ENTERTAINMENT: SoNA opens season with Beethoven’s Seventh; TheatreSquared extends run | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

MUSIC

SoNA season kickoff

The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas and guest conductor David Glover perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major, op.92, at 2 p.m. Nov. 2 at Fayetteville’s Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St. The program also includes William Grant Still’s “Festive Overture,” “Vltava” (“The Moldau”) and “Sarka” from Bedrich Smetana’s Má Vlast and Jessie Montgomery’s “Starburst.”

With the departure last spring of former music director Paul Haas, the orchestra is in the midst of a conductor search, with six guest candidates scheduled to be on the podium this season. Glover, music director of the Lynchburg (Va.) Symphony, is one of four finalists for the full-time position. He is a former associate conductor of the North Carolina Symphony in Wilmington, N.C., with which he maintains a relationship, and previously served as assistant conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

He will take part in a 1 p.m. pre-show Creative Conversation, moderated by Kyle Kellams of Fayetteville-based public radio station KUAF-FM, 91.3. Concert sponsor is Highlands Oncology. Tickets are $40-$65 with discounts for students with photo ID; free for children under 18 with the purchase of an adult ticket. Call (479) 443-5600 or visit sonamusic.org.

ART

UAPB gift

A $5 million gift from the Windgate Foundation has put the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff on a path to transform its academic programs for visual artists, according to an announcement from Chancellor Anthony Graham. It will fund construction of a new art tower at the university’s Hathaway-Howard Fine Arts Center, the facility’s first major renovation in more than three decades, adding classrooms and studio space.

The gift brings the Windgate Foundation’s investment in UAPB and the arts programs to nearly $8 million over the past decade, including $2 million for an endowed scholarship for first-generation students and more than $850,000 for art initiatives to engage young artists, students and the community.

THEATER

Extended run

Citing a streak of sold-out performances, Fayetteville theater company TheatreSquared is extending the run of its world premiere production of “Malcolm X & Redd Foxx Washing Dishes at Jimmy’s Chicken Shack in Harlem” by Jonathan Norton through Nov. 2, “in person” at its Spring Theatre, 477 W. Spring St., Fayetteville, and streaming online on demand. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $25-$71; streaming passes are $25-$35. Call (479) 777-7477 or visit theatre2.org/jimmys-chicken.

The theater company meanwhile has leased warehouse space from Ozark Natural Foods at 380 N. College Ave., Fayetteville, for production storage. The 10-year lease provides the theater with air conditioned storage space equipped with dock doors, “an amenity that is rare to find near downtown Fayetteville,” according to a news release.

ETC.

Recognizing skill

Jan. 5 is the deadline for high school teachers statewide to nominate students for the Arkansas Arts Council’s 2026 youth art mentorship and recognition program. Students must be enrolled in an Arkansas high school and must exemplify originality and skill in one or more of six eligible categories: music composition, dance choreography, literary arts, visual arts, photography, and film. Educators may nominate multiple students from their school.

Selected students will be honored at a spring state finals ceremony, with cash prizes awarded for each medium. To submit nominations and for more information, visit arkansasheritage.com/arkansas-art-council/aac-programs/arts-across-arkansas or emal Matt Boyce at [email protected].

TICKETS

Arena shows

Coming to North Little Rock’s Simmons Bank Arena:

◼️ Eight top drivers in their six-ton monster trucks battle it out for the Arena Championship Series East title and a spot in the Monster Jam World Finals in Salt Lake City, on July 4 weekend, at Monster Jam, 7 p.m. Feb. 28 and 3 p.m. March 1 at North Little Rock’s Simmons Bank Arena.

The lineup (subject to change): Grave Digger, driven by Krysten Anderson; El Toro Loco, driven by MJ Solorio; Sparkle Smash, driven by Loghan Ashline; Dragon, driven by Coty Saucier; Megalodon, driven by Jon Zimmer Sr.; Terminal Velocity, driven by Jon Zimmer Jr.; Krazy Train, driven by Triton Robbins; and Plane Krazy, driven by Montana Robbins.

Pit parties (at which fans can encounter the trucks up close, do high-fives with and get autographs from drivers and participate in “family-friendly activities”) start 2½ hours before each show. Tickets are $28.65-$110.67 (including fees). Visit Ticketmaster.com.

◼️ Tickets — $22.50-$115.95 — are on sale for the shows at 7 p.m. March 19-20; 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. March 21; and 2 p.m. March 22 of “Disney On Ice presents Let’s Dance!” at North Little Rock’s Simmons Bank Arena. The show features characters from “Frozen 2,” “The Lion King,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Moana” and Disney’s newest film, “Wish!” — with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy as DJs.

There is a limit of eight tickets per person; only youngsters 14 and younger can come in costume. A pre-show “Character Experience,” which requires a separate ticket, includes games, crafting, a sing-along and interactive photo opportunities with Anna and Elsa. Visit Ticketmaster.com.