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The latest news and updates from Beale Street Theater.

We Have A New Matching Grant!

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Kingman Center for the Arts is excited to announce its first annual 2021 Art Showcase. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s showcase will be online every Thursday at 7pm during the month of May. The first three segments will be taped, with a link for viewing posted to www.bealestreettheater.com and our Facebook page. The finale on Thursday May 27 will air LIVE via Facebook Live on the Beale Street Theater Facebook page. Each segment will feature performances by community members and highlight what KCA brings to Kingman. We will have singing, dancing and theater performances, a silent auction, as well as a tour of the current Beale Street Theater. Two special announcements will be made during our Showcase. First, we will reveal the finalized architectural design plans for the Beale Street Theater, which have been prepared with the expertise of a staging consultant. Next, we will announce that Angle Homes will be offering the KCA a $100, 000 matching grant for this 2021 year! That means any funds donated this year, up to $100,000, will be matched by Angle Homes. We invite everyone to attend this unique theatrical experience as you support the arts in Kingman. We encourage donations online during the event or in person at the Arthub to help us put the new design plans for the Beale Street Theater Renovation plans into action. The silent auction will feature locally donated items and art pieces. They will be on display and available for bid at the Arthub May 6 through May 27. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you have further questions.

BST Renovation Update

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On January 13th, Kingman Center for the Arts hosted architect Michael Taylor and several engineers at the Beale Street Theater. The goal was to examine the property up close and review the current design plans to see if any modifications need to be made. After the onsite visit, we went to the ArtHub and hosted an online meeting with Stages, our staging consultant company, introducing them to the engineers who would be working on the project.

The day was a great success as everything seems to be lining up where it should be. Our goal is to have the final design by this coming April. We are excited to see this project moving forward and are confident that Kingman will love what comes out of it!

Renovation Updates

Renovation plans are moving forward. In January of 2021, we will be meeting with our architect and engineers to finalize our design. Below are the current design drawings. Updates to follow!

Artis-Tree

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Kingman Center for the Arts is excited to announce that we have six decorated Christmas trees that have been donated to our organization as a fundraiser for the Beale Street Theater renovation project. Trees are on display during the month of November in several downtown businesses. We encourage you to go visit these businesses and see these works of art. Participating businesses are Beale Street Brews, the Chamber of Commerce, the ArtHub and Black Bridge Brewery. Trees are available for sale to businesses or individuals for the holiday season. If you are interested in purchasing a tree, please contact us at [email protected] or by calling 928-530-8432. Purchased trees will be delivered to the buyers during the first weekend of December.


Thank you to our donor businesses for the decorated trees!

ER Providers, 66 Marketplace, Farmhouse, Venture Club, Spouses of High Desert Radiology, The Sweet Mac Shop and Cerbat Dental

Disney Series Musical Theater Workshops

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Disney Villain's Meet Every Wednesday

Starting today the Arthub is offering several classes for their education session running October 28th to December 2nd. These classes include several theater workshops including Director Sidney Valdez’s Disney Series Musical Theater workshops. There are four workshops in total that will run once a week for four weeks. Each workshop covers it’s own Disney inspired topic like Disney Villain’s, Princesses, Sidekicks and Duets! These workshops are catered towards building well rounded young actors in the practice of dancing, singing, and acting. Open to ages 8-16 for students of all levels.

Disney Princesses meet every Thursday

In these four-day mini-workshop participants guided by Director Sidney Valdez will block, choreograph, and sing through iconic Disney scenes and songs! Each day will cover several basics! Day 1 is Intro to Musical Theater/Casting where students will be covering basic auditioning practices while incorporating theater games and getting to know one another as they cast several iconic Disney scenes! Day 2: Blocking – introducing scripts, reading/singing through our parts Day 3: Choreography- Introducing props and dance while running through scripts and preparing scenes. Day 4: Putting it all together! Incorporating all levels of Musical Theater!

