Stand-up comedians may be alone on a stage in a physical sense but spiritually speaking, they are never by themselves. They are constantly swarmed by the spirits of the comedians who inspired. The memories and inspirations of comedians who pushed them to walk on to a stage will always be…
This weekend’s two-day get-together in Studio City, Calif., of dozens of SMU theater grads from the 1970s and ’80s might turn out to be the greatest cast ever assembled of accomplished middle-aged American character actors from stage, screen and television. The guest list, according to reunion planner Judi Dickerson (MFA,…
Lenny Abrahamson’s shattering drama Room borrows its fictional plot from the tabloids and strips it of sensationalism. Seven years ago, a man (Sean Bridgers) snatched 17-year-old Joy (Brie Larson) and stashed her in his backyard shed. Two years later, she bore their son. The door stayed locked. Now 5, Jack…
In an ongoing series for the arts blog, artist Randy Guthmiller attempts to visually connect exhibitions from elsewhere with art being made in Dallas. Most days, you can find Guthmiller either in the studio working on his art, which manifests in sculptural relief Shapes, or working in the Nasher gallery…
Halloween is upon us. Whether this is a celebratory statement or a dreaded one, you can’t avoid this date in your calendar. If you’re the friend making the plans, let us assist you. We’ve compiled 10 of the more interesting parties and events this weekend. Elsewhere on the blog we…
Once a year, usually in the fall, the Dead White Zombies emerge from the mind of Thomas Riccio. An immersive theater troupe run by experimental theatermaker Riccio, the Zombies have taken over everything from a former crack house to ramshackle warehouses. Last year, the group took over a former Ice…
The most effective scene in James Vanderbilt’s brisk, outraged Truth is one that will be familiar to anyone who has ever sat in a room where editors and reporters are breaking down an investigative story. The reporters — here, 60 Minutes researchers played by Dennis Quaid, Elisabeth Moss and Topher…
David Gordon Green’s Our Brand Is Crisis is a horror film wrapped in fast-talking political comedy. Watching Sandra Bullock, as ruthless campaign manager Jane, flog her uncharismatic candidate for Bolivia’s next president, I snickered at her knowing quips. Asked by an offscreen TV interviewer (the film’s awkward framing device) to…
Before Anthony Bourdain published Kitchen Confidential in 2000, mere mortals who simply eat in restaurants had little idea about the drinking, debauchery and drug use rampant among the folks responsible for getting their fettuccine Alfredo to the table. The book was eye-opening if true, and a rambunctious, vicarious pleasure even…
Lily Hanson’s new exhibit is inspired by punk rock. It is not something you would guess about a work that seems playful and whimsical at first glance. “The Once Over Twice” takes its name from the title of a song by X, the Los Angeles punk band formed nearly four…
The Teen Scene Players at Dallas Children’s Theater are winding up a short run of The Ghosts of Sleepy Hollow, a new one-hour adaptation by Philip Schaeffer of 19th century stories by Washington Irving. It’s a beautiful looking production, directed by Artie Olaisen, but the skills of the storytellers are…
Out of the shadows and into the pale golden glow of dozens of candles, the Grim Reaper, in various guises, takes his (or her) star turn in Theatre of Death, a collection of seven short plays on a single theme, produced and performed by Mark-Brian Sonna’s MBS Productions in the…
You’ve been to Super H Mart probably a million times, right? The allure of an exotic Asian market with interesting produce and strange things made out of fish is impossible for the adventurous to pass up. Maybe you’ve also gotten into going to the Korean spa, which inevitably leads one…
It’s Halloween week, which means doing a lot of drinking in a skimpy costume. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that – Halloween is a sacred American tradition – but that doesn’t mean that you have to rot your brain along with your teeth. You can watch plenty of scary…
Favorite Five is a new series where we’ll go into the homes of some of Dallas’ coolest kids and document their five favorite things. Know someone worthy of a nom? Type it in the comments below. Rob Bradford is a costume designer and vintage collector with just the right amount…
Sure, you can blame the aliens, the gophers, the monkeys and the fridge. But even without all those, 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Harrumphing of the Whatsit likely wouldn’t have worked. Its director, you see, no longer finds it edifying to dream up new ways to kill America’s historical enemies…
Dennis Gonzalez is better known for being a free jazz trumpet player and educator, but he is also an artist. Saturday night he will have his first exhibit in a decade, a one night only pop show that will also feature music from his longtime band, Yells At Eels. The…
Terry Mayo’s tattoo gun slings only large-scale art pieces these days — bio-organic, blackwork, black and gray, or color tattoos. The 25-year ink veteran specializes in illustrative images but prefers to tattoo traditional Japanese art. He has tattooed masterpieces using both styles at Cat Tattoo in Addison. Mayo says he…
When Richard Garcia was a kid constantly drawing his favorite comic book characters, he knew he someday wanted to make a living as an artist. But even in art school, where he spent four years working on photo-realistic drawing with graphite and charcoal, he never considered tattooing a viable option…
Thursday, Oct. 22 Weatherproof If you’ve been hoping to check out the McKinney Avenue Contemporary’s new digs, here’s your chance. See some incredible works of art by Letitia Huckaby, Jeremy McKane and Gregory Ruppe and Jeff Gibbons inside the large warehouse space, as well as some great works of art…
Dallas is terrifying for many reasons — traffic, SMU students, Uptown — and October really allows our city to shine with a nacreous glow from a plethora of haunted houses and scary attractions. Who doesn’t want to get chased through a field by a person screaming and waving a chainsaw? We…
Ah, Halloween. That time of the year when grown-ass adults lose their natural minds and engage in activities that they would normally eschew, like eating disgusting confections (looking at you, candy corn) and drink fruity, Everclear-spiked punch until they forget their names. Worst of all, though, are the legions of…
