There's more fun than you can shake a cane pole at when the Northwest Arkansas Gridiron Show takes the stage Friday and Saturday nights at the Arkansas Public Theater in downtown Rogers.
What's the gridiron show? It's the annual comedy show of skits and songs that spoofs news events and people in the news this year. It's a comedy show about people you know.
We in the news business around here write and perform the NWA Gridiron Show each fall, but work on the show starts in July. We in the gridiron cast have a great show for you this year, and we can't wait for you to see it.
There's plenty to laugh at for the outdoors types in our audience. We've done skits about the ivory-billed woodpecker, lost duck hunters, Duck Dynasty, submarines in Beaver Lake and fishermen who've sat on a hook and called 911.
We always have some good-natured fun with the Razorbacks and this year is no exception.
Local topics draw the loudest howls. The big four towns are always ripe for a skit. Madison County, affectionately known as Booger County, gets into the act this year in a skit that visits Huntsville and Kingston.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at nwagridiron.com or on show nights, unless the show sells out. Doors open at 6:45 p.m., so come early for a good seat. Shows start at 7:30 p.m.
There's a cash bar with beer and wine for sale before the show and at intermission. Money from drinks goes to the theater.
The $25 you fork over for a ticket doesn't fund our cast party. Ticket sales provide scholarships to journalism students through the local Society of Professional Journalists. The American Association of University Women helps behind the scenes and their cut goes to the Single Parent Scholarship Fund.
Who's in the NWA Gridiron Show? Most are reporters in print or broadcast media, public relations or college journalism students and faculty. The rule is, you have to be a journalist to be on stage -- unless you're the emcee.
We're tickled to have Rogers Mayor Greg Hines as our emcee this year. Hizz-honor has been characterized in enough gridiron skits he figured he might as well join us. It's worth taking a peek at the NWA Gridiron website just to see the publicity photo the mayor sent us.
Here are some actual comments from audience members at past shows.: "I had so much fun Friday night I came back on Saturday and brought a different friend." "The show is intelligent and smartly written." "Which way to the cash bar?"
Come one, come all to the NWA Gridiron Show for a barrel of fun. See you at the theater.
Flip Putthoff can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAFlip
Sports on 10/03/2017