{"id":2379104,"date":"2026-04-18T17:13:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T17:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2379104"},"modified":"2026-04-18T17:13:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T17:13:07","slug":"entertainment-chocolate-in-argenta-mamma-mia-at-wac-the-arkansas-democrat-gazette","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/entertainment-chocolate-in-argenta-mamma-mia-at-wac-the-arkansas-democrat-gazette\/","title":{"rendered":"ENTERTAINMENT: \u2018Chocolate\u2019 in Argenta; \u2018Mamma Mia!\u2019 at WAC | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"zephr-arkonline\" itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<p>                <!-- Audio Player Container --><\/p>\n<div id=\"audioPlayer\" style=\"display: none;\"><figcaption class=\"player-label\">Let us read it for you. Listen now.<\/figcaption><audio id=\"audio\" controls=\"\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" oncontextmenu=\"return false;\"><br \/>\n                Your browser does not support the audio element.<br \/>\n            <\/audio>\n        <\/div>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong><u>THEATER<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sweet song and dance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Argenta Contemporary Theatre, 405 Main St., North Little Rock, stages\u00a0\u201cCharlie and the Chocolate Factory\u201d\u00a0(music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, book by David Greg, based on the children\u2019s classic by Roald Dahl), 7 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, April 28-May 1 and May 5-8, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and May 2 and 9, and 2 p.m. April 26 and May 3. Case Dillard plays Willy Wonka, with Gus Howell as Charlie Bucket and Mark Hansen as Grandpa Joe. Tickets are $40-$75, with $25 day-of-show rush tickets (upon availability). Visit argentacontemporarytheatre.org.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018Mamma Mia\u2019 at WAC<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Following a six-month revival run on Broadway, the 25th anniversary tour of \u201cMamma Mia!,\u201d built upon ABBA songs by Benny Andersson and Bj\u00f6rn Ulvaeus with a book by Catherine Johnson, is onstage this week for eight performances \u2014 7 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 1:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. April 26 at Fayetteville\u2019s Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St. Tickets are $102.35-$172.50 (subject to change). Call (479) 443-5600 or visit waltonartscenter.org.<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong><u>MUSIC<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Oboist\u2019s memorial<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Arkansas Symphony musicians Lorraine Duso Kitts; Lauren Pokorzynski and Algimantas Staskevicius, violins; Tatiana Kotcherguina, viola; and Stephen Feldman, cello, honor the late ASO principal oboist Dan Ross with \u201cSong and Dance for Dan Ross\u201d by Arthur Kreutz in a pair of\u00a0River Rhapsodies Chamber Music concerts, 7 p.m. Tuesday and 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Susie and Charles Morgan Hall, Stella Boyle Smith Music Center, 1101 E. Third St. in Little Rock\u2019s East Village.<\/p>\n<p>The handwritten score for the 1975 work for oboe and string quartet, which Kreutz dedicated to Ross, was discovered in Ross\u2019 music collection following his death in 2019. It had its premiere in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Also on the program: the orchestra\u2019s Quapaw Quartet \u2014 Meredith Maddox Hicks and Charlotte Crosmer, violins; Timothy MacDuff, viola; and Travis Scharer, cello \u2014 performs the String Quartet in B major, op.20, No. 4, by Franz Joseph Haydn. Andrew Stadler, trumpet; David Renfro, French horn; and Michael Underwood, trombone, perform Lauren Bernofsky\u2019s Trio for Brass. And Scharer joins Lauren Pokorzynski, violin, and Haeshin Shin to play the Piano Trio by Maurice Ravel.<\/p>\n<p>Sponsor is Bank of America. Tickets are $30 (subject to change based on scarcity), $15 for students and military with a valid ID. Call (501) 666-1761, Ext. 1, or visit arkansassymphony.org.