Director Sidney Valdez has a long history here with us at Beale Street Theater and has successfully directed some of our favorite performances! You may have seen her work in past shows like the recent Snoopy The Musical or the ever memorable Dorothy In Wonderland. Sidney has even put on some of Disney’s famous musicals such as Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. Ask any of her past cast members and they are sure to agree, Diretor Sidney is one of their biggest motivator, supporter, and fan!

There is still open enrollment in each class! Due to restrictions from Covid, classes are set to 10 students so space is limited. Sidney is currently offering free enrollment to two potential students per workshop to bring theater to students who otherwise could not afford the enrollment cost. Just email [email protected] with your hopeful students name, workshop preference, and a statement on why theater is important to them. Spots available on a first come first serve basis. Secure your spot and enroll now at The Arthub open from 11am-6pm or online at https://kingmanarthub.com/Classes-c61486407

Snoopy!!! the Musical – Meet Sally & Peppermint Patty

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Written by: Sidney Valdez

Our upcoming performances of Snoopy!!! the Musical are right around the corner! Here to give you the inside scoop on the show, we are proud to introduce two of the show’s leading ladies!

Drew Stephenson as Peppermint Patty

We recently had the opportunity to talk to both Rylie Taylor and Drew Stephenson who will be portraying the characters Sally and Peppermint Patty, respectively. Similarly, both girls had heard about our growing community theater and felt it was a great opportunity to get involved and showcase their outstanding talent. Drew and Rylie are both well-established actresses in our community.

You may have seen Drew star as Babette/Enchantress in Beauty and the Beast Jr. or a star-struck teen in Bye Bye Birdie. As for Rylie, you may have seen her star in shows like Scrooge; Dorothy in Wonderland; Little Mermaid; Beauty and the Beast Jr., and more. Rylie has been in a total of 8 shows including Snoopy!!!

Rylie finds herself drawn to Sally because she can be very bubbly, outgoing, and upbeat. On the other hand, Drew is playing her total opposite, Peppermint Patty, the tomboy whose boisterous voice is not afraid to speak her mind to get everything she wants.

Rylie Taylor as Sally

Rylie and Drew agree that the best part of rehearsals has been bonding with the cast and crew who have become like family! They look forward to every rehearsal and all the incredible memories they have forged throughout the way. Rylie is especially delighted to have her twin sister join the crew as the choreographer. Drew can attest to just how fun it is having the pair build on the incredible dance showcased in the production.

Prepare to be mesmerized by remarkable dance numbers in tunes like “Don’t Be Anything Less” and “The Big Bow Wow.” You will be entranced by the heartfelt nature of the everyday life of the peanuts gang, and enthralled by Charles Shulz’s timeless humor.

Join Drew and Rylie this August 21t, 22nd, 28th & 29th  @ 6pm at Metcalf Park in Downtown Kingman for this can’t-miss performance of Snoopy!!! the Musical! Seating is limited so get your tickets online while they are available!

Snoopy!!! The Musical – Meet Lucy!

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Written by: Sidney Valdez


We recently announced our upcoming performances for Snoopy!!! The Musical set for this August 21st, 22nd, 28th, and 29th. Now we are proud to present the actors bringing the show to life!

This week we had the opportunity to talk to Amber Wisely who will be portraying Lucy Van Pelt! Amber is an avid Beale Street Theater performer. You may have seen her as Scuttle in The Little Mermaid Jr., Emma in The Legend of the Lone Texas Walker Ranger, a Villager in Beauty and The Beast Jr., and now Lucy! After hearing about her fellow peers’ past experiences with our shows Amber said she was glad to get involved and be a part of all the fun.

Amber is especially excited to take on the role of Lucy because of her natural spunky sass. She believes everyone can relate to and admire Lucy’s strong opinions and her tenacity in expressing them. When reminiscing on her favorite part of the rehearsal process, Amber credits every day with her fellow cast and crew members. She believes the connections forged are the most memorable. She states, “The cast and crew are truly made up of some of the most talented and amazing actors, actresses, and tech.”

