The 21 Best Things to Do in Dallas This Week

Twenty-one things to do in Dallas from Thursday, June 22, through Wednesday, June 28:

Thursday

An entertaining animated fantasy film for audiences of all ages, Ponyo centers on a friendship between 5-year-old Sõsuke and a magical goldfish named Ponyo, who is the young daughter of a sea wizard and a sea goddess. After their chance meeting, Ponyo gradually displays more humanlike features as she starts longing to become a human so she can stay with Sõsuke. Produced by Studio Ghibli and written and directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, Ponyo is a beautifully animated film that received widespread acclaim from film critics and proved popular with audiences at the box office when released in 2008 (2009 in the U.S.). This screening of the English-dubbed version of the film, featuring the voices of Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Frankie Jonas, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin and Betty White, is part of Studio Ghibli Festival, which is releasing a series of classic Studio Ghibli films to theaters nationwide. For more on the films and festival, visit ghiblifest.com. Angelika Film Center; 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas; 7205 Bishop Road, Plano; 11 a.m.; $8.50, angelikafilmcenter.com. — Daniel Rodrigue

Hip-hop artist, record producer and singer-songwriter Russ released his debut album, There's Really A Wolf, this year after his successful 2016 singles, "What They Want" and "Losin Control." Now he's making waves across the country with his first headlining tour. The 24-year-old identifies 50 Cent, Eminem and G-Unit as early inspirations and began writing raps as young as 7 years old. But before Russ took his turn at making an album, he produced beats for six years. South Side Ballroom, 1135 S. Lamar St., 9 p.m., $34, southsideballroomdallas.com. — Diamond Victoria

Taylor Williamson has been telling jokes onstage for about half of his life. At 17, when most of us were having full-time test anxiety and trying out our fake IDs, Williamson was at the mic, laying the groundwork for his brand of awkward comedy punctuated by a goofy laugh and punchlines that jump out minus lengthy setups. Williamson, who was the runner up in the eighth season of America’s Got Talent, has found a wide audience to laugh at his affinity for cheesy jokes and affable egoism, and they’ll fill the room as he performs at the Addison Improv, 4980 Belt Line Road, beginning with a set at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 22. Additional shows are at 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, June 23, and at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24. Tickets are $17 to $30 at improvaddison.com. Addison Improv, 4980 Belt Line Road, 8 p.m., $17-$30, improvaddison.com. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

If you follow Danielle Georgiou on Instagram (and you should), you’re probably wondering where she gets the energy to do it all — designing sets and making costumes and rehearsing and being downright joyous. It’s a breath of fresh (artistic) air, and the real beauty of it is that it translates directly into her work. The Danielle Georgiou Dance Group puts out experimental choreography that grabs from all genres, resulting in wonderfully weird and wild expressions and movements. DGDG’s latest is Donkey Beach, an avant-garde take on those compellingly kitschy beach movies of the 1960s. The production deconstructs the escapist themes of the beach party genre with a script by Ruben Carrazana; live music by Justin Locklear, Trey Pendergrass and Cory Kosel; and choreography by Georgiou. Performances of the zany, surreal and profound music and dance experience are at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 22, through Sunday, June 25, with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, at Hamon Hall. Hamon Hall, 2403 Flora St., 8 p.m., $25, attpac.org. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Mr. Blonde, Mr. Blue, Mr. Brown, Mr. Orange, Mr. Pink and Mr. White return to the silver screen on a new 35mm print to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Quentin Tarantino’s notably bloody feature-length debut, Reservoir Dogs. After the heist-gone-wrong film’s shaky world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 1992, which writer and director Tarantino has called “a fucking disaster,” the film quickly garnered critical acclaim and plenty of buzz, and it’s now considered an influential classic of independent filmmaking. While the film and its infamous torture scene may not be for everyone, and notable walkouts include horror film director Wes Craven, the film’s leads (Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen, Tarantino, Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth) keep most viewers glued to the screen until the climactic and unforgettable Mexican standoff ending. The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., screens the new 35mm print approved by Tarantino for the film’s 25th anniversary at 9:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, June 22-23, and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24. Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., 9:30 p.m., $10.75, thetexastheatre.com. — Daniel Rodrigue

