ENTERTAINMENT NOTES
The St. Louis Brass Quintet — Allan Dean and Ray Sasaki, trumpet; Melvyn Jernigan, trombone; Jeff Nelson, horn; and Daniel Perantoni, tuba — will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Witherspoon Auditorium, Arkansas Tech University, 407 W. Q St., Russellville. On the program: Aesop’s
Fables for brass and narrator by Anthony Plog; Dance Suite
No. 2 by Michael Praetorius; “St. Louis Blues” by W.C. Handy; Libertango by Astor Piazzolla; and a Tribute to
Pops medley, arranged by Joey Sellers, including “Basin Street Blues,” “What a Wonderful World,” “Hello Dolly!” and “Mack the Knife.”
The quintet will also offer master classes at 4:30-5:30 p.m. Monday at Witherspoon Hall. Admission to the concert and the master class is free. Call (479) 968-0368, email sreed18@atu.edu or visit the website, atu.edu/music.
Winning singers
The three winners of the Arkansas District Metropolitan Opera Auditions on Jan. 17 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock are soprano Huanhuan Ma of Philadelphia, countertenor Ray Chenez of Lockport, N.Y., and tenor Cody Laun of Hattiesburg, Miss., each of whom received cash prizes of $1,500 and the opportunity to move on to the regional competition Feb. 21 in Lexington, Ky.
Soprano Julie Farrell of Fouke, an alumna of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, won the audience favorite award. Three singers received encouragement awards of $300 sponsored by the Little Rock Opera Club.
Camelot cameo
Following a round of auditions Jan. 24, five central Arkansas youngsters — two from Maumelle (Nikolai Gordeev, 11; and Cade Larmoyeux, 10), three from Little Rock (Ryan Allen, 10; Alex Harkins, 9; and Ethan Haslauer, 11) — are finalists for a small part in the Celebrity Attractions and Phoenix Entertainment national tour of Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot, Feb. 13-15 at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center.
The producer will choose one boy to appear in three of the four performances; visitors to the Maumelle Youth Theater Facebook page can help their favorite become the “popular choice” for the fourth. Voting ends at 6 p.m. Friday.
Call (501) 244-8800 or visit ticketmaster.com for ticket information.
Lacie Cupani, designer and chief executive officer of Cupani Fashion in Little Rock, will put on the inaugural “Cupani’s Cupidon Is Inviting You!” Valentine’s Day Party, 6-9:30 p.m. Feb. 14 Ballroom D, Statehouse Convention Center, Markham and Main streets, Little Rock.
Tuesday is the deadline to buy tickets that include the Little Rock Marriott’s special Valentine dinner ($99.49 plus tax for salmon, $95.85 plus tax for chicken); the event also includes a fashion show, performances by members of the Ovation Music Academy and a DJ from Central Arkansas Entertainment; games; and photo opportunities with bodybuilders and fashion models, known for the occasion as “Cupidons.” Tickets without dinner are (plus tax) $49.99 in advance, $65.99 at the door. Visit the website, cupanifashion.com.
Night of Jazz
Jazz singer and bass player Nicki Parrott, formerly a member of the Les Paul Trio; pianist Rossano Sportiello; and twin brothers Will and Peter Anderson, clarinet and saxophone, will perform for “A Night of Jazz at the Studio Theatre,” 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Studio Theatre, 320 W. Seventh St., Little Rock.
J.B. Cross Jr. and India Cross Cheairs are hosting the concert in honor of their late father, Dr. Junius Cross, who was a jazz aficionado. Doors open at 6. The program will consist of two sets with an intermission.
Tickets are $100. Call (501) 374-2512 or email jbcross@jbcrossconstructionlaw.com.
Grand Prairie season
The National Players’ touring production of To Kill a Mockingbird, Christopher Sergel’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, will open the 2015 season 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Grand Prairie Center, Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas-Stuttgart, 2709 U.S. 165 South, Stuttgart. Tickets are $30 and $20.
The rest of the schedule (except as noted, 8 p.m.; tickets are $30 and $20): Feb. 14: Cirque Zuma Zuma March 12: Prather Productions’ touring production of the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 7:30 p.m.
April 10: Yesterday and Today — The Interactive Beatles Experience
May 30: The Remedy, faith-centered rock ’n’ roll, 7 p.m. Tickets: $15.
Season tickets are $100$150; a “Pick Three” option, good through Feb. 10, provides 10 percent discount on any three of the five performances. Call (870) 673-4201, Extension 1895.