What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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LARA JO HIGHTOWER NWA Democrat-Gazette I t's a cloudy, breezy fall night in October, and something unusual is going on inside the Arts Live Theatre space: A group of 35 kids, ages 8 to 18, are gathered quietly in a circle around Julie Gabel, the director of the upcoming show, "The Wizard of Oz." Soothing music is in the background as Gabel takes the large group of kids through warm-up exercises meant to help them shake off the stresses of the day and focus on rehearsal. Gabel tells them to gather in groups of three — then four, then in groups where at least one person has a yellow pair of shoes — by the time she counts to six. The kids do it quickly and quietly, working cooperatively, with the older members of the cast helping guide the younger ones. It's 6:30 p.m., and all of the kids in the room have had a full day of school and work, but their concentration is laser-sharp, and any fatigue they may have felt when they entered the room has vanished. Later, when they run through one of the big musical numbers of the show, the fruits of their labor are evident in the tight harmonies and enthusiastic dance choreography. Though the idea that three dozen kids might be able to maintain such focus at the end of a long day might be unusual to most of us, it certainly isn't to Gabel, who maintains a calm control over the crowd using a firm sense of humor. Arts Live Theatre has been turning out polished shows performed by budding young actors for decades now, and though the cast might seem large, it's pretty average for Gabel. "We had around 100 kids audition, and we have around 40 in the show," she says, and adds, "The most I ever did was 52, and, after that, I said, 'I'm never doing that again.' But there's power in numbers on stage. Kids tend to be a little more timid unless they have a lot of other kids around them. And we'll perform at [the Arts Center of the Ozarks], so that's a good- sized stage to fill up." Gabel says she's excited to be directing "The Wizard of Oz" not only because it's a classic show, but also because it's a personal favorite of hers. "I told the kids that, of course, these days you can stream it anywhere — but when I was a kid, you couldn't even record things on the television," she says. "It was on once a year, I think on a Sunday night, and it was like, 'You snooze, you lose' — you had to watch it then if you wanted to see it. It was a big deal, and it was magic. When it went from black and white to color, it was like you were transported to a totally different place, and I bought every bit of it. I loved it." The version Arts Live will be presenting is a one-hour adaptation of the classic movie, specially tailored for casts of young actors, but it will feature the most memorable songs from the film, including "Follow the Yellow Brick Road," "If I Only Had a Heart," "We're Off to See the Wizard," and, of course, "Over the Rainbow." "It's a very beautiful moment," says Kayleigh Calaway, who plays Dorothy, of the moment in the show when she sings one of the most beloved songs in entertainment. Calaway has been working with Arts Live for over a decade. "I know that my mom's going to cry. And it's a little bit nerve-racking — it took me a long time to find myself within Dorothy. I knew I couldn't sing it like Kayleigh Calaway, but I can't sing it like Judy Garland, either — I had to find that balance, which took a long time. It's such an iconic song and such an anthem for so many people." ey devoted themselves to: Fellowship First Presbyterian Church of Rogers Sunday Bible Study 9:00 a.m. Worship Service 10:30 a.m. Turn at the Frog! 1901 S 26th Street • Rogers, AR • www.fpcrogers.com 479-636-5542 Independent & Level 2 Assisted Living Community 2300 SE 28th Street | Bentonville 479.273.9969 www.themeadowsinbentonville.com We are a Family Owned and Operated Award Winning Level 2 Assisted Living Community located in Bentonville NOVEMBER 3-9, 2019 WHAT'S UP! 5 There's No Place Like Arts Live Youngsters find magic over the rainbow SPRINGDALE Web Watch A slide show from the Arts Live Theatre rehearsal of "The Wizard of Oz" is available with the online version of this story at nwadg.com/whatsup. FAQ 'The Wizard of Oz' WHEN — 7 p.m. Nov. 7-9; 2 p.m. Nov. 9-10 WHERE — Arts Center of the Ozarks, 214 S. Main St., Springdale COST — $12-$25 INFO — 521-4932 BONUS — An Emerald City Tea Party (1 p.m. Nov. 9-10) and Wizard of Oz Happy Birthday Party (Nov. 8, during inter- mission) are available with special ticket pricing. See Wizard Page 38 Photo courtesy Mark Landon Smith Madison Gates, Sydnee Marshall, Kayleigh Calaway and Trey Osbon star as the iconic quartet in Arts Live Theatre's production of "The Wizard of Oz," opening on Nov. 7.