As part of the 2017 Dallas Flamenco Festival, Ochre House Theater offers a world premiere: Picasso: Matador De Málaga. Through a multimedia deluge of sights, sounds and performances, the show seeks to capture the splintered passions and dynamism of the artist’s controversial life and work. World-class flamenco dancers, carefully curated design and some of our city’s finest actors conspire to bring patrons what will surely be one of the year's most memorable productions. Picasso’s insatiable desire and fiercely radical vision set him apart from both his peers and history. Ochre House’s reputation for emotional fireworks and left-of-center displays makes it an ideal candidate to tell his story. The event is for people 18 and older, and as with every Ochre House performance, do not arrive late. The house opens at 7:45 p.m. for evening performances and 2 p.m. for Saturday matinees. Performances start at 8:15 p.m. and run Wednesday through Saturday from June 21 through July 1 at Ochre House Theater, 825 Exposition Ave.; Saturday matinees begin at 2:30 pm. Tickets start at $25 ($20 for seniors and students). For more information, visit ochrehousetheater.org. Ochre House Theatre, 825 Exposition Ave., 8:15 p.m., $20-$25, ochrehoustheater.org. — Jonathan Patrick

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, 8525 Garland Road, isn’t just an escape into a Disney-like dream of flowers, lush, green grass and trickling water fountains. Aside from the many photo opportunities and wind chimes available for purchase at the gift shop, the arboretum offers a chance this summer to see the largest collection of Zimbabwean stone sculptures, known as Shona sculptures, in the U.S. ZimSculpt is a collection that includes more than 100 hand-carved stone sculptures throughout the garden. The contemporary pieces, some weighing more than a ton and reaching 7 feet tall, are carved from various types of serpentine and semiprecious stones. Marvel at this amazing art form from dozens of Zimbabwean artists and sculptors, and take a free-with-admission guided ZimSculpt garden tour with the curator at 10 a.m. every Thursday through July 31. Artists Passmore Mupindiko and Aron Kapembeza host daily carving demonstrations in The Marketplace, which is in the Pecan Grove. Existing or commissioned pieces are available for purchase. For more information, visit dallasarboretum.org. Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, 10 a.m., $15, dallasarboretum.org. — Diamond Victoria

Your dreams of becoming a ballerina were dashed when you realized that, well, that shit’s hard. Legit ballerinas contend with punishing practice routines, painful foot injuries and expectations that are just unrealistic for the vast majority of us. But you still harbor thoughts of dipping your toe in and trying out an assemblé without busting your butt. If that’s the case, get your tickets now for Beginner Beyonce Ballet Thursdays at Arts Mission Oak Cliff, 410 S. Windomere Ave.. This summer, you can try out a beginner and budget-friendly ballet class that will give you all the basics while a killer soundtrack pumps in the background. And you can even get your groove on without investing in a pair of ballet shoes — socks are fine. Class kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, and goes through the whole summer. Tickets are $15 per class; find the event page on Facebook to buy tickets online. Arts Mission Oak Cliff, 410 S. Windomere Ave., 6:30 p.m., $15, see Facebook. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Friday

Iron Maiden has not visited North Texas for several years, but the wait is always worth it. And you can expect more new material than last time — when the British six-piece played nothing beyond its output up to '92 — since it's touring off of its new album, The Book of Souls. Iron Maiden will clearly not take the easy route and play the hits for the rest of its career. Opener Ghost will be worth getting there early. Its mix of psychedelic, doom, metal and hard rock — with a little bit of humor — is the perfect primer for the main act. American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave., 7:30 p.m., $39-$100, ticketmaster.com. — Eric Grubbs

Fiddler on the Roof is not an obvious choice for a feel-good night out. Set in tsarist Russia in 1905, it follows an impoverished family struggling to come to terms with a world that’s changing, and not for the better. The Jewish population in the village where the story plays out is targeted by the Russian government and subjected to a pogrom and eventual exile. But the brilliance of the play is that it’s balanced with a bittersweet sense of humor that plays to notions of identity, family and tradition even while tackling darker notions of prejudice and repression. And the songs are genuine earworms: brilliant tunes that have been among the most enduring that Broadway has ever produced. Rockwall Summer Musicals takes on the beloved show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 23, at the Rockwall High School Performing Arts Center, 1201 TL Townsend Drive. Performances — which are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sundays — continue through July 2. Rockwall High School Performing Arts Center, 1201 TL Townsend Drive, 7:30 p.m., $18-$22, rockwallsummermusicals.org. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

John Williams is arguably the most important film composer of all time. From the chilling Jaws soundtrack to the brute grandiosity of Jurassic Park and Star Wars, Williams can construct entire worlds from nothing more than an orchestra and some clever writing. Inventive turns and uncanny emotionality figure heavily into Williams’ works, which, unlike even some of the best film compositions, always function in symphony, not in contrast, with their visual counterparts. What would Spielberg’s shark and dinosaurs be without those nerve-wracking tuba bellows and triumphant strings? This month, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra honors Williams’ priceless contributions to cinema with a series of performances showcasing his most celebrated film scores. Jeff Tyzik conducts. These concerts take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 23-24, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, June 25, at The Meyerson. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., 7:30 p.m., $45 and up, mydso.com. — Jonathan Patrick

