February 18-22: FMU University Theatre Presents the Fantasticks

FMU University Theatre Wednesday - Sunday, 18-22 February 2015, 7:30 pm Wednesday-Friday, 2:00 & 7:30 pm Saturday, 3:00 pm Sunday Performing Arts Center, Downtown Florence The Fantasticks by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt Directed by Keith Best The Francis Marion University Theatre's 2014-2015 season's winter production will be The Fantasticks, a musical by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. The Fantasticks, by Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt, is the world's longest running musical - running for over 52 years in Manhattan and entrancing generations of audiences the world over. The Fantasticks is a funny and romantic musical about a boy, a girl, two fathers and a wall. The narrator, El Gallo, originally played by Jerry Orbach, asks the audience to use their imagination and follow him into a world of moonlight and magic. The boy and the girl fall in love, grow apart, and finally find their way back to each other after realizing the truth in El Gallo's words that "without a hurt, the heart is hollow". The famous score, which includes the classics Try To Remember, They Were You and Soon It's Gonna Rain, is as timeless as the story itself. RESERVATIONS: Reservations may be made by calling the FMU Performing Arts Center at 843-661-4444 between 12:00 and 5:00 pm. The first 100 tickets for each Mainstage performance are free to FMU students (you must show your FMU ID at the Box Office to receive a ticket); all remaining tickets are $5 each.

February 19th - 22nd: FMU Theatre Department presents 'Tape'

Tape by Stephen Belber, will be directed by professor Keith Best and performed in the downtown Performing Arts Center's black box theatre on February 19-22, 2014.

When aspiring filmmaker Jon meets up with his best friend from high school, Vince, a volatile drug-dealing dropout, the conversation turns to Amy, Vince's first love, whom they both dated. Vince finally gets Jon to confess a disturbing secret, only then to reveal he has taped the entire conversation and that Amy is about to arrive any minute...

Tape will be performed at the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center (201 South Dargan Street in downtown Florence).  Admission is $5.  For more information, call 843.661.4444.

Florence Little Theatre received the 2013 Outstanding Arts Organization Award from FRAA

The Florence Little Theatre received the 2013 Outstanding Arts Organization Award from the Florence Regional Arts Alliance.  Check out the video below to learn more about the award and to hear Keith Best explain why FLT was chosen as the 2013 recipient.

To see a list of all of FRAA's 2013 Arts Awards winners, click here.

To learn more about the Florence Regional Arts Alliance, click here.

WFXB Morning Minute - Christmas in Carolina

Check out this video produced by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau.  It showcases Christmas in Carolina, an upcoming event sponsored by the Florence Regional Arts Alliance.

Christmas in Carolina will take place on Saturday, December 8th at the Florence Little Theatre.  The night will get under way with a reception at 6:30.  The show starts at 7:30pm.

For more information on Christmas in Carolina, visit christmasincarolina.org.  

New Leadership, New Location for the Florence Regional Arts Alliance

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA) recently moved its office to the Educational Foundation Building at Francis Marion University.  “This is great move for our organization,” said Bruce Douglas, the new Executive Director of FRAA.  “Jay Dowd and Dr. Carter have been very gracious in partnering with us and we are excited about our connection with one of South Carolina’s most prestigious and rapidly growing universities,” added FRAA President Brad Parham. 

FRAA is moving from a facility on Dargan Street it called home for almost ten years.  “The building was really not suited for us in terms of the direction we plan to move the organization,” said Douglas.  “Our move will cut down on overhead costs, allowing us to put more money in our programs.  Ultimately, we will be paying less in bills and more to artists and arts educators.”

Douglas noted that, along with Dowd and Carter, FMU professors Jon Tuttle and Keith Best were instrumental in helping the partnership between the university and FRAA come to reality.  “Jon and Keith initiated the conversation.  Without them, we wouldn’t be making this move.”

Established in 1984, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance is a community-based non-profit organization that is committed to preserving, supporting, and promoting the Arts in Florence County.  Additionally, FRAA strives to promote and strengthen the arts in the region through its online arts marketing initiative, Pee Dee Arts. 

For more information about FRAA, visit their website: peedeearts.org.