THE WEEKEND TEN

The top things to do and places to be

The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Sixth and Main streets, Little Rock, stages the musical Mary Poppins.
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Sixth and Main streets, Little Rock, stages the musical Mary Poppins.

1 'CHIM CHIM CHER-EE'

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down as the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Sixth and Main streets, Little Rock, stages the musical Mary Poppins, Friday-April 12. (Music and lyrics are by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, with a book by Julian Fellowes, new music and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, co-created for the stage by Cameron Mackintosh.) Director Donna Drake will give a pre-show director talk before today's 7 p.m. preview; curtain times are 7 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. There will be a post-opening-night champagne reception. Tickets are $65 and $40, $35 for students. Call (501) 378-0405 or visit therep.org/attend. See story on Page 5E.

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The Vienna Boys’ Choir concert helps kick off Wildwood’s annual Lanterns! Festival.

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The Cat in the Hat (adapted by Katie Mitchell from the classic by Dr. Seuss) at the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre.

2 CHOIR

Two dozen Austrian youngsters, making up the Vienna Boys Choir (one of four such touring groups) will perform at 7 p.m. today at Wildwood Park for the Arts, 20919 Denny Road, Little Rock. It will be the first concert in the newly rededicated Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre. Tickets are $35, $75 VIP, which includes prime seating, access to the VIP lounge, reserved parking and an invitation to a pre-concert reception celebrating and recognizing the Cabe family's longstanding contributions to Wildwood. Proceeds benefit the Wildwood Academy of Music & the Arts. Call (501) 821-7275 or visit wildwoodpark.org. See story on Page 4E.

3 CULTURE

The Vienna Boys' Choir concert helps kick off Wildwood's annual Lanterns! Festival, 6-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 6-9 p.m. Sunday, focusing on Asia, Austria, Ireland, Mexico, 1950s America and Shakespeare's England through cultural performances, games and food at various venues in the 105-acre park and along paved pathways lighted by fire pits and luminarias. Tickets are $8, $4 for children 6-12 in advance (online tickets are available at wildwoodpark.org), $10 and $5 at the gate, free for kids 5 and younger.

4 CAT

Two bored kids looking for something to do on a rainy day encounter The Cat in the Hat (adapted by Katie Mitchell from the classic by Dr. Seuss) at the Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre, 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday through March 29, with special spring break matinees 2 p.m. March 24-27 at the Arts Center in MacArthur Park, East Ninth and Commerce streets, Little Rock. Sponsor is Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. There's a "Pay What You Can" performance at 7 p.m. today; otherwise, tickets are $12.50, $10 for Arts Center members. Call (501) 372-4000 or visit ArkansasArtsCenter.org. See story on Page 5E.

5 CAMDEN

Camden blooms for the 22nd annual Camden Daffodil Festival, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday in downtown Camden. The festival will feature tours of six daffodil gardens, with more than a million blossoms, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day; guided tours through Camden's museums, antebellum homes and historical sites, complete with costumed re-enactments; food, collectibles and crafts; music and stage events; a Civil War encampment and show; children's activities; and an antique car show. The annual Steak Cook-off will start at 2 p.m. Saturday. Call (870) 836-0023, email cfreeland@cablelynx.com or visit camdendaffodilfestival.com. See story on Page 8E.

6 (GOIN') COURTIN'

Seven 19th-century Oregon brothers go courtin', in a rough, tough, song-and-dance fashion, in Prather Entertainment Group's national touring production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (music by Gene de Paul, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay, based on the 1954 MGM movie musical) at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Fine Arts Center, East Arkansas Community College, 1700 Newcastle Road, Forrest City. The show is part of the college's Spotlight Series. Tickets are $39. Call (870) 633-4480, Extension 352, or visit eacc.edu.

7 CON

Traveling band gear salesman Harold Hill (Justin Pike) causes trouble in River City, Iowa, and stirs the heart of skeptical librarian Marian Paroo (Jennifer Restum) as the Royal Players stage Meredith Willson's musical The Music Man, 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday through March 22 at the Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St., Benton. Sponsors are Curtis and Vera Ferguson. Tickets are $12, $10 for senior citizens, $5 for students. Call (501) 315-5483 or visit theroyalplayers.com.

8 COMPLEX

Brains will be teased when the Museum of Discovery's newest exhibit opens Saturday. "Mindbender Mansion" features puzzles, interactive challenges and problems for all ages, Saturday-Sept. 7. Hours at the museum, 500 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10, $8 for children 1-12. Call (501) 396-7050 or visit museumofdiscovery.org.

9 COSPLAY

Fans of anime, gaming, sci-fi and more can find plenty to keep them occupied at AnimeCon Arkansas, 9 a.m.-midnight Saturday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday at the Little Rock Marriott, 3 Statehouse Plaza. The self-proclaimed "celebration of geeky stuff" includes cosplay costume contests, artists, panels, game tournaments, parties and music performances. Passes are $35 for the full weekend, $25 for Saturday, $10 for Sunday or for gamers or party passes only. Children 6 and under get in free. Call (501) 288-3161 or visit animeconarkansas.com.

10 CINEMA

The Central Arkansas Library System celebrates the Hindu spring festival Holi with a day full of Bollywood films in its Bolly Holi Day on Saturday at the Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave. The film Qurbani starts at noon followed by Zokkomon at 3:15 p.m. and English Vinglish at 5:30, with dance performances at 5:15 p.m. All films are in Hindi with English subtitles. Admission is free. Call (501) 918-3000.

Weekend on 03/05/2015

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