Elsewhere in entertainment, events and the arts this weekend:
FUN: 'Dinosaur Adventure'
Big animatronic beasts and baby dinos are at the center of "Dinosaur Adventure," 3-8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday in Barton Coliseum, Arkansas State Fairgrounds, 2600 Howard St., Little Rock.
"Dino-mite" activities include a fossil search, racing in Jurassic jeeps, prehistoric-themed obstacle courses and dinosaur rides.
Tickets are $25, $32 for children 2-12 (including three activity tickets, excluding face painting and mining area), with add-on Adventure Packs ($29 and $49) with Dinosaur Adventure merchandise and perks. (All prices are plus taxes and fees.) Tickets are limited and sold on a per day, per hour basis. Visit dinosauradventure.com/littlerock.
THEATER: 'Wonderettes' musical
"The Marvelous Wonderettes," a jukebox musical by Roger Bean featuring pop songs of the 1950s and '60s, is onstage through April 23 at Murry's Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock.
Four high school song-leaders perform as a last minute replacement at their senior prom, and again 10 years later at a school reunion. The song list includes "Lollipop," "Dream Lover," "Stupid Cupid," "Lipstick on Your Collar," "It's My Party," "Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight," "Mr. Sandman," "Son of a Preacher Man," "You Don't Own Me" and "It's In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)."
Doors open 90 minutes before curtain: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (except for 12:45 on the first-third Wednesdays), 12:45 and 6:45 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $37-$41, $27 for children 15 and younger, $27 show only. Call (501) 562-3131 or visit murrysdp.com.
'Fiddler' rescheduled
Celebrity Attractions has rescheduled the national touring production of "Fiddler on the Roof," postponed from Jan. 6-8 because of a covid-19 outbreak in the cast, to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 25, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26 and 1 p.m. Nov. 27 at Little Rock's Robinson Center Performance Hall. Existing ticket holders will receive new tickets with the rescheduled dates and times in early fall; patrons with a scheduling conflict should contact their point of purchase by April 21 to receive a refund. Call (501) 244-8800 or visit CelebrityAttractions.com.
Theater camps
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre will hold four weeklong theater education day camps for middle and high school students, July 18-29 at the theater, 601 Main St., Little Rock.
Each program consists of full-day sessions and concludes with a showcase performance. Auditions are required only for the Musical Theatre Conservatory. Class sizes are limited. All students will be required to present proof of full and up-to-date vaccination against covid-19.
All classes run 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. Except as noted, tuition for each session is $350. Full and partial need-based scholarships and payment plans are available. Find full course descriptions, dates and times, registration and audition information and scholarship applications at TheRep.org/classes-and-camps.
The lineup:
- ◼️ Collaborative Theater Performance, for students rising into grades 6-12, July 11-15. Students will work with industry experts on a journey from play to performance. No previous theater experience is necessary.
- ◼️ Musical Theater, grades 6-8, July 18-22. A combination of training, rehearsal and performance, with daily acting, dance and singing exercises.
- ◼️ Musical Theater Conservatory, grades 9-12 and high school graduates, July 25-29. Tuition: $400. Broadway professionals offer a combination of acting and musical theater training, rehearsal and performance.
- ◼️ Technical Theater, grades 9-12, July 25-29. Covering lighting, construction, painting, props, costumes and sound.
ART AND EXHIBITS: 'Spectrum of Creativity'
Learn about the spectrum of light, how colors are created and how circuits work and more at several activity stations in "Spectrum of Creativity," an interactive exhibition now on display in the International Paper Gallery at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., Pine Bluff. Stations cover "Movie Magic," "Rainbow Shadows" and "Disappearing Drawings." The exhibition is up through May 7. Admission is free. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Call (870) 536-3375 or visit asc701.org.
Weaving workshop
Also from the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, instructor Morgun Henson provides weaving techniques, including tabby weaving, soumak and rya to create a wall hanging in a "Weave and Unwind Workshop with Morgun Henson," 5:30-8 p.m. Friday at The ARTSpace on Main, 623 S. Main St., Pine Bluff. Cost is $35, $25 for center members, including materials and complimentary wine and beer from sponsor MK Distributors. It's open to potential artists 21 and older, no experience necessary. Call (870) 536-3375 or visit asc701.org.
MUSIC: Jazz in the Park lineup
Jazz in the Park returns for a "Tricentennial season" in its original location, the History Pavilion in Little Rock's Riverfront Park, just west of the First Security Amphitheater, starting 6-8 p.m. April 6 with Marquis & MOOD.
The rest of the lineup (all performances 6-8 p.m.):
- ◼️ April 13: SynRG
- ◼️ April 20: The Jose Holloway Xperiment
- ◼️ April 27: The Funkanites
Admission is free. The closest park entry point is on Ottenheimer Drive off President Clinton Avenue.
Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome, and there is some seating in the History Pavilion's natural stone amphitheater. In case of rain, performances will move to the East Farmers Market Pavilion.
No coolers or bring-your-own beverages — beer, wine, soft drinks and water will be for sale, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the scholarship fund of Art Porter Music Education Inc., the series co-sponsor (with the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau).
The History Pavilion is a few yards from LaPetite Roche Plaza, site of the original "Little Rock," discovered and named 300 years ago by explorer Jean-Baptiste Benard de la Harpe. The La Petite Roche Tricentennial task force is marking the "anniversary" with a series of tricentennial events April 1-13.
Visit rivermarket.info.
DANCE: Ballet adds orchestra
With support from the Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Ballet Arkansas is adding music — string players from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and conductor Geoffrey Robson — to its "Vivaldi's Four Seasons" program. And to accommodate the musicians, the company is moving its performance dates ahead a week, to 7:30 p.m. April 14; 10:30 a.m. (student matinee) and 7:30 p.m. April 15; and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. April 16 in the Center for Humanities and Arts Theater at the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College, 3000 W. Scenic Drive, North Little Rock.
ASO violinists Andrew Irvin, Kiril Laskarov, Katherine Williamson and Meredith Maddox Hicks will solo in the four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi that make up the "Four Seasons." The program will feature four world premieres by four female choreographers — "Spring" by Xin Ying, principal dancer for the Martha Graham Dance Company; "Winter" by Ashley Green of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; "Autumn" by Mariana Oliveira, founder of the Union Project Dance Company; and "Summer" by freelance choreographer Maddy Falconer. Also on the program: "Confetti," which Gerald Arpino created for the Joffrey Ballet in 1970.
Tickets are $30-$45. Call (855) 222-2849 (Option 1) or (435) 222-2849 (Option 5) or visit balletarkansas.org/tickets.
CORRECTION: The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau has changed the lineup for its April Jazz in the Park concerts in the History Pavilion in Little Rock’s Riverfront Park, swapping the dates on two of the acts: Marquis & MOOD will perform April 6 with SynRG performing April 13. An earlier version of this story was published before the schedule change was announced.