What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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September 11-17, 2022 What'S up! 37 President Brent A. Powers editor Becca Martin-Brown 479-872-5054 bmartin@nwaonline.com twitter: nWAbecca rePorters Monica Hooper mhooper@nwaonline.com April Wallace awallace@nwaonline.com (479) 770-3746 designer Deb Harvell ! UP WHAT'S On The COVeR Cody robinson is harold hill, and anna ashwell is marian the librarian in the arkansas public theatre production of "the music man" opening Sept. 16. (Courtesy Photo/sarah oakley for aPt) What's Up! is a publication of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Cover Story Brenda nemec as eulalie mackechnie Shinn (center) entertains the people of river City, Iowa, as her husband the mayor (played by Nemec's husband Jason Nemec) looks on in apt's "the music man." (Courtesy photo/Sarah Oakley for apt) FYI 'The Music Man': Four-Part harmony coming back, he says, because of the people. "It's an amazing atmosphere full of friendly people, and they are all extremely supportive. A lot of them are like a second family to me. "The charisma he has is the most fun part about Harold," he adds. "It's so fun to play a guy who can convince everybody of something as silly as a pool table leading their kids to become delinquents!" Ashwell started voice lessons in high school and has experience as Mary Poppins at College of the Ozarks and as Anne in "Anne of Green Gables" at the Stained Glass Theatre in Joplin, Mo. "I was looking to get involved in local theater and found their auditions online," she says of APT. "I love that Marian is unapologetically doing what she feels is right at every turn in this story — she is consistently thinking of others in everything she does. During the show we get to see her slowly open up, and it's been delightful getting to work on the details of that development! "I think there are quite a few things to take away from this show, but one of my favorites is the fact that the boys' band actually worked," she adds. "Having something you're passionate about can bring light and color into your life, whether or not it's something you can profit from or are good at!" Brenda Nemec, who is usually directing the show instead of acting in it, says the mayor's wife "is a hot mess, married to a hot mess! She is so pompous and funny and wears the most outlandish costumes! No wonder I love her!" And "Mayor Shinn is a bit pompous and overbearing, but he loves his family and town," her real- life husband Jason Nemec says. "There is a moral about a con artist going straight and the townspeople's trust being rewarded in the end," he adds, "but just hearing the audience laugh and react is why most of us continue to do what we do." Music Man Continued From Page 4 Just a few weeks ago, edward Mountz was belting out '80s rock 'n' roll tunes as the romantic lead in "Disaster," and Kevin Lancaster was the awkward professor trying to stop an earthquake, followed by a tidal wave, followed by a blazing inferno. Now they're joined by APt veteran Wendell Jones and newcomer Joe Miller to portray the constantly bickering river City school board who find new unity singing four-part harmony. "this is my first time singing in a barbershop quartet," Lancaster says. "It has been a fun and rewarding challenge. "Singing in the quartet is much more challeng- ing musically than the other musicals," he adds. "the harmonies are tighter and more complex, and there is no accompaniment to help keep us on track." "I've sung in four-part harmonies in ensem- bles before, but I've always had someone else also singing my part — which definitely helped," agrees Mountz. "So this was a little bit of a learning curve for me, but once the indi- vidual parts started to sink in, things started to click. "Back in 'Avenue Q,' I maneuvered the right arm for Nicky, so I had to be totally in sync with his left arm and voice, Cody robinson," he adds. "It was an amazing and fun experience, and now I get to somewhat relive it, but with three people instead of one!" Miller says he learned four-part harmony from the United Methodist hymnal in grade school, so the singing has been the most fun about his APt debut. "But it's also fun to feel the momentum build in the rehearsals now that we're getting to the full show runs," he adds. "It's been a long time since I was on stage, and I'm enjoying the energy of the APt veteran actors." "Singing barbershop harmonies … should seem easy and effortless, but is very techni- cally precise and requires each member to sing exactly what is written," Jones says. "trust in the other members of the quartet is what makes a great barbershop experience."