Getting a tattoo is not a decision to take lightly. Just ask anyone with a face tattoo or, if you’ve got the guts, Mike Tyson. Tattoos can be a great way to express your personality. If you’re thinking about getting inked and don’t know the right person to do the job, plan on making a trip to the Dallas Tattoo Expo 2017, which runs from Friday, June 23, to Sunday, June 25, at Fair Park, 1121 First Ave. Some of the greatest tattoo artists from across the state will show off their most breathtaking designs and ink a few people in attendance. The expo will also include live burlesque acts, food and drinks, and things for the kids to do. Tickets are $18 for a single day pass or $42 for a weekend pass and can be purchased at eventbrite.com. Fair Park, 1121 First Ave., Friday-Sunday, $18-$42, eventbrite.com. — Danny Gallagher

Saturday

Classic arcade games can be addictive. They seem simple and straightforward, but all it takes is one quarter and one wrong move to keep you obsessing over being bested by a machine. Take, for instance, the classic Data East coin-op platformer BurgerTime. You control a mad-dashing chef named Peter Pepper who’s tasked with building the world’s biggest burgers by walking across the ingredients while dodging anthropomorphic proteins like sausages and fried eggs. Sounds simple, right? If you said “yes,” then you’ve never played it. BurgerTime is a maddening challenge of planning and reflexes, and only a select few have learned how to master it over the last 35 years. The Free Play Arcade, 1730 E. Belt Line Road in Richardson, will celebrate the game’s 35th anniversary with a special BurgerTime party from 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, June 24. The daylong celebration will feature a special BurgerTime challenge, themed drinks and a pop-up burger stand. Admission is $10 plus tax. Visit freeplayrichardson.com for more information. Free Play Arcade, 1730 E. Belt Line Road, Richardson, 11 a.m.-midnight, $10, freeplayrichardson.com. — Danny Gallagher

Dallas doesn’t have royalty, but if it did, Dallas Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki would definitely be the king, or at least a duke. He’s more than just a great athlete who helped bring an obscure NBA team to contender status. He’s a nice guy. In accordance with his Tom Hanks-level of niceness, Nowitzki hosts an annual celebrity baseball game to raise money for some worthy causes. This year’s Heroes Celebrity Baseball Game will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at the Dr Pepper Ballpark, 7300 Roughriders Trail in Frisco. The annual baseball game will include famous faces on the diamond, including Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott, Dez Bryant and Ezekiel Elliott and actor Geoff Stults from the Netflix series Gracie and Frankie and the film Unforgettable. Tickets are between $9 and $22, and proceeds will go to the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation and the Heroes Foundation, which provide sports programs for local youths. Tickets can be purchased at ticketreturn.com. Dr Pepper Ballpark, 7300 Roughriders Trail, Frisco, 6 p.m., $9-$22, ticketreturn.com. — Danny Gallagher

Thirty-year-old Cody Johnson has lived a life straight from an authentic country music playbook. He's ridden horses while working as a prison guard observing chain gangs. He's ridden bulls and has the medals and injuries to display as proof. Lately, he's ridden his powerful voice to the Top 10 of the Billboard Country Charts and earned huge accolades from fans, critics and industry folks for his genuine and heartfelt approach to song craft. Equally at home in a dark, dusty roadhouse as he is onstage in a swanky theater, Johnson has connected with his audience in ways reminiscent of likeminded singers Eric Church and Colt Ford, approaching music more as a craft and less as a flashy form of entertainment. His appearance Saturday at Panther Island Pavilion should make for a night of solid singalongs, lively dancing and a chance to get fairly close to a rising country star. Panther Island Pavilion, 395 Purcey St., Fort Worth, 5 p.m., $25, prekindle.com. — Jeff Strowe

If you’re counting down the days until the good ol’ US of A celebrates its birthday with fireworks, great food and live music but the anticipation is more than you can handle, Allen’s annual “first to the Fourth” Market Street Allen USA Celebration is free to attend, and here to get you to those corn dogs and bright lights sooner than later. From 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at Celebration Park, 701 Angel Parkway, the whole family can grab a bite or two from various food trucks, take part in numerous games and activities, and have the chance to meet Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley in the inaugural competition of completing NFL drills such as a 40-yard dash and vertical jumps. Party bands Le Freak and Emerald City will provide the soundtrack before a fireworks finale lights up the park. Coolers, chairs and shade structures are permitted with limitations. Celebration Park, 701 Angel Parkway, Allen, 4-10 p.m., free, allenusa.org. — Diamond Victoria

