Here's the latest weekend entertainment roundup from Eric E. Harrison, culture reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
The six finalists of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra's inaugural “Arkansas Talent” singing contest will perform Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Robinson Center Performance Hall, 426 W. Little Rock. Markham St.) and performs in two season-ending pop concerts. Broadway. Each finalist will perform individually with the orchestra and compete for audience and jury votes. Three all-star judges will also appear: “American Idol” Season 8 winner Kris Allen, singer Bonnie Montgomery and jazz trumpeter Rodney Bullock. Two honorees, one from each concert, will collaborate with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in various ways, including participating in the “Home for the Holidays” Pops concert in December. arkansasymphony.org.
The Argenta Arts District is located along North Little Rock's Main Street between Broadway and Fifth Street, and will host Dogtown Slough in May on Fridays from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM and Saturdays from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Have a down block party.
Friday night's entertainment lineup begins at 6 p.m. and features Roper Romp Happy Hour and a 70's/80's dance party with DJ Drip Funk. At 7 p.m., Just Cuz will perform his 80s, 90s covers and current hits live on the steps of Argenta Library.
On Saturday, animals from the North Little Rock Animal Shelter will be up for adoption from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. From noon to 2 p.m., various Argenta restaurants will be offering mimosas and signature champagne to toast “Sparkling Saturday.” At 2 p.m., Four Quarter His Bar hosts a crawfish boil. At 5 p.m., Chris “Bucket” Shelton will perform live acoustic music outside the Blackberry Market. And at 7 p.m., Nick Parr and the Selfless Lovers will perform on the main stage next to the Argenta Library. Admission is free. Food and drinks cost money. argentaartsdistrict.org.
Elsewhere in North Little Rock on Saturday, take part in video game tournaments and board games, test your knowledge in a geeky trivia session, tune in to K-Pop songs, and test your cosplay skills in a costume contest. You can showcase or sponsor local vendors and artists. The North Little Rock Public Library System's Raman Con 2024 will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the William F. Raman Public Library, 2801 Orange St., North Little Rock. The event will also feature food trucks, face painting and other family-friendly activities for kids, a screening of Studio Ghibli's “Howl's Moving Castle,” and a panel featuring local Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters. Admission is free. NLRlibrary.org/lamancon.
In a rare two-night musical concert, Zach Bryan will perform with The Middle East and Levi Turner on Mondays and Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock. simmonsbancarena.com
And soprano Asmik Grigorian stars in the Metropolitan Opera's current production of Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly, playing tenor Jonathan Tetelman as Pinkerton, an American sailor who is her unfaithful lover. She sings the role of Cho Cho San, a Japanese geisha girl. “Met: Live in HD,” Saturday, May 11 at 11:55 a.m. at Movie Tavern in Little Rock and Central City 10 in Hot Springs. Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Deshon sings the role of Suzuki, and baritone Lukas Meeghem plays the role of Sharpless. Conducted by Zhang Xian. This production is a retelling of Anthony Minghella's 2006 production, which uses Bunraku puppets, among other things, as Cho Sio San's son, Thoreau. metopera.org.
Hear Eric's roundup of arts and culture events in central Arkansas every Thursday on Little Rock Public Radio at 4:44 p.m.