Elsewhere in entertainment, events and the arts:
TODAY
A Raisin in the Sun
A black family in 1950s Chicago, about to receive a big insurance check following the death of the family's patriarch, grapple with issues of identity, class, value, race and love in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, 7:30 p.m. today-Saturday, Dec. 13-14 and 19-21, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at the Weekend Theater, 1001 W. Seventh St., Little Rock. Tickets are $16, $12 for students, senior citizens and military. Visit centralarkansastickets.com; call (501) 374-3761 or visit weekendtheater.org.
Miracle on Market Street
A divorcee and ambitious career woman who works at New York's Macy's department store and her daughter learn the true nature of Santa Claus and the meaning of Christmas in Miracle on 34th Street, the Musical. The Royal Players stage the show at 7 p.m. today-Saturday and Dec. 12-14 and 2 p.m. Sunday and Dec. 15 at the Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St., Benton. Tickets are $15; $12 senior citizens 60 and older, members of the military and college students with valid ID; $6 for K-12 students. Visit theroyalplayers.ticketleap.com or theroyaltheatre.org; call (501) 315-5483.
Carols by candlelight
The Hendrix College Choir performs for its annual Candlelight Carol Service, 7:30 p.m. today-Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday in Greene Chapel, Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Ave., Conway. The program includes the 2019 Candlelight Carol Competition, "A Cradle Song" by John Madden of Newchurch, Wales, based on poetry by William Blake. Admission is free, reservations advisable — visit hendrix.edu/candlelight. Friday and Saturday services will also be streamed live via the website.
The choir will also perform the service at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at First United Methodist Church of Batesville, 615 E. Main St., Batesville, and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at First United Methodist Church, 6701 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock. Admission is free; no reservations are required.
FRIDAY
Sandwiching in History
The Department of Arkansas Heritage's "Sandwiching in History" series visits the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, in MacArthur Park, 503 E. Ninth St., Little Rock, noon Friday. Admission is free. Call (501) 324-9150 or visit arkansaspreservation.com/events/sandwiching-in-history-10.
Joyful tunes
Fullness of Joy Singers, one of four musical performance groups in Jonesboro's Fullness of Joy Ministries, performs at 7:30 p.m. Friday for the First Fridays at the Forum concert series at the Forum Theater, 115 E. Monroe Ave., Jonesboro. Tickets are $7, $5 for children 12 and younger, senior citizens, military and Arkansas State University students, faculty and staff. Call (870) 935-2726 or visit foajonesboro.org.
SATURDAY
Nutcracker Circus
Arkansas Circus Arts takes Peter Tchaikovsky's seasonal ballet to new "heights" through a variety of aerial and acrobatic performances as well as theatrical flying in The Nutcracker Circus, 7 p.m. Saturday at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center, Maumelle High School, 100 Victory Lane, Maumelle. Doors open at 6. Tickets are $20, $15 for children under 12; $40 VIP tickets include complimentary holiday treats and swag bag, a soft drink, front-of-house seating and separate VIP entrance. Call (501) 725-4975 or visit nutcrackercircus.bpt.me or arcircus.com.
'Mad Russian's Christmas'
The Arkansas Festival Ballet performs excerpts from Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker with the Conway Symphony Orchestra and conductor Israel Getzov for "A Mad Russian's Christmas," 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Reynolds Performance Hall, University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway. Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride is among Christmas favorites on the program; after intermission, a 10-member rock ensemble performs selections from Paul O'Neill's Trans-Siberian Orchestra accompanied by a light show. Tickets are $25-$45. Call (501) 450-3265 visit ConwaySymphony.org.
Before the show, the CSO Guild's "Nutcracker Sweets," 6-7 p.m. in Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center adjacent to the performance hall, is an opportunity to meet the dancers, enjoy treats and participate in craft activities. Admission is $5 for children and free for adults. Sponsors are ConwayCorp and Palmer Music Co. Call (501) 269-1066 or visit ConwaySymphony.org.
Forrest City Christmas concert
The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra brings its "Home for the Holidays" concert to the East Arkansas Community College Fine Arts Center, 1700 Newcastle Road, Forrest City, 6 p.m. Saturday. Geoffrey Robson conducts a mix of traditional classics as well as classical, religious and secular selections. Tickets are $25, $15 for children 12 and younger. Call (870) 633-4480, Extension 352, or visit EACC.edu.
