About Town

Her Second Act

By Kim Meyer-Webb | Photography by Nancy Nolan | Produced by Ellen Scruggs | Hair by Chaz Gogel with Face Your Day Salon | Makeup by Aaron Perkins with Face Your Day Salon

Robinson Center’s hospitality spans more than seven decades and she remains a beacon in the Capital City’s landscape. In 1939, the opening of Robinson Memorial Auditorium marked a great celebration in the city.

Offering inclusion and unity throughout her tenure, diverse programming provided extraordinary opportunities for the community to gather for unforgettable moments – always complementing the rich heritage that makes Arkansas unique. She simply represents a timeless collaboration of cultural and artistic preferences that have always brought people together for a shared experience.

She’s hosted countless Arkansas Symphony Orchestra performances as well as The Nutcracker presented by Ballet Arkansas and Broadway productions through Celebrity Attractions. Nearly everyone has a Robinson “moment” to cherish.  Those memories are instilled in the grand historic structure – a time capsule of culture and community.

As the curtain closed in 2014, anticipation for a new Robinson Center era – Her Second Act – increased with each phase of construction.

Her integrity and historical significance endure, with modern amenities that are sure to dazzle and delight.  Under the leadership of Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO Gretchen Hall, the project continues on time and on budget. “Robinson Center, through the years, has been a landmark and exemplified the best in artistic and entertainment performances.  The new performance hall will offer enhanced acoustics, stage capabilities and technology to guarantee even greater productions for decades to come.”

Robinson Theater will serve as home for three of our city’s most beloved organizations – each has a finite focus to enrich the lives of all Arkansans. It’s a shared commitment to excellence that guarantees Her Second Act will not disappoint.

This exclusive glimpse of the lobby and the adoration + excitement these constituents share offers behind the scenes insight and undeniable certainty that the legacy continues.

Gretchen Hall – Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO
“The Robinson Performance Hall creates the opportunity to provide amazing entertainment offerings for residents and stimulates the economy through visitor spending.”

Philip Mann – Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Music Director
“This is a place where people from all cultures, religions, political parties, races, social or economic situations can sit together and share a moment of extraordinary beauty.”

Michael Bearden –Ballet Arkansas Artistic Director
“Robinson has served our community as a gathering place to be entertained, challenged, and inspired. It has acted as a vehicle for the performing arts that has shaped and influenced our culture across the state.”

Melissa Lattin – Celebrity Attractions Box Office Manager
“This state-of-the-art renovation allows us to bring the biggest and best Broadway tours available to Little Rock – including The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King.”

Cindy & Chip Murphy – ASO XXXII Opus Chairmen
“When we chaired the Opus XX Ball in 2004, the entire auditorium was transformed into a magnificent ballroom to celebrate the first time Opus was presented in the theater. Opus XXXII will be the first event following renovations and seems to have generated some excitement in the community. Cindy and I hope that excitement translates to enthusiastic support of ASO as it returns to its performance home just in time for the 50th anniversary season.”

Inviting Arkansas

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