Weekend Event Planner

Anthony Bourdain headlines best weekend events in Dallas-Fort Worth

There's a little bit of everything going on in Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend, making it a time to get out and about no matter what your personal preferences may be. Among your choices are another great musical, a visit from a big-time foodie, stand-up comedy from a legend and a special event with the host of This American Life.

Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, July 9

Do It for Durrett '80s Night
Now in its second year, Do It for Durrett was originally a fundraiser for the family of baseball sportswriter Richard Durrett, who died unexpectedly in 2014. The foundation dedicated to him now raises money for families in similar situations, and this event at Globe Life Park in Arlington features performances by current members of the Texas Rangers, country music star Casey Donahew and other surprises.

Dallas Summer Musicals presents Pippin
The 2014-2015 Dallas Summer Musicals season comes to a close with the national tour of the revival of Stephen Schwartz's Pippin. The musical, playing at Music Hall at Fair Park through July 19 before transferring to Bass Performance Hall July 21-26, tells the story of a young prince on a death-defying journey to find meaning in his existence.

Friday, July 10

DMA Arts & Letters Live presents Anthony Bourdain: Close to the Bone
Chef and author Anthony Bourdain has been all over the world in search of great food, adventures that he shares in this event at Majestic Theatre. Bourdain presents a brutally honest monologue reflecting on diverse culture, street cuisine and his travels to lesser-known locations around the world. The event is sold out, but tickets can still be found on the secondary market.

Bob Newhart in concert
God bless Bob Newhart: At 85 years old, the comedian is still out on the road performing for the masses. Best known for his legendary comedy albums and his two successful sitcom runs in the '70s and '80s, Newhart has a wealth of experience from which to draw his act, which he puts on display at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie.

Saturday, July 11

Dallas Gallery Day
During this annual event, art galleries across the city throw open their doors as both a way to expose people to the tons of great art on display and an inviting way to beat the summer heat. The 30 participating galleries are located in Deep Ellum, the Dallas Design District and other locations.

Tedeschi Trucks Band in concert with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Doyle Bramhall II
The Tedeschi Trucks Band — led by married couple Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks — has had a stellar start to their career together, with their 2011 debut album winning the Grammy for Best Blues Album. This concert at Gexa Energy Pavilion will be heaven for blues/soul music fans, as it also features Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Doyle Bramhall II.

Keith Sweat, Bell Biv Devoe and SWV in concert
New Jack Swing is back in full effect at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie with this throwback concert. Keith Sweat, who's credited with being one of the genre's innovators, headlines, and he's joined by Bell Biv Devoe, best known for their song "Poison," and SWV, one of the most successful all-female groups of all time.

#thinkspeak: Ira Glass, Monica Bill Barnes and Anna Bass
Taking a break from his This American Life duties, NPR radio host Ira Glass presents this special event about a topic well-suited to the venue, Winspear Opera House. Titled “3 Acts, 2 Dancers, 1 Radio Host” performance, Glass is joined by dancers Monica Bill Barnes and Anna Bass in a show that combines two art forms for an entertaining evening of mixed talents.

Sunday, July 12

Festival of Independent Theatres
The Festival of Independent Theatres, taking place at Bath House Cultural Center through August 1, is a chance for smaller theater and arts companies to showcase their talents in a more high-profile manner. Among the troupes presenting works are WingSpan Theatre Company, Upstart Productions, Gorilla Theater and DGDG.

Tyler Oakley's Slumber Party
If you're not familiar with the work of Tyler Oakley, congratulations on being over the age of 25. For those weaned on YouTube, though, Oakley is one of the biggest stars on the Internet, winning scads of fans for his sense of humor and social activism. This event at Majestic Theatre features behind-the-scenes stories, interactive games and lots of surprises.

Anthony Bourdain tells stories from his travels around the world at Majestic Theatre on July 10.

Courtesy photo

Anthony Bourdain tells stories from his travels around the world at Majestic Theatre on July 10.

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Movie Review

Long-awaited Wicked movie adaptation lives up to the hype

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera in Wicked.

The musical Wicked is indisputably the biggest Broadway smash of the 21st century, having grossed more $1.6 billion in New York alone and achieving the rare feat of running for over 20 years. All of which is to say that the long-awaited movie adaptation of The Wizard of Oz prequel will most likely be a massive success whether it lives up to what longtime fans envisioned or not.

Part one — yes, this 2 hour and 40 minute film is merely the first act of the musical; part two arrives a year from now — introduces Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the green-skinned witch who goes on to become Dorothy’s nemesis, and G(a)linda (Ariana Grande-Butera), the pink-garbed “good” witch, as they meet at Shiz University in Oz. Glinda is the ultra-popular one with sycophantic hangers-on, while Elphaba is shunned by almost everyone, sometimes including her disabled sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode), who’s desperate to make her own space away from Elphaba.

Her mistreatment by others leads Elphaba to get angry, which manifests itself in uncontrollable magic. Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) notices this and takes a personal interest in her, giving her one-on-one instruction in hopes of harnessing her power. In the meantime, Elphaba and Glinda attempt to go from forced roommates to actual friends, although Glinda’s entitled personality is more of an obstacle than anything else they encounter.

Directed by Jon M. Chu and written by original book writer Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, the film does a great job of distinguishing itself from the stage version while still remaining true to what made it so beloved. As Chu showed in his last film, In the Heights, he has an innate feel for how to tap into the essence of the source material while expanding it into something befitting the scope of a blockbuster movie.

In this case, he finds a way to give even greater emphasis to the bigotry that Elphaba faces simply because of her green skin; the fact that she is being played by a Black woman drives home the point even more. The story remains light and fluffy for the most part, but the ostracization/otherness that Elphaba feels is delivered in a powerful way, as is her empathy for talking animals like Dr. Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage), who are facing their own persecution.

Of course, the highlight of the film is Stephen Schwartz’s music, and while not all of the songs are equal in impact, they still make for a cohesive whole. The number of songs and order they appear in the first act is identical to the stage musical, with the standouts remaining “The Wizard and I,” “Popular,” and “Defying Gravity.” While there is some superfluous action and cutaways added to certain numbers, it’s not enough to distract from what makes the songs effective.

Oddly, the progression of the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda works better on stage when the timeline is accelerated, but Erivo and Grande-Butera make up for this slight lack with their fantastic performances. The emotion each brings to their characters fits them almost perfectly, and there’s simply no denying the strength of each of their voices. Bode, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, and more make for a solid supporting cast.

The well-known ending of the first act of Wicked is a huge high point that is so good that it almost makes up for the fact that audiences won’t see the second film for a long time. But if part one is any indication, part two should turn out to be another great musical theater adaptation in a decade that has already seen its fair share.

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Wicked opens in theaters on November 22.

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