ENTERTAINMENT NOTES: Ballet company represents Mexican folklore on UCA stage

“Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez” will be onstage Saturday Jan. 29 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
“Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez” will be onstage Saturday Jan. 29 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)

In entertainment, events and the arts this weekend:

DANCE: Folk ballet

"Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez" will be onstage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Reynolds Performance Hall, University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway. Founded in 1952 by dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernandez, the company combines the music, dance and costume of Mexican folklore from pre-Colombian civilizations through the modern era. Tickets are $30-$40, $10 for children and students. Call (501) 450-3265 or (866) 810-0012 or visit uca.edu/Reynolds.

MUSIC: Quartet at tavern

Most music fans don't think of the White Water Tavern, 2500 W. Seventh St., Little Rock, as a chamber-music venue, but it will be this weekend. At 6 p.m. Sunday, Arkansas Symphony violinists Katherine Williamson and Geoffrey Robson, violist Timothy MacDuff and cellist David Gerstein play works by Jesse Montgomery, Gyorgy Ligeti, Felix Mendelssohn and Florence Price. The concert kicks off a planned chamber music series at the venerable Capitol View tavern. Tickets are $10; proof of vaccination or negative covid-19 test are required to enter. Visit whitewatertavern.com.

Quartet at ASU

  photo  Catalyst Quartet — (from left) Paul Laraia, viola; Karlos Rodriguez, cello; and Abi Fayette and Karla Donehew-Perez, violins — performs today Jan. 27 at the Fowler Center at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Ricardo Quinones)
 
 
Catalyst Quartet — Karla Donehew-Perez and Abi Fayette, violins; Paul Laraia, viola; and Karlos Rodriguez, cello — performs at 7 p.m. today in Riceland Hall, Arkansas State University's Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive, Jonesboro. The concert is part of the center's performing arts series. The program: "Lyric Quartette" ("Musical Portraits of Three Friends") by William Grant Still; "String Quartets" in D major, op. 1 No. 6, and c minor, op. 1 No. 4, by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de St. Georges; and the "String Quartet No. 2" in a minor by Florence B. Price. The Fowler Center will follow safe-seating guidelines. Tickets are $18-$33. Call (870) 972-3687 or visit AState.edu/tickets.

ART AND EXHIBITS: 'Painting' on display

"Painting," works by nine artists from Arkansas, Maryland, New York City, Virginia, Kansas and California, opens with a 4-7 p.m. reception today in the Baum Gallery, in McCastlain Hall, University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway.

Curator for the exhibition, up through Feb. 17, is gallery director Brian Young, who describes it as "meant to show all the possibilities through this most traditional medium." Admission is free. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. -5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday. Call (501) 450-5793 or visit uca.edu/art/baum. Covid-19 protocols are available at uca.edu/coronavirus.

Selfie space

The Mid-America Science Museum, 500 Mid America Blvd., Hot Springs, on Friday is opening "Point of View," a special area to promote the taking of selfies. An adjacent area will display cameras and photography. Patrons are encouraged to take selfies there through the rest of the year and post them to Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #MASMSelfie.

Museum hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $12, $10 for children 3-12, $11 for attendees 65 and older, teachers and military. Call (501) 767-3461 or visit midamericamuseum.org. The museum follows the CDC guidelines for masks and social distancing.

Photo competition

The South Arkansas Arts Center, 110 E. Fifth St., El Dorado, is accepting entries for its annual photography competition, "The Viewfinder," on display Feb. 8-25 in the center's Merkle and Price Galleries.

Submit up to two framed photographs along with a completed entry form (find it at tinyurl.com/4cwj65py) and the entry fee for each piece ($10 for each; center members get one free entry). Photographers can use any type of camera and print on any medium. Basic corrective editing in the dark room or digitally on the computer is allowed, but no graphic manipulations. Rules and more information are available at tinyurl.com/yepvxx4d.

Deliver entries to the center by Feb. 4; any work submitted can be reproduced for promotional purposes. Winning entries can also be published in the quarterly El Dorado Insider, which is co-sponsoring the competition with the center and the Diamond Agency. Photographs must not have previously shown at the center.

Competition judge Dero Sanford, a Little Rock photographer, will hand out $1,000 in cash prizes — best of show ($500), first place ($250), second place ($150) and third place ($100) — at an artist's reception, 5:30-7 p.m. Feb.17.

Call (870) 862-5474.

AUDITIONS: PB 'Outsiders'

The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas will hold auditions for actors age 12 and older for "The Outsiders," Christopher Sergel's adaptation of the classic by S.E. Hinton, Feb. 12-13, by appointment only, in the center's Catherine M. Bellamy Theater, 701 S. Main St., Pine Bluff. Auditions will consist of readings from the script; "sides" will be available at the audition or in advance by emailing Lindsey Collins at [email protected]. Production dates are April 15-17 and 22-24. Register at asc701.org/auditions.

ETC.: End of the world?

Brad Taylor, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and Special Forces veteran, discusses "End of Days: A Pike Logan Novel," his latest book, virtually via Zoom, 6:30 p.m. today. The thriller involves a serial killer on the loose in the heart of Rome that leads to a plot to bring about the end of the world. It's part of the Central Arkansas Library System's "Six Bridges Presents" series. Participation is free but it's necessary to register — visit www.cals.org/event/brad-taylor. Email [email protected] for more information.

'Naturally Arkansas'

"Naturally Arkansas," a series of monthly interactive programs from the Central Arkansas Library System on nature in Arkansas with Master Naturalist Lynn Foster, debuts today via Zoom. For the inaugural program, Foster and guest Myron Means explore "Lions, Wolves, and Bears in Arkansas." Subsequent programs, slated to continue through September with the potential to continue if there's sufficient interest, will explore how individuals can reduce their impact on the environment. "Admission" is free. A list of subsequent programs and how to link up to them is at cals.org/naturally-arkansas-series.

Theater camp

Argenta Community Theater, 405 Main St., North Little Rock, is registering students for its ACTing Up 2022 summer theater camp, expanding from two to three weeks — June 13-July 1 — culminating in a fully camper-produced production of "Disney's Moana Jr." Instruction is available in musical theater dance, vocal music, stage and film acting and stagecraft and technical theater. Tuition is $400 with a $50 materials fee; "early bird" total cost if you register before noon Feb. 15: $395. Visit argentacommunitytheater.org/education.

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