Follow The Road

When Fort Smith Little Theatre didn't get the rights to perform Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" for its summer musical, the news hit George Mann hard -- like a house falling fast from the sky. He knew better than to lose heart, though, because he had a clear road in front of him to follow -- a master list of shows he would like to direct.

From that list Mann chose a classic, "The Wizard of Oz."

The iconic film starring Judy Garland, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, has been seen by millions of people. The upcoming production, however, will bring something new to the familiar story by way of performances and staging, Mann says.

"There are some superb vocalists," Mann says of the actors. "And even though our space is limited, we are going to see more special effects in this show than we would in a general production at FSLT."

After working on 29 shows for FSLT -- and countless others for other theater groups -- Mann knows he shouldn't change too much about the familiar tale, even though he wants to put his own stamp on this production.

"There are certain elements of the show that are iconic, and people expect to see them. You really don't want to mess with certain parts that people have embedded in their mind," he says. "I found this particularly true with 'The Sound of Music.'"

Mann has also directed "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," "Titanic the Musical," "White Christmas" and "9 to 5" for FSLT. The theater, which seats 200, has added three days to the production's run -- a first for the company.

"We anticipate a large attendance and want everyone to be able to see it," says Nancy Blochberger, a 25-year volunteer with the all-volunteer theater.

The licensing for "Beauty and the Beast" was denied because a touring production of the show is scheduled to be performed in this area, Mann says. The show will be presented in May at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, according to a news release from WAC.

-- Kelly Barnett

[email protected]