THE WEEKEND TEN

LITTLE ROCK — 1 REP

Two song-and-dance men help their former Army commander hold onto his Vermont inn and win the hearts of two singing sisters in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, based on the 1954 classic movie, opening Friday at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 601 Main St., Little Rock. Curtain times: 7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 30. Tickets are $25-$55 through today, $30-$60 thereafter. Students with valid student ID get in for half price. Call (501) 378-0405 or visit therep.org/attend. See story Page 4E.

2 RODENTS/RIVALS

Also opening on area stages this weekend: There’s more than one mouse in the house this Christmas at the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre, which offers City Mouse, Country Mouse, Christmas House, loosely adapted by Keith Smith from an Aesop’s fable, 7 p.m. Friday, 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 16 at the Arts Center in MacArthur Park, 10th and Commerce streets, Little Rock. Tickets are $12. Call (501) 372-4000 or visit arkarts.com. See story Page 4E.

Two rival teen groups, one rich, one poor, discover they have a lot in common in The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, opening Friday at the Weekend Theater, West Seventh and Chester streets, Little Rock. Curtain time: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday through Dec. 15. A car plowing through a window into the theater has limited seating to 50 per performance. Tickets are $16, $12 for students and senior citizens 65 and older. Visit weekendtheater.org; for more information, call (501) 374-3761.

3 ROUTE Bands, floats and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus will troop through downtown Little Rock for the Big Jingle Jubilee Holiday Parade, 3 p.m. Saturday. The parade route follows Broadway from Second Street, then turns down Capitol Avenue. The lighting of the State Capitol, complete with fireworks and entertainment, will follow at 6 p.m. Admission is free. Call (501) 376-4781 or visit holidaysinlittlerock.com.

4 REVELRY The Statehouse Convention Center turns into a festive Christmas forest for the annual CARTI Festival of Trees, Friday-Saturday. The Stroll Through the Forest display of more than 20 decorated trees is open 1:30-4 p.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $5, $3 for children 12 and younger. The Sugar Plum Ball is sold out, but other special events include the Festival of Fashion Show, 11 a.m. Friday, $50; Festival After Dark, 7 p.m. Friday, $50; Breakfast with Santa, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Saturday, $15; and Tux ’n Trees, 6 p.m. Saturday, $200. Proceeds benefit the Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute. Call (501) 660-7616 or visit carti.com.

5 REJOICE

Lifting up voices in song this weekend: The Arkansas Choral Society, the University Vesper Choir from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and members of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will perform portions of George Frideric Handel’s oratorio Messiah (which the Choral Society has been doing every year since 1930), 7:30 p.m. today at First Pentecostal Church, 1401 Calvary Drive (off Interstate 40), North Little Rock. Bray Wilkins will be the tenor soloist. Kent Skinner conducts. Tickets are $15, $10 for students. Call (501) 376-8484 or visit lovetosing.org.

The River City Men’s Chorus will celebrate

“Holiday! 2012”

in song, focusing on the music of Howard Helvey, at 3 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday-Tuesday at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1101 N. Mississippi St., Little Rock. Helvey will be on hand for the premiere of his chorus-commissioned Fum, Fum, Fum as well as several of his other works and arrangements; he’ll play his new arrangement of “The Wexford Carol” and he and conductor David Glaze will play a four-hand piano arrangement of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Also joining the chorus: pianist Linda Holzer and the University of Central Arkansas Brass Ensemble. Admission is free; get there early if you want to park on the church grounds. Doors open an hour before curtain. Call (501) 377-1080 or visit rivercitymenschorus.com.

6 RELIEF Meet some special animals and learn how you can help families in need at Celebration of Living Gifts at Heifer Village, 1 World Ave., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Visitors can take photos with animals, create ornaments, explore exhibits and learn all about buying animals for struggling families. Admission is free. Call (501) 907-2697.

7 REGAL Get dolled up and get a little preview sampling of a holiday classic as Ballet Arkansas presents the Nutcracker Tea, 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the Capital Hotel. Ballet Arkansas dancers will present a preview of their Nutcracker production as guests enjoy high tea and take pictures with the Sugar Plum Fairy. Tickets in advance are $20, $15 for children 12 and younger. Price increases $5 Sunday. Call (501) 223-5150 or visit balletarkansas.org.

8 RE-ENACTMENTS Almost 150 years after a bloody battle erupted at Prairie Grove on Dec. 7, 1862, Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park will host a commemoration event with two days of encampments, drills, demonstrations and battle re-enactments, Saturday-Sunday. The soldiers’ camps will be open to the public 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. The re-enactment starts at 1 p.m. each day. Activities are free but there is a $5 parking fee. Call (479) 846-2990.

9 RADIANT The Promenade at Chenal, 17711 Chenal Parkway, kicks off the Christmas season with a Santa Parade, giveaways and lights. The Celebration of Lights is noon-6 p.m. Saturday. Also, the Promenade’s fountains will serve as receptacles for Make-A-Wish MidSouth Chapter. Call (501) 821-5552.

10 REYNOLDS

The Conway Symphony Orchestra will provide the tinsel and dancers from Arkansas Festival Ballet will tote the tutus for the orchestra’s annual “Tinsel and Tutus” concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Donald Reynolds Performance Hall, University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway. Also performing: the Central Arkansas Children’s Choir and Parkview Arts and Science Magnet School choir. The dancers will be out front for highlights from P.I. Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker; take cameras for intermission photos with Santa. Israel Getzov conducts. Tickets are $20-$38, $6 for children and students. Call (501) 450-5506 or (866) 810-0012 or visit ConwaySymphony. org. The Orchestra Guild hosts the pre-concert “Nutcracker Sweets,” 6-7 p.m. in the classroom of the Arkansas Educational Television Network, two buildings down from the concert hall; tickets are $5 for children, free for accompanying adults; prepaid reservations are required. Call (501) 269-1066.