Chipping Smooth Immersive theater is not a synonym for participatory theater. So you won't need to bring a monologue or warm up your vocal chords before attending Chipping Smooth this weekend. In fact, please don't. It does mean that you will be part of the theatrical experience. You'll be amidst the performers as they ignore conventional methods of theatrical performance and dramatic narrative to embrace everything from music to multimedia, to poetry to cinematic projections. There won't be aisle seats, plots, or intermissions, so we're really not sure what you should expect. But this free night of entertainment is happening for one weekend only with performances at 8:30 p.m. Thursday - Sunday nights. Oh, and by the way it happens in the carriage house behind 201 N. Montclair Ave. Yeah, you're in for an adventure.
We may not know much about the event, but we know we certainly won't be missing it. Questions? Email [email protected].
Thursday, July 31 Ewing Night You look like you could use a laugh. Head to Dallas Comedy House at 9:30 p.m. Thursday where the local funny troupe will have you laughing until you're slaphappy. It's Ewing Night, which means they'll be looking for the audience to create scenarios for them. Let them turn your cranky coworkers into the punch line. $10 at the door.
Closing Reception of Ben Sansbury/ Jaakko Pallasvuo at Goss-Michael Foundation See this stunning exhibition before it closes for good. If Sansbury's Next, Now, Then and Pallasvuo's Largely Abandoned Conventional Titles (Blueberry - Acai EDM + Omega-3) weren't enough reason to swing by this exhibition before it closes, you should see the work of Nathan Green before this rising star takes his light to more fertile pastures. In a few years, you can brag and say you knew him when. The free reception starts at 6 p.m.
One Man Show: Rated (R)awlins Think about this night at the theater like you would any other one night stand. Except perhaps this time you'll have wiled away the hours with a lively, charming man you won't regret in the morning. For years, Rawlins Gilliland was a welcome voice on public radio, telling stories with poetic insight. He earned listener's affection with tales of a life well-lived and now this bon vivant has written one of the year's most popular one-man shows. After a sold-out evening at Sons of Hermann Hall in May, Gilliland returns to the microphone for One-Man Show: Rated (R)awlins at the Kessler Theater at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. This magical evening of storytelling is - sadly - already sold-out.
Friday, August 1 Mattuna by Matt Rox Get to know Matt Rox, a native Dallas artist, whose newest creation is the webcomic, "Mattuna." It promises a cartoon aesthetic and twisted sense of humor, but you'll have to head to Two Bronze Doors at 7 p.m. Friday to get the first look. The artist will be present, creating scenes while guests enjoy coffee and cupcakes.
Unburden - Performance by Erica Felicella Part installation, part performance, Unburden explores the possibilities of depositing unproductive thoughts and walking away without the baggage. It sounds like abstract modern dance meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. See the performance at RO2 Art Gallery (110 N. Akard) from 7 - 9 p.m. Friday.
Stiff at Fun House Theatre and Film In Jeff Swearingen's new play Stiff- which opens at Fun House Theatre and Film August 1 - the producer at Tin Box Theatre finds Mickey Blake, the city's most powerful critic, dead after a show's opening night. The producer, director and playwright don't want the critic to have died in their show, so what ensues is part Bullets Over Broadway, part Weekend at Bernie's. Tickets are $10. Saturday, August 2 Nausicaa It's not very often that an artist gets something right on first try. But Hayao Miyazaki may be the exception. Many critics regard his debut film, Nausicaa, to be his masterwork. Certainly, it redefined the possibilities of storytelling in animated films, creating a landscape that was picturesque, with a story that captures the imaginations of the young minds and the nostalgia of the older. That is why it's the perfect film to launch the month-long celebration of the filmmaker's work at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, which features film screenings, traditional Japanese refreshments and one full Kaiseki dinner and Sake pairing. Join the Modern and the Lone Star Film Society's ArthouseFW Society as the celebrate the career of one of Japan's most masterful artists. Tickets to the screenings are $9. For more information visit the modern.org
Prints!Prints!Prints! This summer may go down as the season of printmaking. Thus far, we've had parties dedicated to the often over-looked art form, as well as live displays of the complicated process of paint, emulsions, scraping and pressing. The upcoming exhibition at Cohn Drennan Contemporary, Prints!Prints!Prints!, features the work of University of Texas at Arlington who are studying -no surprises here- printmaking. The pieces on display address, among other things, issues in academics. Throughout the month the gallery will also display never-before-seen prints from its holdings. The exhibition's opening reception takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday at Cohn Drennan Contemporary (4118 Commerce St.) and the work remains on display through September 6. More information at cohndrennancontemporary.com.
Portal: New Works by Melissa Dickenson You can't slow time down; you can't speed through life. You have to take it as it comes, repeating mantras like "It is what it is" or "C'est La Vie." Resisting time is futile, but that won't stop Melissa Dickenson from wrestling with it in her art. The San Francisco-based artist uses the canvas to reflect on the passing of time, focusing on transitional states, by layering surfaces and deceptive facades. This series of work, called Portal, opens at The Texas Theatre's Safe Room (231 W. Jefferson) and will also include Spinning, a piece Dickenson created during a three month art residency in a jail cell. See it during the opening reception at 6 p.m. Saturday or anytime through September 13. More info at thetexastheatre.com.
Glamorama at Beauty Bar It's time to dance your heart out, Dallas, courtesy of DJ Blake Ward. Head to Beauty Bar (1924 Henderson Ave.) for a dance party with a way better playlist than you could create for yourself. The party starts at 10 p.m. for those of the drinking age.
Sunday, August 3
Bingo & Game Night Good ol' Deep Ellum business owners know that to lure people in, you've got to provide snacks, which is one of the many enriching things you'll get out of a First Sunday at Sons. This week, it's a Bingo/Game night in the East Elm Street building's big hall. Stop by from 6:30 -8:30 p.m. for a good time.
