Fort Works Art
2100 Montgomery St., Fort Worth
Through July 29
Free
Sometimes the things that unite us all aren’t the things we talk about. At least not to anyone besides our doctor, or a really, really good friend. Local artist Jay Wilkinson knows this to be true from his exploration of the human condition. He also knows that deep down, we’re all fundamentally the same, including dealings with humor, tragedy and other complexities. His latest collection, everyone poops, juxtaposes his thoughtful and analytic work of realistic figurative painting and abstract composition with a lighthearted title. Both, however, get across the same idea. Wilkinson’s exhibition, which is on display at Fort Works Art, 2100 Montgomery St., Fort Worth, comprises more than 20 oil paintings taken from candid photographs given to him by family and friends, or as he calls them, “indirect portraits.” The exhibit is free to attend and runs through July 29. For more information, visit fortworksart.com. — Diamond Victoria
Sing & Swing
Sons of Hermann Hall
3414 Elm St.
8 p.m. to midnight
$8
With the amount of paint available in craft stores and the many episodes of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross available on Netflix, taking up a new hobby is easier than ever. But what about a hobby that gets your heart pumping and your feet moving? Mixing fun with exercise never hurt anyone. (Plus, those Bob Ross paintings usually end up looking like a 12-year-old’s art project, and the cleanup is enough to have you say “never again.”) Sons of Hermann Hall, 3414 Elm St., helps everyone in need of a good time with its weekly Sing and Swing nights. Learn the basics of swing dancing or show off your Lindy Hop skills from 8 p.m. to midnight Wednesday, June 21. Beginners should arrive an hour early to learn some essential steps in the venue’s upstairs ballroom before the real fun begins. Dress up or down, but prepare your feet with some comfortable shoes. Karaoke also takes place from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. downstairs in the bar. Tickets are $8 for the night and can be purchased at the door. For more information, visit sonsofhermann.com. — Diamond Victoria
Boat Expo
Dallas Market Hall
2200 Stemmons Freeway
3-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday
Free
It’s hard to enjoy summer activities like boating if you don’t own a boat. If you don’t have a lot of money around and need a deal to scratch your boating itch, then head to the DFW Boat Expo from Thursday, July 20, to Sunday, July 23, at Dallas Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Freeway. The United Boat Dealers of North Texas’ annual trade show will feature the latest deals on the newest models and brands of boats and boating equipment. Admission is free from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Tickets are needed from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. They’re $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 5-13. Visit dallasboatexpo.com for tickets and more information. — Danny Gallagher
The Rocky Horror Show
Brookhaven College
3939 Valley View Lane
7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday
Free
Take a time warp to the castle of Dr. Frank N. Furter along with Brad and Janet in the sci-fi-horror-comedy-rock musical, The Rocky Horror Show, the stage production that inspired the cult-classic film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Brookhaven College School of the Arts and Theatre Brookhaven, 3939 Valley View Lane, present Richard O'Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. With memorable songs and outrageous situations, Rocky Horror’s enduring magic blurs the boundaries between stage and audience through audience participation. “Virgin guides” will be provided for the uninitiated. Dress in your finest fishnets, hottest high heels and glittery garments, but the event’s poster reads: “Please, no real food or glitter.” The show starts at 7:30 p.m. July 20, 21 and 22; and 2:30 p.m. July 23. Tickets are free, but seating is limited. Reserve tickets online at www1.dcccd.edu/bhc/bcsa-tickets. — Daniel Rodrigue
Catch Jay Wilkinson's solo exhibition at Fort Works Art before it closes July 29. Admission is free.
