Dallas-born actor Jesse Plemons is a friggin' chameleon. He effortlessly goes from playing a villain in Breaking Bad to a bumbling affair-haver in HBO's Love & Death. Plemons' drama chops earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor in the 2021 Western psychological thriller The Power of the Dog. The thespian's dedication to on-screen truth telling is apparent, and his nuanced takes on complex characters set him apart from the rest of young Hollywood. It's only a matter of time before Plemons brings home an Oscar.

Dallas native Cooper Raiff wrote, produced, directed and starred in Cha Cha Real Smooth, which premiered at Sundance in early 2022 and started streaming on Apple TV+ that June. The dramedy has generated positive reviews — including an 85% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes — and has a formidable cast, including Dakota Johnson (Suspiria, 50 Shades of Grey) and Leslie Mann (The 40-Year-Old Virgin). Raiff, 26, was a pupil at Greenhill School and the Dallas Young Actors Studio, and last year he was named one of Variety's "10 Directors to Watch."

Dallas is big, so figuring out what to do on a night out can be a daunting task. Lower Greenville is a standout option, as you can quench your thirst for a tried-and-true Texas experience while also exploring everything else the city has to offer. Get your BBQ at Son of a Butcher, have an "Italo Texano" dessert at Botolino, bar hop down the street or watch live music at Sundown at Granada. However you choose to customize your time on the block, it will be worth it.

Queer icon Jo Sappho has been keeping Barb's Burlesque absolutely bumping the third Wednesday of every month, producing an evening of gender-bending acts, drag kings and queens, special guest performers and a healthy dose of comedy for packed houses at the beloved Oak Cliff dive known as Barbara's Pavillion, a true LGBTQ+ gem. You might be wooed by some of the hottest burlesque performers around, such as Mina Montenegro, Vivienne Vermuth and Sodi Moore, or even catch a glimpse of the rugged pistol-packing cowboy, the notorious naked hot dog vendor or any one of the personas Sappho sports that totally blow the doors off traditional burlesque and keep it sexy, fun and did we say queer?

Located in the heart of Deep Ellum, Third String Entertainment produces hundreds of concerts each year for bands of all sizes. Since 2004, the entertainment company has grown to promote two annual music festivals in the area: Unsilent Night at Gilley's Dallas and the So What!? Music Festival in Fair Park. While each of those festivals brings in dozens of bands and thousands of fans, where Third String really stands out is the daily concerts it books across Texas. This is a company that strives to grow the local music scene, whether by sending local acts across the country or pairing them with the national acts that come through town. While North Texas remains the company's biggest market, it has expanded into Houston, San Antonio and Austin, and it has big plans for the Midwest.

Whenever a hip-hop-loving Dallasite is asked who the best rapper in DFW is right now, BigXThaPlug is the 9-out-of-10 immediate response because of his unified, organic support from the music industry, radio stations, peers and, most importantly, fans. This year has been one of milestones for the larger-than-life star, with opening tour spots for rap superstars Key Glock and Kevin Gates. The runaway success of Plug's No. 1 debut album, AMAR, spawned an appearance on the Fast X soundtrack, a sold-out nationwide tour and a shared appearance alongside the rap icon Eminem as BigX walked out DFW boxing star Errol Spence Jr. in the fight of the decade. It all happened in front of a sold-out T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and 650,000 pay-per-view fans worldwide.

Texas welcomed the freewheeling Meow Wolf's latest permanent exhibition when it opened earlier this summer. But the 30,000-square-foot walk-through attraction in Grapevine Mills wasn't merely wanted around these parts — it was needed. Meow Wolf brings viewers into an alternate reality via a two-story brick replica of a family home constructed in a former Bed, Bath & Beyond in Grapevine. It tells the story of a disappearing family, offering clues among the art and hidden in nooks and crannies. It's the perfect place to keep the littles occupied when it's hot outside and an inspirational example of what ambitious creatives can do when they put their minds to it. And it's the perfect place for arty Gen Zers to feel seen and appreciated, just as they are.

Let's face it: White dudes have had more of their fair share of artistic accolades and gallery shows, which is why the programming at Daisha Board Gallery is so refreshing. Board, a self-made art expert, got the idea to create her own space showing BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and artists with disabilities after her daughter Savannah asked why there weren't images of people like her in the museums and galleries they frequented. This led to the founding of Black Sheep Art Culture and Board's eponymous space, which opened in November 2021. Board added to her artistic mission by opening a second space next to the Joule during art week, giving her more room to show energetic, inspiring work.

Although most museums embody a "look, don't touch" philosophy, the Nasher bends that rule (just a little) for shows like Steel Like Paper by Mark DiSuvero, which included a hug-like sling called "Swing" that begs kids of all ages to climb on in. Add to that a sculpture garden that invites hide-and-seek style exploration and the institution's annual kid-friendly "The Great Create" event, and you have a perfect mix of elements to inspire the next generation of artists.

This category is crowded with movie theaters debuting La-Z-Boy-esque chairs by the hundreds to bring a touch of luxury to their theaters. But Inwood Theatre has always known what's up. The setup here dares to ask what happens if movie theater seats were sort of a bunch of beds with some pillows — and some bean bags, too, of course. If you are still searching for a theater to set forth on your Barb-enheimer marathon, look no further.