Spa City museum hosts traveling toy exhibit

"Toytopia," a traveling exhibit that a news release describes as "an immersive and interactive experience exploring the history of some of the most popular toys of the past and present," opens Saturday in the Hall of Wonder at the Mid-America Science Museum, 500 Mid America Blvd., Hot Springs.

Created by Stage Nine Exhibitions, the exhibit, up through Sept. 3, showcases top toymakers, including Hasbro, Duncan Yo-Yo, Schleich, Breyer, Crayola and KNEX (Lincoln Logs). It also features the world's largest Etch A Sketch, a retro '80s arcade area with working classic games, a life-size doll house, a Lego play area and a life-size Monopoly car and game board.

Museum hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $12, $10 for children 3-12 and senior citizens 65 and older, $11 for teachers and military. Call (501) 767-3461 or visit midamericamuseum.org.

MUSIC

Flag Day Salute

The Little Rock Winds presents its annual Flag Day Salute, 7 p.m. Sunday on the former parade ground behind the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 E. Ninth St. in Little Rock's MacArthur Park. A concert of marches, patriotic songs and show tunes follows a Presentation of Colors by the Little Rock Air Force Base Honor Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem. The band will play the service songs of all the U.S. Armed Forces to recognize veterans and active members of the military. Israel Getzov conducts. Admission is free; take lawn chairs and picnic baskets.

Blue Bell Creameries will provide free ice cream and Woodman Life will provide free hand-held flags. Central Arkansas Water will provide free ice water for your water bottle. The band will also hold a silent auction for the conductor's baton to conduct the performance of Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride" during the band's Dec. 7 Christmas concert. Sponsor is Stone Bank. Co-host is Little Rock Parks and Recreation.

Parking is available around the park. A designated drop-off area for people with disabilities will be available on the east parking lot near the parade ground. A rain plan is to be announced. Call (501) 666-0777 or visit lrwinds.org.

THEATER

Royal 'Little Mermaid'

The Royal Players stage "Disney's The Little Mermaid" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, book by Doug Wright, based on the Disney animated film and on a story Hans Christian Andersen), 7 p.m. today-Saturday and June 15-17 and 2 p.m. Sunday and June 18 at the Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St., Benton. Amaya Hardin plays Ariel, with Tyler Mann as Prince Eric, Julie Atkins as Ursula the Sea Witch, Xavier Jones as Sebastian the crab, Nick Farr as King Triton and Lawrence Hobbs Jr. as Flounder. The June 15 performance is understudy night. Sponsor is Everett Chevrolet. Tickets are $18, $15 for senior citizens 60 and older, college students with ID and members of the military, $8 for K-12 students. Visit theroyalplayers.ticketleap.com. For more information, call (501) 315-5483, visit theroyaltheatre.org or email [email protected].

Jubilus 'Vision'

The Jubilus Dinner Theater at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 1321 S. Van Buren St. Little Rock, stages "20/20 Vision," a musical created by church parishioners, 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets -- $30, $20 for senior citizens 65-plus, $10 for children 3-10 -- including a "gourmet dinner box," with choice of roast beef, chicken salad or "gluten free/vegan" with hors d'oeuvres, two sides and dessert; show-only tickets are $15, $10 and $5. Call (501) 570-7758.

COMEDY

Luenell homecoming

Arkansas-born comedian Luenell will perform two shows, 7 and 10 p.m. Saturday at the Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave., Little Rock. Doors for the first show open at 6 p.m., for the second at 9. General admission tickets are $45 with a limited number of preferred seating tickets at $55. Beer, wine and concessions will be available. Visit tinyurl.com/kb54ccnt. Luenell, born in Tollette, Ark., and raised in Oakland, Calif., has her own YouTube show -- "Hey Luenell." She recently wrapped up a nine-month tour with comedian Katt Williams. She appears in the first and second seasons of HBO's "Hacks."

ART

Gallery semi-centennial

The Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St., Little Rock, celebrates the 50th anniversary of its Trinity Gallery for Arkansas Artists during the museum's 2nd Friday Art Night, 5-8 p.m. Friday with the opening of the exhibit "Celebrating Trinity Gallery: 50 Years of Arkansas Artists." The exhibit, up through Sept. 24, includes 50 years of contemporary art that has been on display at the museum, including pieces by Al Allen, Elsie and Louis Freund, Jorge and Maria Villegas and Henri Linton. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Call (501) 324-9351 or visit tinyurl.com/35kxpb64.

FILM

Big hair, big screen

The 1988 comedy "Hairspray" returns to big screens this week in honor of its 35th anniversary:

◼️ Sunday, 4 and 7 p.m. at the Colonel Glenn 18 in Little Rock, the Towne Center in Conway; 4 p.m. at the Movie Tavern Little Rock and the Razorback Cinema in Fayetteville, Pinnacle Hills in Rogers and the Malco Fort Smith Cinema

◼️ Wednesday, 7 p.m. at the Colonel Glenn 18, Movie Tavern and Towne Center and at the Razorback Cinema in Fayetteville, Pinnacle Hills in Rogers and the Malco Fort Smith Cinema.

Ticket information is available at fathomevents.com.

Director John Waters provides one introduction to each screening, discussing his creative process behind the film and its enduring status; film historian and critic Leonard Maltin breaks down the film in another.

Ricki Lake plays rebellious and "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad, whose dream is to become a featured star on "The Corny Collin Show," a popular Baltimore dance show and win the coveted "Miss Auto Show" crown. The cast also includes Divine, Sonny Bono, Debbie Harry, Jerry Stiller, Josh Charles and Ric Ocasek.

ETC.

Health/community expo

The Argenta Library, 420 Main St., North Little Rock, hosts the second annual Health and Community Expo, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday. The expo, in partnership with Hospice Home Care, features vendors providing information and services, including health care, counseling, senior care and financial advice. Admission is free. The Our Blood Institute Bloodmobile will be outside the library from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; schedule appointments at tinyurl.com/27593a5f. All donors will receive a limited-edition Life Is Better... T-shirt and free admission to Magic Springs. The M&M Soul Food & More food truck and Daisy Pastry Shoppe will supply comestibles; there will be contests and raffles. Call (501) 758-1720 or visit NLRlibrary.org.

Print Headline: Toytopia salutes toys, games in Spa City stint

Copyright © 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.

All rights reserved.

This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.

Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. All rights reserved.