Grave Digger and pals roll into Simmons Bank Arena with ‘Monster Jam.’
Elsewhere in entertainment, events and the arts:
Short film fest
The Arkansas Public Theatre and StudioChunky will host and present the first Rogers Short Film Fest for “Official Selection” screening, 3-6 p.m. Aug. 21, with a 7-8 p.m. awards ceremony, at the Victory Theater, 116 S. Second St., Rogers.
Doors open at 2. Concessions will be available. Screening tickets are $5, awards ceremony tickets are $15. Visit arkansaspublictheatre.org.
The festival will accept short film submissions until Aug. 18 and the list of official selections will be released Aug. 19. Submission guidelines are available at arkansaspublictheatre.org under “Rogers Short Film Fest” or email manager@arkansaspublictheatre.org.
Monster Jam
Grave Digger, driven by Tyler Menninga; Zombie, driven by Bari Musawwir; Whiplash, driven by Brianna Mahon; and Soldier Fortune Black Ops, driven by Tony Ochs, will be among the monster trucks taking part in “Monster Jam,” 7 p.m. Sept. 11 and 3 p.m. Sept. 12 at North Little Rock’s Simmons Bank Arena.
Tickets — $27, $37 and $52 (plus service charges) — go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the arena box office or at ticketmaster.com. There is an eight-ticket limit.
Also on sale: pit passes, $20, for the Monster Jam Pit Party, 4:30-6 p.m. Sept. 11. Fans can see the trucks up close, watch live pre-race interviews and participate in question-and-answer sessions with the drivers, get pre-signed autograph cards and take pictures. Attendees must also have an event ticket.
Wildwood season
Wildwood Park for the Arts, 20919 Denny Road, Little Rock, opens its 202122 season Sept. 24-25 with “Westoberfest,” two days of Bavarian-theme food, beverages, “fun” and musical performances.
The rest of the lineup:
■ Oct. 8: Music in the Wild — saxophonist Merlon Devine, Butler Gazebo
■ Nov. 3-21: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music,” in collaboration with the Argenta Community Theatre, Cabe Theatre
■ Dec. 3: Music in the Wild — “A Rodney Block & Friends Christmas,” Cabe Theatre
■ April 1-10: “Sister Act” (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellne, with additional material by Douglas Carter Beane, based on the film of the same name), in partnership with Praeclara, Cabe Theatre
■ April 22-24: Lanterns Festival, food and performances from six different world cultures.
■ May 6: Music in the Wild — “Wild Women,” performances by female Arkansas performers, Butler Gazebo
■ June 3: Music in the Wild, performer(s) to be announced, Butler Gazebo.
Visit wildwoodpark.org.
‘Elf’ auditions
Benton’s Royal Players will hold auditions for “Elf The Musical” (music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, book by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan, adapted from the 2003 film), 1-8:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at Dance! Infinity, 2618 Congo Road, Benton.
An appointment is required; sign up by Sept. 1 and fill out the audition form at tinyurl.com/5dfc74kv. Auditioners should prepare to sing 16-32 bars of a song from the show or in the style of the show (for children 10-12, a song of choice) with an accompaniment track that must not include vocals, and provide a link to the music when they sign up for auditions.
Callbacks will be at 3 p.m. Sept. 12 at Dance! Infinity. Rehearsals begin Oct. 10. Production dates are Dec. 2-12. Email rpypauditions@gmail.com.