McCroskey returns to SAAC with 'Beauty and the Beast'
EL DORADO — South Arkansas Arts Center has announced that Christopher A. McCroskey is returning to his hometown stage as musical director for the summer production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.”
Auditions for the production will take place at 6 p.m. on April 7 and at 10 a.m. on April 8. SAAC will be open from 6 until 8 p.m. on April 6 for auditioners to register early, and McCroskey will be on hand to speak with people about their music selection.
Also this summer, McCroskey will give a concert at 7 p.m. on June 3 at SAAC. He will also be available for piano lessons and some fun and educational events.
“I’m so looking forward to being at SAAC! I hope we have a huge turnout from the community for auditions. I want to encourage folks to prepare a song for auditions that they are comfortable singing and that will not make them nervous. We want auditions to be fun for everyone, not stressful.”
McCroskey has had experience in the past with “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” having served as musical director for a production of the show in Columbia, South Carolina. He loves the theme behind the show and thinks it is a beautiful and fun show to produce and be a part of, he said. “Love conquers all is something we should all pay attention to and learn from. I love the idea of accepting people for who they are and not what they look like. It’s important to see the good in everyone,” he said.
Why does McCroskey want to return to El Dorado for this spectacular production? “SAAC was instrumental in my musical life and this summer is all about giving back,” he said. “My parents dragged me to see my sister perform in ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.’ The overture began, and I was immediately completely absorbed! I went to see the show four or five more times. I was hooked on musical theater and it has continued my whole life.”
McCroskey said he is very excited to be returning to his hometown for the summer as the Artist in Residence at SAAC, and looks forward to inspiring some new musical theatre buffs in the making.
McCroskey is the son of Nancy and Adrin Hargett and Otis and Linda McCroskey. His musical interest began at a very early age; as an infant, he heard his mother giving private piano lessons in their home. He began formal piano studies with his mother at the age of 4, reading the notes on pages of music before he could read their titles!
At 14, he performed his first musical theatre production at the South Arkansas Arts Center. He continued to play for shows there until he graduated from El Dorado High School. At 15, he began teaching private piano lessons. In 1979, he also performed his senior high school recital at SAAC.
A few years after starting lessons, he began formal piano studies with Mildred Norris who taught him throughout high school. He was very active in the choir and band throughout junior high and high school. After graduating from El Dorado High School, McCroskey won first place at the Centenary College Hurley School of Music Piano Competition in Shreveport, Louisiana, and received a piano scholarship. He was also awarded a music scholarship as the accompanist for the Centenary College Choir.
After graduating from UGA in 1985, he returned to El Dorado and taught private piano lessons as well as being the organist at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. He was also the pianist for the South Arkansas Symphony. During this time, he wrote an original score for a production of “Wait Until Dark” at SAAC. McCroskey was also an adjunct professor in music appreciation at South Arkansas University, El Dorado Branch.
At SAAC, he was involved in “Oliver,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Mame” and “Annie, Get Your Gun.” He also has continued to work in community theater in Columbia, South Carolina, as well as other venues across the country.
In addition to his musical career, he was also a human resources specialist for AgFirst Farm Credit Bank in Columbia, from 1997-2015. Since retirement, McCroskey is substitute teaching as well as being very active in musical theatre and many other music venues, often as a solo piano accompanist. He is a member of the National Guild of Piano Teachers and has acted as judge and adjudicator for many piano competitions.
For more information about auditions for “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” call the SAAC office at 870-8625474 or visit the website at www.saac-arts.org. SAAC is located at 110 E. Fifth St., El Dorado.