Weekend Entertainment Roundup for May 2, 2024

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

LIVE PERFORMANCE

The Arkansas Symphony and conductor Geoffrey Robson close out their Masterworks season with a concert of Romantic-era music, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Little Rock’s Robinson Center Performance Hall, West Markham Street and Broadway — pianist Michelle Cann plays Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto; Robson conducts the Prelude to Richard Wagner’s “Tristan and Isolde” and the Symphony No. 4 by Johannes Brahms. arkansassymphony.org

Ballet Arkansas closes out its season with “Bravo!,” pieces by five choreographers, including three world premieres and one regional premiere, with live music by pianist Fei-Fei Dong, 7:30 p.m. today, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. balletarkansas.org.

THEATERS

Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock stages “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde through May 25. murrysdp.com.

It’s the final weekend of “American Beauty,” a paean to beauty pageants, at the Weekend Theater, West Seventh and Chester streets, Little Rock, with shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. centralarkansastickets.com.

FUN

Little Rock’s South on Main neighborhood celebrates 501 Day (5/1, and also reflecting the local telephone area code) a few days late, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, centering on 101-149 E. Daisy L Gatson Bates Drive. Festivities include musical performances; food trucks; vendors of apparel, art, accessories and handmade goods; and a kids zone with bounce houses, face painting and laser tag. And within the festival footprint, area artists will “transform the space” in the alley behind 1501 S. Main St. (115 E. 15th St.) during the Downtown Little Rock Partnership’s inaugural MuralFest. 501festival.com.

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.