What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1109701
Upcoming Events Santana April 28 Leon Bridges May 1 The Killers May 6 Earth, Wind & Fire May 17 The Avett Brothers May 18 Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert May 25 Steve Miller Band & Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives June 16 Trevor Noah June 21 Train & Goo Goo Dolls with Allen Stone June 26 …and more! 6 WHAT'S UP! APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2019 FAQ 'Junie B. Jones: The Musical' WHEN — 7 p.m. May 2-4 & 2 p.m. May 4-5 WHERE — Arts Center of the Ozarks, 214 S. Main St., Springdale COST — $10-$15 INFO — 521-4932 Just Like The Rest Of Us A uthor Barbara Parks' beloved heroine, Junie B. Jones, first showed up in print in 1981 in "Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus." Twenty-eight more Junie B. books would follow. The feisty, elementary school-aged girl is not your typical heroine: She is imperfect, prone to accidents and awkward interactions and struggles with insecurity. But, more importantly, she is funny, likable and learns from her many mistakes. "I believe Junie B. is 'everyman,'" says Julie Gabel of Junie B.'s appeal. Gabel is directing the ArtsLive Theatre production of "Junie B. Jones, The Musical." "Our disappointments, our embarrassments, our ability to be tenacious — all of those things we struggle with, she struggles with." The musical adaptation of Parks' work condenses four of the series' novels into a one-hour musical that features over a dozen fun and funny musical numbers. Gabel says the cast numbers around 30 young stage artists from the Northwest Arkansas area. "We have a lot of younger actors in this show," notes Gabel. "But we've also got a lot of our seasoned actors in this show, as well." Gabel says watching the older kids mentor the younger actors has been inspirational. "You don't even have to hint or ask — they just jump in and they help. They're mentoring, and they're modeling work ethic and what you do at rehearsal. The younger kids learn it a lot more quickly from their peers than they would from an adult." Gabel says she's confident the show will be a crowd pleaser. "What I really like about this play is that it delves into so many little things, little issues, that all kids deal with, like embarrassment, being tenacious, making new friends — struggles we all share. It touches on several things in a very short amount of time." — LARA JO HIGHTOWER LHIGHTOWER@NWADG.COM 'Junie B. Jones' full of lessons for young actors SPRINGDALE For decades, Junie B. Jones has been getting herself into and out of trouble in Barbara Park's book series. Courtesy Photo