courtesy the artist
Kalita Humphreys Theater
3636 Turtle Creek Blvd.
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
$10 and up
Haven’t we all looked forward to a time when La Cage Aux Folles elicits confusion as to why one of its main characters, Georges, must feign being straight? It’d be nice if audiences scratched their heads at how silly a notion it is to feel compelled to be someone you’re not in an attempt to gain acceptance. We’re not there yet, sadly, and that’s why we still need La Cage Aux Folles and its antics. The play has been doing hard work since the early 1980s to promote equality, change attitudes and give the LGBTQ community a grand dose of self-affirmation. The Uptown Players keep that train rolling with their production of the classic Fierstein/Herman musical at Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd., which opens at 8 p.m. Friday, July 14. The show will be staged at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays through July 30; tickets are $10 to $50 at uptownplayers.org. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm
'Til Midnight
Nasher Sculpture Center
2001 Flora St.
6 p.m.-midnight Friday
Free
'Til Midnight at the Nasher represents one of Dallas’ great community events — a lawn filled with a patchwork of spread-out blankets, kids with popsicles and the buzz of conversation as people get to know everyone in their picnic proximity. It’s one of the rare times when you can actually see the arts bringing people together, and the sculptures throughout the garden area serve as a visual anchor for all of the togetherness. Beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, July 21, at the Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St., you’ll feel like part of the most inclusive family night in town. Watch kids sway to the sounds of Bryce and opening act Sudie; then settle in for a viewing of musical fantasy flick Sing Street. If you’re feeling restless, check out the Nasher’s permanent collection and special exhibitions (including Roni Horn and Manuel Neri), or participate in scavenger hunts and progressive tours throughout the evening. Onsite snacks and food will be available, and picnic dining can be procured by reservation. Admission is free. Visit nashersculpturecenter.org/engage/event?id=490 for more information.— Jennifer Davis-Lamm
I've Just Seen a Face
Arlington Museum of Fine Art
201 W. Main St.
7-9 p.m. Friday
Free
Jonathon Kimbrell's strikingly bold and attention-grabbing work owes a huge debt to pop art and pop culture. In the past, he’s cited Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Ed Ruscha and Tom Wesselmann as his primary influences, but it's often easier to spot the influences of classics from music, cinema, comic books, vintage pinups, and midcentury advertising and design in his work, which tends to weave bold colors and textures with popular contemporary iconography. His current exhibition, I've Just Seen A Face, comprises a mix of pop art portraits including John F. Kennedy, Jackie O., Marilyn Monroe, Johnny Cash, Jim Morrison and Frank Sinatra. Meet Kimbrell at the closing reception for I've Just Seen A Face from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 21, at the Arlington Museum of Fine Art, 201 W. Main St. The reception is free and includes music and light refreshments. I've Just Seen A Face is on display in the Rooftop Gallery through Aug. 9, concurrently with the Milton H. Greene: Women exhibition. For more information, visit arlingtonmuseum.org. — Daniel Rodrigue
Daniel Hale: Aerialographic
Janette Kennedy Gallery
1409 Lamar St.
5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday
Free
Daniel J. Hale specializes in bird’s-eye views: the weird patchworks and nearly abstract geometries visible from on high. Hale’s gift is a perspective that makes the ordinary appear ethereal. His cameras fly on drones, taking photos of landscapes and lending a surreal quality to southern Arkansas plats and Dallas landmarks. Hale’s work gives you that sense of wonder you feel on an airplane, as the shapes and colors below move far away from their context. Hale’s exhibition Aerialographic is a departure for the award-winning mystery author. View the stunning pieces during a reception at Janette Kennedy Gallery, 1409 Lamar St., from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 22, or during regular gallery hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays until July 31. Admission is free, and proceeds from sales benefit Heifer International. Find more information at aerialographic.com. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm
Class of '87: Innerspace
Texas Theatre
231 W. Jefferson Blvd.
3 p.m. Sunday
$2
The Oak Cliff Cultural Center presents a 30-year trip down memory lane with its Class of ’87 Series that highlights the cheesiest, funniest and best films of 1987. At 3 p.m. Sunday, July 23, at Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., take a journey to the whimsical and wonderfully weird Innerspace. This riff off the 1966 classic Fantastic Voyage follows a luckless naval aviator who volunteers for a secret miniaturization project. As with every other top-secret government science experiment in films, things don’t go as planned, and the pilot winds up in the body of another man whom he must persuade to help get him out. Despite the seemingly cheesy plot, the film — directed by Joe Dante, produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Martin Short, Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid — won an Oscar for visual effects. Purchase your $2 ticket at thetexastheatre.com. — Diamond Victoria
