21 Things to Do in Dallas This Week

Thursday

Chelsea Handler is back and you should be happy. The world feels like a friggin' mess with every new "breaking news" update, and Handler's is the only vodka-soaked mind who can make some kind of sense out of it. If she can't, at least her effort will be funny. The comedian, late night and Netflix talk show host, activist and author is coming to Dallas at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm St., as part of her 16-city Sit-Down Comedy tour. Handler's show will mirror the documentaries she's done for Netflix in which she talks about whatever is on her mind and interviews a special guest. Her Dallas tour stop will include an onstage interview with actress Connie Britton from the TV version of Friday Night Lights, the first season of FX's American Horror Story and the ABC musical drama series Nashville. Tickets are $67.50 to $87.50 and only single seats remain. Buy them at Ticketmaster.com. Danny Gallagher

Kentucky Derby Day is around the corner, but you have never been to a horse race and don’t want to look out of place when you’re placing bets and drinking juleps. No problem. Get some practice in with live racing as the thoroughbred season opens this weekend. Gates open at 5 p.m. and post time is at 6:35 Thursday for Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie Opening Night, 1000 Lone Star Parkway. Tickets range from $3 for children ages 4 to 12 and $5 for adults to $105 per person for fifth- and sixth-level penthouse suites for groups of 20 to 100. If luck’s not with you Thursday, go double or nothing at 1 p.m. Saturday or Sunday. Advance tickets are at 972-263-7223, or visit lonestarpark.com for more information — including fan education that’ll teach you the basics of horse racing and, more important, wagering. Jesse Hughey

No doubt best known for their 2006 hit song “Chasing Cars,” which was featured in the season 2 finale of Grey’s Anatomy, Snow Patrol has gone through some rough patches in the last decade. Their latest album, Wildness, released in 2018, is partly inspired by frontman Gary Lightbody’s struggles with alcoholism, depression, writer’s block and his father’s failing health. Yet it’s been difficult for critics to connect to Lightbody’s message. The album was successful enough to reach No. 2 on the U.K.’s Official Charts Company album list, and die-hards will no doubt point to tracks such as “Don’t Give In” and “What if This is All the Love You Get” as signs of the band’s continued health. But in all honesty, Snow Patrol sounds more like U2 these days. That for sure might be right up anyone’s alley, but in a period when Lightbody should be his loudest, he comes off more toned down and high-pitch than ever. They might play old stuff, though, and that’s always a treat. Listen to Songs for Polarbears. 8 p.m. Thursday, April 18 at South Side Ballroom, 1135 S. Lamar St. Suite 101, 214-421-2021, $35. Nicholas Bostick

Friday

Load up the baskets, don the bonnets. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, 8525 Garland Road, is hosting a special Easter Weekend Celebration. To start, Eddie Coker provides live entertainment on the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage and Lawn at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Good Friday. Kids can learn to weave baskets or dye eggs with natural dyes starting at noon (available on Saturday and Sunday as well). Bounce those tails on down at 11 a.m. Saturday, as the arboretum tries to jump its way into the Guinness Book of World Records for Largest Bunny Hop. And yes, the Easter Bunny will be certainly be one of the rabbits in residence. Families can purchase photos with the live bunnies noon to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Kids 12 and younger can also enjoy a petting zoo in Pecan Grove. Single day admission is $10-$15 (or $13-$18 when combined with admission to the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden). Parking is an additional $9. Find the complete event schedule and purchase admission in advance at dallasarboretum.org. Merritt Martin

Seth Meyers, the latest host of NBC's Late Night show, doesn't limit himself to posting his hilarious "A Closer Look" and "The Check-In" segments on the day's news. He's also doing it on stages around the country, including The Majestic Theatre's at 7 p.m. Friday. Meyers earned his throne at comedy's roundtable as a writer on Saturday Night Live and later as one of the show's more memorable "Weekend Update" anchors. When Jimmy Fallon left Late Night to replace Jay Leno on The Tonight Show, SNL creator Lorne Michaels tapped Meyers to become the late night show's fourth host after Fallon, Conan O'Brien and David Letterman. Meyers' stand-up doesn't just cover the latest Trump flubs. He also talks about his unique family, from his day-drinking parents to the very funny stories about the birth of his two children. The Majestic is at 1925 Elm St. Tickets are $39.50-$59.50 at ticketmaster.com. DG

There’s quite an arc from bit player on a soap opera to being named one of Time magazine’s most influential people in the world, but comedian and The Daily Show host Trevor Noah closed that gap in a span of time when most of us are still trying to figure out what we want to do with our lives. The sharp but mellow funnyman came up fast, thanks to a combination of charisma and an ability to deliver monologues and political take-downs with a sense of bemusement that takes the edge off even the most maddening headlines while still doubling down on the outrage. It’s a tough balance to strike, and Noah’s talent is making it look easy, both in front of the cameras on his talk show and as a stand-up comedian. See him in the latter role at 7:30 p.m. Friday at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 300 W. Las Colinas Blvd. Tickets are $59.50 to $95 at livenation.com. Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Psychedelic rock trio Cream existed only for a little under three years, but in that time, it brought together some of the best names in blues and rock. Formed in 1966, Cream was one of, if not the, first supergroup and featured Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. The band gained commercial popularity before real critical acclaim, and its catalog of music included collaborations with George Harrison and other prominent songwriters of the era. Cream was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2006. They are on a 50th anniversary tour — sadly, without Bruce, who passed away in 2014. 7 p.m. Friday at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583, $27-$55. Diamond Rodrigue

