If culture has been missing from your life, this will be a very good weekend to remedy that. Among the offerings around Dallas are a national tour of a Tony Award-winning play, two separate but equally impressive dance ensembles, a conversation with a renowned author, and student tributes to a civil rights icon.
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, January 12
Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents Beethoven Symphony No. 8
It's always interesting when the Dallas Symphony Orchestra takes on Beethoven, so this concert series — taking place through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center — should be a memorable one. Led by conductor Karina Canellakis and featuring David Cooper on horn, selections include Beethoven's Symphony No. 8, Strauss' Horn Concerto No. 1, and Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.
Second Thought Theatre presents Grounded
Questions of empathy and moral responsibility in the face of impossibly difficult choices live at the heart of Grounded, a moving portrait of a young woman confronted with the harsh realities of modern warfare. The production, playing through February 4 at Bryant Hall, explores the clash between a career in the typically masculine world of war and the more traditional role of wife and mother.
AT&T Performing Arts Center presents The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Winner of five 2015 Tony Awards, including Best Play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time features 15-year-old Christopher, an autistic boy who is exceptionally intelligent but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion for killing his neighbor’s dog, he sets out to identify the true culprit, which leads to an earth-shattering discovery and a journey that will change his life forever. The production plays through January 22 at Winspear Opera House.
Friday, January 13
25th Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
The annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition challenges students to deliver original three-to-five-minute speeches in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year, students answer the question, "If Dr. King were alive today, what would he say about Muhammad Ali’s contribution to society?" The event takes place at Majestic Theatre.
TITAS presents Shadowland by Pilobolus
A mix of shadow theater, dance, circus, and concert, Shadowland incorporates moving screens to create a performance experience that is full of magic and wonderment. Pilobolus’ Shadowland was the first show of its kind to combine shadow theater with dance and has since inspired many similar productions around the world. It plays at Dallas City Performance Hall on Friday and Saturday.
Avant, Dru Hill, and Jagged Edge in concert
R&B lovers will be in heaven at the Music Hall at Fair Park on Friday night, as Avant, Dru Hill, and Jagged Edge team up for this special concert. Avant is appearing in support of his 2015 album, The VIII, while Dru Hill and Jagged Edge are performing a variety of their biggest hits.
Saturday, January 14
Arts & Letters Live: Zadie Smith
In her first-ever event in Dallas, Zadie Smith is in conversation with KERA’s Krys Boyd to discuss her new novel, Swing Time. The book is a story about friendship, music, and stubborn roots, and how we are shaped by these things and how we can survive them. The event takes place at the Dallas Museum of Art.
Red Bull Flying Bach
Urban culture fuses with high society as the Red Bull Flying Bach tour comes to Dallas. The award-winning and globally recognized dance crew the Flying Steps perform to a genre-bending mix of classical, hip hop, and electronic music. There are four performances through Monday at Majestic Theatre.
The 25th Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition takes place at Majestic Theatre on January 13.
NADC Burger is coming to Uptown. Courtesy of NADC Burger