1 SWINGING
Singers Destan Owen and Mandy Gonzalez join the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra for an explosion of Christmas music and holiday celebration at the Swingin' Holiday Extravaganza, 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday at the Pulaski Academy Connor Performing Arts Center, 12701 Hinson Road, Little Rock. Tickets are $19-$58. Call (501) 666-1761 or visit arkansassymphony.org.
2 SINGING
Local celebrities (including country singer Justin Moore) and a few surprise guests will warble their hearts out as KABZ-FM, 103.7 The Buzz, presents Christmas Celebrity Karaoke, 7 p.m. today at North Little Rock's Verizon Arena. Tickets are $24.50 and $49.50 and proceeds benefit Youth Home. Call (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com. See story on Page 4E.
3 SIGNING
Speaking of Moore, originally of Poyen and now living outside of Little Rock, he and Cabot native Lisa Lee will sign copies of Lee's new book, This Is Country: A Backstage Pass to the Academy of Country Music Awards, at noon today at the Little Rock Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 11500 Financial Centre Parkway. Call (501) 954-7646 or email crm2658@bn.com.
4 SHOOTING
Hoop fans can go wild at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock this weekend. First up, the Arkansas Razorbacks will battle the Southeast Missouri Redhawks at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $25 plus service charges. Then, the Women's SEC/Big 12 Challenge takes over with Texas vs. Texas A&M at 12:30 p.m. and Arkansas vs. Oklahoma at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $18, $12 for children 2-12, plus service charges. Call (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com.
5 SHAPING
Okra ornaments and cotton ball angels are just a couple of the take-home decorations at the Plantation Agriculture Museum's Holiday Crafts Open House, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. This is the fourth year for the celebration, which gives visitors the chance to try out hot cocoa, treats, activities and more crafts. The museum's exhibits will also be open for tours and the gift shop offers 20 percent discounts. Admission is free but crafts are $3 per person for all five crafts, $10 for a family. The museum is at U.S. 165 and Arkansas 161 in Scott. Call (501) 961-1409 or visit arkansasstateparks.com/plantationagriculturemuseum. See story on Page 8E.
6 SHOPPING
The Green Corner Store presents holiday fun of the shopping, snacking, crafting kind with its Holiday Pop Up Shop event at StudioMain, 1423 Main St. The celebration, which is planned for 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, will have varying activities such as artists' demonstrations, gifts, crafts and book signings. Admission is free. Call (501) 374-1111.
7 SNEAKING
Those who can't wait for the return of the Crawley clan can get a sneak peek as AETN hosts a Downton Abbey Season 5 preview, 5:30 and 7:15 p.m. today at the Arkansas Arts Center, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. In addition to the episode viewing, there will be receptions and period costume contests, so costumes are encouraged but not required. Admission is free but seating is limited and reservations would be prudent. Call (800) 662-2386 or visit aetnfoundation.org/boxoffice.
8 SAMPLING
Oxford American magazine will preview Texas Love Letter, the limited-edition vinyl record from its 2014 Texas music issue, at 6 p.m. today at South on Main, 1304 Main St., Little Rock. The listening party will feature the public debut of Townes Van Zandt's final recording, "Harm's Swift Way." The producers -- magazine associate editor Maxwell George and guitarist Greg Spradlin -- will host and provide track-by-track commentary. Admission is free; the restaurant will be selling Texas-inspired drinks and food. Call (501) 374-0000 or visit OxfordAmerican.org.
9 STIRRING
Students from the Margaret Wyatt Piano and Vocal Studio, age 8 to adults, will perform the songs sung in Confederate and Union camps during the Civil War, with a dose of modern day "classics," in their fifth annual Holiday Music at the Arsenal concert, 2 p.m. Sunday at the MacArthur Museum of Military History, 503 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. The concert is a presentation of the Gen. T.J. Churchill chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Admission is free; gingerbread and hot apple cider will be served immediately following the concert. Call (501) 376-4602.
10 STAGING
There's plenty of activity on area stages this weekend:
• Buddy (Ethan Paulini) transcends elf-hood and humanity to bring the spirit of Christmas to his codgerly father in Elf the Musical ( songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin adapted from the 2003 Will Ferrell film), 7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday (with 2 p.m. Saturday matinees Dec. 27 and Jan. 3), 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 4 at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 601 Main St., Little Rock. Tickets are $60 and $40, $30 for students. Call (501) 378-0405 or visit therep.org/attend.
• The title -- Don't Dress for Dinner -- suggests that at least a couple of female characters (including Suzette the cook, pretending to be a mistress, and Suzanne, the mistress, pretending to be the cook) will be somewhat scantily clad in the Marc Camoletti/Robin Hawdon farce, onstage through Dec. 31 at Murry's Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock. Curtain times are 7:45 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday 12:45 and 6:45 p.m. Sunday. Doors and the buffet open 90 minutes before curtain. Tickets are $31-$35, $23 for children 15 and younger; show only, $25, $15 for children. Call (501) 562-3131 or visit murrysdp.com.
• A plush Christmas bunny longs to become real as the Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre, Ninth and Commerce streets, Little Rock, stages The Velveteen Rabbit, 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 21. Tickets are $12.50. Call (501) 372-4000 or visit arkarts.com.
• A tense family reunion brings up a tragic chapter in a family's past in Jon Robin Baitz's 2012 Pulitzer Prize finalist Other Desert Cities, onstage at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday through Dec. 20 at The Weekend Theater, West Seventh and Chester streets, Little Rock. Tickets are $16, $12 for students and senior citizens. Visit weekendtheater.org/boxoffice; call (501) 374-3761 for information.
• Improvisation troupe ImprovLittleRock will put on two Christmas shows this weekend at the Public Theatre, 616 Center St., Little Rock -- at 10 p.m. Friday, An Improvised Christmas Movie Story, for which the company will make up an entire Christmas movie on the spot according to audience ideas and suggestions; and at 10 p.m. Saturday, ImprovLittleRock's Family Christmas, the 10th annual short-form collection of Christmas improvisation games and a singalong. Tickets to each show are $8. Call (501) 374-7529 or visit the Facebook page, facebook.com/groups/improvlittlerock.
Weekend on 12/18/2014