ENTERTAINMENT: Watercolorists opening exhibition at North Little Rock library | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

FUN

Immersive Intrigue

Intrigue Little Rock, a new immersive entertainment experience, opens Friday in Suite M-159 at the Outlets of Little Rock, 11201 Bass Pro Parkway, Little Rock. The 10,000-square-foot attraction combines elements of escape rooms, live theater and puzzle-solving adventures — at least 10 to start with — in which “visitors can explore curated worlds without the constraints of time limits or being locked in a room,” according to a news release. The owners of Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms and Escape Unknown have “revitalized and relocated” to Little Rock a flagship concept that originated in Syracuse, N.Y. Visit IntrigueLittleRock.com.

MUSIC

‘Choose Joy’

The North Little Rock Community Concert Band performs a program that Music Director Rico Belotti calls “Choose Joy,” 3 p.m. Sunday at the Patrick Henry Hays Center, 401 W. Pershing Blvd., North Little Rock. The 90-member band will play “Fanfare and Flourishes” by James Curnow, John Philip Sousa’s “The Invincible Eagle,” “The Whistler and His Dog” by Sousa trombonist Arthur Pryor, Karl King’s “A Night in June” (with euphonium soloist Allen Lawless), “Under the Double Eagle” by J.K. Wagner, “Choose Joy” by Arkansas composer Randell Standridge (with associate music director Bill Spainhour on the podium), Steven Bulla’s setting of the spiritual “Wade in the Water” and Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” Admission is free. Call (501) 920-2539 or visit nlrcommunityband.com.

COMEDY

‘Trashh Talk Tour’

Comedians Jessie McDonald and headliner Bubba Dub Jr., on their “Trashh Talk Comedy Tour,” take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Venue at Westwind, 7318 Windsong Drive, North Little Rock. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $44.80; $55.25 VIP; with meet-and-greet access, $71.08; a portion of the proceeds benefits people with disabilities (McDonald was born with cerebral palsy), “reflecting the comedians’ commitment to giving back to the community,” according to a news release. Visit impacttickets.com/events/79637. For more information, call (818) 856-0821.

THEATER

‘Pay what you can’

The Arkansas Repertory Theatre will make available up to 100 “pay-what-you-can” tickets, on a first-come, first-served basis at 10 a.m. Saturday at its box office, 601 Main St., Little Rock, for its 7 p.m. Aug. 22 preview performance of the musical “Hello, Dolly!” in Little Rock’s Robinson Center Performance Hall, 426 W. Markham St. at Broadway. The show is in collaboration with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Sponsor is the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Call (501) 378-0405 or visit TheRep.org.

ART

Watercolor exhibition

“Arkansas State of Mind,” works by members of the 6 Bridges Watercolor Group, opens with a 5-8 p.m. reception Friday at the William F. Laman Library, 2801 Orange St., North Little Rock. The exhibition, consisting of watercolors by Stephen Lanford, Laura Powers, Kaye Ridings, Kathy Kemp, Suzzette Patterson, Rita Friend, Sage Arnold, Cheryl Hughes, Beth Darr and Joyce Steen, will be up through Sept. 27. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Admission is free. Call (501) 758-1720 or visit NLRlibrary.org.

    “Monarch Melancholy” and “Revival” are among the paintings and illustrations by Little Rock artist Carley Brown that go on display Friday at the Argenta Library in North Little Rock. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
  

Paintings and illustrations

“Layers of Whimsy,” paintings and illustrations by Little Rock artist Carley Brown, go on display with an 5-8 p.m. Argenta Art District Third Friday Art Walk reception at the Argenta Library, 420 Main St., North Little Rock. Brown, originally from Lillington, N.C., is a 2021 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor of fine arts degree in illustration. Her work merges traditional and digital media, combining 2D graphic elements with naturalistic subject matter to create surreal, dreamy images that evoke wonder and curiosity, according to a news release. The exhibition remains up through Sept. 6. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Admission to the reception and the library is free. Call (501) 687-1061 or visit NLRlibrary.org.

    The International Order of Mrs. Ropers takes over North Little Rock’s William F. Laman Public Library on Saturday. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
  

ETC.

Mrs. Roper takeover

The International Order of Mrs. Ropers takes over North Little Rock’s William F. Laman Library, 2801 Orange St., on Saturday. (Mrs. Roper was a character in the 1970s sitcom “Three’s Company.”) Attendees can mix and mingle with “Mrs. Roper” and her friends and can “embrace their inner Mrs. Roper” by donning colorful caftans, red wigs and bold blue eye shadow.

The day’s activities include:

◼️ 10 a.m. — Mrs. Roper will lead “Storytime in the Children’s Department.”

◼️ 10:30 a.m. — “Three’s Company” Trivia in the Rotunda.

◼️ 11:30 a.m. — Line Dancing Class.

Admission is free. Call (501) 758-1720 or visit NLRlibrary.org.

‘Gardening for the Birds’

Arkansas Master Naturalist Lynn Foster will give a talk titled “Gardening for the Birds,” 9 a.m. Saturday at the Bell House in the center of Mount Holly Cemetery, 1200 Broadway, Little Rock. It’s part of the 2024 Mount Holly Garden Series. The session also includes coffee and door prizes. Admission is by suggested $5 donation and proceeds benefit the cemetery. Provide your own lawn chair. Call (501) 372-3372 or email mewtfrontporchlady@gmail.com.

Theater academy

Argenta Contemporary Theatre is expanding its performing arts education program as it opens the Benson/McAdams Argenta Contemporary Theatre Academy, named to honor retired North Little Rock High School drama teachers Pris Benson and Carol Ann McAdams.

The academy occupies 3,700 square feet on the top floor of the Thea Foundation building, 401 Main St., North Little Rock, next door to the theater. It will offer classes, camps and workshops “designed to nurture and develop the talents of aspiring actors, singers and dancers,” according to a news release.

Donors to the academy are Pat Carlton of Little Rock, Dr. Tucker and Laura Patterson of Sheridan and Bob Bidewell of Little Rock, who has been an actor and music director at the theater. Bidewell’s name goes on a music studio that will provide vocal training. The academy will also incorporate the TLM Dance Studio.

The theater currently holds performing arts classes in ACT II The Sharon Heflin Performing Arts Education Center at 315 Main. That space will remain a black box theater and rehearsal space and will continue to host education workshops. Visit argentacontemporarytheatre.org.