5 Things to Do, July 4-8

You may only have to work four days this week, but don’t shortchange yourself. There are five full nights ahead, ready to fill with summer diversions of all kinds. Make the most of them with a variety of outdoor celebrations and indoor amusements, including plays, fireworks and festivals. You’ll find our suggestions for loading up your week below:

Third Annual Poetry ‘N Fireworks
7 p.m. Monday, July 4
Ash Studios
3203 Ash Lane
Free

Get a bird’s eye view of the always spectacular Fair Park fireworks extravaganza with an added bonus: rhythm and verse. This annual event held by the South Dallas movers and shakers at Ash Studios includes an open mic poetry event and live music from Spencer Kenney’s newest project, Baby J. Celebrate your freedom of expression — and your freedom to BYOB. Admission is free.

Dallas Summer Musicals presents 42nd Street
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 5
Music Hall at Fair Park
909 1st Ave.
$21 to $106

Hear that? It’s the “Lullaby of Broadway” and it’s luring you into the Music Hall at Fair Park, 909 1st Ave., for Dallas Summer Musicals’ production of 42nd Street. The classic Broadway tale of a newly arrived ingénue who stumbles into a starring role on the Great White Way at the height of the Depression is packed with earworms and fancy footwork — all part of an exuberant production that takes up residence in Dallas through Sunday, July 10. Performances are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with additional 1:30 matinees on Thursday, July 7; Saturday, July 9; and July 10. Tickets to the tap-tastic celebration of chorus lines, big dreams and bigger shows are $21 to $106 at dallassummermusicals.org.

Family Movie Night: Shaun the Sheep Movie
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 6
Levitt Pavilion
100 W. Abram St., Arlington
Free

If you’re going to be subjected to a kiddie movie, might as well make it something subversive and delightful and over-the-top British. Also: free. The premise of the film involves the fuzzy ruminant inhabitants of Mossy Bottom Farm as they engage in a grand adventure that appeals to the little ones by way of its charming claymation and silly gags, despite the fact that there isn’t a single line of dialogue. Adult viewers will appreciate visual references to pop culture touchstones like Silence of the Lambs and Cape Fear, as well as the distinctive Python-inspired humor. Drag out a couple of lawn chairs and a picnic basket for a breezy, family-friendly night under the stars; find out more at levittpavilionarlington.org.

Rover DramaWerks presents "10 Minute Play Festival”
8 p.m. Thursday, July 7:
Rover DramaWerks
221 W. Parker Road, Plano
$16-$22

Short summer attention spans can breathe easy at this annual festival of short comedies. Nine 10-minute plays were selected from more than 300 submissions from around the world, resulting in a quick-moving program packed with one-liners, physical comedy and various and sundry gaffes. Plays will compete for an overall audience prize; tickets can be purchased at roverdramawerks.com.

Stacy Has a Thing for Black Guys
8 p.m. Friday, July 8
Latino Cultural Center
2600 Live Oak St.
$10 to $25

We’re hearing nothing but love for this debut from drama collective The Tribe and local playwright Rueben Carrazana. In his first outing as a professional playwright, Carrazana tackles love, lemonade and race in a provocative piece starring Alexandra Lawrence, Christopher Dontrell Piper and Brian Wick. Expect some squirm-inducing dialogue as the play probes what Carrazana refers to as the “artifice of intimacy” in a relationship — uncovering some hard truths by way of brazen words. Buy tickets at the-tribe.ticketleap.com/stacy.