Elsewhere in entertainment, events and the arts:
CHRISTMAS: Candlelight services
The Hendrix College Choir will sing for its annual Candlelight Carol Services, 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday in Greene Chapel at Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Ave., Conway. Admission is free but seating is limited and the services usually fill up well ahead of time — reservations are a must with a likely waiting list; make reservations and check for last-minute seating availability at hendrix.edu/candlelight. The Friday and Saturday services will be livestreamed from the chapel at that website as well.
The choir will also take the service on the road, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at Germantown United Methodist Church of Germantown, Tenn., and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Asbury United Methodist Church, 1700 Napa Valley Road, Little Rock. No reservations are required.
The service shares many features with the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols celebrated each Christmas Eve since 1918 at King's College in Cambridge, England. This year's service also features the world premiere of "As I Sat on a Sunny Bank," an arrangement of a British carol by Jerry Hui.
FILM: 'Dark Crystal' is back
Jim Henson and Frank Oz's "The Dark Crystal" is back on big screens to mark the 40th anniversary of its 1982 release, 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday and Dec. 7 at the Regal Breckenridge 12 and Colonel Glenn 18 in Little Rock, Regal McCain Mall Stadium 12 & RPX North Little Rock, the Razorback Cinema in Fayetteville, Pinnacle Hills Cinema 12 in Rogers and the Golden Ticket Harrison 8 in Harrison. Ticket information is available at fathomevents.com.
AWARDS: Governor's honors
Christina Littlejohn, chief executive officer of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, will receive the Arkansas Arts Council's 2023 Arts Community Development Award, among the Governor's Arts Awards, at a ceremony in March.
"Through her leadership, she has guided a once-struggling nonprofit to become the state's leader in music education and the top employer of professional teaching artists and musicians," according to an Arts Council news release. "In addition, the organization has balanced its budget for 13 consecutive years while expanding its music education programs."
The other awards, announced on Monday:
◼️ Arts in Education Award for an Arts Educator: Jorge Villegas and Maria Botti Villegas of El Dorado, instructors at the South Arkansas Arts Center and arts-in-education programs in El Dorado area public schools.
◼️ Arts in Education Award for an Arts Organization: The Foundation of Arts in Jonesboro.
◼️ Corporate Sponsorship of the Arts Award: The Springs Magazine in Hot Springs
◼️ Folklife Award: The Music Roots Program and founder Danny Thomas, Mountain View
◼️ Individual Artist Award: painter Sammy Peters of Little Rock.
◼️ Patron Award: Kelly and Marti Sudduth of Fayetteville.
◼️ Lifetime Achievement Award: portrait photographer Andrew Kilgore of Fayetteville.
Recipients are nominated by the public, then selected by an independent panel of arts professionals. For more information, email lindsey.tugman@arkansas.gov.