Performing Arts

Comedian Wes Corwin doesn’t take any credit for the Plano Comedy Festival becoming the largest comedy festival in all of North Texas.

Whenever a comedian tries to play a character on stage, that character usually has an over inflated ego or is some larger-than-life specimen whose presence demands your attention by yelling into a mic or speaking with a self-appointed authority and importance. It’s just a rule.

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.

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.

We’ll use any opportunity to celebrate Latin culture, and Hispanic Heritage Month seems like a particularly appropriate time.

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.

“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.

If anything deserves to be mocked, it’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s nothing inherently wrong with Disney’s blockbuster film franchise

Actor and comedian David Koechner gets recognized all the time. His work in movies and television is so prolific that there are several categories of reasons why he might get recognized.

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.

Last week, comedian and show producer Noah “Shark” Robertson announced on his Facebook page that he booked conservative comedian and self-described troll Alex Stein as part of a lineup

One of Texas’ funniest comedians wants to introduce you to a bunch of really funny people in a special showcase at the Addison Improv.

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.

In a new production by Uptown Players, Kinky Boots still stands tall with its messages of empathy, tolerance and understanding.

Somebody is dropping the ball right now. It’s hard to say if it’s Comedy Central or Saturday Night Live or some other all-powerful comedy entity

Words are so important. Without them, you couldn’t even read this right now. The only thing more important than words is spelling.

There’s a fun little irony between comedians and Found Footage Festival founders Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher that plays out in their new documentary Chop & Steele.

Dear Dallas: The time has come to step out of your comfort zone and shake up the summer. If you’ve been hiding your impressive musical talents, have aspirations to be this generation’s Jerry Seinfeld or your ears are tired of listening to Harry’s House on repeat, show up to an…

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.

For decades The Dallas Opera has been bringing star-studded shows and performances to Dallas: from the outstanding U.S. debuts of international artists such as Dame Joan Sutherland and Plácido Domingo

Are you an angry male who’s mad at the world for birthing you during this historic time of striving for gender equity and lukewarm political socialism? Do you need a place to vent your rage through laughs without earning another 30-day ban from the paintball arena? Don’t worry. Joe Rogan…