Whether they know it or not, every artist is inspired by one who came before them. In the case of Salvador Dalí, he was open about his obsession with those that came before him. Specifically, Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer.
This is high drama from the Dallas Opera. The season opener is Verdi with a vengeance: Rigoletto. There’s something automatically compelling about the funny guy turned avenger, but with music like this and the talent of this cast… it’s beyond.
Stand-up comedy is almost always worth watching, because it’s funny when a joke lands and even sort of funny (admit it) when it doesn’t. But nothing feels better than laughing with homegrown comics because, damn it, we support local talent.
If you’re a fan of public radio, chances are you’re familiar with The Moth Radio Hour. The Moth is all about storytelling, the art of storytelling, and naturally, the people behind the stories. There are podcasts dedicated to old episodes and authors, and now, a traveling event.
The name Elizabeth Strout should be as well-known as her best-selling title characters Amy and Isabelle or Olive Kitteridge… or Lucy Barton. And speaking of Lucy, Strout has brought her back. On the page and to Dallas.
Through October 15, Conduit Gallery (1626 C Hi Line Drive) is spotlights two artists who, while with totally different styles, are builders. Austin-based Lance Letscher creates his collages from aged, illustration-based 1950s and 1960s ephemera.
Plenty of contemporary plays have women in them. But in his biting new satire, Mathew Posey of Ochre House Theater (825 Exposition Ave.) actually wants to focus on them. Using song and dance and even some vaudevillian tricks, the Ochre season opener is all about exploring roles of oppression and oppressor.
If you could touch and feel refracted light, it would be one of Mexican-born, Dallas-based artist Gabriel Dawe’s installations. Made with sewing thread in vibrant and mesmerizing colors, Plexus, No. 41 is site-specific to Talley Dunn Gallery (5020 Tracy St.) and is part of Ode to Futility on view through December 10.
“Here we go again…” The main challenge with watching Mamma Mia! live and on stage is to keep yourself from singing along to all the ABBA hits that form the soundtrack. But we think we can handle it just to get a peep at Lyric Stage’s production of the beloved musical hitting the Majestic Theatre (1925 Elm St.) on Wednesday, August 24, and running through Sunday.
This is a slightly odd suggestion, as technically, it’s too close to the event to register. But! It’s perfect day to register for next week’s office hours (or any Wednesday to follow) with Dallas Poet Laureate Joaquín Zihuatanejo. Dallas residents can schedule a 30-minute appointment to workshop one or two of your own poems, or an hour-long session for three or four poems.
With soaring fountains to captivating and rotund sculptures, Lynda Benglis has energized the Nasher Sculpture Center (2001 Flora St.) with overwhelming size, gesture and even some glitter. The physicality of the exhibition is inspiring, humbling and a bit nostalgic – some of the bronze work is based on Benglis’ earlier ceramic pieces.
Ah, the sweet aspirations inspired by The Great British Baking Show – don’t pretend you haven’t felt them. The Lancaster-Kiest Branch of the Dallas Public Library (2008 East Kiest Blvd.) offers a workshop from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, so we can all tap into our decorative talents with piping demos to get the best trims and lettering lessons for the most legible cakes in the land.
He’s your favorite character who lives in a pineapple under the sea, and his musical is coming to Farmers Branch. The Firehouse Theatre (2535 Valley View Lane) is making waves with The SpongeBob Musical, complete with original tunes by Sara Bareilles, The Flaming Lips, John Legend and others.
“Shaded seating available” is a magical phrase these days. With temps turning out trios of digits, people are missing their outdoor time. Downtown Dallas Inc. offers a solution with a rotating offering of food trucks, live entertainment and lawn games – oh, and that shaded seating – every Wednesday through Friday in July at Pacific Plaza (401 N. Harwood St.).
Wednesday, July 6 Spider-Man: No Way Home at Legacy Hall Box Garden Admittedly, 2021 was a weird time to feel comfy in a movie theater, so a fair number of folksmissed out on the fun that is Spider-Man: No Way Home. Thanks to Legacy Hall’s Sunset Movie Series in the…
Let the kiddos take their artistic interests to new heights – literally – at Reunion Tower (300 Reunion Blvd. East). From 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, kids can dive into watercolors with Crayola Experience Plano. And don’t worry, the products dry fast so little ones can take their projects home that day.
We know and love the Mavs ManiAACs for their full-throttle hip-hop antics, but let’s not forget they pull some serious cred too. They are the original all-male performance squad for the NBA. Join the ManiAACs and the mascots for Your Dallas Mavericks from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, on the Ge-0 Deck of Reunion Tower (300 Reunion Blvd.) for just one of the tower’s Summer in the Sky activities.
Film cameras are incredibly fun and surprising tools. Local photographer Essie Graham agrees and is showcasing her works at the Eisemann Center (2351 Performance Drive, Richardson) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays through June 26, and during all public events.
The Nasher (2001 Flora St.) has been consistently giving us absolute bangers, as the kids say, with exhibition after exhibition this year. Wednesdays through Sundays, through September 11, visit with Magali Reus: A Sentence in Soil and discover new elements every time. In times where “taken out of context” is used in all too many conversations, in this visual one, the artist does just that by design, removing common objects from their typical surroundings.
Thanks to the Dallas Public Library system, we’re now aware it’s Zombie Awareness Month. Hence, from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, the Vickery Park branch (8333 Park Lane) will host the Amazing Zombie Race to find the cure for zombie-ness. It’s a task challenge around the library for individuals and teams of up to four.
The Junior Players runway fashion show has returned! We love this performance with a purpose and this year, the JP are really kicking it in for a cause. The show, as per usual, features talent from 5 to 18, and provides amplification for the voices of the underserved and underrepresented, but something about this year feels especially exciting and hopeful.
The woman who could turn “toot, toot, hey, beep, beep” into a dancefloor anthem? Donna Summer. The undisputed Queen of Disco? Donna Summer. An icon for pop divas to this day? Donna Summer.
