This week’s 5 best bets for arts & culture in Las Vegas

‘Beautiful’

It’s got a beat — and a heartbeat. But there’s not much more time to feel the earth move as “Beautiful — The Carole King Musical” winds up its run at The Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall, tracing the title character’s rise from teen songwriter to singer-songwriter superstar. Performances continue at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; for tickets ($29-$127), call 702-749-2000 or visit www.thesmithcenter.com.

Iris DeMent

Merle Haggard once called singer-songwriter Iris DeMent “the best singer I have ever heard.” You can judge for yourself when DeMent checks into The Smith Center’s Cabaret Jazz at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday to explore her Southern roots with tunes from her “Trackless Woods” album; call 702-749-2000 or visit www.thesmithcenter.com for tickets ($39-$59).

‘Tapestry Unraveled’

And if you just can’t get enough Carole King, Michelle Johnson checks into The Smith Center’s Cabaret Jazz at 3 p.m. Sunday for “Tapestry Unraveled,” which finds the Las Vegas singer performing King’s blockbuster 1971 album in its entirety, blending the songs with stories behind the music. For tickets ($20-$35), call 702-749-2000 or visit www.thesmithcenter.com.

Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Marsalis wasn’t in Washington, D.C., last week to pick up his National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama. But he’ll be at The Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to demonstrate why he won it, leading the best big band in the land (or anywhere else, for that matter): the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra , performing old standards and new works with virtuoso verve . Tickets are $29 to $125; call 702-749-2000 or visit www.thesmithcenter.com for details.

‘Octonauts’

Coronado High School grad Daniel Hersh, as Capt. Barnacles, leads the eight-member crew of “Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure,” an interactive musical show based on the children’s book and Disney Junior television series that docks at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion at 6 p.m. Friday. Tickets ($44.85-$56.15) are available at 702-749-3267 or unlvtickets.com.