FUN
Cars & Coffee
Custom, classic and exotic automobiles will be on display in the River Market Pavilions, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, for the inaugural Cars & Coffee, 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. It's part of the River Market Live! series from the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau and River Market Rise, an organization of River Market District merchants. The River Market's Ottenheimer Hall will be open during the car show for diverse eating options and beverages as well as coffee shops and breakfast restaurants in the vicinity. Sponsors are Acura of Little Rock, Express Rally and Central Arkansas Mustangers. Visit littlerock.com.
THEATER
'Laughs in Spanish'
TheatreSquared, 477 W. Spring St., Fayetteville, stages "Laughs in Spanish" by Alexis Scheer, a co-production with Stages Houston, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through May 5. The director of a swanky modern art gallery has a problem as she's trying to open a major exhibition: Her showroom is an active crime scene. And she must weigh how far will she have to go to save the show -- even if it means accepting help from her mother, a larger-than-life film-and-television star who always steals the spotlight. The cast includes Amanda Martinez, Sarah Sachi, Ricardo Pérez Dávila, Tonie Knight and Annie Wild. Tickets are $43-$68. Call (479) 777-7477 or visit theatre2.org/laughs-in-spanish.
ART
UCA student show
The University of Central Arkansas' Spring BA/BFA senior show opens with a reception at 4 p.m. today in the Baum Gallery, McCastlain Hall, UCA, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway. The exhibition is up through April 26. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday. Admission is free. Call (501) 450-5793 or email [email protected].
ETC.
Pre-eclipse residencies
Artist Russell Crotty, who creates contemporary drawings; Morton Brown, whose expertise is in managing the conservation of outdoor works of art, space planning for the integration of works of art in the landscape and managing the creation and commission of public art; and zydeco musician Sean Ardoin are in residence through April 6 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. They're all involved in festivities preceding the April 8 total solar eclipse, which Brown has been helping to plan and organize.
Crotty's work is on display through April 26 in an exhibition titled "Russell Crotty, The Art and Science of Astronomy" at UCA's Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 2150 Bruce St., Conway. He'll give gallery talks at 3:30 p.m. April 4 and 3 p.m. April 6. Brown will conduct eclipse-theme STEAM assembly and workshop with members of the UCA faculty, Monday and Tuesday at area schools. He'll give a public lecture, titled "Inflatable Public Art, LUNA the Eclipse Superhero," 7-8 p.m. Wednesday in the Windgate Center's Lecture Hall 167. And he and Ardoin will take part in an Eclipse Kick-off Event, 1:40-2:30 p.m. April 4 in UCA's Estes Stadium.
Ardoin will give a public presentation titled "Zydeco Music Speaks!," 1:40-2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Windgate Center Concert Hall.
And he and his Kreole Rock and Soul Band will give a concert at 7:30 p.m. April 4, also in the Windgate Concert Hall. Tickets are $20-$40, $10 for children, free for UCA students. Call (501) 450-3265 or (866) 810-0012 or visit uca.edu/reynolds.
Competition finals
The Arkansas Arts Council hosts the second annual Arts Across Arkansas State Finals, 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Westwind School for Performing Arts, 7308 Windsong Drive, Maumelle. Students will present or perform their final works before judges and the public; winners earn cash awards. Admission is free. For more information, email [email protected].
The mentorship and professional-development program is designed to encourage, enhance and expand high school students' original thoughts, processes, personal experiences and artistic abilities. Students were nominated by teachers in six artistic media. Judges are members of the Arts Council's Arts in Education Roster.
The 2024 finalists:
VISUAL ARTS
◼️ From the Thaden School, Addison Reibling, "The Millionaire Mindset"; Allison Whitaker, "A Story's Grasp"; Cora Hardin, "Persimmon"
◼️ From the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, Lilly Hardin, "Individuals"; Gwendolyn Oliver, "You're So Beautiful"; Charlotte Lammers, "A Divine Intervention"; Olivia Busby, "Study in Planes"; and Lyla Hill, "Strawberry Picking"
◼️ From Russellville High School, Joy Skaggs, "Medicated"
◼️ From Little Rock Southwest High School, Larry Ellis, "Untitled"
◼️ From Northside High School, Xitali Moreno, "Inner Child"
LITERARY ARTS
◼️Caroline Buxton, Siloam Springs High School and homeschool, "Last Words"
◼️ Jeremiah Johonson, Little Rock Central High School, "At The Dinner Table"
◼️ Lamis Vattoth, Little Rock Central High School, "Booth"
◼️ Mason Campbell, Brookeland High School, "A Mother's Touch"
◼️ J.J. Stone, El Dorado High School, "Like a Tree, Growing Up and Growing Out"
◼️ Laynee DeJarnette, Eureka Springs High School, "Red Coat Chapters 1-4"
FILM
◼️ Jamie Hernandez, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, "Limp"
◼️ John Sullivan, Hot Springs World Class High School, "Heartbreak"
◼️ Calen Long, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, "Oobiseum"
◼️ Madelyn Terry, Star City High School, "Beautiful"
◼️ Ciara Stephens, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, "Stages"
◼️ Corbin Pitts, North Little Rock High School, "You Don't Understand"
MUSIC COMPOSITION
◼️ Ethan Chen, Maumelle Charter High School/Studio of Linda Kennedy, "Moonlight Rainforest"
◼️ Zachary "Faith" Wesley, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, "Clarinet Solo in d minor"
◼️ Grace Adams, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, "Regal Pirouette"
◼️ Elizabeth Show, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, "Charolette's Wrath"
◼️ Alexander Back, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, "Year One Suite"
PHOTOGRAPHY
◼️ Austin Krug, Thaden School, "Years That Go By"
◼️ Shelby Rainbolt, Star City High School, "Fabulous Flamingo"
◼️ Keith Massey, Hillcrest High School, "Froggy"
◼️ Gareth Brown, Hillcrest High School, "Mir fällt ein Stein vom Herzen"
◼️ Jaycie Bagwell, Hillcrest High School, "Rainbow's End"
◼️ Cadyn Mizell, Star City High School, "For the Love of the Game"
◼️ Clint Newton, Star City High School, "Shake Your Tail Feathers"
◼️ Jose Mondragon, Star City High School, "The One in Front Always Gets Noticed"
◼️ Meera Patel, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, "Workshop"
◼️ Chasia Cooper, Eureka Springs High School, "Beyond the Lines"
◼️ Sierra Layton, Hillcrest High School, "Golden Hour"
DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY
◼️ Catherine McCraw, Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School, "Anaphylaxis"
◼️ Madison Robinson, Little Rock Central High School, "Independently Owned"
◼️ Aaliyah Davis, Hot Springs World Class High School, "Said the Victims"
◼️ Maddie Arnold, Hot Springs World Class High School, "Soup"
◼️ Danielle Rivera, Hot Springs World Class High School, "Color of Acceptance"
◼️ Alexandra Bruce, North Little Rock High School, "Dark Red"
◼️ Jamisyn Johnson, North Little Rock High School "Suit & Tie"
◼️ Kiara Davis, Hot Springs World Class High School, "Lost Ambition"
◼️ Sarahi Medrano, Hot Springs World Class High School, "Conflict Within"
◼️ Megan Burris, Hot Springs World Class High School, "Hurt"
◼️ Jadyn Daniels, Hot Springs World Class High School, "No Place to Call Home."