Elsewhere in entertainment, events and the arts:
THEATER: Murry's 'Little Mermaid'
Bridget Davis plays Ariel, the daughter of the Sea King (Christopher Noyes), whose obsession with things of the land results in her falling in love with a human prince (Tim Cooper) in "The Little Mermaid," onstage Wednesday-Dec. 31 at Murry's Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock.
The cast of the musical (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, book by Doug Wright, based on the Disney animated film, in turn based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen) also includes Leigh Anne Marchesi as Ursula the Sea Witch, Caelon Colbert as Sebastian, John Isaac Small as Flounder, Michael Klucher as Chef Louis and Taylor Bumann, Moriah Patterson, Katie Greer, Janette Robinson, Sarah Ring and Melody Small as Ariel's sea sisters.
The buffet opens 90 minutes before curtain time — 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (the first three Wednesdays, Nov. 23 and 30 and Dec. 7, are matinees), 12:30 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets (including meal and show) are $37-$41, $27 for children 15 and younger; $27 show only. The Dec. 31 show includes a specially priced New Year's Eve celebration. Call (501) 562-3131 or visit murrysdp.com.
ACT classes
Argenta Community Theater is registering students in grades K-12 for its new ACT II Education Program that starts in January at the theater's ACT II — The Sharon Heflin Performing Arts Education Center on North Little Rock's Main Street.
Under the direction of Associate Director of Education Bridget Davis, the program includes classes in musical theater for grades 2-8, acting for youngsters and adults and dance (theater, tap and jazz); faculty consists of area professionals with varying backgrounds and specialized degrees. Find a complete list of classes, instructors, tuition and registration information at argentacommunitytheater.org.
Funding for the classes comes from Will and Tiffany Feland and through a partnership with the city of North Little Rock, Pulaski County and the Arkansas Arts Council; "making these classes accessible to all students regardless of their ability to pay tuition is a priority and full scholarships are available," according to a news release.
Meanwhile, Argenta Community Theater and the Arkansas Repertory Theatre are creating the Pre-Professional Company, a collaborative training program for students in grades 8-12, designed to bring together the area's top high school-age singers, dancers and actors, according to a news release.
Students will explore musical theater solo and ensemble repertoire, advanced scene work, the business of theater, audition techniques and college preparation and TV/film acting; master classes will feature performers from New York and Los Angeles. Members of the company will be cast in the Argenta Community Theater's September 2023 mainstage production of "Bring It On: The Musical."
Auditions will take place by appointment Dec. 10 at ACT II. Reserve an audition appointment and obtain a list of audition requirements by emailing bdavis@argentacommunitytheater.org. Funding for the program comes from sponsors Will and Tiffany Feland and Jim and Mary Wohlleb.
ART: Museum gets grant
Bank of America has awarded a grant of $250,000 to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts' capital campaign, which is funding the rebuilding of the museum — formerly the Arkansas Arts Center — and its grounds in Little Rock's MacArthur Park. The museum is scheduled to reopen in May. "For years, they have generously supported our exhibitions and arts education programs, and now we can include them as a contributor to our capital campaign," museum Executive Director Victoria Ramirez says in a news release.
TICKETS: 'Gatto Night'
Comedian, actor and producer Joe Gatto, best known for the TV shows "Impractical Jokers" and "The Misery Index," headlines "Joe Gatto's Night of Comedy," 7 p.m. March 24 at Little Rock's Robinson Center Performance Hall, 426 W, Markham St. at Broadway. Tickets are $39.75-$59.75. Call (501) 244-8800 or visit Ticketmaster.com.