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018Last Testimony\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Close Up! Steinway Salon Chamber Series includes a concert titled\u00a0\u201cThe Last Testimony,\u201d\u00a03 p.m. Saturday at the Steinway Gallery Fayetteville, 4155 N. Steele Blvd., No. 30, Fayetteville, and 3 p.m. April 26 at Steinway Gallery Little Rock, 657 Arkansas 365, Mayflower. David Gerstein, cello, and Jaeyeon Park, piano, will play Frederic Chopin\u2019s Cello Sonata. Katherine Williamson, violin; Jennifer Carpenter, cello; and Tomoko Kashiwagi, piano, will play Franz Schubert\u2019s Piano Trio No. 2. Admission is by free ticket \u2014 call (501) 940-1562 or email jhakutani@gmail.com; they\u2019ll accept donations to support the performers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"intext-photo inline inline_photo\" id=\"4401194\">\n<div class=\"fr-img-space-wrap\"><span class=\"fr-img-caption article-photo fr-fic fr-dii\" style=\"width: 566px;\"><span class=\"fr-img-wrap\"><span class=\"fr-inner\"><figcaption>The Airmen of Note, a United States Air Force Band jazz ensemble, performs Thursday at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and Friday at Little Rock Central High School.&#13;<br \/>\n(Special to the Democrat-Gazette)<\/figcaption><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"fr-img-space-wrap2\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"overlay\"><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><strong>Airmen of Note<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Airmen of Note, a United States Air Force Band jazz ensemble, on a nine-day community relations tour through Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, performs at 7 p.m. Thursday in Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway, and 7 p.m. Friday at Little Rock Central High School, 1500 Little Rock Nine Way, Little Rock. Admission to both concerts is by free ticket. Visit <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/music.af.mil\/USAFBand\/Events\/National-Tours\/Airmen-of-Note\">music.af.mil\/USAFBand\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UALR concerts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Piano Ensemble\u00a0will give a concert, 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall, Fine Arts Building, UALR, 2801 S. University Ave., Little Rock. Pianists Jack Hampton Smith and Molly Priddle will play \u201c3 Petites pi\u00e8ces mont\u00e9es\u201d by Erik Satie and the Sonatina in C major, op.152 No. 2, by Anton Diabelli. Ashton Blankenship and Stephen Graham will play \u201cWaltz Lente\u201d by Mel Bonis. And Stephen Graham, Rolf Groebeck, Leann Jones and Naoki Hakutani will play an arrangement for two pianos, eight hands of Edvard Grieg\u2019s \u201cPeer Gynt\u201d Suite No. 1. Visit ualr.edu\/event\/spring-ua-little-rock-piano-ensemble-concert or email nxhakutani@ualr.edu.<\/p>\n<p>The UA Little Rock Jazz Ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the concert hall. Michael Underwood directs. Visit <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/ualr.edu\/music\/event\/spring-ua-little-rock-jazz-ensemble-concert\">ualr.edu\/music\/event\/<\/a> or email mpunderwood@ualr.edu.<\/p>\n<p>And Lamon Lawhorn, a percussionist from Virginia State University, and the Blue Line Duo, the husband-and-wife percussion duo of Justin and Cassie Bunting, will be guest performers for the university\u2019s Spring Percussion Concert, directed by Justin Bunting, 4 p.m. Saturday in the concert hall. The Trojan Steel Band will perform \u201cSoca Evelyn\u201d by Aldwyn Roberts, Jeff Moore\u2019s arrangement of \u201cI Can See Clearly Now,\u201d Bob Marley\u2019s \u201cIs This Love?\u201d and Brandon Mars\u2019 arrangement of \u201cAfrica.\u201d The UALR Percussion Ensemble performs \u201cThe Invisible Proverb\u201d by Russell Hartenberger, \u201cVariations on a Ghanaian Theme\u201d by Daniel Levitan; \u201cNhiyr\u201d by Michael J. Calamas (with Justin Bunting, marimba, and Lawhorn, vibraphone), \u201cWildlings\u201d by Ivan Trevino and Justin Bunting\u2019s arrangement of the traditional West African song \u201cDjole.\u201d Visit u<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/ualr.edu\/event\/spring-percussion-concert\">alr.edu\/event\/<\/a> or contact email jbunting@ualr.edu.<\/p>\n<p>Admission to all three concerts is free. Parking is available in Lots 8 and 9.<\/p>\n<div class=\"intext-photo inline inline_photo\" id=\"4401195\">\n<div class=\"fr-img-space-wrap\"><span class=\"fr-img-caption article-photo fr-fic fr-dii\" style=\"width: 566px;\"><span class=\"fr-img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History on Tuesday screens the documentary \u201cFighting Spirit \u2014 A Combat Chaplain\u2019s Journey,\u201d involving a former military chaplain greeting the return of the remains Father Emil Kapaun, a U.S. Army chaplain and subsequently a Medal of Honor recipient.