Texarkana Entertainment Blog

Jefferson, Texas, is no stranger to holding a fine event, especially in spring when it can show off its beautiful looks and history on some supremely pleasant days. “Grace and Charm Along the Bayou” is the title for the 62nd Annual Pilgrimage Tour of Homes & Spring Festival on Friday, May 1, through Sunday, May 3. Four homes will welcome you during the tour: The French Townhouse at 502 E. Walker, Schluter House at 602 E. Taylor, the Hudgins-Blake House at 1111 S. Line, and Whitington’s Terry House at 404 Walnut. And there are plenty of other attractions and action going on during the first weekend of May in Jefferson. 

For more info and tickets, contact The Excelsior House Hotel at 903-665-2513 or the Marion County Chamber of Commerce at  903-665-2672. 

On the Net: Jefferson’s Historical Pilgrimage Home Tour and Spring Festival. 

- Aaron Brand

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Here in the States we had the public spectacle of TV personality Ed McMahon feeling the economic pinch. And after talking with arts people in Texarkana, it seems Texarkana is not immune to feeling the sting of economic hard times. 

It appears in the U.K., too, entertainment bigwigs are having a rough time in this economy, according to this A.P report: Britain’s music moguls affected by recession.

- Aaron Brand

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A heartfelt, witty, and truly unique singer-songwriter and real regular on-the-road player, guitarist Cory Branan is no stranger to Texarkana’s Club Next stage. He’ll be making a return appearance on Thursday with his sparkling, clear-eyed, finely-chiseled songs starting at 9 p.m. for this 21 and up show. Cover is $5. Don’t miss a chance to see one of the strongest singers around and someone who makes you think, perhaps wistfully, while tapping those feet.  

- Aaron Brand

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Why not? It’s a good time for it with these temperatures finally reaching up into the 70s and 80s. The mysterious Heat Stroked Weasels have been holding their Texarkana Serenades at the Pocket Park. And Texarkanarocks.com just held its “Spring Fling in the Park.”

Now it’s the TRAHC Young Professionals group of youthful arts lovers organizing something free in the great outdoors with Rockin’ the Arts Park on Thursday, April 30, the night before we spring into May. Local bands on tap: Ms. Mac and the Groovetones, Haze, Boozehound, and Ida Myrtis (they’re real good fun live). 

This is a BYOL event. That’s bring your own lawnchair. It will be in the ArtsPark right next to the Regional Arts Center at the corner of 4th and Main Streets, smack dab in downtown Texarkana. They’ll be fixin’ up hot dogs for you and sodas will also be available for purchase. 

More info: Call Traci Waller at 903-792-8681 or e-mail twaller@trahc.org. You MySpacers can also visit www.myspace.com/youngcoolcreatives. 

- Aaron Brand

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… for an upcoming story and he sounds pretty happy these days. His album “Never Going Back” is about to be released on April 28 (on Time Life)  and he’s playing some dates in Branson, Mo., at the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre. He’ll be promoting the album in the upcoming weeks, and he called it a blessing to be have these opportunities now at this stage in his career. He doesn’t have an exact date but said he’s shooting for sometime in August for his Collinfest show in De Queen. He recorded the new album in Muscle Shoals, Ala., where the musicians have a laid back vibe in what they play, he said. Down below he talks about “Mid Life Chrysler”in a promo video. Look for a story soon on the Gazette’s Accent page. 

- Aaron Brand

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Down in Jefferson, Texas, the Marion County Chamber of Commerce is putting on its 4th Annual Crawfish “Boil on the Bayou” on Saturday. If that doesn’t sound delicious enough, from Eunice, Louisiana, and the South Louisiana festival and concert circuit comes JoJo Reed and the Happy Hill Zydeco Band to add even more spice to the proceedings. It’s all starting at 11 a.m. at Bateman’s Alley, and then the band starts off at noon and the boil rolls until 7 p.m. 

More info: 903-665-2672. 

- Aaron Brand 

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Last night’s Reader’s Theatre Occasional Thursday event brought by the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council and its African American Advisory Committee was a packed-room affair over at the Regional Arts Center. For attendees, it was a night of great entertainment and education about African Americans important to this country’s history.

An original piece, it was titled “Voices of Freedom: Overcoming Barriers.” Monologues were written by Dr. Brian C. Billings, assistant professor of English at Texas A & M University – Texarkana. Jennifer Unger directed.

Each performer did a fantastic job portraying their character—from Chiquita Banks’ opening performance as entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker to Kristi Harris Brown’s closing reading as First Lady Michelle Obama. Other performers were Rhonda Dolberry, Dr. Cheryl Stuart, Brian Matthews, Maxine Crittenden, Linda Harlston, and Vicki Parks. They were uniformly great. 

But the performance that moved me personally to tears came from Barbara Larry, who portrayed Mamie Till-Mobley with extraordinary passion. Till-Mobley’s son Emmett was brutally murdered in 1955 in Mississippi and his body tossed into the Tallahatchie River. Only after three days was his body found, and his mother insisted on an open-casket funeral service to show the world what really happened to her son. Larry brought out the fierceness, anger, love, and righteous resolve of Emmett’s mother. 

Larry said she was very small when the event occurred, but that her own mother remembers it vividly. Larry considered how it must have felt to Till-Mobley to see her baby, all of 14 years old, killed for no reason other than racism. 

“It was very heartwrenching,” said Larry after the show. “Being a parent I could just see myself in that situation.” 

Here’s hoping TRAHC and its African American Advisory Committee go for a third annual Reader’s Theatre. It’s a great use of local talent and meaningful theater. 

- Aaron Brand

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This Sunday’s Accent page takes a look at film production in Texas, Arkansas, and the Ark-La-Tex region. There’s legislation afoot in Texas that may add to the incentives given to filmmakers who choose to shoot in the Lone Star State. And the Northeast Texas Regional Film Commission has been active in working to bring movies to the region, recently updating its Website to catalogue some of the information prospective filmmakers want to know about potential locations. The commission’s Website, if you’d like to check it out: NETRFC. 

- Aaron Brand

Submitted photo courtesy of the Texas Film Commission (from the set of “The Alamo,” released in 2004 and filmed at several Texas locations): 

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The “Slumdog Millionaire” filmmakers are giving back to the Mumbai community where they filmed the Oscar-winning movie. AP story: ‘Slumdog’ filmmakers give Mumbai charity $747,000. 

- Aaron Brand

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The meteoric rise in popularity for super singer Susan Boyle is surely something amazing, and a good sign there’s still an audience out there for something pure and beautiful when it comes to music and, well, people in general. It’s also a powerful reminder to not judge by first appearances, as Boyle’s audience first did when she stepped out onto the stage for the TV talent show “Britain’s Got Talent.” 

Boyle, the 47-year-old from Blackburn, Scotland, took the Internet by storm in recent days after performing on “Britain’s Got Talent.” Unassuming and lacking in flair, Boyle inspired the judges to heap high praise upon her, most notably Simon Cowell of American Idol, and the audience to stand and applaud with fervor. She’s won adoring fans and found more than 12 million viewers on YouTube. It’s an incredible story, especially the level of intense love people have proclaimed for her. Here’s an AP update on how her life has changed: Internet’s power makes singing Scot a global star. And what I think is the original YouTube video: Susan Boyle – Singer – Britain’s Got Talent. (She sings “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables.”)

Sometimes a story comes along that reaffirms your faith in folks. This is one. 

- Aaron  Brand

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