‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ musical headed to Conway
CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas’ Reynolds Performance Hall will welcome “An Officer and a Gentleman,” a new musical based on the Oscar-winning film and original screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart, at 7:30 pm. Nov. 30.
“Like all good stories, ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ is set in a specific world with its own culture, customs and costumes — the U.S. Navy,” said Dick Scanlan, book writer and director. “And like all great stories, [the show’s] themes are universal: love, valor and the ways in which our reasons for pursuing a dream determine whether or not we’ll achieve it.”
Featuring a score based on the 1980s catalog of music, the musical includes hits from Rick Springfield, Styx, Debbie Gibson, Richard Marx, Wilson Phillips and Pat Benatar, as well as the Grammy-winning hit single “Up Where We Belong,” sung by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes.
The show is written and directed by Tony Award nominee Scanlan and choreographed by Patricia Wilcox. The music is supervised and arranged by Dan Lipton, with orchestrations by Lipton and Nathan Dame, and dance arrangements are by Gary Adler.
“An Officer and a Gentleman” celebrates triumph over adversity through the eyes of Zack Mayo, who has the raw talent and strength for the Navy’s Officer Training School. Graduating from the elite program will secure Mayo’s career and future, but only the brave and determined can endure the relentless commands of Drill Sgt. Emil Foley, who is determined to weed out all those who are unable to pass the strenuous tests of knowledge, coordination and strength.
On his journey of self-discovery, Mayo finds comfort in the arms of a strong-willed local factory worker, but it isn’t until tragedy befalls a fellow candidate that Mayo learns the importance of friendship, commitment and honor, finds the courage to be his best self and wins the heart of the woman he loves.
This show contains adult language and subject matter. Tickets are $30 to $40 for adults and $10 for students. Discounts are available for seniors and the UCA community and alumni. Tickets may be purchased online at uca.edu/reynolds, at the Reynolds Box Office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by calling UCA Ticket Central at (501) 450-3265 or toll-free at (866) 810-0012.