Future’s showstopping summer showcase is aptly titled the Nobody Safe Tour. Looking back on the last two years of the superstar rapper’s career, it’s clear this is a declaration he’s living by. During that time, he’s released five albums that have reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, setting a record as the first artist to have two albums, FUTURE and HNDRX, debut on top of the charts in consecutive weeks. It’s an absurd feat that attests to Future’s relentless work ethic and popularity in a competitive and saturated genre. Right now his brand of hip-hop reigns supreme, with drowsy trap beats, a semicoherent rap flow and occasional falsetto. His lyrics expound on the luxurious life of a hip-hop star while also touching on real-life stresses he’s endured in the past. The Nobody Safe Tour is one of the summer’s most anticipated events; its lineup also features rap stars Tory Lanez and A$AP Ferg. Starplex Pavilion, 3839 S. Fitzhugh Ave., 7 p.m., $35 and up, dallaspavilion.org. — Mikel Galicia

Sunday

The Singapore Slingers are a Dallas treasure, and here’s why: They are the ultimate in escapism. The heat outside might be oppressive, the news might be depressing and your family might be driving you up the wall, but when you walk into a Singapore Slingers gig, everything melts away. That’s partially because of the heat that the 18-member jazz orchestra generates but mostly because this retro outfit comes costumed and ready to churn out authentic pre-swing numbers from 1895 to 1935. There’s no better excuse to get all dolled up, slicked back and lipsticked than a date with Matt Tolentino and his ensemble. They’ll do their thing at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 25, at Pocket Sandwich Theater, 5400 East Mockingbird Lane. Tickets are $16 for kids ages 12 and younger and $22 for adults. Purchase them at pocketsandwich.com. Pocket Sandwich Theater, 5400 E. Mockingbird Lane, 1 p.m., $16-$22, pocketsandwich.com. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Monday

Hip-hop has made leaps and bounds since The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” hit the airwaves in 1979. Outside of the music, hip-hop now influences pop culture through fashion, film and entrepreneurship, and it lends a hand in discussions of how we interpret music and language. If you need proof that Dallas loves to gab about this contemporary artform, the monthly gathering of hip-hop fans dubbed Hip-Hop Book Club is the place to hear discussions of what qualifies as great in this ever-evolving genre. Each month, the four men who created the event choose one album to focus on; past topics include influence, visuals, production and lyrics. This month’s event turns its attention to Kanye West’s 2004 debut studio album, The College Dropout. Hear different perspectives on the album and peruse the aisles of Josey Records and Music, 2821 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, at 7 p.m. Monday, June 26. The event is free to attend. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page. Josey Records, 2821 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, 7 p.m., free, see Facebook. —  Diamond Victoria

Tuesday

Artist David Willburn finds the most rudimentary of tools and artifacts, reimagining them in situations where things get stark: revolution, anarchy and resistance. Luckily for him, global politics have provided plenty of source material lately. There’s a wellspring of opposition, a murmur of resistance and a highly charged political narrative to inform his latest pieces. In his upcoming solo show of new work at Galleri Urbane, 2277 Monitor St., visitors will be confronted with abstract formations of minerals presented as barriers and walls, and colorful representations of obstruction and fighting back. His totems of endurance and defiance will be on view beginning with an artist talk at 4:30 p.m. and a reception at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 24, and the exhibition is open through Aug. 25. Gallery hours are from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; admission is free. Galleri Urbane, 2277 Monitor St., 4:30 p.m., free, galleriurbane.com. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Wednesday

Frida Kahlo’s life and work are  key fixtures in the world of Mexican pop culture and art. The self-taught artist is celebrated internationally through her often autobiographical pieces exploring questions of identity. Kahlo was known simply as the wife of early 20th century muralist Diego Rivera for years, and her work, which explored postcolonialism, gender, class and race in Mexican society, did not receive the attention it deserved during her lifetime. Years after her death in 1954, Kahlo’s work resurfaced in the 1970s, thanks in part to political activists and art historians, and became celebrated as symbolic of Mexican indigenous traditions and for its feminist traits. If you’ve ever wanted to dig deeper into the interesting and often sad life of Kahlo, the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., hosts Arts and Letters Live: Hayden Herrera at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, in the Horchow Auditorium. Pulitzer Prize nominee Herrera penned Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo, which takes a look into the artist’s personal and professional lives. Herrera’s talk pairs perfectly with the museum exhibit México 1900–1950: Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, José Clemente Orozco and the Avant-Garde, which ends July 16. The discussion is $40 for the public, $30 for DMA members and $20 for educators and students. For more information, visit dma.org. DMA, 1717 N. Harwood St., 7:30 p.m., $20-$40, dma.org. — Diamond Victoria