Weekend Entertainment Roundup for April 25, 2024

Here’s the latest Weekend Entertainment Roundup from Eric E. Harrison, culture reporter at the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

MUSIC

The Arkansas Choral Society, with soloists Maria Fasciano, soprano; Gregory Church, tenor; and Scott Bearden, bass, and members of the Arkansas Symphony perform Franz Schubert’s Mass No. 2 and four short sacred works by Mozart, 7:30 p.m. Friday in the sanctuary of Calvary Baptist Church, 5700 Cantrell Road, Little Rock. Kent Skinner conducts. lovetosing.org.

And the Arkansas Chamber Singers will perform sacred and secular choral pieces by British composers, 7:30 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Little Rock’s First Presbyterian Church, 800 Scott St. Tim Allen conducts. (501) 377-1121 or ar-chambersingers.org.

The Conway Symphony Orchestra closes its 2023-24 season, 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the concert hall at the University of Central Arkansas’ Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 2150 Bruce St., Conway. Linda Hsu, violin, and Stephen Feldman, cello, solo in Johannes Brahms’ “Double Concerto” for Violin and Cello in a minor; the program will also include the “Symphonic Dances” from “West Side Story” by Leonard Bernstein. Israel Getzov conducts. (501) 450-3265 or visit conwaysymphony.org.

Violinist Ariana Kim will give a recital, under the aegis of the Chamber Music Society of Little Rock, of “Music for Solo Violin from Bach to Bluegrass and Beyond,” 7:30 p.m. today at New Deal Studio, 2003 Louisiana St., Little Rock. chambermusicLR.com.

Soprano Nia Kelley and baritone Kendi Jensen-Loving join the Little Rock Winds for a program titled “Gershwin, Porgy, and More,” 7:30 p.m. today at Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock. lrwinds.org/tickets.

And folk/comic band The Cleverlys perform at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Argenta Plaza, 501 Main St., North Little Rock. argentaartsdistrict.org.

THEATER

The Second National Tour of “Pretty Woman: The Musical” is onstage for four performances, 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday at Little Rock’s Robinson Center Performance Hall, 426 W. Markham St. at Broadway, with original music and lyrics by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, book by Garry Marshall and J.F. Lawton, based on their 1990 film. (501) 244-8800; CelebrityAttractions.com or ticketmaster.com.

Closing performances of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” covers the early life, career and songs of Carole King, at the Argenta Contemporary Theatre, 405 Main St., North Little Rock, 7:30 p.m. today-Saturday. For tickets, if any remain: argentacontemporarytheatre.org.

Also the second weekend for “American Beauty” at the Weekend Theater, 1001 W. Seventh St. at Chester Street, Little Rock, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and May 3-4, 2:30 p.m. Sunday and May 5. centralarkansastickets.com.

DANCE

Dancers from across the country come together at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock for “Action/Abstraction: Redefined Dance Performance,” blending traditional choreography and modern movement, 1:30 p.m. Saturday. It’s in conjunction with the current “Action/Abstraction Redefined: Modern Native Art, 1940s to 1970s” exhibition, on display through May 26. events.arkmfa.org.

ETC.

The Arkansas Pie Festival, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Cherokee Village Town Center pits commercial piemakers, home chefs and students in competition for a golden ticket in the dessert category of the World Food Championship this fall in Dallas and the ultimate chance to win a $100,000 grand prize. All sorts of associated festival features in addition; arkansaspiefestival.com.

And Arkansas Hospice holds its third annual Party at the Plaza fundraiser, 2-10 p.m. Saturday in Argenta Plaza, 510 Main St., North Little Rock, with free performances by BIAS, Mac Royals, Bijoux, the Rocktown Sparks and co-headliners Tyler Kinch and Bonnie Montgomery, plus food trucks, kids’ activities, an Artists on the Avenue market and a “Care Fair.” arkansashospice.org/plaza2024.

Tune in every Thursday at 4:44pm to hear Eric’s roundup for arts and culture events in Central Arkansas during All Things Considered on Little Rock Public Radio.