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The Arts Council of Mississippi County
The Ritz Civic Center 306 W. Main Street, Blytheville, AR 72315 (Phone) 870-762-1744 (Fax) 870-763-1950 WEBSITE: www.artsmissco.com
Director's Corner We hit the ground running for October and never looked back! Barbara Bailey Hutchison was a great hit at the programs at Osceola High auditorium for about 650 south county middle school students and at Blytheville Middle School for 250 middle school girls. Then she turned around and absolutely delighted her audience here at The Ritz that evening. You can tell why she is a Grammy winner—she is a complete entertainer, and a very genuine person. We were honored to have her here and to share her with so many of our area youngsters. We opened the Haunted Theater on October 23rd and ran nightly thru November 1st except for the “Conversation With George Hamilton” on October 30th. We had about 350 visitors to the Haunted Theater, and all of the volunteers did their best to make it a fun “scary” event. We also had about 300-350 for George Hamilton (final count is not yet in). Mr. Hamilton provided us with a second truly delightful and professional event on our stage in the same month, and he was ably assisted by our Chamber Director Liz Smith. The event was sponsored by The Blytheville/Gosnell Area Chamber of Commerce as a fund raiser for The Arts Council of Mississippi County, specifically for our programming for children and youth. Just think, in October we had a program by a Grammy Award winner and another by a Golden Globe Award winner on the stage of The Ritz. Not a bad month for a little sleepy, delta town! Also during October, I spent two days in Little Rock attending the Arkansas Arts Council 2008 ArtLinks conference. It was a good program and I picked up a few good, new ideas for us to think about. I also met several people who can be effective resources for us in many ways. See you at The Ritz. David
From the Other Corner Hi and how are you? As you can see, we’ve been busy and we like it that way. The Art’s have been on the move (in one fashion or another) and we love it. David has told you on how much we have had going on and what’s to come, so I’m just going to make sure some “thanks” goes out to some important people for their generous help with the “Haunted Theater”. JD Harris, Tonya Harris, David Lyttle, Danna Darty, Ramona Clower, Sarah Jackson, Jennifer Wilbur, Robert Phelps, Candie Groves, Greg Groves, Madison Groves, Charlie Groves, Kenny Jackson Jr., Christopher Humphreys, Eve McLeod, Crystal Wilbur, Holly McLeod, Adam Morgan, Tim Deason, Jennifer Wixon, Carol Walls, Bill Walls, Alex Walls, Aaron Walls, Jackie McBride, Jeremy Jones, Kali Shaw, Murren MacGregor, Deborah Stevens, James Cook, Paul Cook, Michael Hensley, Carah Keating, Kelsi Dickerson, Colin Burns, Allison Swanson, Miranda McLaughlin, Jordan McLaughlin, Amber Mask, Kimberly Mask, Melina Gallagher, Amanda Ellis, Christian Rand, Nelson Hogan, Mary Bethek, Sonya Stokes, Samantha Frye, Stephen Lester, Ralph Dias, Amber Winter, Katlin Branum, Vickie Branum, Bailey Winter, Stella Scrivner, Tyler Wagganer, Ali Davey, Zack Bowman, Quinton Dickerson, Cherie Barker, Betty Koval, Anita Parrett, Rae Glidewell, Joshua Hall, Lauryn Bogle, Courtney Luttrell, Jeremy Nelson, Anthony and KeAndre Bohannon. We would also like to take a moment to thank the following businesses that contributed their support: Lowe’s, FASCO, Fondren & Son’s Hardware, Sherwin-Williams, Kroger Grocery, Hay’s Food Store, Special Occasions, Jagger McGuire’s and the Arkansas Northeastern College. Now, with all that said, are you ready for next year? See you in the lobby, Ken Jackson
2008-2009 Sponsor Update Our Corporate Sponsor drive has increased to a current total of 47 underwriting our 08-09 Series of programming. We have Platinum Level donation from Nucor Steel Arkansas, Gold Level from Peggy Lemons and Temps Plus Staffing, First National Bank, and Farmers Bank and Trust, Silver Level from Westminster Village and Nucor-Yamato Steel Co., Bronze Level from Lee Wilson and Company, Thomas, Speight and Noble, ACT2!, Schlosser Photography and Frame, Bistro Eleven21, Comfort Inn and Suites, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn of Blytheville, Perkins Family Restaurant, Quality Inn, That Bookstore In Blytheville and American Greetings. For Copper Level we have Arkham Comics, Bugmobile of Arkansas, Michael Williams, D.D.S., Scott Johnson Vision Care, State Representative Charlotte Wagner, Dr. & Mrs. James D. Hess, D.D.S., Glenda’s Hallmark, Dave Simmons, CPA, PA, Pollard-Geeslin Insurance, Klassi Kopies, Inc., Omnium, Bill Nelson and Crye-Leike Missco Realty, Fondren’s Hardware, East Ash Animal Hospital, Mary Ellen Ziolko, PhD., The Cullom Clinic, Kiwanis Club of Blytheville, NIBCO, Dr. T.E. Westbrook, Jr., P.A., Liz N Company, Langston Enterprises, Inc., Dr. Van O. Parker, D.D.S., Hays Stores, Inc., Fosters Liquor Store, Jeri-Lin Donuts, Russell’s Rents and Sales, The General Insurance Agency, Osceola Progressive Club and Dr. C.E. Campbell, MD, PA. Our goal for the year is still at 65, so if your company is not listed above, let us know whom to contact.
