1 NUTCRACKER
Professional dancers from across Russia will leap, spin and glide through a classic tale in The Great Russian Nutcracker at Robinson Center Performance Hall, Markham Street at Broadway, Little Rock. This is the 25th year for the touring production, with shows at 3 and 7 p.m. today. Tickets are $28-$126. Call (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com.
2 (SAINT) NICK
It's not too late for a personal audience with the big man himself. Santa is still making appearances at certain locations, such as the Outlets of Little Rock, 11201 Bass Pro Parkway. Visiting times can vary but posted Santa hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday to visit and take photos, with breaks to feed the reindeer. Each family receives two free 4-by-6 prints and a digital download. Call (501) 455-9100 or visit outletsoflittlerock.com.
• Next-door, crafts, games and, yes, photos with Santa, have turned the Bass Pro Shop, 1 Bass Pro Drive, Little Rock, into Santa's Wonderland through Sunday. Timed Bass Passes are required for timed visits with Santa. Santa hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Crafts are 5-7 p.m. today-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and games are open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Admission is free. Call (501) 954-4500 or visit basspro.com.
3 NOISEMAKERS
Musician Big Piph celebrates his birthday with the 4th annual Big Piph Charity Birthday Bash, 9 p.m. today at The Rev Room, 300 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. The show, hosted by Keef Glason, features a lineup of performers including Dee Dee Jones, Bijoux, SeanFresh and John Willis. Admission is $10 and will benefit jUST/Global Kids-Arkansas. Call (469) 222-4760 or (501) 823-0090 or visit revroom.com. See story on Page 4E.
4 NUANCES
"Little Rock Journal," a collection of recent paintings by Democrat-Gazette cartoonist John Deering, is wrapping up its run at Cantrell Gallery, 8208 Cantrell Road, Little Rock. The show continues through Saturday and hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free. Call (501) 224-1335 or visit cantrellgallery.com.
5 NIGHTTIME
Take a jaunt to Pine Bluff and cruise through the Enchanted Land of Lights and Legends. The drive-through trail of holiday lights is often called the state's largest, with 1.2 miles of colorful, glowing displays. It's open 6-9 p.m. daily through Dec. 31 at Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Regional Park, off U.S. 65 B, downtown Pine Bluff. Admission is free but donations are accepted. Call (870) 536-7600 or visit pinebluffcvb.org.
6 NATURE
Queen Wilhelmina State Park near Mena is celebrating Christmas in nature-theme fashion with crafts, hikes and tours. For instance, guests can make pine cone bird feeders, 3:30-4 p.m. today, decorate the "Critter Tree" outside at 4 p.m. Saturday and play Christmas games, 2-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Participation is free. Call (479) 394-2863 or visit queenwilhelmina.com.
7 NEVERLAND
It's a story behind a story told in musical form in Finding Neverland, a touring production that has already landed at Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. Based on the 2004 movie, the musical explores the inspiration behind playwright J.M. Barrie's creation of Peter Pan. Showtimes are 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. today, 8 pm. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $44-$93. Call (479) 443-5600 or visit waltonartscenter.org.
8 NICE/NAUGHTY
Two concurrent productions by the Arkansas Repertory Theatre enter the closing stretch this weekend -- call (501) 378-0405 or visit TheRep.org:
• The Gift of the Magi (music by Andrew Cooke, lyrics by Maggie-Kate Coleman, book by Jeffrey Hatcher, based on the O. Henry story) continues, 7 p.m. today-Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday on the Rep's main stage, 601 Main St., Little Rock. Tickets are $48 and $38, $25 students in advance, $15 day-of-show student rush.
• And The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello, with Grant Prewitt as Crumpet, the Macy's Christmas elf, has final shows at 7 p.m. today, 6:30 and 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday at the Rep Annex, 518 Main St., Little Rock. Tickets are $40 and $30, $20 students in advance, $15 student rush (day of show).
9 NEW RELEASES
The week of Christmas inevitably sees the release of a raft of films, hoping to attract moviegoers with holiday spare time, as well as, in some cases, qualifying for Oscar consideration. Here's a list of the films already in, or expected to show up, in theaters between now and Christmas Day:
• The Greatest Showman (PG) stars Hugh Jackman, who plays 19th-century impresario P.T. Barnum. Now playing.
• Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (PG-13), is a sequel in which four high-school kids discover an old video game console and are drawn into the game's jungle setting. Except that you don't just play Jumanji -- you must survive it. Now playing.
• Downsizing (R) stars Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig as a couple who shrink to miniature size to live in a tiny suburb, but soon learn that wealth and a life of leisure may cost more than they bargained for. Opens Friday.
• Father Figures (R) concerns brothers who set out on a quest to find their real dad. Owen Wilson, Ed Helms, Katt Williams, Glenn Close, J.K. Simmons, Terry Bradshaw, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken and Harry Shearer star. Opens Friday.
• Pitch Perfect 3 (PG-13) World-champion singers, in the performance doldrums and unemployed, reunite for an overseas USO tour. With Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld and Brittany Snow. Opens Friday.
• All the Money in the World (R) Billionaire J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer) refuses to pay off the guys who kidnapped his grandson in 1973, so his daughter-in-law (Michelle Williams) and adviser (Mark Wahlberg) become unlikely allies in a race to save the teenager's life. Opens Christmas Day.
10 NEGOTIATE
Christmas Day has become, to some, what divides last-minute Christmas shopping from the first-minute after-Christmas shopping. As happens this time of year, the weekend before Christmas, traffic increases in the vicinity of malls, strip malls, shopping centers and major intersections of commerce (including McCain Boulevard and U.S. 67-167 in North Little Rock and West Markham Street and University Avenue and Bowman Road and Chenal Parkway in Little Rock), so if you're headed into the melee, go easy on the Christmas cheer if you're going to drive, and please, be careful out there.
Weekend on 12/21/2017