Elsewhere in entertainment and the arts:
TODAY
Halloween Tree redux
The Conway Symphony Orchestra, in collaboration with the University of Central Arkansas Schedler Honors College and El Zocalo Immigrant Resource Center will offer a final performance of The Halloween Tree, director Adam Frank's puppet-theater adaptation of Ray Bradbury's novel, with an orchestral ensemble led by Israel Getzov, 7:30 p.m. today at Ron Robinson Theatre, 100 River Market Ave., Little Rock. Admission is pay-what-you-can (suggested $10 donation; all proceeds go to El Zocalo to support educational, entrepreneurial and support services for immigrants). Call (501) 908-9990, (501) 301-4652 or (501) 269-1066.
Wildwood guitarist
Nashville-based guitarist (and Little Rock native) Stuart Montez and his band, the Groove, will play blues, funk and rock 'n' roll at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Pavilion at Wildwood Park for the Arts, 20919 Denny Road, Little Rock. Tickets, $15 suggested donation; beer, wine and food (barbecue from Whole Hog Cafe in North Little Rock) will be for sale. Doors open at 6:30. Call (501) 821-7275 or visit wildwoodpark.org.
'It's alive!'
The South Arkansas Arts Center, 110 E. Fifth St., El Dorado, will stage Victor Gialanella's adaptation of Mary Shelley's Gothic classic Frankenstein, 7:30 p.m. today-Monday. Sponsor is Simmons First Bank. Tickets are $20, $10 for center members, $5 for students. Call (870) 862-5474 or visit saac-arts.org.
FRIDAY
Monster book sale
The Friends of Central Arkansas Libraries will hold its fall used book sale, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Saturday at the Central Arkansas Library System Main Library, 100 Rock St., Little Rock. Those who buy a $5 wristband can get into the night shopping event, 5-7 p.m. today and 9 a.m. entrance Friday and Saturday. FOCAL members get the same early entrance privileges and discounts on used books and gifts, 9-5 p.m. today-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday, at River Market Books & Gifts, 120 River Market Ave. Book sale proceeds help finance library programs. FOCAL memberships will be available at the door. Call (501) 918-3000 or visit cals.org.
Maker Ball
The Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub will celebrate Halloween with its 2016 Maker Ball, an adults-only party and dance, 7-10 p.m. Friday at the Innovation Hub, 201 E. Broadway, North Little Rock. The nonprofit, which benefits from the proceeds, promotes self-designed and/or made costumes but won't exclude those in commercial or non-existent ones (however, you must wear something), and there will be prizes for costume creativity throughout the evening. Sponsor is Galley Support Innovations. Tickets -- $25 in advance, $30 at the door -- include drinks, hors d'oeuvres and spooky tunes by DJ White Rice. Call (501) 907-6570 or visit arhub.org/maker-ball.
Crazy for You
The Harding University theater department will stage Crazy for You (music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, book by Ken Ludwig, based on the 1930 Gershwin musical Girl Crazy) as its annual Homecoming musical, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday in Benson Auditorium at Harding, 915 E. Market Ave., Searcy. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. For more information, Call (501) 279-4255 or visit hardingtickets.com.
Mozart in Harrison
The Ozark Arts Council stages Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera Don Giovanni, in a modern English translation and with a piano score, 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Lyric Theater, 115 W. Rush St., Harrison. Tickets are $15, $10 for students and senior citizens. Parental guidance is suggested because of adult themes. Call (870) 391-3504 or visit ozarkartscouncil.org or TheLyricHarrison.org.
SATURDAY
Rhapsody in Conway
Pianist Neil Rutman will solo in George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Conway Symphony and conductor Israel Getzov, 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall, University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway. The program will also include Gioacchino Rossini's William Tell Overture and Antonin Dvorak's Symphony No. 8. Tickets are $20-$38, $6 for students and children. Call (501) 450-3265 or visit uca.edu/tickets.
Songwriting showcase
Conway nonprofit Blackbird Academy of Art will host the sixth annual Alchemy Songwriting Competition showcase, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Brick Room, 1020 Front St., Conway. Ten finalists (David Valley and the Guardrails from Bryant; Nicole Smith from Greenbrier; Jason Killins from Searcy; Jasper Logan from Fayetteville; Christina Green from Naucalpan, Mexico; HighRise from Morrilton; the Dusty Pearls from Broken Arrow, Okla.; Mikayla Drake from Conway; Kyle Cox from Madison, Tenn.; and Vicki Lee from Pine Bluff) will perform their original songs for an audience and judges American Idol winner and Conway native Kris Allen, Nashville-based songwriter Adam Hambrick, New York music entrepreneur and writer Brittany Hodak and songwriter and Dove Award-nominated producer Jonathan Smith. The grand prize winner will receive a paid trip to Los Angeles to record an original song with award-winning producer Warren Huart. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door, $10 students and children, $60 VIP (includes early entrance, a pre-show reception with the judges and finalists and reserved-table seating). Visit alchemycompetition.org.
SUNDAY
Ballet encore
Members of the Ballet Arkansas company will perform hits from recent performances, including excerpts from Under the Lights, set to the music of Johnny Cash; solo divertissements and pas de deux from P.I. Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker; and Memoryhaus Finale, created by Ballet Arkansas' resident choreographer Kiyon Gaines of Pacific Northwest Ballet to music by Max Richter, for "Ballet Arkansas Encore!," 3 p.m. Sunday in Anthony Chapel, Garvan Woodland Gardens, 550 Arkridge Road, Hot Springs. A light reception will follow. Tickets are $45, $35 for members. Make required reservations by calling (501) 262-9300 or (800) 366-4664 or visiting garvangardens.org.
O Sole Trio
O Sole Trio -- soprano Erin Shields, baritone Giuseppe Spoletini and violinist/pianist David Shenton -- will perform "From Pavarotti to Pop," Italian arias, Neapolitan songs and pop standards from Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis and Andrea Bocelli, 2 p.m. Sunday, Ed Coulter Performing Arts Center, Vada Sheid Community Development Center, Arkansas State University-Mountain Home, 1600 S. College St., Mountain Home. Tickets are $15, $7.50 for students, plus fees. Call (870) 508-6280 or visit thesheid.com.
Weekend on 10/27/2016