Walls and construction equipment currently surround the Walton Arts Center campus in Fayetteville. But when it opens again in November, the venue will be as busy as ever. Proof exists in the slate of shows unveiled by the arts organization late last week. This collection of entertainment options, including names such as Ira Glass, Diana Krall and Paula Poundstone, joins the already announced Broadway series as an option for building a season ticket package. Single tickets will go on sale in mid-August.
Further proof of the busy slate of programming exists in the sheer number of shows.
FYI
Create-Your-Own
WAC Season
Special Event
Nov. 19 — Diana Krall
Broadway Series
Nov. 10-15 — “Pippin”
Jan. 19-24 — “Kinky Boots”
Feb. 9-14 — “Mamma Mia!”
March 1-6 — Rodgers + Hammerstein’s “Cinderella”
April 19-24 — “The Bridges of Madison County”
American Music Series
Feb. 19 — Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn
March 12 — Mavis Staples & Nick Lowe
March 17-18 — A Night with Janis Joplin
Night Out Series
Jan. 16 — “Reinventing Radio”: An Evening with Ira Glass
Jan. 28 — L.A. Theater Works: Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”
Jan. 30 — Classic Albums Live presents The Beatles’ “Abbey Road”
April 16 — Keb’ Mo’
May 6-8 — “The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart”
Family Fun Series
Nov. 6 — “Me & My Shadow”
Nov. 24-29 — “Annie”
Dec. 11-12 — The National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China
Feb. 21 — “Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny” presented by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia
March 8 — Salzburg Marionette Theatre presents “The Sound of Music”
April 3 — “Love That Dog” presented by Theatergroep Kwatta
May 6-8 — Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”
10x10 Arts Series
Nov. 17 — Paragon Ragtime Orchestra presents The Clown Princes of Silent Comedy
Jan. 8 — Simone Dinnerstein Jan. 8, 2016
Feb. 4 — BalletBoyz
March 13 — Danú
April 1 — The Swingles
April 9 — Hubbard Street Dance
April 12 — An Evening with Branford Marsalis
April 28 — Malpaso Dance Company with Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Octet
May 1 — DakhaBrakha
May 24 — Artosphere Festival Orchestra
Home for the Holidays
Dec. 6 — WAC and SoNA present “The Snowman: A Family Concert”
Dec. 13 — Jim Brickman presents Comfort & Joy
Dec. 14 — Christmas with SONOS Handbell Ensemble
Dec. 15 — Home Free: Full of Cheer
Dec. 21-23 — “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical”
LOL@WAC Comedy Series
Feb. 5 — Paula Poundstone
April 10 — “Menopause the Musical: The Survivor Tour”
Festivals
April 1-2 — VoiceJam A Cappella Festival
May 2016 — Artosphere Festival
June 9-11 — Art of Wine
Season tickets are on sale now. Individual tickets will go on sale in mid-August.
INFO — 443-5600 or waltonartscenter.org
Jennifer Ross, director of programs for the Walton Arts Center, says the staff there counted the number of shows provided in the last season and those scheduled for 2015-16.
"We counted curtains. There are as many or more," and that's without including a few other programs in the works but not officially booked just yet. It's all the more impressive considering it's happening in two fewer months, Ross says.
The announcement of events fits within the organization's traditional schedule of announcing the Broadway series first -- that happened in early March -- and following with comedy, music, kid-friendly programming and more.
The WAC has changed the formula for the create-your-own season format, however. In previous years, create-your-own season buyers got a percentage off their ticket prices. The new format provides a dollar discount, with the amount of the discount increasing with the number of tickets purchased. Those who select three events from any combination of the available shows will receive $2 off each ticket. Those who purchase tickets for five shows in one transaction will get a $3 per ticket discount, and a seven-show package provides a $5 per ticket discount. Those discounts cannot be applied to any of the shows in the 10x10 series of $10 events, but they can count toward the total to provide a larger discount for other shows.
Ross says the revised purchasing mechanism is simpler and more transparent for patrons.
"We wanted people to know if they bought more shows, it would be a bigger discount," she says.
Season ticket holders also get the opportunity to have similar seating arrangements for each of the shows they purchase and the ability to exchange one of their tickets for another WAC show, should a conflict arise.
Several shows will likely be added to the WAC's season, Ross says. Among the offerings to be announced soon is the center's slate of jazz shows.
NAN What's Up on 07/24/2015