What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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8 WHAT'S UP! MARCH 17-23, 2019 Fresh Faces WAC boasts Broadway season like none before Photos courtesy Walton Arts Center "Fiddler on the Roof" plays April 14-19, 2020. COVER STORY JOCELYN MURPHY NWA Democrat-Gazette T here isn't necessarily a theme to the Walton Arts Center's new Broadway lineup, but looking at the shows just announced for the venue's 2019-20 season, one thing does stand out. "New, new, new, new, new," says Scott Galbraith, WAC executive producer and vice president of programming. "Our audiences are always clamoring for the latest and greatest to come directly from Broadway," Galbraith shares. "And typically we're able to get one, two, shows a year that are in that category — that are brand new from the season before, recent award-winners or in their first year of touring. This year, we have an abundance of them." The new season offers seven shows; six are Arkansas premieres, and five are embarking or are already on their first national tour. There are 2018 Tony winners, including Best Musical and Best Musical Revival. Northwest Arkansas has stepped into the big leagues of Broadway presenters as the shows traveling to larger markets straight from Broadway also make Fayetteville a stop in their first year. "It is unlike any season we've been able to put together before," Galbraith enthuses. "I was in Chicago two weeks ago and saw two of the shows we're doing next season on their next season, and then they had two or three we're doing this season on next season," adds Jennifer Ross, WAC director of programming. "For us, it means that the industry is taking notice of Northwest Arkansas." The first of those Arkansas debuts opens the regular Broadway season in October as audiences enjoy a few cheeseburgers in paradise with "Escape to Margaritaville." The colorful, beach- side romp is everything you would want from a musical put together of Jimmy Buffett songs, Ross affirms. Following the sure-to-be sing-along season opener, the WAC hosts the season's only nonmusical in November. "The Play That Goes Wrong" closed on