Walton Arts Center announces 2016-17 season

Garrison Keillor / Courtesy photo

As crews move into the final stages of the Walton Arts Center’s expansion project in Fayetteville, officials have unveiled the shows that will comprise the organization’s 25th anniversary season.

The newly renovated arts center will open in November with a completely overhauled Starr Theater and a new lobby with expansive glass windows facing the corner of Dickson Street and West Avenue.

In March, the center announced the first slate of Broadway-style shows with several critically acclaimed productions, including “The Book of Mormon,” “A Gentleman’s Guide,” and “Dirty Dancing.”

More shows were announced Thursday, including performances by Art Garfunkel, Buddy Guy, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The center will also host an appearance by Garrison Keillor, whose radio variety show, “A Prairie Home Companion,” ended July 1.

Create Your Own subscriptions are on sale now, which offer patrons an chance to choose select shows from any series and secure seats before individual tickets are sold to the general public.

Three-show packages include $2 off each ticket, five-show subscriptions offer $3 off each ticket, and seven-show packages include a discount of $5 off each ticket.

For information and ticket purchasing, call the Walton Arts Center box office at 479-443-5600 or visit waltonartscenter.org.


2016-17 Walton Arts Center Season Schedule (by series)

Broadway Series

  • The Book of Mormon – Dec. 13-18, 2016
  • A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder – Jan. 10-15, 2017
  • Circus Oz – Feb. 15-19, 2017
  • Dirty Dancing—The Classic Story On Stage – Mar. 8-12, 2017
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Apr. 18-23, 2017
  • Motown The Musical – June 27-July 2, 2017

American Music Series

  • An Evening with Chris Botti – Dec. 2, 2016
  • Art Garfunkel: In Close-Up – Dec. 9, 2016
  • Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – Feb. 4, 2017
  • An Evening with Buddy Guy – Mar. 14, 2017
  • Naturally 7 – Mar. 31, 2017

Night Out Series

  • Classic Albums Live: Led Zeppelin II – Jan. 27, 2017
  • Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue – Apr. 4, 2017
  • Greater Tuna – Apr. 30, 2017
  • MOMIX Opus Cactus – May 7, 2017
  • Garrison Keillor – May 25, 2017

10×10 Arts Series

  • Dover Quartet with Avi Avital – Dec. 6, 2016
  • La Compagnie Hervé KOUBI – Feb. 2, 2017
  • Third Coast Percussion – Feb. 24, 2017
  • BODYTRAFFIC – Mar. 2, 2017
  • Edward Simon & Afinidad with Imani Winds – Mar. 18, 2017
  • Janoska Ensemble – Mar. 28, 2017
  • Sierra Hull – Apr. 7, 2017
  • NIYAZ – Apr. 13, 2017
  • Manual Cinema’s Lula del Ray – May 4, 2017
  • Artosphere Festival Orchestra with Corrado Rovaris – May 17, 2017

Family Fun Series

  • Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s The Nutcracker – Nov. 25-27, 2016
  • The Snowman: A Family Concert with Symphony of Northwest Arkansas – Dec. 4, 2016
  • The Hip Hop Nutcracker – Dec. 22, 2016
  • Still on the Hill: Still A River – Feb. 3, 2017
  • Think Outside the Drum: Interactive Family Concert with Third Coast Percussion – Feb. 23, 2017
  • Mnozil Brass – Apr. 5, 2017

Kids Series

  • Lightwire Theater’s A Very Electric Christmas – Dec. 23, 2016
  • Barnstorm Theatre Company’s The Bockety World of Henry & Bucket – Feb. 18, 2017
  • Wild Kratts—Live! – Feb. 26, 2017
  • Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear and other Treasured Stories by Eric Carle – Mar. 5, 2017
  • Windmill Theatre’s Grug & The Rainbow – Apr. 8, 2017
  • Oran Etkin’s Timbalooloo – Apr. 27, 2017
  • Patch Theatre Company’s The Moon’s a Balloon – Apr. 28, 2017

Additional Events

  • Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man – Jan. 26-28, 2017
  • VoiceJam Competition – Apr. 1, 2017
  • Compagnia TPO’s Painted Gardens – May 6, 2017
  • Teater Refleksion’s The Way Back Home – May 14, 2017
  • Artosphere Festival Orchestra Finale Concert with Corrado Rovaris – May 20, 2017
  • The Man Who Planted Trees presented by Puppet State Theatre Company – May 20, 2017
  • Art of Wine Festival – June 8-10, 2017