Introducing our new Thursday feature: the Weekend Entertainment Roundup, brought to you by Eric Harrison, feature reporter from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
THIS WEEK IN AREA THEATERS: Travis Ledoyt, billed as "The World's Best Young Elvis," is back Thursday through Saturday at Murry's Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock. Starting Wednesday and running through April 27: the Arkansas premiere of "Grumpy Old Men: The Musical." Visit murrysdp.com.
At the Weekend Theater, 1001 W. Seventh St. at Chester Street, Little Rock, the world premiere of "Call Me Mara" by Little Rock lawyer and playwright Phillip Hal McMath, closes out its run, 7:30 p.m.Friday through Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit weekendtheater.org.
Actors Theatre of Little Rock continues its run of the musical "Spring Awakening" this weekend, 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday, through March 23. Visit centralarkansastickets.com.
And Benton's Young Players are staging "Mary Poppins Jr.", 7 p.m. today-Saturday
and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St., Benton. Visit theroyalplayers.ticketleap.com.
IN MUSIC: Arkansas Symphony musicians perform chamber ensemble works by Paul Hindemith, Igor Stravinsky and John Cheetham for a Neighborhood Concert, 7 p.m. today in the Stella Boyle Smith Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building, UA Little Rock, 2801 S. University Ave., Little Rock. Admission is free but you'll have to register in advance. Visit arkansassymphony.org
ASO principals Andrew Irvin, violin, and David Gerstein, cello, join pianist Julie Cheek to play works by Friedrich Hermann and Johannes Brahms at a Festival of the Senses concert titled "Two Romantics: Virtuosity & Melody," 7 p.m. Sunday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 4106 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock. Admission is free. (501) 753-3578.
Pianist and music director Michael Rice, now based in New York but a familiar presence in Central Arkansas, headlines "Michael Rice: A Homecoming Concert," 2 and 7p.m. Sunday at the Argenta Contemporary Theater, 405 Main St., North Little Rock. Joining Rice: area performers Bob Bidewell, Jean Cantrell, Karen Q. Clark, Sarah Dailey, Daniel felton, Ben Grimes, Lauren Lasseigne, Kathryn Pryor, Claire Rhodes Amanda Smith, Judy Trice and Will Trice. Visit argentacontemporarytheatre.org
The Little Rock Chamber Winds perform a program titled "Chautauqua: Music of the Winds," featuring three woodwind trios and a mixed-winds ensemble, 7:30 p.m. today at UA-Pulaski Tech's Center for Arts and Humanities Theater, 3000 W. Scenic Drive North Little Rock. Admission is free. Visit lrwinds.org
AND IN OTHER ENTERTAINMENT: The world's top 40 Professional Bull Riders "Unleash the Beast" this weekend at North Little Rock's Simmons Bank Arena, competing for 2024 PBR World Champion, 7:45 p.m. Friday and 6:45 p.m. Saturday. Call (800) 732-1727 or visit ticketmaster.com
Correction: the Hot Springs St. Patrick's Day Parade is actually 98 feet, not 87. Don't worry though; it's still the shortest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world.
