Lyle Lovett tops Perot season

Lyle Lovett
Lyle Lovett

With magic, movement, theater and two of Texas country music's biggest stars, the upcoming 2016-2017 season of shows at the Perot Theatre comes alive with artistic entertainment.

Annually, the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council presents the Perot Theatre Series, which kicks off this year with the exciting prospect of a multi-dimensional stage extravaganza called The Aluminum Show on Saturday, Oct. 22.

The opening show is followed by magician Adam Trent on Friday, Jan. 20; Montana Repertory's stage production of Neil Simon's romantic comedy "Barefoot in the Park" on Saturday, Feb. 25; and the theatrical artistry of MOMIX Opus Cactus on Saturday, April 15.

In addition to the Perot Theatre Series proper, TRAHC presents two Perot Theatre specials: Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen in concert on Nov. 4, then Jawbone back for the traditional back-to-school August show in 2017.

Another TRAHC special presentation is over at the Regional Arts Center when The Muses, a Hot Springs, Ark.-based opera company, visits on Thursday, Sept. 15 to perform Mozart's opera classic, "Don Giovanni."

Raised in the Houston area, Lovett has found success in country and Americana music, winning four Grammy Awards as he released albums like "It's Not Big It's Large" and "Natural Forces," along with his biggest hit, "Cowboy Man," a Top 10 country chart single.

Along with his distinctive looks and style, Lovett has blended other genres into his music, including swing and folk. He's acted in movies, including Robert Altman flicks like "Short Cuts," and, for a couple years, was married to superstar actress Julia Roberts.

Lovett and Keen will perform an acoustic show together, said Brian Goesl, TRAHC's executive director.

"Both of them will do individual numbers that they're known for, and then they'll also do numbers together. We're excited. This is a big deal for us," Goesl said.

TRAHC has tried arranging this for years. The opportunity arose to do it affordably as an acoustic show, and TRAHC will partner with promoter Larry Shaeffer to produce. The Perot's box office has already fielded phone calls about the show.

"I certainly think that he fits that demographic of Texas music, and there's no doubt we have a sort of country audience here and Lyle Lovett crosses that," Goesl said-as does Keen. Both are fine musicians with great voices.

As for The Aluminum Show, Goesl describes it as a phenomenal visual show. Based in Israel, The Aluminum Show combines dance and theatrical elements with wild aluminum concoctions to create a futuristic setting.

"It's got lights. It's got lots of aluminum in it, but it bounces lights off. They've got a lot of moving lights. There's a lot of interaction with the audience. Kids will love this show, families will love this show," Goesl said.

Expect a pre-show street party and a TRAHC Heroes presentation during this season kickoff.

For magic man Trent, Goesl showers praise. Trent's made his name on Broadway as part of the show "The Illusionists," and he's also billed himself as the youthful future of magic.

"He's young. He's very personable," Goesl said.

Trent's a people person who loves entertaining and making a connection to the audience. He also employs humor, music and dance into his stage act. It's up-close magic and illusions.

"He's very approachable as an artist, which you don't always find with an artist of his caliber," Goesl said. He's reminded of a young David Copperfield.

Montana Rep returns with another Neil Simon comedy. "We love to have Montana Rep here. They think they're coming home when they visit Texarkana and they always have a good group," Goesl said.

"Barefoot in the Park" chronicles the comedic story of a young couple living together at the start of marriage. "The trials and tribulations of not being able to afford the apartment that they live in, which has all sorts of problems in it," Goesl said of the basic premise.

It's also a clash of personalities, says Goesl about this sweet, tender and funny relationship story, a fast-paced play.

Then there's a show that found success here before as part of the Perot season: MOMIX.

"What they do is they're performers, they're dancers, who recreate elements of nature in this show. You can have them being cactus, you can have them being lizards, you can have them being animals in the desert, you can have them being the movement of desert wind. It literally is Southwestern desert from morning to sunset," Goesl said of this pretty visual show.

"Opus Cactus is very, very artsy," Goesl said.

The first TRAHC stage event of the season, though, is the reappearance of The Muses at the RAC. For TRAHC's marketing coordinator and resident opera enthusiast, David Murphy, Mozart's "Don Giovanni" remains a favorite.

"Like all operas, there's always a sad ending and this one has a sad one," Murphy said. In Mozart, though, we hear amazing, memorable and recognizable music through the opera. Paired with that is a tragic plot.

"It's the story of a man who, basically, has a hand in the death of his uncle and he gets married and all these things. Then his uncle comes back from the dead and takes revenge," Murphy said.

Looked at all together, this year's season appears to get back to some of the more artistic fare TRAHC's Perot Theatre Series presented in the past. It's about trying to find an attractive mix for audiences from across the region, TRAHC's director said.

"The market is always changing and ever evolving," Goesl said.

TRAHC members can already purchase Perot Theatre Series tickets and single shows. The general public can purchase series tickets. 

Starting Thursday, Aug. 11, non-members can buy individual show tickets.

(On the Net: TRAHC.org. Or for more info, call the Perot Theatre Box Office at 903-792-4992.)

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