Jazz in Pocahontas
Singer Lisa Ahia, Hawaiian/jazz guitarist Sam Ahia, trumpeter Gary Gazaway, pianist Joy Sanford, violinist/multi-instrumentalist Tim Crouch, guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Robert Bowlin and bassist David Eckert perform jazz arrangements of familiar holiday songs and Christmas hymns for Jonesboro public radio station KASU-FM, 91.9's "Jazz for the Holidays" concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Rendezvous Event Center, 106 W. Everett St., Pocahontas. Admission is by suggested donation of $15, $5 for students. Call (870) 972-2367 or visit kasu.org.
SUNDAY
Holiday open houses
Three Little Rock museums and the Governor's Mansion hold open houses to celebrate the season Sunday. Admission is free. The Division of Arkansas Heritage will provide free trolley transportation rides among them.
• See Christmas as it was in the 1800s through living history performances, craft demonstrations and hands-on activities as Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St., hosts its 52nd annual Christmas Frolic, 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Visitors can make ornaments, holiday cards, wax-sealed letters, fabric wreaths, holiday sachets and pomander balls and mix take-home bags of reindeer food. Sugar on the Floor, Lark in the Morning, Ricky Russell, Arkansas Country Dance Society and the Aeolus Recorder Group will perform and there will be readings of Clement Moore's "A Visit From St. Nicholas." Food and beverages will be available. Call (501) 324-9351 or visit historicarkansas.org.
• The annual Holiday Open House at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 501 W. Ninth St., 2 p.m. Sunday, includes the eighth annual "Say It Ain't Say's Sweet Potato Pie Contest" (amateur and professional bakers compete for bragging rights; attendees taste the pies and vote for the People's Choice Award), musical performances, a family craft room and the Arkansas Made Black Crafted Junior Edition Holiday Popup Shop, where local children and teenagers practice entrepreneurial skills selling crafts, books and paintings. Visitors can take new, unopened toys to donate to the Stop the Violence Toy Drive. Visit mosaictemplarscenter.com for information on how to enter the pie competition.
• Local music groups will sing carols and there will hands-on activities for children, 1-5 p.m. at the Old State House Museum, 300 W. Markham St. Visit oldstatehouse.com.
• At the Arkansas Governor's Mansion, 1800 Center St., 1-4 p.m., numerous trees are adorned with international ornaments by Arkansas students and youngsters can ride a train with a special gift from Santa. Visit friendsofthemansion.org/christmas-open-house.
Brass for Christmas
The Natural State Brass Band will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 4106 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock. Gretchen Renshaw James conducts. Admission ia free. Call (501) 758-2576 or visit nsbb.org.
Coterie Christmas
The Little Rock Musical Coterie celebrates Christmas, 2 p.m. Sunday at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, 4823 Woodlawn Ave., Little Rock. Sopranos LaSheena Gordon and Mary Wynston-Smith, tenor Frederic Sanders Black, baritone Kyle Forehand and organist Stanley H. Cox perform spirituals and seasonal classical works and carols. Admission is free. Call (501) 350-8988.
Electric Christmas
A young bird starting his journey south with his family for the winter gets blown off course and ends up at the North Pole in Lightwire Theater's A Very Electric Christmas, combining puppetry, theater, dance, holiday music and moving light characters, 6 p.m. Sunday in Reynolds Performance Hall, University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway. Tickets are $20, $10 for children and students. Call (501) 450-3265 or (866) 810-0012 or visit uca.edu/Reynolds.
TICKETS
Doobie Brothers at arena
Tickets — $35, $59.50, $89.50, $123.75 and $203.75 — go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday for The Doobie Brothers' 50th anniversary tour concert with "special guests" The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, 7:15 p.m. Oct. 12 at North Little Rock's Simmons Bank Arena. Michael McDonald joins Tom Johnston, Pat Simmons and John McFee for the tour. There is a limit of eight tickets per household. Visit ticketmaster.com or livenation.com.
Weekend on 12/05/2019