Elsewhere in entertainment, events and the arts:
BOOKS: Political 'Pass'
Jonathan Martin, national political correspondent for the New York Times and a political analyst for CNN, will discuss the newly released book "This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for America's Future," which he co-wrote with Times colleague Alexander Burns, 6 p.m. Monday at the Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave., Little Rock, under the auspices of the Central Arkansas Library System in partnership with the Political Animals Club. A book signing, coordinated by WordsWorth Books, will follow; reserve a copy by calling (501) 663-9198 or via wordsworthbookstore.com. Admission is free; however, registration is required via tinyurl.com/5pujfxr7.
THEATER: 'Great Divorce'
New York City-based Fellowship for Performing Arts puts on its touring production, "C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce," Max McLean's stage adaptation of Lewis' fantasy about heaven, hell and the choice between them, 3 p.m. today at Fayetteville's Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St. Tickets are $49-$99 plus fees. Call (479) 443-5600 or visit waltonartscenter.org.
Jonesboro season
Jonesboro's Foundation of Arts opens its 2022-23 theater season in August with the musical "Godspell" (music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by John-Michael Tebelak, loosely based on the Gospel of Matthew) at the Forum Theater 115 E. Monroe Ave., Jonesboro.
Because the city of Jonesboro plans to remodel the Forum Theatre, where the Foundation stages most of its productions, this fall, specific dates are to be announced.
The rest of the lineup:
- ◼️ September: "Hallelujah Girls," FOA Stage, Too 330 S. Main St., Jonesboro
- ◼️ October: "Annie, Jr." (Forum), "Proof" by David Auburn (Stage, Too), "House of Villains," walk-through haunted house (Forum)
- ◼️ November: "The Nutcracker," ballet (Forum)
- ◼️ December: "It's a Wonderful Life" (Forum)
- ◼️ February: "Frozen, Jr." (Forum)
- ◼️ March: "Kinky Boots," music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, book by Harvey Fierstein, based on the screenplay by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth (Forum)
- ◼️ April: "Camp Rock" (Forum)
- ◼️ June 2023: "Disney's Aristocats Kids" (Forum); "West Side Story," music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents (Forum)
- ◼️ July 2023: "Sister Act," music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Cheri and Bill Steinkeller, based on the 1992 movie (Forum).
ART: Chinese comic art
"Selections from the Permanent Collection: Feng Zikai," prints by the late Chinese painter and illustrator Feng Zikai, a pioneer of manhua (Chinese comic art), opens Saturday at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith. Zikai (1898-1975), is known as the "artist of children" for his paintings depicting children -- often his own -- in his works. The exhibit will remain up through Sept. 11.
"Dupatta #5" is one of several oil paintings by Shabana Kauser (right) depicting women wearing the dupatta, a South Asian scarf, on display Saturday-Sept. 11 at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette) Also opening Saturday and on display through Sept. 11 at the Fort Smith museum: "Dupatta: Journeys of Life and Cultural Identity," Shabana Kauser's contemporary portraits in oil and mixed media featuring women wearing traditional fabrics of the dupatta, a South Asian scarf. Kauser will give an in-person lecture, 6-7 p.m. June 17; admission is $5, free to museum members.
The museum will hold a reception for both exhibits, 5-7 p.m. June 24. Museum hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free; there is a $5 suggested donation for non-members to the reception. Call (479) 784-2787 or visit fsram.org.
ETC.: Art, essay winners
Winners of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program's 2022 Preserve Our Past Art and Essay Invitational, in which students from around the state submitted works focusing on historic properties in Arkansas that are older than 50 years:
◼️ Grades 5-6, art: Emilee Cross, Cave City Middle School, first place; Emily Porter, Pulaski Academy Middle School, second place; Isabel Loyd, Pulaski Academy Middle School, third place; Ariana Sadiq, Pulaski Academy Middle School, honorable mention
◼️ Grades 5-6, essay: Emalyne Campbell, Sonora Middle School, first place; Myra Cooper, Old High Middle School, second place; Abby Grant, Old High Middle School, third place; Bentley Ramson, Old High Middle School and Yoxagani Rodriguez, Sonora Middle School, honorable mention
◼️ Grades 7-8, art: Abram Millington, Izard County Middle School, first place; Joshlyn Nail, Cave City Middle School, second place; Aleck Long, Izard County Middle School, third place; Charlize E. Peebles, White County Central Middle School, honorable mention
◼️ Grades 7-8, essay: Madalyn Johnson, White County Central Middle School, first place; Devan Reed, Izard County Middle School, second place.
The student works will be on display until July 24 at the Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St., Little Rock. Call (501) 324-9150 or email amy.milliken@arkansas.gov.