After selling 89 percent of available tickets last year, Reynolds Performance Hall announced their 2017-18 line-up, including a lecture series, concerts, Broadway shows and an EdUCAtion series on May 9.
Kicking off the season is the first of two lecturers: Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Sept. 25. Gates is a journalist, filmmaker and literary scholar who has written 17 books, made 14 documentaries and has written for The New York Times, Time Magazine and The New Yorker.
On Sept. 28, the Charlie Daniels Band, a CMA Award-winning band that plays southern rock and country music, will headline.
On Oct. 27, Jack Hanna will introduce the audience to different animals from around the world in his show “Into the Wild Live!” Hanna has appeared on talk shows and morning shows, such as “Good Morning America” and David Letterman’s “Late Show.”
Reynolds Director Amanda Horton said she is thrilled to have Hanna at Reynolds.
“It’s the first time we’ve had that type of show where we’re bringing in the live animals for the audience to see,” Horton said. “He is a true entertainer.”
Classic-rock musicians Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell will be celebrating more than 40 years of being a part of the band America and will perform at Reynolds Nov. 4.
One of the world’s most well known films will be shown on stage Nov. 12 when “The Wizard of Oz” comes to Reynolds. Another television classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will start Reynolds’ Christmas season on Nov. 16.
Later, five-time Grammy and two-time Dove Award winner B.J. Thomas will sing a combination of popular Christmas tunes and his songs on Dec. 3 during “Christmas with BJ Thomas.”
Similar to last season’s “The Films of Tim Burton,” the Conway Symphony Orchestra will accompany a video montage of all 14 Pixar films on Feb. 3 during “Pixar in Concert.” The Conway Symphony Orchestra will perform scores written by composers Randy Newman, Michael Giacchino, Patrick Doyle and Thomas Newman.
That same week, “Million Dollar Quartet,” a Broadway musical based on a 1956 recording session including Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash, will come to Reynolds on Feb. 5.
Dublin Irish Dance, a group of world-champion Irish step dancers, will perform on Feb. 17. The dancers will be accompanied by an eight-member Irish band that sings and plays traditional Irish music.
Correspondent for NBC’s “Today Show” and author of The New York Times bestseller “Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope” Jenna Bush Hager will be the second lecturer in the Reynolds lecture series. Her lecture is on Feb. 27.
The internationally-known Japanese taiko percussion group TAO will bring their show Drum Heart March 4.
Reynolds is bringing back the country a cappella group Home Free on March 13, after they performed to a sold-out audience last year.
Organist Cameron Carpenter, who has one of the most diverse collections of organ arrangements and compositions in the world, will bring his digital organ to play on April 3. Carpenter will also be an Artist in Residence for UCA’s College of Fine Arts and Communication.
The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Cinderella” is a contemporary take of the beloved children’s classic and includes some of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s popular songs. The pumpkin carriage will make its way to Reynolds on April 18.
April 29 will bring the Tony Award winner for Best Musical of 2014 The Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder.
The Main Stage EdUCAtion Series, which brings grade-school students to Reynolds watch shows specifically for children, will host six performances this year. These shows include “How I Became a Pirate” on Oct. 11 2017, “Mooseltoe” on Dec. 8 2017, “Freedom Riders” on Jan. 23 2018, “Pinkalicious” on Feb 11 and 12 2018, “Cirque Zuma Zum” on Feb. 21 2018 and “Charlotte’s Web” on April 6 2018.
Reynolds will also be hosting a benefit performance of A Christmas Carol on Dec. 19. All profits made from the show will go toward funding the Main Stage EdUCAtion Series.
Reynolds’s Director of Marketing and Finance Julia Dossett Morgan said that they are doing everything they can to increase ticket sales for this season.
“If you come to Reynolds, even though our shows change every time, you are going to see a high-quality performance for an affordable price and the whole experience will not let you down,” Morgan said.
Current Reynolds subscribers can purchase tickets as of May 9. New subscribers can begin purchasing tickets on June 26 and general sales for the public begin Aug. 7.