Amber invites any and all who are interested in the world of Snoopy to come out and watch! “The show is full of laughs as well as sweet moments that’ll make you want to share a heartfelt smile with loved ones. I can share that when I first read the script I had a constant smile on my face. You are sure to feel connected to the unique story of these rambunctious kids.”

Snoopy!!! The Musical is sure to melt your heart and leave you with a smile! Join Amber in what she calls “a can’t-miss performance of the year!” Snoopy!!! The Musical performance dates are August 21st, 22nd, 28th, and 29th with 6pm shows at The Metcalf Park in downtown Kingman. Tickets are available online and seating is limited.

Edited by Sky Pelham

Snoopy!!! the Musical – Meet Linus!

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Written by Sidney Valdez

Last week we announced our upcoming outdoor performances for Snoopy!!! The Musical. Now we are proud to introduce the actors bringing the show to life! 

This week we were able to sit down with Joseph Kyler who will be playing Linus Van Pelt this August 21st, 22nd, 28th, and 29th. Joseph Kyler is no stranger to Beale Street Theater shows! You may have seen him take on the character Cogsworth in our production of Beauty and The Beast Jr, or Toronto in The Legend of the Lone Texas Walker Ranger. Joseph continues to audition and come out for shows because acting has always been a great passion of his. He decided the more performing he could do the better! 

Joey found himself especially connected to his character, Linus, in that they both are philosophical powerhouses. He went on to say, “Linus also cracks the best jokes which I choose to believe is also very much like me!” When asked about his co-stars and favorite memories to date he stated “It’s all been happening so fast! It’s a blur of smiles, giggles, and incredible memories with even more incredible people.” He is most excited to showcase his newfound master dance moves which he credits his choreographer, Mollie Taylor, for her skill in teaching. He looks forward to the audience’s reactions to both his solo “The Vigil” and Snoopy’s big number “The Big Bow Wow!” 

Snoopy!!! The Musical will captivate families, the young, the dreamers, and all those above. As Joey says, you don’t want to miss this childlike-dream feature! 
Snoopy!!! The Musical performance dates are set for August 21st, 22nd, 28th, and 29th at The Metcalf Park downtown. Tickets are available online and seating is limited. 

Beale Street Theater Presents “Snoopy!!!”

Beale Street Theater presents Snoopy!!! an outdoor musical theater event! Directed by Sidney Valdez, Snoopy!!! is a sprightly show full of wit, warmth, and wisdom as it depicts life through the eyes of Charles Schulz’s unforgettable characters. The show features lovely musical numbers, several Snoopy dance numbers, and appearances from all your favorites–Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, and the rest of the Peanuts gang! All ages from toddlers to grown-ups will enjoy presentations pulled directly from the beloved comic strip! Witness Joe Cool, the Easter Beagle, the psychiatric booth ( still only 5 cents), Linus in the pumpkin patch, and Woodstock falling in love with a worm who runs off with the Early Bird!

Performances will take place on August 21, 22, 28, 29 at 6:00pm at Metcalfe Park in downtown Kingman. Get your picnic baskets and blankets or chairs ready and expect lots of family fun!

We are hoping to have several options for concessions and if your business is interested in partnering with us to provide a spread of goodies please contact us! If you are interested in helping us bring this show to life we are in search of painters, and a set designer! If you would like to sponsor the show, please email our Marketing Director at [email protected]!

Keep an eye out on our Facebook, Instagram, and Website for more info!  

Live Theater and Covid-19

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Live theater has been drastically affected by the pandemic and Beale Street Theater has seen the impact . Our production of “The Sound of Music” has been postponed for now. How do we produce live theater when we can’t have large gatherings? We need the income to pay our mortgage and continue our renovation plans for the theater building.

One solution we are moving forward with is using outdoor venues. We now have two productions planned for the stage area at Metcalfe Park. Social distancing can be done there and the spread of the virus is less likely in the open air setting. We are also looking forward to our annual Kingman Historic Ghost Tours. These tours are held outside, on the city streets of downtown Kingman with small groups of attendees being led from place to place to hear stories of Kingman’s history. Last year we added more theatrical aspects to the tour and plan to up that for this coming October.

