What's Up! NWA and River Valley

Broadway star and actress Kristin Chenoweth is interviewed by reporter Monic Hooper about an upcoming performance she will do of holiday songs and other favorites at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville as part of the Land O’ Lakes concert series. Chenoweth revealed some of her earliest memories are of Arkansas, where she lived as a child up until second grade. 

Pat Ryan Key was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer that's rare for adults. After a difficult period to land on a diagnosis, he had emergency surgery that could have easily taken his musical abilities from him. Key is now cancer free and still, against all odds, making music. You can hear him perform this weekend at Bikes, Blues and BBQ, or online with the release of his new single and music vi...

Actress Bailey Frankenberg chats with Monica Hooper on our What’s Up podcast about playing Tiger Lily in the Broadway tour of “Peter Pan,” the show’s updated costumes and how audience all over the country are in love with the new production. 

Mindy Besaw, curator and director of research, fellowships and university partnerships at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, co-curated "Knowing the West" with Jami Powell, a citizen of the Osage Nation and associate director for curatorial affairs and curator of Indigenous art at the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College. The new exhibit will open to the public at Crystal Bridges on Saturday...

Join Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette features editor April Wallace as she interviews sneaker artists Hannah De La O and Lamaundre Nelson. Hannah De La O is one of the local artists who will be customizing sneakers, both ahead of and during the Suits and Sneakers Gala. Lamaundre Nelson is a Little Rock based artist who often customizes sneakers for the Gala and has done a number of sneakers for...

Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas is celebrating 40 years of encouraging people's personal success, which it makes possible through scholarships and individual support systems, including a network of program managers and free behavioral health services. The Scholarship Fund President and CEO Tyler B. Clark speaks to the work of serving Washington, Benton, Carroll and Madison Cou...

Ozark Ballet Theater artists and executive director David Sanders talk about their upcoming performance of “Cinderella” at 7 p.m. April 26 and 2 p.m. April 27 at Bentonville West High School.  The ballet is OBT’s first major production in Benton County. Please note, Alexey Minkin was called away on a family emergency. The role of the Prince will be played by Maikel Hernandez.

The Horses and the Hounds will bring James McMurtry back to Northwest Arkansas on March 30th for a show at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville. McMurtry took a moment to talk about songwriting and plans for another album on the What’s Up podcast.  

"Company," a new production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s groundbreaking musical comedy, comes Feb. 20-25 to the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. Join Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Monica Hooper as she talks with Britney Coleman and Judy McLane, the two main actors about breathing new life into a well known musical on the What's Up podcast.

Local country singer songwriter Cherise Carver and guitarist Hunter Anderson join the What’s Up podcast to share their newest Christmas song, “A Man Made Out of Snow,” written by Carver and Cynthia Clark. Carver and Anderson also share their holiday plans and talk about the upcoming year.

Bluegrass queen Rhonda Vincent talks about all things holly jolly ahead of her annual Christmas concert coming Dec. 9 to the ArcBest Performing Arts Center in Fort Smith.  Rhonda Vincent told us that she’s been singing Christmas songs since this summer to get ready for her latest holiday album. The longstanding “Queen of Bluegrass” brings Christmas cheer to Fort Smith at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Ar...

Arts & Entertainment Editor Becca Martin-Brown chats with two of the actors in Northwest Arkansas for the regional premiere of "The Band's Visit" at TheatreSquared. Usman Ali Mughal plays Haled, a member of an Egyptian traveling band, and Yaya — yes, just Yaya — is the Israeli who welcomes the travelers into town. The show has its final performances Nov. 3, 4 and 5.

Winner of the Fayetteville Film Festival Pitch Prize, Diana Campos, is making a documentary “The Price of Poultry” about issues facing “chicken catchers” at poultry plants across the country. She’s a Northwest Arkansas native and an NYU Film/TV, Cinema Studies Graduate.   Don't miss the latest news in Northwest Arkansas, sign up for our free newsletters at: nwaonline.com/email/   Support you local...

