Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Murry’s stages sequel; ‘Baby Shark’ show set
Elsewhere in entertainment, events and the arts:
THEATER Terrifying road trip
“Deliver Us From Mama,” by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, the sequel to their “Mama Won’t Fly,” opens in previews Tuesday and runs through May 21 at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock.
Walker Sprunt (Ryan Whitfield) is in a bind when his wife, Hayley, goes into labor with their first child in Alabama; he is in L.A., trying to get through a surprise visit from his meddling mother (Leigh Anne Marchesi) and his bossy big sister, Savannah (Paige Carpenter). Complicating matters: an air traffic controllers’ strike, which prompts Mama to proclaim, “Family Road Trip!”
Laurie Pascale, Diane Tack and Natalie Canerday return to the Murry’s stage, with Matt Mentgen, Mark Hansen and director Roger M. Eaves filling out the cast.
Doors open 90 minutes before curtain: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (except for 12:45 on the first, second and third Wednesdays), 12:45 and 6:45 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $37$41, $27 for children 15 and younger, $27 show only. Call 501) 562-3131 or visit murrysdp. com.
‘Baby Shark Live!’
Billed as “the fully immersive concert experience,” “Baby Shark Live!” swims into North Little Rock’s Simmons Bank Arena at 6 p.m. Tuesday. In the live stage show, based on the children’s TV show, Baby Shark joins up with his friend Pinkfong on an undersea song-and-dance adventure. Tickets are $20-$59.75. Visit simmonsbankarena.com or ticketmaster.com. Face masks are recommended.
MUSIC ‘Bluegrass Mass’
The combined choirs of Arkansas State University (the Concert Choir, the Chamber Singers and the Jonesboro Chorale) and bluegrass band Monroe Crossing will give concerts at 7 p.m. Monday at the Collins Theatre, 120 W. Emerson St., Paragould, and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Riceland Hall of ASU’s Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive, Jonesboro.
The centerpiece of each concert will be “The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass” by Carol Barnett with a libretto by Marisha Chamberlin. Ryan Sullivan conducts.
The ASU Concert Choir will sing Shawn Kirchner’s arrangements, with added jazz harmonies, of two Southern hymns — “Angel Band” and “Unclouded Day” — and “David’s Lamentation” by William Billings. Monroe Crossing will also play traditional bluegrass selections, classic country songs, bluegrass arrangements of hit pop songs and original melodies. Tuesday’s program will also feature the ASU Chamber Singers performing music by Billings and arrangements of several spirituals.
Tickets to Monday’s concert, part of radio station KASU-FM, 91.9’s Bluegrass Monday concert series, are $10, free for children 18 and younger; visit kasu.org/tickets. Tickets for Tuesday’s concert are $5; visit astate.edu/tickets.
DANCE Fort Smith ‘Pan’
Western Arkansas Ballet stages “Peter Pan” at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Arkansas Best Corp. Performing Arts Center, 55 S. Seventh St., Fort Smith. Executive Artistic Director Melissa Schoenfeld has choreographed the ballet to music by Stephen Warbeck and Carmon DeLeone. Ian Boyan dances the title role.
The cast of 65 area dancers ranges in age from 6 to adults. It includes members of the pre- professional company, with flying effects provided by ZFX Inc. Tickets are $30, $20 for children under 18 and college students with a valid student ID. A virtual recording watch ticket is $45. Call (479) 785-0152 or visit waballet.org.
ART Fort Smith lessons
Cody Faber, Fort Smith National Historic Site park ranger, and Bill Black, past superintendent of the historic site who assisted artist John Bell Jr. in his research for his paintings, will be the speakers for the first in a new series of talks at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith, featuring paintings by Bell (1937-2016) and discussions of the history they depict.
The inaugural session in the monthly “Landmark Lessons: Through the Art of John Bell Jr.” series will take place at 2 p.m. today in the museum’s community classroom. The session will focus on Bell’s “Marshals Series” of four paintings depicting deputy marshals in the field.
The May 15 program, “Garrison Avenue Bridge,” will feature Bell’s paintings “Hayride” and “After the Parade” with presenter Al Whitson of the Fort Smith Historical Society.
Admission is free. Lithograph prints of the featured paintings will be available for sale at a special discount the day of the programs. Call (479) 784-2787 or visit fsram.org.