THE WEEKEND TEN

The top things to do and places to be

Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert

1 Martial arts

Once again, martial arts experts from all over the world are converging on the Statehouse Convention Center for the American Taekwondo Association's World Championships, through Sunday. This is the 24th year for the event of ceremonies, seminars and sessions. Competition begins at 8 a.m. Friday with the Tournament of Champions and continues at 8 a.m. Saturday-Sunday with the start of a new tournament season. Admission for all three days is $10. Call (501) 804-6524 or visit ataonline.com/worlds.

2 Musical I

Walk through the front door of the Studio Theatre, 328 W. Seventh St., Little Rock, and travel all the way to New York's East Village as the Community Theatre of Little Rock stages Jonathan Larson's award-winning musical Rent. It's CTLR's first production in its new home; curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through July 27. Tickets are $18; $16 for military, ages 65 and older and students 10 years old through college; $8 for children 4-9. Bring a pair of gently used running shoes and get a $1 discount. Call (501) 410-2283 or visit ctlr-act.org.

3 Miranda

Miranda Lambert's Platinum Tour makes a stop at the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion, 5079 W. Northgate Road, Rogers, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, with opening acts the Swon Brothers and Raelynn. Gates open at 6. Tickets are $44-$79. Call (479) 443-5600 or visit arkansasmusicpavilion.com.

4 Mark (on Main)

Singer-songwriter-guitarist Mark Edgar Stuart will take the stage at 8 p.m. today at South on Main, 1304 S. Main St., Little Rock, under the auspices of Oxford American magazine. Sponsor is Landers Fiat of Benton. Admission is free; make reservations by calling (501) 244-9660.

5 Magic

Craig Diamond will take his comedy/magic act back to the Pine Bluff Community Theatre, 207 W. Second Ave., Pine Bluff, at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Tickets are $40 and $35; parking is free and security is provided. Call (870) 535-2646 or visit pbcommunitytheatre.org.

6 Musical II

Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal, a musical (music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey) that looks at who suffers most from bipolar disorder -- the suburban mom who has it or her family -- opens at 8 p.m. Friday at The Weekend Theater, West Seventh and Chester streets, Little Rock. Subsequent curtain times: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday through July 27. Tickets are $20, $16 for students and senior citizens, online at weekendtheater.org/boxoffice. For information only, call (501) 374-3761.

7 Musical III

An American nurse (and Little Rock native) stationed on a South Pacific island during World War II falls in love with a middle-aged expatriate French plantation owner but struggles to accept his mixed-race children in South Pacific (music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan, adapted from the novel Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener), which the Royal Players will stage at 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, today through July 20 at the Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St., Benton. The W.W. and Anne Jones Charitable Trust is a presenting sponsor. Tickets are $12, $10 for senior citizens, $5 for students. Call (501) 315-5483 or visit theroyalplayers.com.

8 (Brides)maids

Four friends who vowed while still in high school to be in each other's weddings discover just how hard it is to keep that promise in Always a Bridesmaid by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooton, onstage through July 19 at Murry's Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock. Curtain time is 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 murrysdinnerplayhouse.com.

9 Milkshakes

Supporting the arts will taste pretty sweet as Loblolly Creamery hosts a happy-hour benefit for Thea Foundation, 4-7 p.m. today at 1423 S. Main St, Little Rock. Handcrafted sodas, ice cream and "boozy floats" will be on the menu and children will be invited to show off their creative sides with sidewalk chalk art and a coloring contest. Admission is free. Call (501) 379-9512 or visit theafoundation.org.

10 Move

Get the kids off the couch and away from the electronic devices at the Nike 5K and Kids 1-Mile Fun Run, Friday at the Promenade at Chenal, 17000 block of Chenal Parkway, Little Rock. Presented by radio station KABZ-FM, 103.7, "The Buzz," Nike and the Boys and Girls Club of Central Arkansas, this inaugural race aims to get people of all ages out and exercising. The kids run for ages 7-14 starts at 7 p.m., with the 5K following at 7:30. Registration in advance is $25 for the 5K, $20 for the fun run. A post-race party will be held at Tavern Sports Grill in the shopping center; nonrunners can attend for $15 in advance. All day-of-race and party tickets increase by $5. Call (501) 821-5276 or visit 1037thebuzz.com.

Weekend on 07/10/2014

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