Elsewhere in entertainment and the arts:
TODAY
Dogtown films
The Dogtown Film Series kicks off at 7 p.m. today with Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens at Argenta Community Theater, 405 Main St., North Little Rock. Doors open at 6. Tickets are $5. Call (501) 353-1443 or visit etix.com.
The rest of the series, sponsored by the William F. Laman Public Library and the Argenta Arts Foundation (except as noted, all performances at 7 p.m.; tickets are $5):
• May 12: War Eagle, Arkansas
• June 11: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 11 a.m.
• Aug. 11: The Color Purple
• Sept. 8: Citizen Kane
• Oct. 15: The Wizard of Oz, 11 a.m.
• Nov. 10: 2001: A Space Odyssey
• Dec. 11: A Christmas Story, 2 p.m.
Pond play
Doug Morris and Donna Singleton play golden-agers Norman Thayer Jr. and Ethel Thayer in the Community Theatre of Little Rock production of On Golden Pond by Earnest Thompson, onstage 7:30 p.m. today-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through April 24 at The Studio Theatre, 320 W. Seventh St., Little Rock. Tickets are $16, $14 for students (ages 10-college), adults 65 and older and members of the military, $6 for children 4-9, free for kids 3 and younger. Get $1 off by donating a pair of gently used running shoes. Call (501) 410-2283 or visit ctlr-act.org.
'Redeeming' talk
Historian Rodney Harris, a doctoral student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, will give a talk titled "Redeeming Lights: The Remarkable Political Lives of Arkansas's Redeemers" for the Old State House's April Brown Bag Lunch Lecture, noon today at the museum, 300 W. Markham St., Little Rock. The lecture examines the personal and political lives of Arkansas Democrats known as the Redeemers during post-Civil War Reconstruction. Admission is free; pack your own lunch, the museum provides soft drinks and water. Call (501) 314-9685 or visit oldstatehouse.com.
Onstage ogre
The Royal Players will stage Shrek the Musical, music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, based on the 2001 DreamWorks animated film and the 1990 children's book by William Steig), 7 p.m. today-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday through April 24 at the Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St., Benton. Tickets are $12, $10 for senior citizens and military, $5 for students. Sponsor is Everett Buick GMC. Call (501) 315-5483 or visit theroyalplayers.ticketleap.com.
Harding recital
Pianist Ron Chioldi, a member of the music faculty at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., will give a recital at 7 p.m. today in the Reynolds Recital Hall at Harding University in Searcy. The program includes Kreisleriana, op.16, by Robert Schumann; "Une barque sur l'ocean" and "Noctuelles" from Miroirs by Maurice Ravel; and the Etude in e-flat minor, op.39 No. 5; Prelude in D major, op.23 No. 4; and Etude in E-flat major, op.33 No. 6, by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Admission is free. Call (501) 279-4343.
Poet drops in
Award-winning author and poet Kevin Young, the Murphy Visiting Poet at Hendrix College, will read from and discuss his work at 7:30 p.m. today in Reves Recital Hall, Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Ave., Conway. A reception and book signing will follow in the nearby Trieschmann Gallery. Sponsor is the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature and Language. Admission is free. Call (501) 450-4597, email vanaman@hendrix.edu or visit hendrix.edu/HendrixMurphy.
Ozark entertainment
The Ozark Folk Center State Park kicks off the 2016 music season with an evening of free entertainment, including performances from Stone County's Music Roots students playing traditional Ozark songs, 6:30 p.m. today at the center in Mountain View. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Call (870) 269-3851.
FRIDAY
Photography exhibit
"Visual Anthropology: Welcome to Our Neighborhood," an exhibition of 55 photographs by 11 members of the Blue Eyed Knocker Photo Club depicting the diverse "visual anthropology" of 12 Little Rock and North Little Rock neighborhoods, goes on display Friday at the Argenta Branch of the William F. Laman Public Library System, 420 Main St., North Little Rock. A 5-8 p.m. Argenta Art Walk reception Friday will include food and beverages. The library will host a "Meet the Photographers" program, noon-1 p.m. Saturday. The exhibition will be up through May 14. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. Call (501) 687-1061.
Organ recital
Olivier Latry, professor of organ at the Paris Conservatory, will give a recital at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Greene Chapel, Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Ave., Conway, part of the college's Harold Thompson Concert Series. He will play the Fantasy and Fugue in g minor, BWV 542, by Johann Sebastian Bach; three chorales by Johannes Brahms; Chorale No. 3 in a minor by Cesar Franck; works by Charles Tournemire, Olivier Messiaen, Thierry Escaich; and a concluding improvisation. Admission is free. Call (501) 450-1245 or email krebs@hendrix.edu.
SUNDAY
UCA jazz
The University of Central Arkansas Jazz I and Jazz II ensembles and Dixieland Band will give a concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the Recital Hall, Snow Fine Arts Center, UCA, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway.
Jackie Lamar will lead the Dixieland Band in "Doctor Jazz" by Joe "King" Oliver; "Sister Kate" by Clarence Williams and Armand Piron; a transcription of Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five's recording of "Hotter Than That"; and "Back Home in Indiana" by Ballard MacDonald and James F. Hanley, featuring, variously, singers Danyelle Wells, Jeremy Landry and Jake Bass, Kaitlynn Ledet on trumpet and Jake Gatlin on clarinet.
Jazz Ensemble II, directed by Gail Robertson, will perform "Billy May for President" by Sammy Nestico; "Bone Busters" (featuring the trombone section -- Joseph Berry, Jeremy Landry, Patton Baugh and Austin Storm) by Mark Taylor; "Laura" by Lennie Niehaus; and "Do You Dig It, Man?" by Conrad Johnson.
Jazz I and director Larry Jones will perform Niehaus' "Pleasin'"; "But Beautiful" by Stan Kenton; "The Lady Is a Tramp" by Rodgers & Hart; and an arrangement of "Stompin' at the Savoy."
Admission is free. Call (501) 450-5759 or email jlamar@uca.edu.
AUDITIONS
Crucible at Rep
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre will hold local auditions, by appointment only, for union and non-union, age-appropriate, adult actors over 18 for Arthur Miller's The Crucible on April 23 at the Rep's Annex, 518 Main St., Little Rock. Actors must provide a head shot and resume and will audition from "sides" (pages from the script), available online at therep.org/work-with-us/auditionsides.aspx. A complete list and description of available roles is accessible through the Rep website, therep.org. All roles are paid. Paul Barnes is the director. Rehearsals begin Oct. 4. Production dates are Oct. 28-Nov. 13. Schedule an appointment via email with Company Manager/Casting Associate Peter Mensky at pmensky@therep.org; put "Crucible Local Request" as the subject line.
There will also be a separate set of preliminary auditions April 21 for youngsters, ages 12-17 (as of Dec. 31), for three roles -- two girls ages 14-16 and one age 10 (must be 5 feet tall or shorter). Callbacks will be April 23. Parents or guardians can request an audition appointment via email to Education Associate Katherine Tanner at ktanner@therep.org; put "Crucible Local Young Actor" in the subject line and include the child's name, age, height, weight, hair color, eye color and birthdate. Young actors must provide pictures and resumes at the auditions; do not email them. Auditioners will receive a short scene from the play in advance (no phone calls, please).
Weekend on 04/14/2016