As for the indoor venues, we are looking at producing smaller, inexpensive shows that allow for limited audience sizes.

We want all of our patrons to feel safe in the environments we create. We will do our best to keep our facilities clean and sanitized. Use of masks are encouraged in areas where physical distancing is difficult. Feel free to reach out to us with any concerns you may have and we will make accommodations where we can. Our volunteers and employees are encouraged to look for creative solutions to the difficult problems we all currently face.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for upcoming events as we continue to bring live theater to the Kingman community.

BST Renovation News

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The Stage

One of the options brought for us to consider is a removeable stage. As the room we have can only accommodate so many seats, this is an option we can use to make the facility more functional for multi purpose needs. We wouldn’t be moving the whole stage in an out of course, just the front part of it. This would give us the stage space to produce live theater shows with an audience of approximately 300 seats but when we have concerts, movies and entertainment that can use a smaller stage, we can up our seat count to around 350-360.

From a business standpoint, the more seats the more money you can make on a show. When a theater shows a movie, they pay a set royalty fee to show a particular film. Royalty costs differ depending on the popularity of the movie. The theater then decides if they can sell enough seats to cover the cost of the royalty fee and facility costs.

For live theater plays, royalties are determined by the number of seats available for a particular show, how many performances are being offered and the ticket price being charged. The licensing company then comes up with an amount the producing company needs to pay for each show they do. Again, the more seats we can sell equals higher profit for us on our shows.

Lastly is the cost to bring outside produced entertainment into the theater. These are live theater shows, entertainers or concerts that are produced elsewhere and then taken on a specific tour route through the country. An agent will contact venues such as the Beale Street Theater that are on their tour route to book performance days that fit their tour schedule. The theater and agent will then negotiate terms of a contract that includes ticket prices or facility rental fees, etc. Again, the more seats available the potential for more profit for both the production and the theater.

The drawbacks to the removeable stage is the work needed to take it and the chairs in and out of the facility. And where do we store the chairs and stage pieces when they aren’t being used? We are already limited on space in the building. We will look at all of our options as we make this decision.

Theater Renovation Design Progress

The Beale Street Theater team is currently working on the theater design. We are working with Stages Consultants, LLC. and architect Michael Taylor. We are learning a lot about the technical aspects of designing a theater. This is not like renovating just any building. There are so many aspects to the process it can be overwhelming. Current discussions center around the seat count and layout, line of sight to the stage, accessibility and functionality of the theater as a whole. I want to take a few minutes to fill you all in on some of the decisions we are looking at this week.

There are limitations that come with the existing building structure and layout. There is an additional side building that was added to the theater property that gives us a lot of extra space but because the two properties were not originally connected, the floor levels are not the same. Adding to or taking away from a floor can be very costly so and when you change the floor level in one space, it affects the floor levels everywhere else.

One of the challenges is accessibility. Kingman Center for the Arts wants everyone in the community to have access to the Beale Street Theater and its programming, and not just access, but the best experience we can offer. Getting from the lobby to the auditorium, to the bathrooms and to the backstage area all need to be thought through. Ramps can’t be too steep and there has to be room for maneuvering wheelchairs. The staging consultants have been fabulous and offering many solutions and suggestions to address the shortcomings of the current facility.

Another challenge is line of sight. This has to do with the height of the stage and how that affects the audience view of what is happening on it. How high should the stage be? Do we need to change the slope of the existing floor to give a better audience view of it? The stage floor needs to be at level with the backstage floor which is in the above mentioned side building. It all flows together.

The last aspect we are looking at is seat count. How many seats can we adequately fit into the space? The number of seats we have dictates how much money we can make, but the comfort of the audience and accessibility are important too.

Decisions like these are always tempered by cost of the project. We wish we had the budget to bring a state of the art facility to Kingman. We will do our best to raise needed funds to make our theater great.

More updates to come!

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