The South Arkansas Arts Center has announced several special guests for the fall production of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” today and Saturday through Wednesday. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m., with the exception of the Sunday afternoon matinee which begins at 2:30 p.m.
Director Alexander Jeffery said, “Holly Golightly’s lush New York parties were a haven for all sorts of special appearances. Who knows? Perhaps you’ll see some iconic El Dorado faces attending.”
“And he’s right! SAAC has invited a few ‘actors’ from the community who will appear on stage as guests at Holly’s cocktail party. Each performance will feature someone different. On opening night, theatregoers will see Beth and Paul Burns. Cindy and Jason Langston will make an appearance on Saturday, and someone special chosen by the Murphy Arts District will appear on Sunday. On Monday, be on the lookout for Melinda Dodson and Rhonda Hicks; they love a good party,” said Susan Harper at the arts center.
On “Talk Back Tuesday,” Dr. James A. Yates and Dr. Barbara Jones will be the party guests. Yates will also be on hand at 7 p.m. before curtain at 7:30 p.m. to speak regarding little known facts about “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
Yates, dean of Liberal Arts at South Arkansas Community College, said, “It’s been 56 years since the release of Blake Edwards’ classic adaptation of Truman Capote’s 1958 novella. The film made a star out of Audrey Hepburn and cemented her as a fashion icon. As everyone who has read the book and seen the 1961 film knows, there are a number of major differences between Capote’s novella and George Axelrod’s screenplay. I want to explore those differences a bit and what makes this film such a classic for audiences.” Yates will also lead a question and answer event after the show with the cast that same night.
On Wednesday, cocktail party guests Amanda and Toddy Pitard will also draw the name for the winner of the 51-inch rope of cultured freshwater pearls that night. Capture the glamour of it all with a chance to win this pearl necklace valued at $2,000, which has been donated by the show’s sponsor Murphy-Pitard Jewelers. Tickets for this raffle are $20 and will be available in the lobby before the show and through intermission of the final performance.
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s,”, based on the novel written by Truman Capote, tells the story of a young Southern-born writer, known as Fred, who becomes infatuated with his Upper East Side neighbor, the beguiling, effervescent beauty, Holly Golightly. As Holly pulls Fred into her world of spontaneous parties and luxury, he finds himself increasingly fascinated with this captivating young woman.
The box office is open for tickets and reservations for “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Ticket prices for the production are $20 for general admission, $10 for SAAC members and $5 for students. Box office hours are from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday- Friday. You may also call the SAAC office at 870-862-5474. For more information, see the SAAC website at www.saac-arts.org. SAAC is located at 110 E. Fifth St. El Dorado.