With the release of her latest album, Girl, Arlington native Maren Morris is poised for a worldwide breakout. It's already been a heady couple of years for her in the glow of notoriety from 2016's chart-topping country single, "My Church," and her collaboration with Zedd on the ubiquitous ear worm "The Middle." She's come a long way from the local sports bars and honky tonks that served as a crash course for the young singer with her eyes on the bigger prize. Now that she's made it, this sold-out, hometown tour stop should be the perfect place to properly send off Morris as one of our proud native exports. 8 p.m. Friday at The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St., sold out. Jeff Strowe

With 25 bands scheduled to pogo their way into Deep Ellum for Ska by Skawest, Madaline deserves some serious kudos. The Denton ska band founded and hosts this annual event, bringing together local, regional and touring ska and ska-influenced bands for a two-day, all-ages fest celebrating ska, punk, reggae, rocksteady, dancehall, two-tone, third wave and other sub-genres of ska music. With such an impressive lineup, Ska by Skawest’s five-year anniversary event will likely draw rude boys and rude girls from across Texas, and the whole country. All-ages photographers take note: Unlike some other fests and events, at SkaFest photography is “allowed and encouraged.” Friday doors open at 5 p.m. and highlights include Denver’s Younger Than Neil, Salt Lake City’s The Gringos and Denton’s own The Holophonics. Saturday kicks off at 3 p.m. with Irrational Consumers and Chicago’s Nahuales Underground, as well as Austin’s brilliantly named and so-bad-it’s-good Hans Gruber & The Diehards. Madaline is scheduled to take the stage at 11 p.m. before Rude King and Matamoska close out the fest. Friday and Saturday at Three Links, 2704 Elm St., 2-Day, $25; Friday only, $18; Saturday only, $20. Daniel Rodrigue

As a songwriter and guitar player for trailblazing experimental outfit Animal Collective, Avey Tare (aka David Portner) has helped craft some of the headiest psych and most original pop of the last two decades. His solo output moves in similar ways — haunting vocals and hypnotic percussion with an emphasis on texture and mood over structure — but is fundamentally different in its approach from Animal Collective's. Portner’s music has always been more insular and obfuscated than his collaborative work, fueled by interior philosophies never intended to be unwound. In Portner’s disorienting world, strummy folk textures, muted club beats and hallucinatory guitar playing rub shoulders with electronic accents both ethereal and shrapnel-like. The combination of genres and styles wouldn’t make much sense on paper, but with Avey Tare, the contrasting elements blend seamlessly — to enchanting effect. 8 p.m. Friday at Club Dada, 2720 Elm St., tickets start at $17 at eventbrite.com. Jonathan Patrick

If you've ever wondered what Led Zeppelin would sound like through the voices, riffs and beats of four badass women, then you need to catch Zepparella live. This all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band is one of the best — and for good reason. Noelle, Gretchen, Angeline and Clementine bring the magic and intensity of the bluesy, psych rock band to life with their unique skills and interpretations. 8 p.m. Friday at Trees, 2709 Elm St., 214-741-1122, $15-$20. DR

Back in the 1960s, Greenwich Village burst with singer-songwriters and poets like Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsburg. It was the era of political unrest and civil rights, and a time when young people shook the status quo. The Gaslight Cafe's stage, as well as several others, offered a home for many up-and-coming folk legends to strum and sing their own thoughts on the then-current state of affairs. One of these was Joan Baez, a New York native whose music included themes of social injustice and protest. She would go on to release 31 albums and become one of the most memorable artists of her time. These days, Baez has taken a break from regularly touring, and Friday night she'll just say "fare thee well" as she stops through Annette Strauss Square as part of her final tour. 8 p.m. Friday at Annette Strauss Square, 2100 Ross Ave., 844-321-5798, $120 and up. DR

Saturday

Do we create our ghosts or do our ghosts create us? Carla Parker’s new play, Remember Rudy, which she wrote and directs, examines that question in Ochre House’s latest original show, at 8:15 p.m. Saturday through May 11. Kevin Grammer, associate producer at this little storefront playhouse, fills the title role as Rudolph Raeburn, a former child TV star who has fallen on hard times as a grown-up with a string of failed movies. Justin Locklear is musical director; Matthew Posey, Ochre House’s founding artistic director, designed the set. For tickets ($17) and directions to the theater at 825 Exposition Ave., call 214-826-6273 or go to ochrehousetheater.org. Attend on April 29 and it’s pay what you can. Reba Liner

