Friday
A lot can happen in a year and a half. In the summer of 2020, we could be enjoying the spoils of political anarchy. Who knows how that could affect our Summer Olympics viewing plans? So, we recommend front-loading your gymnastics viewing experience, just in case. The 2019 World Olympics Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) Classic/Valeri Liukin Invitational is the perfect opportunity to get a hearty dose of all the athleticism/choreography/probably black magic you crave. Friday through Sunday, Feb. 8-10, see rising stars in women’s and men’s artistic gymnastics, acrobatics, trampoline and tumbling at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, 9 Cowboys Way. Get weekend passes for $65 and see it all, or for $30, come to the elite competition at 7 p.m. Saturday. For more information and tickets, visit woga.net/woga-classic-liukin-invitational. Jennifer Davis-Lamm
Sinbad doesn’t perform how conventional wisdom says a stand-up comic should. He doesn’t write jokes and claims not to even know any, at that. His set is unscripted and, outside of having an idea of a few topics he wants to touch on during a performance, is improvised. Rather than construct a tight set with a defined beginning, climax and end, he just goes for two or three hours until the audience grows weary. And unlike most comedians — who ignore hecklers, have them ejected or fire back with vitriol — audience participation is so much a part of his show that he concedes with a smile when an interrupter gets a good insult in. The legendary ’90s comic performs Friday at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8. Tickets are $30 to $47.50 at houseofblues.com/dallas. Jesse Hughey
One of the most acclaimed modern dramas to hit the stage is running right at the Studio Theatre, 15650 Addison Road in Addison. The Outcry Theatre’s performance The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on the novel by Mark Haddon, runs Feb. 8-10, with one performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, two performances Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and one final performance at 2 p.m. Sunday. The play tells the story of a mathematically gifted teen named Christopher who struggles with social situations, but when the mysterious murder of a neighbor’s dog forces him to find the killer, he must venture out into the world. The play, written by Simon Stephens, won the 2013 Laurence Olivier Award and the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play. Tickets are $10 for general seating and $20 for premium reserved seating and can be purchased online at OutcryTheatre.com. Danny Gallagher
Saturday
The Book of Moron is an off-Broadway hit by Robert Dubac in which he asks the simple questions: Who am I? What do I believe? What’s the point? But he doesn’t have any answers, just an inner monologue that he spews out in witty one-liners. “When we say just kidding, we’re not. When we say we’re not kidding, we are. No lie. And when we say no lie, it is. I’m not kidding. You know? Of course you don’t because when people say you know, like you know, you don’t, they do, you know?” That’s just a taste of what to expect at The Book of Moron playing Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 9-10 at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts, 2351 Performance Drive, Richardson. Saturday’s performances are at 4 and 10 p.m. Tickets start at $60 at eisemanncenter.com. Paige Skinner
It’s no secret that Dallas loves brunch, which is why Dallas goes nuts for the city’s lone food festival dedicated to all things brunch: The Morning After. VIP tickets have already sold out, but a $40 general admission ticket gets you unlimited brunch dish samples from restaurants like Barley & Board, Meso Maya and AllGood Cafe, along with brunch cocktail samples and three drink tickets (you can buy more drink tickets if you’re feeling extra thirsty). The Morning After has sold out in the past, so grab tickets while you still can. It happens 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at Dallas Farmers Market, 920 S. Harwood St. Find more info at dobrunchthemorningafter.com. Beth Rankin
Ian Carney and Corbin Popp are the creators of Dino-Light, a glow-in-the-dark puppet production about a scientist who uses magic to bring a bunch of friendly dinosaurs together, only to have them turn vicious and ravage ... no, just kidding. They send the scientist/magician on a journey to find the true meaning of love, as velociraptors are wont to do. It’s a mix of tech, puppetry and dance that scores about a 10 on the coolness meter. See it 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 at Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St. Tickets start at $17 at attpac.org. Patrick Williams
Neko Case knows how to twist and turn a phrase to make her lyrics sparkle and crackle, conjuring tender, fading memories and gossamer dreams in listeners’ minds. A sonic storyteller for more than 20 years as a member of Canadian indie rockers The New Pornographers, Case’s work with the Pornographers, with her band (Her Boyfriends) and as a solo artist has firmly established her as indie rock royalty. Released in June, Case’s self-produced Hell-On is her eighth studio album and seventh solo LP. In 2016, she teamed up with k.d. lang and Laura Veirs for case/lang/veirs, which received rave reviews. Hell-On has been described by reviewers as one of her best and appeared on a handful of year-end 2018 best-album lists. 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 at Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., $44 at prekindle.com. Daniel Rodrigue
The members of Reik, pronounced "Rake" — a reference to the "raking" of guitar strings — are huge stars in their native Mexico. Since 2003, the pop trio has released five wildly popular studio albums, toured internationally and earned a bevy of Latin Grammy nominations. Over the last few years, Latin music has expanded into the American market by establishing a robust presence on online platforms like Vevo, Spotify and YouTube. Reik has been at the forefront, garnering millions of page views that have led to high-profile spots on music industry panels and showcase events. Those curious about the group's sound and reach would be wise to check out the videos for the ballad "Ya Me Entere" or the more upbeat "Que Gano Olvidandote.” With its star rising and expanding beyond Mexico, it's a safe bet that the Saturday night show at The Bomb Factory will be an affair filled with loyal enthusiasts and new converts in equal measure. 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 at The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St., 214-932-6501 or thebombfactory.com, $55.50-$112. Jeff Strowe
Copeland jumped onto the emo/indie rock scene around 2003, and in 2008 announced they were calling it quits after a string of exceptional albums. They reunited in 2014 and released a great album, Ixora. The band is perhaps best recognized by lead singer Aaron Marsh's falsetto vocals and has drifted from emo to some harder rock and back again over the years. Each album comes out charged with gut-wrenching emotion. 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 at Curtain Club, 2800 Main St., $23. Diamond Rodrigue
Blake Ward is one of the busiest DJs in Dallas, with four weekly events and recently having taken up management of his new Four Four Booking agency. He has a long-standing Saturday night Glamorama gig at Beauty Bar. As far as promotion goes, Ward is relentless, a perfect example of how to connect, inform and grow a DJ audience. 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 at Beauty Bar, 1924 N. Henderson Ave., free. Wanz Dover
Sunday
So, how does Casablanca go over with contemporary “woke” audiences? The classic romance starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as star-crossed lovers trying to survive among Nazis in French Morocco is considered one of the greatest screenplays in film. Then, it also has Bergman referring to Dooley Wilson, a black man, as “boy.” And let’s face it, Claude Rains’ character, Capt. Louis Renault, is not so much a charming rake as played in the movie, but kind of a rapist. Ah, different times. If you can overlook a little historical sinning, it’s still a great flick. See it at 5 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm St. Tickets are $11.50 at prekindle.com. Patrick Williams