Event Planner

The Book of Mormon headlines best weekend events in Dallas

This weekend in Dallas events is full of bold-faced names from the world of theater, acting, comedy and music. It's so jam-packed, in fact, that you might just want to book a hotel in town so you don't have to go home between events.

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, August 22

Lexus Broadway Series presents The Book of Mormon
Anyone who has even a passing interest in live theater has wanted to see The Book of Mormon since it premiered on Broadway in 2011. The brainchild of South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, along with Avenue Q's Robert Lopez, it's a musical that's bawdy and offensive, but also catchy as hell with a surprisingly sweet message. Most tickets for its stay at Winspear Opera House, running through September 1, are gone, but you can always try your luck at their daily $25 lottery.

Improv Addison presents Kevin Pollak
Kevin Pollak is one of those "That Guy" actors, someone who's appeared in a ton of movies you've seen - A Few Good Men, Grumpy Old Men, The Usual Suspects - but who's rarely been the star. He's also an extraordinary mimic, doing great impressions of people like Johnny Carson, Jack Nicholson and Christopher Walken. Expect that and some more funny stuff when he stops by Improv Addison for shows Thursday through Saturday.

Friday, August 23

Chazz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale
The biggest reason anyone knows Chazz Palminteri's name is because of his one-man play, A Bronx Tale. Debuting in 1990, it was optioned by Robert De Niro, who let Palminteri write the film's screenplay and play one of its best roles, the mob boss Sonny. That catapulted his career, and now he's revisiting the work that made it all possible. He'll be at Wyly Theatre on Friday and Saturday.

Gorilla vs. Bear III: Danny Brown, Blue Hawaii, Haerts, Empress Of and Booty Fade
Local music blog Gorilla vs. Bear always does a great job in promoting independent talent, and the line-up they've secured for their third annual music showcase at Granada Theater is yet another example. Featuring Danny Brown, Blue Hawaii, Haerts, Empress Of and Booty Fade, it'll be a night of great music and one where you might be able to say you saw an up-and-coming band when they were still small-time.

Saturday, August 24

Bell Biv Devoe in concert with Tony! Toni! Tone! and SWV & Al B. Sure
Despite putting out a grand total of three albums, Bell Biv Devoe still holds a strong place in the hearts of anybody who came of age in the early 1990s, both for hits like "Poison" and for their history with the three members' previous band, New Edition. This showcase at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie will be a quadruple throwback, as they'll be joined by Tony! Toni! Tone!, SWV and Al B. Sure.

Icona Pop in concert
The Swedish female duo known as Icona Pop has been making waves the past couple of years with their irresistible electro-pop music. They've had hit songs with "I Love It" and "Girlfriend," and after coming through town at Granada Theater last December as an opening act, they'll get full headliner status at House of Blues Dallas. You best come ready to dance.

Sunday, August 25

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents The Russian Festival
Starting Friday, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will present the works of famous Russian composers like Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff at Bass Performance Hall. Each of the daily concerts will be different, and each will feature a different pianist from the 2013 Cliburn Competition, culminating with Sunday's performance by third place finisher Sean Chen.

Funny or Die presents The Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival featuring Dave Chappelle and Flight of the Conchords
The announcement of this comedy/freak fest was one of those "Holy crap!" moments, as it's the first indication in years that comedian Dave Chappelle may be ready to step back into the spotlight. He and the Flight of the Conchords will undoubtedly be the highlights, but there will also be two stages of stand-ups, street performers, psychics and more at this catch-all event at Gexa Energy Pavilion.

Bell Biv Devoe leads a '90s throwback concert at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie on August 24.

Bell Biv Devoe/Facebook

Bell Biv Devoe leads a '90s throwback concert at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie on August 24.

unspecified

Rivers wild

Ethan Hawke narrates new documentary that deep-dives into Texas rivers

Cropped still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The Rio Grande is one of the stunning subjects of Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers.

One Texas film icon passes the torch to another for a deep dive on Texas' river ecosystems in the upcoming documentary Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers. Matthew McConaughey narrated the original 2022 film, Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story. Now Ethan Hawke narrates the follow-up, which will be in theaters September 25.

Deep in the Heart 2 is directed by Ben Masters, a nature-obsessed Texan who was born and raised in Amarillo and has followed wildlife around the state and beyond. Working with his crew at Fin & Fur Films, Masters explores the Rio Grande, the Sabine River, and the Neches River, a press release says, coming across otters, turkeys, alligator snapping turtles, and more.

This underwater shot was taken in San Marcos.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The original Deep in the Heart took a broad view of Texas — both its landscapes and their inhabitants — while the "sequel," as the release calls it, specifically highlights water. Conservation is an important angle, and viewers will get a chance to consider how they could connect with and protect the ecosystems on their screens.

"Most of my favorite memories are on Texas Rivers," said Masters in the release. "I grew up on the Canadian, fell in love on the Brazos, got married on the Guadalupe, found adventure on the Rio Grande, and am raising my kids on the Colorado."

The filmmaker says that spending three years filming his natural subjects gave him "a newfound appreciation" for rivers and how distinct they are from one another.

Amazing cinematography was a hallmark of the original film, and the sequel offers more beautiful shots.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

"We spent months filming mountain lions on the Pecos, snapping turtles on the Neches, otters on the Sabine, fatmuckets on the Llano, and whooping cranes in the Guadalupe's Estuary," Masters said. "Editing the majesty of Texas Rivers into 80 minutes was a huge challenge, and I'm just incredibly grateful to work with such a talented team of cinematographers, editors, producers, and musicians."

Hawke, born in Austin and raised in Fort Worth, is known for acting in the Dead Poets Society, Gattaca, the Richard Linklater films Boyhood and Blue Moon, and more. He has taken up causes in environmental advocacy for years and appeared in other ecology-focused films, including the intense fictional First Reformed (2018) and a goofy anti-littering PSA with TxDOT (2023).

Some unexpected guests in the Rio Grande.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The film was made in association with H-E-B, a regular supporter of ecological documentaries and initiatives, and conservation organization Texan by Nature. Other collaborators include producer Josh Winkler, editor Sam Klatt, assistant editor Chet Stefan, and composer Noah Sorota. The musical score is performed by Dallas Chamber Symphony.

animals documentaries ecology ethan hawke film matthew mcconaughey movies nature texas wildlife