R.L. Stine has been haunting children for decades, ever since the release of his Fear Street series for young teens in 1989 and later the first Goosebumps novel, Welcome to Dead House in 1992. More than 200 Goosebumps books have been published and in its 30 years, the series has sold more than 400 million books, but the author is not slowing down. In fact, he says it’s his busiest fall yet.    Zom...

If you read our music calendar, you’ve no doubt come across Some Guy Named Robb who performs mostly around the River Valley.   Today we get to know the man behind the silly moniker and hear a song or two from him on the What’s Up podcast.   Don't miss the latest news in Northwest Arkansas, sign up for our free newsletters at: nwaonline.com/email/   Support you local news, subscribe at:  https://ww...

This fall Jon Williams is celebrating a broadcasting career that's lasted 30 years and counting, most of which has been spent in Northwest Arkansas. The well known founder of the Jon & Deek show on 94.9 radio, Williams is currently the o n-field emcee for Arkansas Razorbacks football, the on-court announcer for Razorback men’s basketball and is also the PA announcer for Razorback baseball, Raz...

Musician Aaron Smith stopped by the What’s Up podcast to talk about his book and album, “The Legend of Sam Davis and Other Stories of Newton County, Arkansas.        

Tim O’Brien and Jan Fabricius will open the AACLive! Season at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 16 in Fort Smith. O’Brien is a multi-Grammy award winner and longtime staple in old time and bluegrass music. His tunes have been covered by the likes of Kathey Mattea, Garth Brooks and the Chicks. He’s well known as a solo artist and a member of Colorado’s Hot Rize. His wife Jan joins him on stage, a lifelong musician,...

Rewrite history, but make it sing! The Broadway season opens with “SIX” starting Sept. 12 at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. Gerianne Pérez who plays Catherine of Aragon and Sydney Parra who plays Catherine Parr, two of Henry VIII’s ex-wives turned pop divas, join us on the What’s Up podcast to talk about rewriting the stories of history — to music.

Arkansas songstress Bonnie Montgomery has spent more than a decade making music and touring the world with her signature Southern twang and impressive range. The country singer with an operatic range, stops by the What's Up podcast to talk about her latest album and plans for the fall.    Don't miss the latest news in Northwest Arkansas, sign up for our free newsletters at: nwaonline.com/email/  ...

TheatreSquared brings to its stage a new adaptation of "Dial M for Murder," still set in the noir 1950s but with a very 2023 twist. Joining Arts & Entertainment Editor Becca Martin-Brown for a podcast were director Melissa Rain Anderson; Colin Sphar, who plays the surprised husband; Eric Dean White, Inspector Hubbard; and Almanya Narula, who plays Maxine — the surprise. The show runs through S...

Raif Box, Fayetteville musician and genius producer behind Holy Anvil Recording Company, is launching his first music festival, Anvil Fest 2023. The Fest will feature music from the bands that he’s highlighted on his YouTube chanel. Ashtyn Barbaree & the Barbarians, Jess Harp, The Phelgms, TV Preacher and the Bellwether Sirens are just a few of the acts slated to play for the Aug. 18-19 music...

John McEuen chats with What's Up writer Monica Hooper about his upcoming show in Eureka Springs on Aug. 12 where he and the Circle Band will revist Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," recorded nearly 50 years ago. The album featured Roy Acuff, "Mother" Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Merle Travis, Pete "Oswald" Kirby, Norman Blake, Jimmy Martin, and ot...

Artist, musician and an associate professor of art in the University of Arkansas School of Art, Sam King recently joined us for a podcast to talk about his upcoming improvisational performance, “Untight,” happening near sunset (7:45-8 p.m.) Aug. 3 inside James Turrell’s “Skyspace The Way of Color,” located on the south lawn of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.     Don't miss t...

Puerto Rico born, local comic artist Benji Nate spent this summer touring for her latest book, a graphic novel called "Girl Juice" that's really hitting home with millennials everywhere. Nate discusses the inspiration and making of the book with Associate Features Editor April Wallace.   Don't miss the latest news in Northwest Arkansas, sign up for our free newsletters at: nwaonline.com/email/ Sup...