Shakespeare put to music with choir, woodwinds
MUSIC
University of Arkansas at Little Rock choirs, clarinet and flute ensembles and faculty from the university’s School of Literary and Performing Arts will take part in the school’s fall choir concert, titled “Shakespeare in Song,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall, Fine Arts Building, UALR, 2801 S. University Ave., Little Rock. The program consists primarily of vocal and choral settings of texts from plays and sonnets by William Shakespeare, including “The Tempest,” “Hamlet,” “As You Like It,” “The Merchant of Venice” and “Twelfth Night.” The UA Little Rock Chamber Ensembles will perform pre-concert music at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. Call (501) 916-3291 or email slpa@ualr.edu.
Broadway Tenors
The Broadway Tenors perform their seasonal program, “’Tis the Season,” 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home’s Vada Sheid Community Development Center, 1600 S. College St., Mountain Home. Singers Brent Barrett, David Burnham and John Cudia, all with lengthy Broadway credits, are backed by Phil Reno, music director/pianist; Micah Young, synthesizer; Marc Schmied, bass; and Charles Descarfino, drums. It’s part of the university’s 12th Performing Arts Season, with funding from the Ed and Lucretia Coulter Holiday Endowment. Tickets are $40, $20 for students (all prices, plus fees). Call (800) 965-9324 or visit thesheid.com.
ART Blacksmith lecture
Lisa Geertsen, a blacksmith and owner of Firelight Forge, will give a lecture at 6 p.m. Friday at the Windgate Center of Art and Design at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2801 S. University Ave., Little Rock. The lecture is part of the university’s artWORKS lecture series, funded by the Windgate Foundation, which “seeks to provide an enriching experience for participants to learn about art,” according to a news release. Admission is free. Email amblackwell@ualr.edu.
ETC. Clinton Center Santas
The Clinton Presidential Center, 1200 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, turns into Santa central over the next two Sundays. Chris Kennedy, a professional Black Santa from North Little Rock (featured in the documentary film “Santa Camp”) will be the special guest of honor, noon-3 p.m. Sunday; visitors can take photos (use your own camera and tag @clintoncenter when you post them). There will be festive musical performances at the top of each hour.
Jerry Sanders dons the red suit and paraphernalia, noon-3 p.m. Dec. 10, when the center celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Clintons’ first holiday season in the White House. Visitors can also make Christmas, Hanukkah and/or Kwanzaa holiday cards and crafts connected to the 1993 White House holiday theme of Angels.
Visit clintonpresidentialcenter.org/events.
AUDITIONS
AMFA auditions
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Children’s Theatre
will audition professional adult actors, 6:30-8 p.m. Dec. 5, for its spring 2024 show, “Dragons Love Tacos” by Ernie Nolan with music by Chris LaPorte, based on the book by Adam Rubin, illustrated Daniel Salmieri, in the Performing Arts Theater at the museum, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. Take a current headshot, resumé and general weekday and weekend availability; come dressed to dance and be prepared to play acting games. Adults of all races, genders, backgrounds and abilities are encouraged to audition. All cast and crew positions are paid. Rehearsals are Jan. 20-Feb. 29; production dates are March 1-24. It’s not necessary to make an appointment but it’s a good idea to RSVP by emailing theatre@arkmfa.org if you’re planning to attend.