Weekend Event Planner

These are the 8 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

With the 4th of July falling on a Tuesday this year, you can enjoy a long weekend full of patriotic events. But there's far more than just that going on, including the world premiere of a new family-friendly musical and no fewer than four concerts featuring huge music stars.

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

Thursday, June 29

Dallas Theater Center presents Hood: The Robin Hood Musical Adventure
Dallas Theater Center will present the world premiere of Hood: The Robin Hood Musical Adventure, a new musical comedy written and directed by five-time Tony-nominated playwright Douglas Carter Beane, with music and lyrics by Lewis Flinn, who collaborated on Give it Up/Lysistrata Jones. Here they tell the real story of the disgraced nobleman Robin Hood, who is forced into the wilderness, seeks revenge, and reclaims his great love. The musical will run at Wyly Theatre through August 6.

Improv Addison presents D.L. Hughley
Comedian D.L. Hughley has had quite the ride in his 25 years or so in show business. He rose up relatively quickly in the stand-up ranks, earning his own sitcom, The Hughleys, which ran from 1998-2002. Since then, he's remained a presence on TV, in the movies, as an author, and, of course, as a stand-up. He gets back to his first love with six sets through Sunday at Improv Addison.

Melissa Etheridge in concert
Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Melissa Etheridge has remained one of America’s favorite female singer-songwriters for almost three decades. Best known for the multi-platinum 1993 album Yes I Am, she has released 17 albums in her career, including Memphis Rock & Soul in 2016. She plays at the Majestic Theatre.

Friday, June 30

Boston in concert with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
It'll be a throwback kind of night at Starplex Pavilion when Boston and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts join forces. Boston was one of the biggest bands of the 1970s, with their first two albums selling almost 25 million copies combined. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts have been rocking together since the early 1980s, releasing 12 albums, including 2013's Unvarnished.

Saturday, July 1

The Rustic presents Picnic Party
The Uptown hot spot The Rustic celebrates the 4th of July weekend by hosting a Picnic Party with live music by pop/folk sibling trio Castro, featuring American Idol alumni Jason and Michael Castro, and their sister, Jackie. The Dallas trio released their debut EP Diamond Dreams in 2016. The event also includes a performance by acoustic duo D and Chi.

Dallas Wings vs. Seattle Storm
After a rocky first season in Arlington, the Dallas Wings are having a nice rebound season, sitting at 8-8 after a recent four-game winning streak. Led by star Skylar Diggins-Smith, who's averaging almost 18 points per game, the Wings are currently in sixth place in the WNBA standings. They take on the Seattle Storm, featuring stars Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart, at College Park Center on the UT Arlington campus.

Sunday, July 2

Outlaw Music Festival featuring Willie Nelson, the Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, and more
Willie Nelson holds his annual 4th of July Picnic down in Austin on Tuesday, but Dallas gets an abridged preview of that event courtesy of the Outlaw Music Festival at Starplex Pavilion. It features performances by Willie Nelson & Family, the Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Margo Price, Hayes Carll, and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. There will also be local cuisine, craft beers, and crafts by local artisans.

Monday, July 3

Roger Waters in concert
There's a rule that whenever Pink Floyd's Roger Waters comes to town on a long holiday weekend, he must be included. Part of his US + Them tour, the concert at American Airlines Center features classic Pink Floyd, some new songs, and solo work. Waters' legendary live performances are renowned as immersive sensory experiences featuring high class, state-of-the-art audio visual production and breathtaking quad sound.

Boston plays at Starplex Pavilion with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts on June 30.

Photo courtesy of Boston

Boston plays at Starplex Pavilion with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts on June 30.

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Movie Review

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney go off in trashy film The Housemaid

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney in The Housemaid.

Both Amanda Seyfried (the upcoming The Testament of Ann Lee) and Sydney Sweeney (Christy) are starring in movies with Oscar ambitions this year. By sheer coincidence, the two actors are also co-starring in The Housemaid, a thriller coming out within weeks of their more ambitious works, one that is likely to be seen by many more people than those prestige plays.

Sweeney is given top billing as Millie, a down-on-her-luck ex-convict looking to land any type of job so as not to break her parole. She finds a too-good-to-be-true lifeboat with Nina (Seyfried), who hires her to be a housemaid for her large house on Long Island, where she lives with her husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and daughter, Cecilia (Indiana Elle).

After a warm interview, Nina almost immediately becomes highly erratic, whipping back-and-forth between happy-go-lucky and rageful. It seems clear that Nina is suffering from mental health issues, as she’ll often accuse Millie of misplacing or stealing items that she didn’t take. Andrew, apparently used to Nina’s tirades, tries to protect Millie from the worst, something that grows increasingly difficult as Nina ups the ante.

Directed by Paul Feig (A Simple Favor) and adapted by Rebecca Sonnenshine from the bestselling book by Freida McFadden, the film is likely the trashiest mainstream movie to come out in 2025. The first half of the movie relies not on story but on moments as Nina embodies the word “hysterical” to an unbelievable extent. The resigned acceptance of the abuse by Millie, as well as the saintly patience of Andrew, make almost every scene laughable, as nobody seems to be acting anywhere close to how a person would normally react to such extreme situations.

The scenes and the performance of Seyfried are so over-the-top, in fact, that it’s clear that the filmmakers are in on the joke. It’s next to impossible not to have a little bit of fun while watching the actors react to outrageous incidents as if nothing is out of the ordinary. The worse Nina acts, the more Millie and Andrew retreat into their chosen roles, and the funnier the film becomes.

Fans of the book will know that the story changes course, eventually turning into a more stereotypical thriller that also has some relatively gnarly visuals to offer. But the trashiness continues, with Sweeney’s, um, assets repeatedly on display in both clothed and unclothed ways. The sex appeal of the R-rated movie makes it an outlier, as recent studio films have shied away from asking their big stars to disrobe completely.

Both Seyfried and Sweeney are far from their Oscar hopeful roles here. Seyfried is given free rein to act as brazenly as she pleases, and she takes full advantage of that ability. Sweeney seems to have been told to be much more reserved, and unfortunately that results in too many wooden line readings. Sklenar continues his breakout streak (It Ends with Us, Drop) with a role that allows him to show more range than either Seyfried or Sweeney.

The Housemaid is an unusual type of movie to be released at a time of year when most films are either those aiming for awards or more family-friendly fare. Despite its many flaws, it’s still an enjoyable watch that features a variety of crazy scenarios not typically seen in movies nowadays.

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The Housemaid is now playing in theaters.

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