In anticipation of sold-out shows, the Pocket Community Theatre will add a third weekend of performances for its upcoming major musical production of "Chicago."
Theater officials say the three extra performances will not only allow more people to catch a show but also give the performers as many opportunities as possible to show off all of the hard work put forth over the past several months.
"We started dance rehearsals like six months ago but we've actually been cast and doing stage rehearsals for the past three. ... We've been having different types of rehearsals for the show five to six nights a week," Pocket Community Theatre President James Kendall said.
The theater puts on one musical production in the summer and each year it gets bigger and bigger, he said. Pulling together components from the past two musical productions, "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Annie," this production will feature extensive original choreography by Gracie Littlejohn Barlow and a live musical ensemble led by Kristen La Madrid.
"Any time we do a musical it's going to be our biggest show because of the amount of work that goes into it but this one is special. We have dancing, we have live music, and we have acting. Not to mention an entire extra weekend of shows that we don't normally offer," Kendall said.
"We want to give the people who know the show a little taste of what 'Chicago' is about. It's not just acting and singing but we have some really strong choreography."
With a cast of around 22 people, the director, Mary Hill, said getting "Chicago" to the Gene and Margaret Forsyth stage was no small undertaking but she maintained confidence in the theater's capabilities.
"It came about after a group from the Pocket went to sing karaoke one night. Two of the women in the show got up and sang "All that Jazz" and after they finished, I thought to myself, 'We could really do this,'" Hill said.
With the rights to the show soon becoming available, Kendall made all the necessary arrangements to bring the show to Hot Springs. Fast forward a little over a year later and it is quickly approaching opening night.
As with their last performance of "12 Angry Jurors," the community theater plans to donate a portion of what they bring in on the opening night to a local charity. This time around, all of the money collected from tickets sales from their "best seats in the house" drawing done before the show on opening night will go directly to Project HOPE Food Bank. Whatever amount they raise will be matched equally by local philanthropist Dorothy Morris.
"We want to put the community in community theater," Kendall said.
"Chicago" premieres at the Pocket Community Theatre on Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. and continues each weekend until Aug. 18. Shows on Fridays and Saturdays begin at 7 p.m. while Sunday matinees are at 2:30 p.m. Tickets for adults are $20, $15 for students and seniors, and $10 for children 12 and younger.
"We really want to encourage people to get tickets as soon as possible because they will go quickly," Kendall said.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting https://pocket-community-theatre.ticketleap.com/chicago/ or calling the theater at 501-623-8585.
Local on 07/27/2019