Here's the latest Weekend Entertainment Roundup from Eric E. Harrison, culture reporter at the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
The Little Rock Winds offers its annual Flag Day concert of marches, patriotic songs, and pop tunes at 7 p.m. Sunday June 9 on the parade grounds behind the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 E. Ninth St., in Little Rock’s MacArthur Park. The concert kicks off with the Presentation of Colors by the Little Rock Air Force Base Honor Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance and the band performing the national anthem. Blue Bell Creameries is providing free ice cream; Woodmen Life provides free hand-held flags to wave and Central Arkansas Water will supply free ice water for filling your water bottle. Admission is free; the concert will be canceled if it rains. (501) 666-0777; lrwinds.org.
THEATER
It is the final weekend of the Actors Theatre of Little Rock’s production of “26 Pebbles!” by Eric Ulloa, 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday at Pinnacle View Middle School, 5701 Ranch Drive, Little Rock. The play focuses on the 26 youngsters who died in the Dec. 14, 2012, shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, who would have been high school seniors this year. Friday’s performance marks Gun Violence Awareness Day — the theater group suggests attendees wear orange to commemorate. And they’ve rated the show PG-13 for mature content and discussion of mental illness, PTSD, death and child loss. centralarkansastickets.com.
“She Kills Monsters” by Qui Nguyen opens Friday at the Weekend Theater, West Seventh and Chester streets, Little Rock, with shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday through June 23. The theater describes the play as “a comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games — a high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres and ‘90s pop culture” that pays “a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.” centralarkansastickets.com.
And “Smoke on the Mountain,” involving a preacher and a musical family performing traditional and bluegrass gospel songs and share stories and beliefs at a North Carolina Baptist church during the Depression, continues through June 29 at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock. (501) 562-3131; murrysdp.com.
MUSIC
Up Northwest Arkansas way, country star Dierks Bentley, with opening acts Chase Rice and Zach Top, performs at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Walmart AMP, 5079 Northgate Road, Rogers. (479) 443-5600; amptickets.com.
ART
The Studio at Tanglewood, on the back side of the Tanglewood Shopping Center, Mississippi Street and Cantrell Road, Little Rock (behind Edwards Food Giant), is holding a Summer Art Party and open studio/gallery event, 5-7 p.m. Friday June 7 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday June 8, displaying the works of 20 artists in 10 studios. Admission is free. (501) 920-6388.
Tune in every Thursday at 4:44pm to hear Eric’s roundup for arts and culture events in Central Arkansas during All Things Considered on Little Rock Public Radio.