Texarkana Entertainment Blog

Last night at the U.S. Navy Band concert at the Pleasant Grove High School Performing Arts Center, one of the clarinet players was no stranger to Texarkana. Laura Grantier Snavely, who has been part of the Navy’s concert band since 1995, lived three years in T-Town and got her start with the clarinet here during middle school. She says it was either the saxophone or the clarinet, and since it’s supposedly quieter her dad recommended the clarinet. Now she’s an accomplished performer who has played with a number of symphonies. A photo of her is below. Check Sunday’s Accent page for the full story. 

- Aaron Brand

Staff photo by Tanner Spendley: 

The AP reports the Lascaux caves in France are threatened by a fungus. The problem seems to be the climate inside the caves, and rising temperatures seem to be the culprit. Story: Scientists meet to save Lascaux cave from fungus. 

Can you imagine if some of our very first drawings disappeared? 

- Aaron Brand

One of my two Sunday Accent stories is a look at the new TexRep season, the theater company’s 19th. On tap first is a musical, “Children of Eden,” in May. In the fall, comedy craziness in the form of “Boeing Boeing” arrives. Then it’s an Agatha Christie classic, “And Then There Were None” (once known as “Ten Little Indians”), in November. The season winds down with “Tuesdays with Morrie,” a play based upon the popular Mitch Albom book, next February. More in the Sunday Accent page this weekend. 

- Aaron Brand

I’m here in the office doing a bit of last-minute research before I check out the US Navy Band’s performance tonight at Pleasant Grove High School Performing Arts Center and interview a member of the concert band. Cruising around the band’s Website I luckily stumbled upon a whole page of their music (MP3 format).

Lots of gems and great stuff from the various bands that are part of the US Navy Band—good jazz, country and concert band material. Give it a listen and click on the link: US Navy Band Sound Files. I particularly like the Navy’s jazz ensemble, The Commodores, and the Navy’s chorus, the Sea Chanters. Enjoy. 

- Aaron Brand

Discovery Place Children’s Museum has juggling on tap for the kids in a couple weeks. They’ll bring Rhys Thomas and his fun, whimsical Science Circus show to town for three days. Thomas has performed professionally for about 22 years, combining his humor with circus tricks and juggling in many a venue—from cruise ships to corporate events. You might say he has a juggling mania. His Science Circus act has some madcap hijinks but it’s all in the aim of teaching physics. He’s even opened for Weird Al Yankovic and Leon Redbone. 

Here in Texarkana Thomas will be part of a “dinner and a show” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 13, at Discovery Place, and then also the next day on Saturday there are two shows at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday shows: free to members and regular admission for non-members. The kids-only Friday night dinner is $5 per kid for members and $10 per child for non-members. More info: 903-793-4831. Thomas is also showing off his supreme juggling skills in local schools. 

- Aaron Brand

Submitted art:

“Experience Excitement” is the name for a night of professional ballet from the Illinois-based international dance company USA Ballet coming to Hope, Ark., in a little more than a week. On Saturday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Paul W. Klipsch Auditorium in Hope City Hall, they’ll perform selections from classics and more contemporary work—”Sleeping Beauty,” “Don Quixote,” and “La Esmerelda” among them. Tickets are $10 for adults and $2 for students K-college; call the Southwest Arkansas Arts Council at 870-777-8200 to purchase them. There are also pre- and post-performance parties. Tickets for those shindigs can be purchased by calling the same number. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Ken Bello, the dance company’s co-founder, is working with local dance students by providing master classes, giving local dancers valuable lessons to hone their ballet skills on the stage. 

More info on USA Ballet: USABallet.org. 

- Aaron Brand

Submitted photo: 

Guy Clark is quite a storyteller in his wonderful songs, and he told me last week during an interview that it’s part of being from Texas. (He grew up in Monahans and Rockport.) Clark, a singer-songwriter known for his chiseled, plain-spoken songs and great live shows, will be performing at Music City Texas Theater in Linden, Texas, on Saturday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Clark’s last album was “Workbench Songs,” which was nominated for a Grammy, and he’s just finished another he plans to release later this year. More info on the show: www.musiccitytexas.org. 

- Aaron Brand

Submitted photo: 

I vowed in my advance Oscars story on a Sunday Accent page that I’d eat my keyboard if Heath Ledger didn’t win an Academy Award last night.

Well, thank goodness he did indeed win in one of the more touching moments in recent Oscar history. (By the way, the photographers here were ready to take photos of me and the keyboard if I’d lost out.) Last night, I thought the Ledger family’s appreciation for the film community and their choice to celebrate Heath’s life work softened some of the dramatic blow of the moment. Good on them. 

Here are some random thoughts on last night’s show. It sure was cute to see the “Slumdog Millionaire” kids up there on stage at night’s end. They’ve made an incredible journey. And that movie. It went from nowhere-on-the-radar to the all-but-inevitable best motion picture choice in a few weeks. The introduction of the nominees for acting awards this year gave the actors their proper due; it was nice to hear why they were nominated, and can you imagine being an actress introduced to the world by Sophia Loren? Kate Winslet’s win was long overdue, and her speech was every bit as emotional as we could imagine. She’s the best actress out there now. As to the song-and-dance numbers, they were a bit more engaging than the usual fare, I thought, and Hugh Jackman was a fun master of ceremonies. Though I didn’t pick all the winners, I didn’t think there were any big surprises last night. 

On that note, it looks like “Slumdog Millionaire” is FINALLY at the local Cinemark theater. Go see it. 

- Aaron Brand

A couple weeks ago we ran a story about Larry Tedder, who owns a collection of rare Edison records from the early 20th century and a collection of 78s. His archive extends back to the very early days of recorded music. On his Website, Americansoundarchive.com, he’s just added an online radio of sorts that plays the first decades of such music from his voluminous collection. Go to the homepage, scroll down, and click on the “Listen Live” link. It’s interesting if you like old-time recordings. 

Here’s the original story: Preserving the Voice of History. 

- Aaron Brand

For many in Texarkana, eating and drinking is entertainment. And it looks like the Hopkins Icehouse project is nearing completion downtown in the old Hopkins Feed & Seed building at Third and Wood streets. George Dodson, one of the partners in the project, says they’re aiming to be open by April. Below is a video showing the interior of the place. Dodson said since this was filmed more plumbing and electrical work have been done and the pub just needs a bit more sweat put into it for it all to be ready. 

Here’s a link to their Website for more info (including an article I wrote in ‘07): hopkinsicehouse.com. 

- Aaron Brand