&#13;&#10;(Special to the Democrat-Gazette\/U.S. Army photo\/Defense POW\/MIA Accounting Agency)\" class=\"article-photo fr-fic fr-dii\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/wehco.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com\/img\/photos\/2026\/04\/17\/Emil-Kapaun_t800.jpg?90232451fbcadccc64a17de7521d859a8f88077d\" width=\"800\"\/><span class=\"fr-inner\"><figcaption>The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History on Tuesday screens the documentary \u201cFighting Spirit \u2014 A Combat Chaplain\u2019s Journey,\u201d involving a former military chaplain greeting the return of the remains Father Emil Kapaun, a U.S. Army chaplain and subsequently a Medal of Honor recipient.&#13;<br \/>\n(Special to the Democrat-Gazette\/U.S. Army photo\/Defense POW\/MIA Accounting Agency)<\/figcaption><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"fr-img-space-wrap2\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"overlay\"><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong><u>FILM<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Combat chaplain\u2019s story<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 E. Ninth St., Little Rock, screens the documentary\u00a0\u201cFighting Spirit \u2014 A Combat Chaplain\u2019s Journey,\u201d\u00a06:30 p.m. Tuesday, the April edition of Movies at MacArthur. A former chaplain embarks on a journey to greet the recently identified remains of prisoner of war and Army combat chaplain Emil Kapaun after 70 years, inspired by the stories of the total of 419 fallen military chaplains. Admission, popcorn and soft drinks are free. Call (501) 376-4602.<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong><u>ETC.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Library Week<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Central Arkansas and North Little Rock library systems celebrate\u00a0National Library Week, kicking off with the Rock, Paper, Run 5K, 7:30-9 a.m. Sunday at the Argenta Library, 420 Main St., North Little Rock.<\/p>\n<p>The rest of the lineup:<\/p>\n<p>\u25fc\ufe0f Monday-Saturday, daily activities (including including a patron-favorites wall, library bingo and interactive games), Oley E. Rooker Library, 11 Otter Creek Court, Little Rock.<\/p>\n<p>\u25fc\ufe0f 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Amy Sanders Library, 10200 Johnson Drive, Sherwood. \u201cManga Tasting,\u201d a chance to sample manga titles (participants receive one free manga while supplies last).<\/p>\n<p>\u25fc\ufe0f 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Hillary Rodham Clinton Children\u2019s Library &amp; Learning Center, 4800 W. 10th St., Little Rock. \u201cLibrary Lovers\u2019 Luau,\u201d a celebration \u201cwith a tropical twist featuring crafts and a fruit taste test.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u25fc\ufe0f 10:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, \u201cNational Library Week Bookish Bracelets,\u201d Teen Center, CALS Main Library, 100 Rock St., Little Rock. \u201cCreate fun, book-inspired bracelets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u25fc\ufe0f 10:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, \u201cNational Library Week Storytime,\u201d Children\u2019s Center, Main Library. Storytime followed by a hands-on craft.<\/p>\n<p>\u25fc\ufe0f Noon-1 p.m. Saturday, National Library Week Painted Book Boxes, Teen Center, Main Library. \u201cDecorate a book-themed box to hold your treasures.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u25fc\ufe0f Noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Children\u2019s Center, Main Library, National Library Week Book Page Art, for ages 3-12. \u201cCreate unique art using recycled book pages.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u25fc\ufe0f 2-3 p.m. Saturday, Children\u2019s Library, Youthful Yoga + Storytime \u2014 storytime with a beginner-friendly yoga session.<\/p>\n<p>\u25fc\ufe0f 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, National Library Week Celebration, CALS Main Library, featuring free, family-friendly activities, including face painting and crafts, children\u2019s activities, Mobile Makerspace with a library joy-themed art activity, CALS Cruiser bookmobile, Rover, North Little Rock system\u2019s mobile library; and a passport services information table. Plus music from DJ Ally Lynn and food for sale from Boulevard Bread (inside the Main Library), Problem Child Pizza and The Dogfather.<\/p>\n<p>Visit RockPaperRun.org.