Entertainment

Not one but two pieces of public art are going up in the 1200 block of South Main.

“A cathartic girls trip to the desert turns deadly when demon-worshipping incels discover their secluded house and decide to make these girls their sacrifice,” reads the film's log line.

“Broiler,” the latest book by Pope County writer Eli Cranor, entangles two couples whose lives orbit a chicken plant in Northwest Arkansas. Combining elements of expose journalism with conventions of tension and suspense, the novel sets in motion a chain reaction plot that rapidly moves through ransom demands, thefts and hostage-taking.

Kresse, a native of North Little Rock who clocked many an hour playing basketball at the facility as a boy, started on the mural in May 2023, around the time the club celebrated its 100th year in operation.

Simultaneously straightforward and opaque, Little Rock native Jeff Nichols' sixth feature-length film is more portrait than epic.

The EP, which was recorded by Jason Weinheimer of Fellowship Hall Sound and mixed by North Carolina producer Alex Farrar, comes out on Aug. 5.

The two Little Rock institutions will be joined by Chicago's REZN and Portland's The Keening.

Among a very strong cast, standout performances include Madeleine Barker as the independent and resolute Elizabeth Bennet, and Alanna Hamill Newton as the comically determined and semi-delirious Mrs. Bennet, who often stole the scene with her shrieking efforts to save the family from impending poverty.

Fayetteville artist Jason Jones painted the murals, which depict Natural State flora and fauna.

"Rope," "The Princess Bride" and "Sharknado" are also among the July lineup.

It’s hard to imagine a better-matched trio of idiosyncratic folk voices.

Little Rock native filmmaker Jeff Nichols uses his biggest budget so far to stylishly capture a spirited subculture on the brink of extinction, with three magnetic leads — Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy — to boot. 

Northwest Arkansas illustrator Chad Maupin is launching a new zine called "Rant," and the first issue centers on Chris "Clunk" Selby, best known for running Clunk Music Hall, a beloved all-ages venue in Fayetteville that operated from 1998-2002.

Make no mistake, Fox Green isn’t treading water with this new work. The band, which includes UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson on guitar, is clearly comfortable being uncomfortable, never settling into one predictable sound.

The Hendrix-Murphy Foundation's public events for the 2024-2025 school year also include visits from Alberto Rojo, Caroline Randall Williams, Katherine Tanner Silverman and Marcelo Hernández Castillo.

Jackson joined the staff as managing editor in 2020 and assumed the head position in 2021, succeeding Eliza Borné and becoming the Conway-based magazine’s first Black editor-in-chief.

Little Rock hardcore mainstay Second Life will be celebrating the release of their new EP, "Bad News."

Miraculously, James Taylor — now 76 years old — is still a touring machine. On Friday, he stopped by Simmons Bank Arena, his first performance in Central Arkansas since 2019.

On Tuesday, The Rep will stage “Pride and Prejudice,” its first major production since the 2022-2023 season ended with “Clyde’s” in June 2023. The Jane Austen adaptation runs from June 18-30 and signals the arrival of a new, shorter show schedule that will take place in the summer months.

Twenty-five Central Arkansas artists were selected for the Catalyze program, which is funded by the Windgate Foundation and includes a $10,000 grant, mentorship and professional development opportunities.