5 Things to Do, July 18-22

This week, we’ve stacked your weekly schedule with entertaining animals of all varieties: Theatrical beasts, literary lions, a Baby Cobra, and maybe some real, feathered friends. Check out the menagerie in our suggestions for your next five days:

Shakespeare in the Bar presents Romeo and Juliet
8 p.m. Monday, July 18
Eight Bells Alehouse
831 Exposition Ave.
$7
It takes a committed nerd, one seriously down with the verse, to rock a play by William Shakespeare in the first place. To do it in a bar, in front of hundreds, after very little rehearsal time, it takes courage and a few stiff drinks. The actors of Shakespeare in the Bar have both. The company gets the classics back into the easily accessible confines of the bar yard, and they’re bringing Romeo and Juliet with them. The star-struck and swizzle-sticked spectacle is currently sold out, but 50 of the $7 tickets will open up at the door at 5 p.m., so get thee to thy fair — oh, never mind, just get there early. Visit facebook.com/shakespeareinthebar for updates on the company.

Ignite DFW
6 p.m. Tuesday, July 19
Texas Theatre
231 W. Jefferson Blvd.
$10
On its website, IgniteDFW has branded itself as “a volunteer-run event at the intersection of TED talks, Saturday Night Live, and that really cool block party you went to that one night.” It seems like they should add in the word “dare.” When you’re passionate about something, the most exciting and challenging thing you can do is share your passion with other people and well, infect them with it (if you’re a successful sharer). Sometimes, you have to dare yourself to do that. Especially given the parameters of Ignite: Selected speakers get 5 minutes to present their passion using 20 slides (which auto-advance after 15 seconds each), while civil heckling is encouraged. Yes, to answer what we also thought first: Drinks (aka, heckle juice) will be served. Topics include building a power network, leveling up for social change, and confessions of a serial hobbyist, and to watch is just $10. Get tickets at ignitedfw.org.

Arts & Letters Live presents Chris Colfer: Fairytales Transformed
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 20
Dallas Museum of Art
1717 N. Harwood St.
$22 to $27
Depending on one’s age, the once prime-time character name of Kurt Hummel may sound more familiar than Chris Colfer. But to young bookworms, they’re finding glee in the pages of Renaissance man Colfer’s The Land of Stories series. The Golden Globe winner and author offers up his fifth book in the series: The Land of Stories: An Author’s Odyssey. In it, Alex and Conner Bailey are still battling mayhem amongst the fairytales, but with a new literary twist. With the book’s release last Tuesday, Arts & Letters Live welcomes fans new and old to hear the author discuss his new achievement at Chris Colfer: Fairytales Transformed. A single ticket and signed book is $22, two tickets and one book is $27. Books are pre-signed. Visit dma.ticketleap.com or call 214-922-1200.

Dollar Day at the Zoo
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, July 21
Dallas Zoo
650 S. RL Thornton Freeway
$1
Amusement parks are notorious for high-dollar admission prices, and aquariums and zoos are often not far behind. But for one day a year, the Dallas Zoo is going off book and thanking customers for their support with Dollar Day. This year that day is Thursday, when admission is $1 instead of $12-$15 (unless you’re already a Zoo member or under 12, and then it’s free), and so are certain snack items, as well as nectar for lorikeet feedings. (Don’t worry, we had to look them up too: They’re the beautiful, brightly colored parrots with tongues like brushes.) Other attractions, like the carousel and giraffe feedings, are discounted as well, and parking, while limited, is only $8. Visit dallaszoo.com.

Ali Wong
8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday, July 22
Addison Improv
4980 Belt Line Road
$25 to $35
Before you read this any further, you should go to improvaddison.com and see if there are any tickets left for Ali Wong. The rising, no, shooting-star stand-up is performing two shows each Friday (8 and 10:30 p.m.) and Saturday (7 and 9:30 p.m.), and that shit is going to sell out. Wait, wait. You don’t know the name? If you have Netflix, you should: Her special Baby Cobra is blowing up, with support from fellow comics and celebrities ranging from Marc Maron to Questlove to Amy Schumer to, well, Taylor Momsen. Wong’s known not only for filming said special while seven months pregnant (and tearing the ass out of “family man” stand-ups), but also for appearances on @Midnight, Inside Amy Schumer, Black Box and Trainwreck. Tickets are $25 to $35. Visit improvaddison.com.