Clark Griswold Would Be Impressed

Christmas lights may be a holiday tradition, but they are kind of a mystery. Sure they can brighten up the darkest corner of the world just by draping them over a house but why are we so enamored by them? The technology that goes into making them hasn’t advanced that…

The Speedway Fills a Need

Let’s say you’ve got a massive, 1.5 mile oval just sitting out north of Fort Worth … sad and lonely. During the warmer months, flocks of folks in sleeveless shirts, camo shorts and giant RVs jockey to spend time there, enjoying the stench of burned rubber and the thrill of…

We Like Our Ice Warmed Up

Last year’s Sparkle event at the Hilton Anatole was a beautiful affair, all ice skating rinks, Christmas lights and time-consuming attractions for the youngsters. But there was one problem. What was generally sparkling was not so much the lights as the ice crystals forming on your eyeballs. Thanks to last…

Skate the Day Away

Growing up in Texas, my visions of what Christmas should look like were always thwarted. In the movies and the songs there was all this talk of snow, but we were lucky if there was a nip in the air. Perhaps that’s why the idea of an outdoor ice rink…

Is Any Part of Bill Cosby’s Legacy Worth Salvaging?

BY INKOO KANG Bill Cosby’s present is secure. Despite the 17 women (so far) who have publicly come forward with notably similar allegations of drug-enabled sexual assault, the comedian received standing ovations for his stand-up performances in the Bahamas and in Florida recently. His comeback tour will likely continue over…

100 Dallas Creatives: No. 39 Literary Framer Karen Weiner

Mixmaster presents “100 Creatives,” in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order. When Karen Weiner opened the Reading Room in Dallas, she turned a new page for the gallery scene, creating a project space unlike anything else that exists here. Her snug little spot in Exposition Park…

Dead White Zombies’ Immersive Theater Is Reborn with Karaoke Motel

The Zombies are back. The back-alley-crawling, crack house-dwelling immersive theater company currently inhabits an abandoned ice house, and they’ve redecorated it to look like a motel designed by Norman Bates – basement and all. Karaoke Motel is creepy choose-your-own adventure theater with a disjointed narrative about what it means to…

4 Ice Rinks to Skate at in (or around) Dallas

It can be hard to get that holiday feeling. Once you’ve switched your radio to KLUV, and you’ve tried gingerbread houses, sugar cookies, stringing lights, and braving the malls, you might want to lace up those ice skates from your childhood. There aren’t many places to skate this holiday season,…

Six Thanksgiving Week Events

The Thanksgiving holiday is rapidly approaching, and most of us are still trying to figure out exactly what we’re going to put on the table for the big meal. Sure, the food is going to be awesome, but there’s much more to this holiday than just sitting around a table…

100 Dallas Creatives: No. 40 Festival Orchestrator Anna Sophia van Zweden

Mixmaster presents “100 Creatives,” in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order. Earlier this year, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra unveiled its secret weapon. While Jaap van Zweden builds a top level orchestra, his daughter has been at work behind the scenes helping him strategize how to bring…

100 Dallas Creatives: No. 41 Emerging Veteran Actor Van Quattro

Mixmaster presents “100 Creatives,” in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order. “I tend to play wacked-out characters, but there’s no reason I couldn’t play doctors and lawyers.” Actor Van Quattro, a favorite among DFW theater directors and critics, is frustrated. He’s been auditioning for a lot…

24 Awesome Things to Do This Weekend, November 20 – 23

When I announced in the Dallas Observer staff meeting on Monday morning that the Dead White Zombies had a show opening this week, my boss paused, looked around the room, and asked, “Are we in it right now?” This is exactly the question Dallas’ weirdest theater mind, Thomas Riccio, wants…

DGDG’s New Dance Work, NICE, Has Spice

The new Elevator Series in the sixth-floor performance space at the Wyly Theatre allows plenty of space for the dancers to run in NICE, the fascinating new piece by Dallas choreographer Danielle Georgiou and her company, DGDG. “It’s nice to be nice,” croons singer-pianist Paul Slavens, who composed the score…