People will tell you that the most fun part about Easter is watching their children hunt eggs. Those people are wrong. Egg hunts bring out the absolute worst in even the sweetest of kids, turning them into bloodthirsty, competitive little monsters not at all above elbowing toddlers in the face. If you’re after Easter joy, you take your faith out of humanity and point it toward the canines of the world. The Spay Neuter Network’s annual Easter Bone Hunt and carnival kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday on Flag Pole Hill, 8015 Doran Circle, and is full of wagging tails, good boys and slobbery kisses. Bone hunts (at noon for the small pups and at 1 p.m. for the bigger pooches) might generate a lot of excitement, but we guarantee, no dog is gonna fling their loot just because their sibling got more than they did. They’re just better that way. Tickets to the event, which includes carnival games, adoptable friends and tons of treats and prizes, are $20 and admit one dog and two humans. Visit spayneuternet.org/bonehunt. JDL

From 2 p.m. Saturday until 1 a.m. Sunday, The Wild Detectives Bookstore and Café, 314 W. Eighth St. in Oak Cliff, will celebrate five years of hosting some 700-plus events, selling hundreds of copies of The Savage Detectives and serving more than 20,000 gallons of booze. Admission to The Wild Detectives Fifth Anniversary Party is free until 7:30 p.m. After that, cover is $15. Store hosts promise the best musical talent in Dallas performing as a thank-you to their customers, closing the night with a late-night session of Wild Detectives’ bookstore disco. For advance tickets or info, call 214-942-0108. Visit thewilddetectives.com. RL

WaterTower Theatre presents the regional premiere of playwright Chelsea Marcantel’s Everything is Wonderful, a tragedy involving a car crash, the death of two brothers, a protagonist sister and the Amish community that backdrops her tale of suffering, forgiveness and culture shock. Weaving pastoral aesthetics with gut-wrenching emotional complexity and a touch of black comedy, this play presents a uniquely demanding challenge to performers and production crews alike — a promising recipe for, at the very least, a captivating audience experience. Watch the WaterTower Theatre navigate this difficult terrain at 8 p.m. Saturday at WaterTower Theatre, 15650 Addison Road. Tickets are $28. More info at watertowertheatre.org. JP

Sunday

Jesus may have died for our sins, but we bet even he has doubts about offering grace to anyone who uses those awful Easter egg puns. An egg hunt is an "egg-stravaganza"? No it isn't. Get "egg-cited" for Easter, says the tagline for the Dallas Farmers Market's Easter celebration. Please stop. Leave your puns at home and head to the market, 1010 S. Pearl Expressway, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday for an Easter egg hunt, live music, stilt-walkers, egg dying, balloon art and all the usual festival stuff. It's eggs-actly the sort of family fun you're kids are dying to check out. (Sorry, Jesus.) It's free. Patrick Williams

Seth Haley, known by his current persona, Com Truise (you may also know him as Sarin Sunday, SYSTM or Airliner), is an L.A.-based DJ and maker of all music electronic. His synth-heavy sound is a nod to the '80s. Along with his canon of remixes, he's released three full-length albums. A fourth, Persuasion System, is scheduled for release next month. 8 p.m. Sunday at Trees, 2709 Elm St., 214-741-1122, $21-$23. DR

Monday

Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Bobbie Wygant joined the staff of WBAP-TV in 1948 and went on to have a 70-year career in Texas television, so it's a safe bet that few if any people have greater perspective on the broadcast industry here. The first woman in the Southwest to host and produce a general interest talk show, Wygant was on the air live when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated — on her birthday. Wygant will be at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dealey Plaza from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday to talk about her career and, presumably, JFK. Tickets are $20 and include a wine reception and tickets to the museum's exhibits. Find them at jfk.org. PW

Tuesday

The Elevator Project presents Pastry King, a new play by Dallas' own Scott Zenreich. His work tells the story of a Boston couple who open a pastry shop only to fall afoul of the Pastry King, a neighboring restaurateur. Bad things then happen in what's described as "a play about blame, the strength of relationships and the perfect ricotta recipe.” See it at the AT&T Performing Art Center's Wyly Studio Theatre, 2400 Flora St., at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday or one of several performances through May 5. Tickets for Tuesday night's performance are $25. Find them at attpac.org. PW

Wednesday

Music more than many art forms has an intense ability to overwhelm, to make the listener feel swallowed whole. Rarely, however, has this ineffable quality been made explicit, made physical. Music maker and instrument architect Elle Fullman’s Long String Instrument, constructed from 56 100-foot-long strings and taking roughly five days to install, does just that, rendering witnesses and the musician herself at once small things working to set giant machinery in motion. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, installation artist Sheryl Anaya, and new media artist/sound designer James Talambas join Fullman for The Language of Nature, a work intended to “evoke our internal and collective rhythmic nature.” This performance begins at 8 p.m. Wednesday at The Boedeker, 1201 S. Ervay St. Tickets are $15. More info at mydso.com. JP