Sam Cieri and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy from the ONCE tour company
By Audrey Forbes
College of Fine Arts and Communication Media Office
CONWAY — “ONCE the Musical” will visit the University of Central Arkansas on Oct. 3 when it makes a 7:30 p.m. stop at the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall.
“ONCE the Musical” is based on the 2007 film of the same name. The film won an Academy Award for Best Original Song with “Falling Slowly.”
Other selections from the film, such as “Leave,” “If You Want Me,” and “Say It To Me Now” are featured in the stage production as well as songs written specifically for the play.
Winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, “ONCE” follows a street musician who’s about to give up on his dream of pursuing music when a young woman shows interest in his work.
“The main location of the play is a pub in Dublin, a setting filled with the warmth and joviality the Irish are known for,” Reynolds Performance Hall’s Director of Marketing and Finance Julia Dossett Morgan said.
The musical features actors who play their own instruments live onstage during the production.
“Unlike a traditional piece of musical theater where the musicians play their instruments offstage or in a pit, the actors and singers are the musicians,” Morgan said. “The instruments are worked into the choreography too, so you will see someone dancing, singing and playing the cello at the same time.”
Tickets range from $30‐$40 for the general public and $10 for children and students.
For additional information, contact Director of UCA Public Appearances Amanda Horton at (501) 450-3682 or ahorton@uca.edu. For tickets, call UCA Ticket Central at (501) 450-3265 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, or toll free from anywhere in Arkansas at 1-866-810-0012 or visit www.uca.edu/reynolds.
The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Music, and Film, Theatre and Creative Writing as well as the School of Communication. The college’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call (501) 450-3293.
