fun
4th annual Pulaski County Fair will be held from Friday, May 27th through May 27th at North Little Rock's Riverfront Park, 120 Riverfront Drive, on the banks of the Arkansas River. (The fair is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.) The fair also features the PBJ Happy Days Show Carnival midway through, featuring rides, fun games, a petting zoo, innovative vendors, and gourmet food from traditional fair favorites. A variety of food options are available, including sweets. The fair will debut the new BMX Sports feature and the Beer Tent, which will offer live music and adult beverages.
Presenter/Sponsor is Oaklawn Hot Springs. Admission is $5, children 10 and under are free. A one-way ticket costs $1. Unlimited rides are available for an all-day wristband ($22 through Friday, $30 thereafter) at the Little Rock Tourism Bureau, 600 Main St., North Little Rock. A portion of the fair's proceeds will benefit North Little Rock Parks & Recreation. Visit thepulaskicountyfair.net or facebook.com/thepulaskicountyfair.
music
Chamber “HEARTbeats”
The Close Up! The Steinway Salon Chamber Series concludes the 2023-24 season with a concert titled “Steinway Salon Chamber Series.” “Heartbeat,” Sunday, 3 p.m., Steinway Piano Gallery Little Rock, 657 Arkansas 365, Mayflower. Timothy McDuff (viola) and Jayon Park (piano) perform Rebecca Clarke's Passacaglia on Old English Songs. Leanne Day Simpson (violin) and Hyesin Shin (piano) will perform William Grant Still's Suite for Violin and Piano. Shin and David Gerstein (cello) will perform Toru Takemitsu's “Orion” for cello and piano. And violinist Meredith Maddox Hicks will perform Antonín Dvořák's Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, Op. 81, with Day Simpson, McDuff, Gerstein and Park. Tickets are $25, $10 for students. Call (501) 940-1562 or visit steinwaylr.com/close-up.
theater
“Break the box”
“Break the box” A live performance that combines documentary theater and fiction, video footage, and music to examine race, education, and the “school-to-prison pipeline” in America will be held at Ameline/Calhoun's Glass Box this Friday at 6:30 p.m. go up on stage. Arkansas Museum of Art, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. Producer and actor Keith Harper and moderator Alexandria Brown will lead discussions after each performance. Because of this subject matter, the show's producers recommend it for viewers ranging from high school students to adults. This is part of his Sparking Dialogue Through Drama series, supported by the Alice L. Walton Foundation, which provides socially themed theatrical experiences for teenage audiences. Admission is free. Visit events.arkmfa.org/event/sparking-dialogue.
art
“Fierce women”
“Fierce women” Paintings by Katherine Strauss that explore themes of racism, gender bias, and social contradictions will be on display at the Argenta Art District's Third Friday Art Walk Reception Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. It will be exhibited at the Argenta Library Gallery, 420 Main Street, Little Rock. The exhibition will run until June 7th. Library hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free. Call (501) 687-1061 or visit NLRlibrary.org.
etc.
“Butterflies and Bees”
QuailForever's Leslie Fowler Cooper will speak on the following titles: “Butterflies and Bees” 9 a.m. Saturday at the Bell House in the heart of Mount Holly Cemetery, 1200 Broadway, Little Rock, part of the 2024 Mount Holly Garden Series. The session also includes coffee and door prizes. Admission is by $5 donation. Proceeds will be donated to the cemetery. Please bring your own lawn chair. Call (501) 372-3372 or email mewtfrontporchlady@gmail.com.
audition
2 performance audition
The Actors Theater of Little Rock will hold auditions for two productions by appointment May 25th at 10 a.m. at Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church, 1601 Louisiana St., Little Rock.
◼ “What the Constitution Means to Me” by Heidi Schreck. The audition consists of a script reading. Once the audition is booked, the theater will offer “sides.” Those auditioning must be 14 years of age or older by July 1st. There are no pre-cast roles. All roles are compensated. Directed by Laura Grimes. Production dates are from September 11th to September 21st. Rehearsals are scheduled to begin around July 29th.
◼ “Dance Nation” by Claire Barron. Those auditioning must be 18 years of age or older by August 1st. There are no pre-cast roles. All roles are compensated. The audition consists of a script reading. “Sides” will be available once your reservation is complete. The play will involve dancers ranging in age from 11 to 14, but performers of all ages are welcome, whether they resemble teenagers or not, and dancers of all experience levels and non-dancers are welcome. People are also encouraged to audition. This program contains depictions of coarse language, self-harm, and sexual situations. According to the website actorstheatrelr.org/auditions, “characters will also be shown moments when they are getting ready on stage, and may require actors to dress or undress on stage.” Directed by Lauren Carlton. The production period is October 30th to November. 9; Rehearsals will begin around mid-August.
A cast breakdown, plot summary, and other information can be found at actorstheatrelr.org/auditions. To make a reservation, please email casting@actorstheatrelr.org.
ticket
martin lawrence
Comedian Martin Lawrence is headlining his first comedy tour since 2016. “Do you guys know what that is?” The tour will take to Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock for a show on April 5 at 8 p.m. Guest comedians will be Deon Cole and Benji Brown. Tickets — $49.50 to $129.50 — go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the arena box office or online at ticketmaster.com or martinlawrenceontour.com.