Four beloved arts organizations have joined forces to present a 3 week virtual, multidisciplinary arts immersion program which kicks off on Monday, September 21st. Arts All Access grew out of a desire to create meaningful connection, discussion and learning opportunities across arts disciplines during this unprecedented time for the performing arts community. All programs are in CST.
MASTERCLASSES | $20 each or $150 All Access Pass | Educators Discounts Available | 7:30PM
Arts All Access offers 9 unique masterclasses from professional artists across numerous creative genres. Masterclasses are geared toward teen and adult artists, participants and audiences.
DISCUSSIONS | FREE OF CHARGE | 7PM Expand your mind with three thought provoking discussions.
- Potluck & Poison Ivy | 09/24 | 7:00PM | Dr. Guy Lancaster and Dr. Brian Mitchell will discuss the revised edition of the book Blood in Their Eyes: The Elaine Racer Massacres of 1919, with musical guest Joshua Asante.
- The State of Broadway and How Technology Can Help | 10/01 | 7:00PM | Guided by TONY Award winning producer and Arkadelphia, AR native Elizabeth Williams.
- The Arts in Arkansas | 10/08 | 7:00PM | A roundtable discussion with area arts organization leaders on the path forward during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
BROADCASTS | PAY WHAT YOU CAN | 7:30PM Enjoy 3 streamed performances from each participating performing arts organization.
- Friday, September 25 | Ballet Arkansas
SLEEPY HOLLOW Enjoy this eerie, multi-media ballet choreographed by Michael Fothergill presented in collaboration with Cranford Co. in 2019 - Friday, October 2 | Opera in the Rock
MAVRA Stravinsky’s Comic Opera returns as a hilarious romp through the 50’s. Presented in 2018. - Friday, October 9 | Argenta Community Theater
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS The 1938 Halloween classic, made infamous by Orson Welles, gets a 2020 update in this virtual radio play.
TICKETS Tickets for individual master classes are $20 each, and an all access pass to all masterclasses and events is available for $150. Panel discussions and interviews will be presented free of charge, and virtual performances are “pay what you can.” Tickets go on sale Wednesday, September 16th.
DISCOUNTS FOR EDUCATORS Educators and full time college students will receive $5 off each master class and $50 off an all access pass. Please contact dhupp@acansa.org for verification & to receive a discount code.
VIEW ALL TICKETS
#OPERAHARMONY: Directing in the Digital Age with Ella Marchment
09/21 | 7:30PM | International opera director and educator Ella Marchment dive into the challenges of bringing art online.
Attack The Text with Ashlie Atkinson
09/28 | 7:30PM | Award-Winning Actor Ashlie Atkinson will teach you how to make the most specific, active, and actable choices so you get the most out of your scene or monologue!
From her roots in the world of New York theater, through over a decade of delivering buzzworthy performances in film and television, Ashlie Atkinson has established herself as the city’s go-to actress when it comes to taking on truly challenging character roles. Atkinson stars on the fourth and final season of USA Network’s “Mr. Robot”, joining the star-studded cast as Janice, a chatty taxidermist with a peculiar sense of humor who turns out to be a sleeper agent for the notorious China-based “hacker-for-hire” collective, the Dark Army. Atkinson can also currently be seen recurring on the third season of Amazon’s award-winning series, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” as well as a special two-part episode of the hit medical drama “New Amsterdam”. She also returns this year to “Blue Bloods”, where her character, the whip-smart and ruthless Sandra Colby, has recurred for several seasons.
In film, Atkinson reunited with Spike Lee (who previously directed her in 2006’s “Inside Man”), in 2018, for his Focus Features’ Oscar nominated biopic drama “BlacKKKlansman.” Atkinson stole scenes as the “brilliantly…toxic villain” Connie Kendrickson, a racist housewife turned terrorist whose ultimate actions threaten to destroy Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), an African American police officer from Colorado Springs who successfully manages to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan (KKK) branch with the help of his Jewish colleague, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver). Atkinson also appeared in Netflix’s “Juanita” opposite Alfre Woodard where she played Peaches, sympathetic trucker and road companion to Woodard’s Juanita.
Additional film credits for Atkinson include Martin Scorsese’s and Paramount Pictures’ Oscar-nominated drama, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures’ “Bridge of Spies,” IFC Films’ and Kelly Reichardt’s “Certain Women,” Magnolia Pictures’ “Compliance” and Universal Pictures’ “Inside Man.” Television credits include starring as Terri Mitchell in CBS All Access’ thriller series “One Dollar,” ABC’s “Emergence,” NBC’s “New Amsterdam,” SYFY’s “Happy!,” FX’s Emmy-nominated “Fosse/Verdon” and “Rescue Me,” CBS’ “Bull,” “Blue Bloods” and “Elementary,” Netflix’s “Jessica Jones” and HBO’s “Crashing” to name a few.
Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Atkinson graduated from Hendrix College with a degree in Theatre. Upon graduation she moved to New York City where she also graduated from the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre and began her professional acting career. NYC was the perfect place for Atkinson to get her foot in the door in theatre, and she was cast in the breakout role of Helen in Neil LaBute’s off-Broadway play, “Fat Pig.” She won a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Debut as well as received nominations for both a Lucille Lortel Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance. Atkinson also appeared in a Broadway revival of “The Ritz.” Aside from her work in film, television, and on-stage, Atkinson starred as Dakota Prentiss in the popular 14-episode noir science fiction thriller podcast, “Steal the Stars” (Stitcher) which received over two million downloads.
Atkinson is a former skater for Gotham Girls Roller Derby under the name Margaret Thrasher, Prime Minister of Your Demise. She currently resides in New York City with her husband, the musician and filmmaker Leon Chase.
Excerpts of Contemporary Repertory & Improvisation with Mariana Oliveira
10/05 | 7:30PM | Explore the works of visionary contemporary choreographer, Mariana Oliveira, who has been commissioned to create new works for the New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute and numerous professional ballet companies across the U.S.
Contemporary/Broadway Dance Class with Marc Holland
09/22 | 7:30PM | Take a high energy Contemporary and Broadway Dance Class with internationally renowned Broadway and touring dance veteran Marc Holland, and learn about his audition tips with a brief Q&A at the end!
Black on the Block with Jaimee & Ron Jensen-McDaniel
09/29 | 7:30PM | William Grant Still’s Connection to Little Rock: Community musicians, classically trained singers, and educators based in central Arkansas, the Jensen-McDaniels explore prolific black composer William Grant Still’s connection to Arkansas.
Write the Play with Poems with Chris James
10/06 | 7:30PM | Chris James, nationally award-winning artist shows how he went from a poet to playwright. Learn how to craft small works of writing such as poems, short stories, and even songs into a full-out stage play.
Chris James, a man who is truly on a journey to impact and changes lives in his community and the world. Chris James is a national award winning spoken word poet, TED Talks speaker, playwright, educator, photographer and self published author. June 2019, Chris was invited by Congressman French Hill to be a keynote speaker at the United States Capitol for the 39th Annual Congressional Art Competition. Chris is the creator of stage plays, Dear Black People and The Odds Against US. His play DEAR BLACK PEOPLE received the Festival Favorite Award for Best Original Script at the 2019 Atlanta Black Theatre Festival.
In the Fall of 2018, AETN/PBS filmed a short documentary about the life of Chris James. In 2016 he was featured on the front cover of Arkansas Times Newspaper for being one of Arkansas’ top visionaries. Chris is a member of Foreign Tongues poetry slam team whom ranked 2nd place in the worlds second largest poetry competition in 2014. He is the founder of Arkansas’ only poetry venue and second black owned gallery, The House of Art. As a teacher artist, Chris develops and facilitates art integrated poetry writing and performance workshops for K-12 across the country. Through his work, he educates on racial barriers and socio-economic challenges and how we can overcome. He is very passionate about the awareness of mental health.
Musical Theatre Auditions with Laura Leigh Turner
09/23 | 7:30PM | Learn about what to expect in a Musical Theatre audition and how to prepare and present the best YOU in the room from one of the stars of Broadway’s MEAN GIRLS.
Laura Leigh Turner is a native of North Little Rock Arkansas and got her start in theatre at the drama program at NLRHS and on the stage at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre. She graduated from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre and currently lives in New York City where she is starring as Karen Smith in Mean Girls on Broadway. When not on stage performing, Laura Leigh hosts a podcast called “Living in the Light with Laura Leigh” where she interviews artists and creatives and they tell their stories of how Jesus has brought them from the dark and into His light. She is happy to be home with family during this prolonged pause on Broadway.
You can follow her online at:
Instagram: @lauraleighturner
website: lauraleighturner.com
podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-in-the-light-with-laura-leigh/id1529355678
Ballet and Variations with Renato Penteado
09/30 | 7:30PM | Enjoy and Intermediate/Advanced ballet & variations workshop with Brazilian native and highly sought after master teacher, Renato Penteado, formerly a celebrated Principal Dancer with the Miami City Ballet.
The Operatic Singer as Athlete and Artist with Francesca Mondanaro
10/07 | 7:30PM | Join internationally acclaimed dramatic soprano Francesca Mondanaro to explore the physical demands of operatic singing. Francesca’s clients include lead Broadway actors, guest artists at the Glimmerglass Festival Opera, Vancouver Opera, and Arizona Opera.
