FUN
‘Bright the Night’
The Downtown Little Rock Partnership lights up downtown with the annual lighting of the city’s holiday tree, 5:30 p.m. Monday on the plaza at Capitol Avenue and Main Street.
“Bright the Night” will feature a performance by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, cookies from Community Bakery and hot cocoa from Big Bad Breakfast and Hiland Dairy. The winners of the annual Downtown Holiday Window Decorating Contest — in which businesses in the SoMa neighborhood, on Main Street, in the East Village, and the River Market and along Capitol Avenue were encouraged to seasonally spruce up their windows — will be announced, one from each district with an overall grand prize winner.
Admission, cookies and cocoa are free. Visit facebook.com/events/644757601908831.
THEATER
Playmakers Project
Professional adult actors perform short original plays by fourth graders from Little Rock’s Martin Luther King Elementary (most of them in their second year in the Downtown Playmakers Project, a program that pairs them with adult playwright and performer mentors to “unleash their imaginations and nurture their creative voices to tell stories unique to their communities, but accessible to all audiences,” according to a news release), 2 p.m. Saturday at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 601 Main St., Little Rock. Admission is free, although donations are appreciated; reserve seats at therep.org/downtown-playmakers-project-tickets.
Open cirque-ette
“Cirque Dreams Holidaze,” a Broadway-style production wrapped in contemporary circus arts, is onstage at 7 p.m. Friday in Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway. Young Clara, who has learned a snowstorm might keep her family from joining her on Christmas Eve, follows two “whimsical singers” into HOLIDAZE — “a fantastical world full of color, wonder and breathtaking circus acts,” according to a news release. It’s part of the UCA Public Appearances series. Tickets are $34.50-$57.50, $11.50 for children and students. Call (501) 450-3265 or (866) 810-0012 or visit uca.edu/publicappearances.
‘When a Woman’s Fed Up’
A touring company performs “When a Woman’s Fed Up” by David T. Payton and Annette Campbell, 7:30 p.m. Friday at Little Rock’s Robinson Center Performance Hall, 426 W. Markham St. at Broadway. Campbell also directs the play, “about love, struggle, and the courage to choose independence and happiness,” according to a news release. Tickets are $61.15-$87.40, including fees. Call (501) 244-8800 or visit Ticketmaster.com.
‘Come From Away’ x 2
Two productions of the musical “Come From Away” are set to hit Little Rock stages in September 2026, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and its aftermath:
Wildwood Park for the Arts, 20919 Denny Road, puts the show — music, lyrics and book by Irene Sankoff and David Hein — onstage Sept. 11-20.
And Actors Theatre of Little Rock will mount an “immersive” production, which involves members of the audience taking part, Sept. 23-Oct. 10 at Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church, 1601 Louisiana St. (A previously announced production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins” will move to the following season.)
The musical is set in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, where residents opened their hearts and homes to thousands of stranded airline passengers after 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from around the globe, were diverted to the Canadian Forces airstrip on Sept. 11 when U.S. airspace was closed following the crashing of jumbo jets into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
More information about Wildwood is available at wildwoodpark.org; about Actors Theatre of Little Rock, at actorstheatrelr.org.
MUSIC
‘Arabella,’ live from Met
The Metropolitan Opera “cinecasts” to movie theaters — including the Movie Tavern in Little Rock and the Razorback Cinema in Fayetteville — its production of Richard Strauss’ opera “Arabella” at noon Saturday, part of its “Met: Live in HD” series. Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen sings the title role, opposite bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny as Mandryka. Nicholas Carter conducts. Ticket information is available at metopera.org/season/in-cinemas/2025-26-season/arabella.
ART
Artist talk, workshop
Antonius-Tín Bui, in residence at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, gives an artist talk titled “Holding Sacred,” covering the artist’s interdisciplinary practice and the stories that shape their work, 6 p.m. Thursday in the Amerine/Calhoun Glass Box at the museum, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. Admission is free with advance registration — visit events.arkmfa.org/event/holding-sacred-artist-talk-with-antonius-tin-bui.
Bui will also lead a two-day collaborative still-life drawing workshop, 2-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Flex Studio in the museum’s Windgate Art School. The hands-on sessions involve imaginative exercises and group installations and allow participants to discover “how everyday items can speak to identity, memory and belonging,” according to a news release. Cost is $120, $92 for museum members. Sign up at events.arkmfa.org/event/workshop-with-antonius-tin-bui-evening.
Tanglewood studios sale
The Studios at Tanglewood, on the back side of the Tanglewood Shopping Center, Cantrell Road and Mississippi Street, holds its annual Holiday Sale, 5-7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Eighteen artists represent nine studios, including Arkansas Artspace, a large open space offering art and craft classes and booth space. All the studios will offer refreshments. Admission is free. Email [email protected].
AUDITIONS
Rep SummerStage season
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 601 Main St., Little Rock holds auditions for union and non-union actors 18 and older Dec. 7-8 for its 2026 SummerStage Season.
Artistic Director Steve H. Broadnax III, who will be directing “Ain’t Misbehavin'” and is the playwright and director of the world-premiere production of “The Remarkable Resignation of Dr. Joycelyn Elders,” will head up a team that includes Tamra Patterson-Calamese, the Rep’s director of Community, Learning and Public Programming, and company manager Maggie Simpson.
Provide a recent headshot or photo and a resume and/or biography. And prepare:
◼️ For “Steel Magnolias” (May 26-June 7): one contemporary monologue that showcases humor
◼️ For “Ain’t Misbehavin'” (June 16-28): one contemporary monologue and 16 bars of a jazz or jazz-inspired musical theater song
◼️ For “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (July 8-26): one contemporary monologue and 16 bars of a pop or pop-inspired musical theater song
◼️ For “The Remarkable Resignation of Dr. Joycelyn Elders”: one contemporary monologue
◼️ For “Side by Side by Sondheim”: one contemporary monologue and 16 bars of a musical theater song.
An accompanist will be provided. Supply sheet music in the correct key, or sing unaccompanied. Auditions are open to performers of any race, ethnicity, disability, age, gender or gender identity. Email [email protected] to request an audition appointment; allow 48 hours for a response.
For more information, visit therep.org/auditions.
Actors Theatre season
Actors Theatre of Little Rock holds auditions for its Season Four productions, by appointment, starting at 4 p.m. Jan. 2 and 4, 10 a.m. Jan. 3 at Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church in Little Rock.
Those auditioning for “Oklahoma!” (Feb. 25-March 14), “In the Heights” (June 10-27), “Come From Away” (Sept. 23-Oct. 10), “Black Nativity” (Dec. 9-19) and/or “Little Rock Sings: Rent” (date to be announced) should prepare two contrasting 32-bar “cuts” of songs that “showcase their diverse strengths as a performer and vocal range.”
Those auditioning for “Fences” (April 15-May 2), “Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches” (Aug. 5-22) or the reading of “American Son” (date to be announced) should prepare a dramatic monologue or select from one of four provided “sides.”
An accompanist will be provided. Karaoke tracks are acceptable for those who don’t have sheet music; actors can also accompany themselves on piano, guitar, percussion or other instruments; those who sing a capella will be asked to sing something with the piano.
It will be the only round of auditions for the entire season, excepting the theater group’s single-night “Bard @ the Bar” and “GHOUL(ISH).” All roles are paid, none is precast and all actors must be local or have local residency. Actors can also submit auditions by video.
Register by emailing [email protected].
Character breakdowns, show information, production dates, audition requirements and addition information on reserving an audition spot, visit actorstheatrelr.org/auditions.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.arkansasonline.com ’
