There is no one big event to unite people in and around Dallas this weekend. Instead, you have a variety of interesting choices, including two theatrical productions, a pair of unique comedians, classical music on a small and large scale, great dancers, a Chinese New Year celebration, a Groundhog Day celebration, and both the opening and closing of various art exhibitions.
Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, January 30
The Firehouse Theatre presents The Drowsy Chaperone
With the houselights down, a man in a chair appears on stage and puts on his favorite record: the cast recording of a fictitious 1928 musical. The recording comes to life and The Drowsy Chaperone begins as the man in the chair looks on. Mix in two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theater producer, a not-so-bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan, and an intoxicated chaperone, and you have the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight. The Firehouse Theatre in Farmers Branch will present the production through February 23.
Theatre Three presents Imagine Broadway
Four of Dallas' top vocal talents — Marisa Diotalevi, Blake Hackler, Quintin Jones, and Cherish Robinson — will perform a concert showcasing Broadway's best musicals, including some familiar favorites from Theatre Three's history. The foursome will sing everything from classic show tunes to contemporary hits, with plenty of creative twists and turns along the way. All proceeds from the concert, playing three times through Saturday, will benefit Theatre Three’s programming.
Tim and Eric: 2020 Mandatory Attendance World Tour
Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim — aka Tim and Eric — are a comedy duo best known for their Adult Swim show, Tim and Eric Awesome Show. Their brand of surreal and absurd comedy is an acquired taste, but it has won them many fans over the years. The Tim and Eric Mandatory Attendance Tour, coming to Majestic Theatre, will be filled with more spoofs, goofs, and insanity, including some very special surprises.
Friday, January 31
Eisemann Center presents Piano Battle: Andreas Kern vs. Paul Cibis
The brainchild of internationally accomplished pianists Andreas Kern and Paul Cibis, the Piano Battle sees the duo go head-to-head on stage, entertaining the audience with a variety of classical pieces. The two artists, with distinctly different performance styles, take turns to perform pieces by composers such as Chopin, Liszt, and Debussy, or improvise based on the tunes the audience requests. The performance will be at Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts in Richardson.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents Salome
The scandalous subject of Salome put Richard Strauss’ opera-writing career on a fast, if not notorious, track. It’s about the depraved teen who, in exchange for a dance with seven veils, gets what she asks for, the head of John the Baptist, on a silver platter, then pays for it. In the hair-raising final scene, a crazed Salome sings some of the most spine tingling music you’ll ever hear. There will be two performances — one Friday and one Sunday — at Meyerson Symphony Center.
TITAS/Dance Unbound: Delfos Danza Contemporánea
Delfos Danza Contemporánea is Mexico’s premiere contemporary dance company, ranking among the best in Latin America. Cuando los Disfraces se Cuelgan (When the Disguises are Hung Up) is an evening-length reflection on appearances and the disguises we put on in order to navigate a world. This one-night-only performance will be at Winspear Opera House.
Saturday, February 1
Crow Museum of Asian Art presents Chinese New Year Festival (This event has been postponed due to coronavirus concerns)
Celebrating the Year of the Rat, the Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas will present the 21st annual Chinese New Year Festival. The signature event will feature dragon and lion dances, musical and martial-arts demos, art making and calligraphy, specialty booths, wellness activities, colorful entertainment, and cultural performances. The event will be at NorthPark Center.
Dallas Museum of Art presents "My|gration" opening day
"My|gration" is an installation of works that will trace the migration of people, objects, and ideas in art across times and cultures. Composed of works from the DMA’s collection, "My|gration" highlights the contributions of artists who immigrated to the United States, examines how the movement of people is expressed through art, and illuminates ways cross-cultural connections inform artistic production. The exhibition will be on display through January 3, 2021.
DMA Arts & Letters Live: Selected Shorts
Selected Shorts comes to the Dallas Museum of Art for an evening of O. Henry Prize-winning stories. A selection of award-winning stories — Midrash on Happiness by Grace Paley, Nayla by Youmna Chlala, A Permanent Member of the Family by Russell Banks, and Oh Shenandoah by Maura Stanton — will be brought to life on stage through readings by acclaimed actors, including two-time Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Wendie Malick.
Sunday, February 2
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Arboretum Annie
Pennsylvania may have Punxsutawney Phil, but Dallas has Arboretum Annie, the groundhog meteorologist that will return to predict the weather based on if she sees her shadow or not at the Dallas Arboretum's sunrise ceremony. Guests can enjoy a full day of fun, starting with complimentary coffee or hot chocolate, breakfast food vendor sales in the garden, and a screening of Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray.
Art exhibit closings
Both Nasher Sculpture Center and the Dallas Museum of Art will close exhibitions on Sunday. Sightings: Anne Le Troter at the Nasher isa a sound piece based on Le Troter's research on fertility tourism and the history of sperm banks in the U.S., where the lack of governmental regulation has resulted in the rise of so-called “designer babies." Concentrations 62: Wanda Koop - "Dreamline" is the first U.S. solo museum exhibition for Koop, an established Canadian painter whose practice depicts how modern urban society intersects with the natural environment.
The Firehouse Theatre will present The Drowsy Chaperone through February 23.
The Elf Town Depot, with mayor Elfus standing guard.Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder
The Loders have been presenting Elf Town since 2011.Photo courtesy of David and Melissa Loder