A&E Advisory for June 23-29: Laughter, bluegrass and wild art

FAYETTEVILLE — The name Laurence Luckinbill is easily recognizable — and the face too, as Spock’s half-brother on Star Trek — but would you know him if you walked past him on the University of Arkansas campus?

You would if you saw one or both of his original two-man shows on campus this weekend.

The Emmy Award-winner and holder of the McIlroy Family Visiting Professor for Performing and Visual Arts will take the University Theatre stage Friday and Saturday nights as part of the local Boar’s Head Players 2012 summer season.

If you miss his Friday performance of Clarence Darrow Tonight!, there are two chances to see him Saturday: at a question-and-answer session about his Star Trek adventures at 10 a.m. in Room 104 of the UA’s Mullins Library and again at 7:30 p.m., when he performs his famous Teddy Tonight! back in the University Theatre.

His routines focus on the struggles and accomplishments of iconic Americans including Lyndon Johnson, Clarence Darrow, Theodore Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway. Luckinbill, a Fort Smith native, has worked on numerous movies, plays and television shows as an actor, writer, producer and director.

A reception with Luckinbill will follow Saturday night’s performance.

June 23
Impact: Starry, Starry Night

FAYETTEVILLE — Youth Bridge’s annual Starry, Starry Night…Almost Van Gogh Art Competition and Auction is always a great opportunity to admire and perhaps buy art made by your peers and perhaps some local celebrities.

This year’s event, slated for 6-10 p.m. Saturday, will be held again at the home of ever-so-gracious Denise and Dr. Hersehy Garner, just off Mission Boulevard in Fayetteville. KUAF’s Ozarks at Large host Kyle Kellams has run the show for several years. Organizers moved the event from September to June to hopefully raise attendance.

The event is held each year to raise money for Youth Bridge and its youth-related programs such as education, health and recreation. The focus of this year’s Starry, Starry Night event is to highlight the importance of art therapy as an important psychotherapy service that provides an emotional and creative outlet for Youth Bridge clients.

“Art therapy is one of the best ways to connect with them,” development director Nancy Hairston said. It’s known to reduce stress, help build social skills, and solve behavioral management issues.

Awards will be given three deep for artwork submitted in the categories including professional, corporate teams, individuals and youth 16 and under. Additional awards will be given for People’s Choice, Most Creative use of Materials, Best Use of Theme and Craziest Entry.  With judging done before the event, all 70 entries will be up for bid at the party.

Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the door, food and drinks included. Past partygoers know that seating space is extremely limited and the event usually sells out. More information can be found here.
 

June 28
Music: Bluegrass for the ages

FAYETTEVILLE — Two-time Grammy Award-winning bluegrass artist Carl Jackson, along with Val Storey and Jerry Salley, will put on a living room-style concert Saturday at the Mount Sequoyah Retreat and Conference Center’s Clapp Auditorium.

The show opens at 7 p.m. with a set by local legend Jed Clampit.

Jackson is a legendary banjo picker and an exceptional guitarist — a great catch for whoever’s doing the booking for this venue. We’re told there will be more like this to come. Stay tuned — literally.

June 25-July 1
Impact: LPGA golf

ROGERS — It would be plain wrong to ignore the Walmart Northwest Arkansas Championship presented by Procter & Gamble, which starts Monday at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers.

Organizers have announced playing commitments from at least five winners of the tour’s second-longest running event, the Wegmans LPGA Championship: Laura Davies, Cristie Kerr, Anna Nordqvist, Suzann Pettersen and Yani Tseng. Davies and Tseng return to Arkansas as the only two-time winners of the LPGA Championship.

It takes several hundred locals to volunteer to help keep the event going. Obviously, those are folks who love golf, golf celebrities or the charities and organizations the tournament helps support.
 
Word has it that the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter  is expecting a sizable donation to be presented at the shelter by golfer Morgan Pressel, perhaps on Wednesday.

Weekly grounds passes, valid all week, can be purchased for $50. Admission is free to the public Monday and Thursday. Children 17 years old and younger are admitted free with a ticketed adult. For more tournament information visit here.

June 28
Art: Journey into the Wild

BENTONVILLE — Members and non-members alike are invited to Crystal Bridges Thursday after dark for Journey into the Wild — three hours of live folk music, short nature films by local filmmakers, a live painting demonstration and a flashlight-lit walk along the museum’s trails.

The majority of action will take place on Crystal Bridges’ picturesque South Lawn.

If the live music is your fancy, then you won’t be able to pass up these local favorites: 3 Penny Acre, Still on the Hill, Mark Bilyeu formerly of Ozarks’ favorite Big Smith and the fiddle/banjo duo of Fork and Knife.

If art’s your thing, then you’ll enjoy learning more about watercolor landscape painting and a live demo by artist Whitney Johnson.

Tickets are $20 for non-members and $15 for members and can be purchased online, by phone or at guest services at the museum. The cost includes admission to the temporary exhibit The Hudson River School: Nature and the American Vision. Go here for details.