renown as Wu Man in Fayetteville.

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Feb 5 2006, 11:41 AM, said:

Glad to see you had a good time at the performance.

Also good to see someone as world renown as Wu Man in Fayetteville.

Yeah I know that the performance probably to everyone's taste in music.  I admit I probably found it more interesting than the average person.  But I guess what also impresses me is that we had someone who is among the best at what they do perform here.  How many times does that happen in our metro?

[Mith242]

I keep hearing good things from Wu Man.  Apparently she stuck around in the area.  Yesterday she went to a Rogers elementary school and help educate more people about the pipa and her style of music.  Then apparently today she had a free workshop at the university today.  It's really great to see her stick around and spend time in our community.  Not sure if all of this has anything to do with the WAC commissioning work from her or not.

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Feb 7 2006, 03:15 PM, said:

I keep hearing good things from Wu Man.  Apparently she stuck around in the area.  Yesterday she went to a Rogers elementary school and help educate more people about the pipa and her style of music.  Then apparently today she had a free workshop at the university today.  It's really great to see her stick around and spend time in our community.  Not sure if all of this has anything to do with the WAC commissioning work from her or not.

Yeah, she came to I think Grace Hill Elementary and showed the kids her Pipa. There was an article in todays paper about it.

[mcheiss]

WAC Looking for Bigger Venue
By Northwest Arkansas Business Journal staff
Northwest Arkansas Business Journal - 4/10/06

We hear the Walton Arts Center has solicited bids for a feasibility study for a larger performing arts venue in Northwest Arkansas.

Terry Trotter, vice president of external affairs for the WAC, said the center solicited proposals from about six to 10 firms. The proposals are due in May.

Trotter said if a larger facility were to be built, it would be at least eight to 12 years away.

The center is looking at a larger facility because it could bring in more ticket revenue from the same shows it brings in now. Most facilities that pay larger artist or production fees for Broadway-type performances seat 2,000 to 3,000. The WAC seats 1,200.

[Mith242]

I think this was slightly touched on when we were talking about a parking deck near Dickson.  It sounds like in one form or another they will expand.  If not to a new building then to expand their current location.  I have to wonder what affect it would have if the left Dickson St.  It was certainly a catalyst for getting Dickson St where it is now.  I think Dickson St has come far enough that it could do just fine without the WAC.  I suppose moving the WAC elsewhere could possibly improve another area of the city like it did to Dickson St.

[Aporkalypse]

Mith242, on Apr 8 2006, 04:08 PM, said:

I think this was slightly touched on when we were talking about a parking deck near Dickson.  It sounds like in one form or another they will expand.  If not to a new building then to expand their current location.  I have to wonder what affect it would have if the left Dickson St.  It was certainly a catalyst for getting Dickson St where it is now.  I think Dickson St has come far enough that it could do just fine without the WAC.  I suppose moving the WAC elsewhere could possibly improve another area of the city like it did to Dickson St.

Boy, what would go where the Arts Center is now?  It's be a shame to tear that building down for no reason.  I wonder if the university could use it.

From a development standpoint, Dickson would have a better feel if you replaced it with a large mixed use project that brought back the streetscape but that's an expensive building to waste.

Edited by Aporkalypse, 08 April 2006 - 05:21 PM.

[mcheiss]

Aporkalypse, on Apr 8 2006, 06:20 PM, said:

Boy, what would go where the Arts Center is now?  It's be a shame to tear that building down for no reason.  I wonder if the university could use it.

From a development standpoint, Dickson would have a better feel if you replaced it with a large mixed use project that brought back the streetscape but that's an expensive building to waste.

Something like a mixed-use idea in that area would work well. I'd hate to see that building leave though.

But they could try to make it like a NWA Childrens Art Center.

[masons_dad1]

^^
Fayetteville could always use WAC for small theater performances like the Rogers Little Theater. It would also make a great place for local bands to perform to larger crowds. There's also plenty of gallery space there and they could move the Nadine Baum Studios in and knock down that building across the street. WAC is something of a Fayetteville landmark and it would be insane to knock it down.

[Mith242]

I didn't neccessarily mean if they move they should tear it down.  Although I did hear some of the Dover-Kohl design team say they really didn't care for that building.  It wastes space by not being up against the street.  They also said it didn't stand out the way it should with it being a 'landmark building'.  But I think this was said from a personal standpoint, not neccessarily from an official standpoint.

[Aporkalypse]

Mith242, on Apr 9 2006, 07:07 AM, said:

I didn't neccessarily mean if they move they should tear it down.  Although I did hear some of the Dover-Kohl design team say they really didn't care for that building.  It wastes space by not being up against the street.  They also said it didn't stand out the way it should with it being a 'landmark building'.  But I think this was said from a personal standpoint, not neccessarily from an official standpoint.

I agree with that assessment.  When Dickson wasn't doing as well we were thrilled about any kind of project like that.  Now with the area positively thriving, I think most people look back on it and wish they'd done a bit more.

[CellarDoor135]

Aporkalypse, on Apr 8 2006, 05:20 PM, said:

Boy, what would go where the Arts Center is now?  It's be a shame to tear that building down for no reason.  I wonder if the university could use it.

From a development standpoint, Dickson would have a better feel if you replaced it with a large mixed use project that brought back the streetscape but that's an expensive building to waste.

I heard The University is very interested in the facility. If anyone has been to the University Arts center they would know why! But this is all just floating about as rumors so who knows the truth behind it.