Patrons for 2008-2009 We have increased to 52 Patrons for our Series Year. This is an increase of two since last month. Twenty are new and 32 are returning. Patrons are Sarah Jackson, JD and Tonya Harris, Harrell and LaGene Hampton, Shirley Overman, William and Betty Koval, Jack and Nancy Goodman, Douglas and Shelly Bush, Kenneth and Louise Gipson, Sallye Russell, Dr. and Mrs. Mark K. Wilson, Frances Jackson, Ann M. Moore, A.J. Parrett, Ron and Becky Williams, Bill and Clorita Hardy, Jack D. Simers, Chuck and Lisa Ryan and family, Jonathan and Margaret Abbott, Ramona Clower, Paul and Veda Jenkins, Tibor and Jill Mazar, Eileen O’Neal, Bob and Eleanor Royer, Kathy Cooper, Liz Smith, Charles Moody, George Klee, Donna Mosley, Laura Martin, Jerry and Betty Brown, Jerry Musser, Rae Glidewell, Sharyn Stevenson, Kathryn and Donald Musholt, and Doug and Lawana Jellison. Only three more to reach our goal of 55 for the year!
Our 2008-2009 Series For our next Series event, we will host a national touring production of the stage comedy “A Tuna Christmas”, presented by Springer Theatricals on Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 7:00 pm. This hilarious comedy enjoyed a successful run Off-Broadway. “Tuna” will be followed by a national touring production of the Tony Award winning musical “Bye, Bye, Birdie” on Friday, February 27, 2009 at 7:00 pm. Presented through Windwood Theatricals, this production will include over 35 professionals, including an eight-piece orchestra. “The Barber of Cactus Canyon”, presented by Wildwood Park Opera To Go is set for April 28, 2009, with school day performances for area students on both the 28th and 29th. This year our guests invited to The Ritz will include every Kindergarten, First and Second Grade student in our county. Other Series Programs are still under consideration.
November Arts Council Events – Nov. 8th, Saturday, from 1:00-7:00 pm—The Arts Council of Mississippi County, in cooperation with the Blytheville Police Department, will coordinate “Community Unity Day” on the parking lot of 1st National Bank in historic downtown Blytheville. The event will include live music and information on the many programs and organizations which try to improve the quality of life for folks in our county. It is free. Nov. 11th, Tuesday, from 6:00-8:00 pm—Artist reception for Kandy Bryant in The Ritz Gallery. Nov. 17th, Monday at 6:00 pm—Monthly meeting of the Board of The Arts Council of Mississippi County, in the Boardroom at The Ritz. Open to the public.
November Rentals Nov. 14th, Friday with show at 7:30 pm—Hazel Mays presents another original stage gospel play entitled “For Better or for Worse”. Nov. 15th, Saturday, at 7:30 pm—New Gospel Pearly Gates 8th Anniversary Celebration
Our Affiliate, ACT2! – ACT 2! is on the move! After the success of “Dracula” by Philip Grecian, director of Ken Jackson would like to say “Thanks” for the community support from Hubbard & Hoke Furniture, The Computer Depot, Liz & Company, Schlosser’s Photography and especially from our friends at Sudbury Broadcasting. If you didn’t get the chance to see it performed live on the stage of The Ritz on October 4, then you might have listened to it on Blytheville’s own KLCN 910 AM talk radio. A great response was given from the community, so make sure to mark it on your calendar for next October to see what radio play they will do next. Saturday, November 15 and Sunday, November 16, ACT 2! will be holding auditions from 2:00pm to 4:00pm for their next production, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” by Barbara Robinson. This play is being produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. If you haven’t had the chance to get involved with community theater, now’s your opportunity. They need people for acting, lights, sound, stage construction and more. Anyone interested in being a part of this marvelous experience, please call (870) 762-1744 for more information.
Our New Website-- A reminder that we have a new website at www.artsmissco.com. Please check it out sometime and let us know what you think. The address is fairly easy to remember if you think about it—“artsmissco”—“arts-miss-co”—Arts Mississippi County! See! Isn’t that cool. I mean, everyone can remember “www.” and “.com”. We have info on our staff and Board Members, How to Rent The Ritz, current listings of our Patrons and Sponsors, info on how to be a Patron, Sponsor, historic pictures of The Ritz, current events, our current Series events, fliers and posters of our events you can print out and post at your work or church, our “Mission Statement”, the Ritz Review, and what we have “in the news”. Let us know what else you would like to see here and how we can better tell our story.
Lighted Marquee We are in phase II of our historic style lighted marquee for the front of The Ritz. Watch for progress, and remember this is made possible by a large grant from Main Street Arkansas/ Main Street Blytheville, from local business owner Peggy Lemons (Temps Plus Staffing), and from The Blytheville/Gosnell Area Chamber “Money for Main” program. SEE YOU AT THE RITZ! |
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