Weekend Event Planner

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

While most big events in and around Dallas have either been postponed or canceled during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there are a few that have popped up to offer the masses some entertainment while still adhering to the necessary social distancing measures.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. While they're not all outside of the house, they all promise to provide a nice distraction from the everyday life.

Thursday, September 10

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Bronfman Plays Beethoven"
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will continue its season with "Bronfman Plays Beethoven," featuring pianist Yefim Bronfman playing Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto. The concert, conducted by Fabio Luisi and playing three times through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center, will also feature Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8. These concerts and other forthcoming concerts are currently available to subscribers only.

Friday, September 11

Fair Play at the Statler
Statler Hotel's ballroom will transform into Fair Play at the Statler, an interactive State Fair-inspired installation and activity zone. The event, taking place on the weekends through September 20, will feature artistic built-out activations such as an Elvis butter sculpture and Cotton Candy Corral, kids’ activities, games, food and drink tastings, and more. Additionally, the onsite restaurant and gaming hub Scout, and its outdoor space, will transform into “TX Fare & Midway,” where patrons can enjoy State Fair-inspired fare, drink specials, and games such as horseshoes, cornhole, skee-ball, billiards, washers, and more.

Improv Addison presents Paul Rodriguez
Longtime comedian Paul Rodriguez has been making audiences laugh all over the world (in Spanish and English) for nearly three decades with his unique brand of humor that is a perfect blend of his Latin heritage, the American dream, and his undeniable universal appeal. Rodriguez will perform at Improv Addison five times through Sunday.

Ida Y Vuelta Flamenco presents "Flamenco Fever: Memorias Flamencas"
"Flamenco Fever: Memorias Flamencas" features the father of flamenco jazz, Jorge Pardo, a world-renowned flute and saxophone artist who recently won a Grammy as a contributor in Chick Corea's Best Latin Jazz Album, Antidote. This show, taking place at Annette Strauss Square, will kick off a fall series of concerts at the outdoor venue.

Addison Weekend Drive-In Concert Series
The Addison Weekend Drive-In Concert Series, where guests can listen to live music from a variety of Dallas-Fort Worth bands, wraps up this weekend with two final events. Attendees will be able to enjoy the shows from the comfort of their vehicles, or bring lawn chairs to sit next to a car. Music will be transmitted via both speaker system and FM radio. This weekend features performances by Raised Right Men on Friday and The Redwine Band on Saturday. The concerts take place in a parking lot just south of Addison Circle Park.

Saturday, September 12

Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents Legacy Performance Series
Dallas Black Dance Theatre will present the first virtual showcase of its 44th season. The Legacy Performance + Dancemaker's Discussion will feature From Within, choreographed by Nijawwon Matthews. Following the virtual performance the audience will be able to talk live to Matthews and the dancers. Viewers must register in advance for the event on Zoom.

Carbaret: Ford v. Ferrari Drive-In & Car Show
The latest Carbaret, taking place at Brizo in Richardson, will feature a special screening of Ford v. Ferrari. There will be car show with Mustang Shelby Mustangs and Ferraris onsite, and DJ Devin Pike will be spinning Detroit Motor City & Italian rock to fuel the night. In honor of the Italian race car driver and automaker Enzo Ferarri, they'll be offering an Italian menu prepared by Aboca's Italian Chef Artur Piro.

Sunday, September 13

Kluber Family Foundation presents Curveball for a Cause Celebrity Gala
Pitcher Corey Kluber's first season with the Texas Rangers has not gone as planned, as he went on the injured list after just one inning in his first game. But Kluber will continue his philanthropic efforts with the inaugural Curveball for a Cause Celebrity Gala, now a virtual event. Fox Sports Southwest anchor John Rhadigan will act as emcee, and Kluber and several of his Rangers teammates will make virtual appearances. Proceeds will support the Kluber Family Foundation’s community outreach programs.

Pianist Yefim Bronfman will perform with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, September 10-13, at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Photo by Frank Stewart

Pianist Yefim Bronfman will perform with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, September 10-13, at Meyerson Symphony Center.

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Movie Review

The life of an actor is far from rosy in dramedy Misty Green

Photo courtesy of A24

Rosalind Eleazar in Misty Green.

For every well-known/successful actor in Hollywood, there are thousands of others whose lives are more tenuous as they struggle to find work. The new film Misty Green is about one such actor who, after a period in the limelight, now finds herself on the outskirts of the industry, just hoping to find her way back in.

Misty (Rosalind Eleazar) won an Emmy for a 2000s-era TV show that still gets her recognition, but not much work. Still living in the apartment of a recently-deceased man with whom she was having an affair, Misty spends her days sleeping in and her nights getting blitzed on alcohol and drugs. She seems to be heading nowhere fast until a few things coincide to break up her routine.

The man’s wife (Amy Landecker) shows up and tells her she has seven days to vacate the apartment; Misty’s brother, Jay (Daniel Kaluuya) — who is bipolar — arrives after being kicked out of his facility for non-payment; and Jordan (Chris Rock), a former colleague with whom she had a falling-out, reappears in her life, offering a possible chance to rehabilitate her image.

Written and directed by Rock (his first feature since 2014’s Top Five), the film is a funny and excruciating look at how the entertainment industry might actually work. Misty is her own worst enemy thanks to late nights fraternizing with unsavory characters like Zach (Adam Driver), who deals in drugs and women in equal measure, but her frustration proves warranted when her agent, Randy (Topher Grace), and casting directors like Rhonda (Tracie Thoms) hardly give her the time of day.

Misty tries her best to stay positive, but when jobs like singing in a bar are the best she can do, the mountain seems insurmountable. Rock does an effective job of demonstrating the elements that are within and without Misty’s control that affect her ability to regain her position in the industry. The chip on her shoulder is almost as big as the bias some have against her, and other negative circumstances don’t help matters much.

There are many small touches that Rock and his crew put in the film to give it an air of authenticity. Filming in Los Angeles (a rarity these days), Rock uses both subtle and overt shots of homeless people in the city, suggesting that the line between the haves and have-nots is a fine one, especially with Misty on the verge of not having a place to live. He also has cameos from a few of his funny friends, including a bit of meta-casting of Anthony Anderson (who has faded a bit after starring in Black-ish) in a bit part as a cop.

Eleazar, a British actor best known for appearing on the Apple TV show Slow Horses, is a magnetic presence as Misty. The character herself is somewhat cringey in her decision-making, and Eleazar sells every bit of her righteous indignation and self-defeating actions. The supporting cast is great across the board, including Rock, Driver, Kaluuya, Thoms, Grace, Anna Kendrick, and Rich Sommer.

Misty Green makes you rage against the Hollywood machine, laugh at the various ways different people deal with its maddening quirks, and hide behind your fingers as Misty chooses options that don’t help, either voluntarily or because her back is against the wall. It’s a powerhouse of acting that gives a unique angle on the inner workings of Hollywood, one that ironically might be competing for awards at year’s end.

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Misty Green is now playing in theaters.

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