For the past five years, Dallas Theater Center has commissioned or collaborated on quite a few new musicals. Perhaps the most exciting commission yet opens this weekend. Based on Jonathan Lethem's stunning novel, The Fortress of Solitude is a musical journey through 1970s Brooklyn, as two friends, obsessed with superheroes, grow up believing they can fly. If you're a theater buff, you'll recognize the creative team above. Friedman wrote the music for Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson; Moses is an incredible playwright; and Aukin is an award-winning director. This one's gonna be good. Previews start on Friday at the Wyly Theatre.
Thursday, 3/6
Golddigger by Mikki Mallow Ray Charles sang about 'em, which led Kanye West to rap about 'em. Gold diggers plague our society, but it's like my grandmother always says, "It's just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as a poor man." In her new exhibition at Caldwell Arte Expocision, local artist Mikki Mallow explores our societal obsession with all that glitters. Her paintings in Golddigger delve into concepts of richness, luxury, vanity, love, greed, desire and chaos. The opening reception for Golddigger takes place from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday and entry is free.
Out of the Loop Fringe Festival opens with Honky For the next two weeks, Addison is the place to go to see a show, or 10. WaterTower Theatre's Out of the Loop Fringe Festival opens Thursday with the mainstage show, Honky. It's a dark comedy about the one word that still stings in America today: racism. See the show tonight at 8 p.m. for $10 bucks or grab passes to the festival.
Misty Copeland Copeland's career surprised everyone. She transformed from a 5-foot-2-inch anxious 13-year-old into one of America's greatest classical ballerinas. In 2007, she became the third African American soloist at the American Ballet Theatre, a feat that hadn't been accomplished in decades. She's in town for a talk at the Dallas Museum of Art about her new memoir, Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina. Tickets start at $15 and the talk starts at 7:30 p.m.
The Polyphony Foundation Presents Young Arab and Israeli Musicians Side by Side This is one of Katie Womack's recommended classical music concerts of the month. She writes: "The goal of the Polyphony Foundation is to teach young Arab and Israeli students to find common ground as they practice and perform classical music together. On Thursday, March 8, this group of talented young string players will perform at Southern Methodist University as part of their 2014 spring tour of American cities (other stops include Los Angeles and Washington D.C.). Tickets are $40 and the concert takes place in the Owen Arts Center's Caruth Auditorium."
Friday, 3/7
Fortress of Solitude This is the first night to see the Dallas Theater Center's can't miss new musical, The Fortress of Solitude. When it heads to New York City later this year, don't be the person who missed it during its world premiere run in Dallas. You've got about a month to see it. Tickets here.
Harakiri The Lone Star Film Society, in association with the Kimbell Art Museum and The Modern, presents ArthouseFW, a year of curated films. Friday, head to the Kimbell for Harakiri, Masaki Kobayashi's 1962 masterpiece. It's a kickass samurai film that pairs nicely with the new exhibit. Tickets are $5 for museum members, $7 for non-members.
ReMix with Tito Muñoz If you think the symphony is stuffy, think again. Guest conductor Tito Muñoz is bringing sexy back with ReMix, a laid-back evening of music and tango. On the docket for the evening are the Latin rhythms of Astor Piazzolla's "The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires." Arrive at 6 p.m. for tango lessons in the lobby of the City Performance Hall. Tickets are $29.
Sister's Easter Catechism Easter is just around the corner and one Sister is asking the questions we've all pondered, "Why isn't Easter on the same day every year like Christmas?" and "Will my bunny go to heaven?" OK, I've never actually asked those questions, but now I'd like to know the answers. Plus the show promises an Easter egg hunt and candy. It's a family-friendly show in the McDavid Studio of Fort Worth's Bass Hall. Tickets run you about 38 bucks, because candy.
Katt Williams One of comedy's most animated performers is in town this weekend at the Verizon Theatre. Tickets to be in the presence of this quick wit and incredible perm start at $48, but that's about a penny per laugh. Worth every cent.
Boogie Nights at Texas Theatre This weekend, it's time to watch Boogie Nights again. The Texas Theatre shows it on the big screen in 35mm glory. In celebration, we've put together this raunchy little list for you, 5 Porn Stars Who Tried to Make the Leap from XXX to Recording Artist. We'll be there Friday night, because there's a disco party afterwards. Yeah, you heard me.
Saturday, 3/8
Jim Jeffries Jim Jeffries is one of those comedians whose humor seems to be hanging by a thread and just when you think it's about to snap, he turns the joke around. The Australian comic and star of FX's new show, Legit, will be at the Majestic Theatre at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets start at $54.
Master Pancake lampoons Back to the Future One of our favorite things Austin-transplant Alamo Drafthouse brought to town when it opened last year is the Master Pancake series. The gist is simple: They roast movies while they're happening. Saturday, it's Back to the Future, because Marty McFly deserves to be the source for more than a few jokes. Screenings are at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $13.50. Maybe they'll let you pay in plutonium.
ALIVE at W.A.A.S. Gallery What it means to be truly alive is a fundamental question of art. After all, when we stand in front of a painting it is an acknowledgment that we are present. We are alive. This affirmation of life is the crux of the newest exhibit at W.A.A.S. Gallery, an acronym that stands for "we are all stars." In ALIVE, artists Ross von Rosenberg and Karla Camerena explore the paradoxical realm of ecstasy and anguish, pondering the commonalities in human distinctions. ALIVE opens Saturday with an artist talk at 6 p.m. and a reception from 7 - 10 p.m. Entry to the gallery is free.
Sunday, 3/9
A Midsummer Night's Dream Too many bad productions of Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet could leave a bad taste in your mouth when it comes to Billy Shakes. Maybe it's time to refresh your relationship with the bard with Shakespeare Dallas' staged reading series. It's every word of the play performed by professional actors without weird costumes or overdone fight scenes. The Complete Works of Shakespeare focuses on the poetry of the language and over the course of a few years, the company is going to read every single word he ever wrote. Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Hamon Hall listen the music of a A Midsummer Night's Dream. Tickets are a mere $10.