<\/p>\n<div class=\"intext-photo inline inline_photo\" id=\"4401196\">\n<div class=\"fr-img-space-wrap\"><span class=\"fr-img-caption article-photo fr-fic fr-dii\" style=\"width: 566px;\"><span class=\"fr-img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Indie Lens Pop-Up and the North Little Rock Public Library System screen the documentary \u201cThe Librarians,\u201d following a network of librarians battling book restriction policies, Friday at the William F. Laman Public Library in North Little Rock.&#13;&#10;&#13;&#10;(Special to the Democrat-Gazette\/Indie Lens Pop-Up)\" class=\"article-photo fr-fic fr-dii\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/wehco.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com\/img\/photos\/2026\/04\/17\/LIBRARIANS_PubStill_04_t800.jpg?90232451fbcadccc64a17de7521d859a8f88077d\" width=\"800\"\/><span class=\"fr-inner\"><figcaption>Indie Lens Pop-Up and the North Little Rock Public Library System screen the documentary \u201cThe Librarians,\u201d following a network of librarians battling book restriction policies, Friday at the William F. Laman Public Library in North Little Rock. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette\/Indie Lens Pop-Up)<\/figcaption><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"fr-img-space-wrap2\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"overlay\"><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p>Also as part of National Library Week, Indie Lens Pop-Up and the North Little Rock Public Library System host a special screening of \u201cThe Librarians,\u201d a documentary that follows a network of librarians as they unite to examine how book restriction policies are shaping library collections, 6 p.m. Friday at the William F. Laman Public Library, 2801 Orange St., North Little Rock.<\/p>\n<p>Following the screening, a panel \u2014 Erin Shaw, University of Central Arkansas Graduate Library Media &amp; Information Technologies Program Coordinator; Arkansas Tech University faculty member Ashley Cooksey; and North Little Rock Public Library board president Sonny Rhodes \u2014 will share insights and discuss how the issues the film raises affect the community.<\/p>\n<p>Doors open at 5:30. Admission is free; reserve a spot by registering at programs.nlrlibrary.org\/event\/15978021.<\/p>\n<p>        <!--Author Byline Cards--><\/p>\n<div class=\"byline-card\">\n<div class=\"byline-text\">\n<h3 class=\"author\">\n<p>                        <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.arkansasonline.com\/staff\/eric-harrison\">Eric E. Harrison<\/a><\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<p class=\"author-email\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"staffer__email\" href=\"https:\/\/www.arkansasonline.com\/news\/2026\/apr\/18\/entertainment-chocolate-in-argenta-mamma-mia-at-wac\/mailto:eharrison@adgnewsroom.com\">eharrison@adgnewsroom.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Eric E. Harrison covers classical music, theater and restaurants for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He joined the then-Arkansas Democrat on the copy desk in June 1977 and served for 17 years (including the entirety of the newspaper war) as the paper&#8217;s entertainment editor before taking on his current role as features reporter. He is also host of the weekly classical music show &#8220;Major and Minor Masterpieces&#8221; on public radio station KLRE-FM, 90.5.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.arkansasonline.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let us read it for you. Listen now. Your browser does not support the audio element. THEATER Sweet song and dance Argenta Contemporary Theatre, 405 Main St., North Little Rock, stages\u00a0\u201cCharlie and the Chocolate Factory\u201d\u00a0(music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, book by David Greg, based on the children\u2019s classic by Roald [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2379105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2379104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ENTERTAINMENT-\u2018Chocolate-in-Argenta-\u2018Mamma-Mia-at-WAC-The.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2379104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2379104"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2379104\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2379106,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2379104\/revisions\/2379106"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2379105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2379104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2379104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2379104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}