Weekend Event Planner

These are the 9 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 17

WaterTower Theatre presents ONE Addison Concert
WaterTower Theatre will celebrate North Texas Giving Day with the release of the star-studded ONE Addison concert, streaming via Vimeo. The concert, available to stream through September 30, is a love letter to the Town of Addison, as well as to donors and ticket buyers who have stood by WaterTower Theatre during this very difficult time for the industry. The concert features songs from The Bridges of Madison County performed by Christine Cornish Smith and Christopher J. Deaton, who were slated to star in the production before it was cancelled by the pandemic. It will also feature performances from a variety of other singers and artists.

Undermain Theatre presents We Are Proud to Present a Presentation...
Undermain Theatre debuts its Archives Undermain series with a video from its 2014 production of We Are Proud to Present a Presentation... by Jackie Sibblies Drury. A troupe of young actors gears up to portray the extermination of the Herero tribe of Namibia. But what do they really know about being black Africans under German colonization? As the actors dive further in, this inventive play becomes a hilarious and head-spinning nightmare of identity. The production will be available to stream through October 4.

Friday, September 18

Fair Play at the Statler
This is the final weekend for Fair Play at the Statler, in which The Statler Hotel's ballroom has been transformed into an interactive State Fair-inspired installation and activity zone. The event features artistic built-out activations such as an Elvis butter sculpture and Cotton Candy Corral, kids’ activities, games, food and drink tastings, and more. The property’s onsite restaurant and gaming hub, Scout, and its outdoor space, have been transformed 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. The event takes place through Sunday.

East Dallas Arts presents Spring Awakening (This production has been postponed; they will attempt restage it sometime soon).
East Dallas Arts presents its first socially distanced, livestream, and on-demand production, Spring Awakening. The project has been rehearsed via Zoom and the performances will take place at East Dallas Arts' theater on an all-new socially-distanced stage built with 4x4 plexiglass boxes for each actor. The musical explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood with a poignancy and passion that is illuminating and unforgettable. Following three live performances through Sunday, the production will be available on-demand starting on September 25.

Southfork Ranch Fall Concert Series
Southfork Ranch's Fall Concert Series continues with a performance by Texas Flood – Ultimate Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan. Guests will be socially distanced in their “viewing pod,” a 13-by-25-foot space marked off in the Southfork Ranch parking lot. Each pod holds up to six guests and tickets may be purchased as a group or individually. Viewing pods will not be shared amongst parties.

Saturday, September 19

State Fair of Texas presents Big Tex Fair Food Drive-Thru
In lieu of putting on the actual event this year, the State Fair of Texas will present the Big Tex Fair Food Drive-Thru. Packages allow visitors to indulge in some of the fair's favorite food items, along with getting a photo with the iconic Big Tex. You can choose a photo-only package or two different food packages, which both include Corny Dogs, French fries, fried oreos, cotton candy, kettle corn, and Midway prize. The event will take place every Friday-Sunday through October 18.

Nasher Sculpture Center presents Harry Bertoia: "Sculpting Mid-Century Modern Life" opening day (UPDATE: This exhibition was mistakenly listed as starting this weekend; it will open at a future date)
Italian-born, American artist Harry Bertoia was one of the most prolific, innovative artists of the postwar period. He made one-of-a kind jewelry, designed iconic chairs, created thousands of unique sculptures including large-scale commissions for significant buildings, and forwarded the use of sound as sculptural material. This exhibition will be the first large-scale museum examination of the artist’s career in the United States, bringing together close to 100 works from all facets of Bertoia’s extensive and diverse artistic practice. It will remain on display through January 10, 2021.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents Passport to the Park
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will present a family-friendly day of culturally diverse performances at Klyde Warren Park, including ones by Bruce Wood Dance, Amie Maciszewski, Mariachi Lone Star, and musicians of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Visitors will be required to wear masks and remain socially distant from other patrons in the park. Capacity will be limited to ensure proper distance is maintained, and performances will be subject to current COVID-19 mandates.

Carbaret: Beverly Hills Cop with Chef Justin Box + DJ EZ Eddie D
Carbaret, taking place at Brizo in Richardson, presents a screening of Beverly Hills Cop, along with a performance by DJ EZ Eddie D and food from Guest Chef Justin Box, who is recreating the infamous "Shrimp Salad Sandwich" from Eddie Murphy's 1984 classic. The sandwich, which includes a side of dressed field greens, must be pre-ordered and will be delivered to cars. Outside food and drink are not permitted. Guests can stay in their car, on top of their car, or in folding chairs near their car.

Christopher Deaton is one the performers during WaterTower Theatre's ONE Addison Concert, available to stream through September 30.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Deaton

Christopher Deaton is one the performers during WaterTower Theatre's ONE Addison Concert, available to stream through September 30.

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Movie Review

Brad Pitt auto racing film F1: The Movie has more vroom than story

Photo by Scott Garfield / courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Apple Original Films

Brad Pitt in F1: The Movie.

The sport of auto racing has been tackled in a variety of ways over the years by filmmakers, with the intoxicating ability of the cars to go super-fast often overriding whatever story they’re trying to tell. The Formula 1 circuit has been the subject of several films based on real drivers, and now it’s at the center of a fictional story in F1: The Movie.

Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) is an aging driver who lives an itinerant lifestyle, traveling in a van to whatever kind of racing organization will give him a chance to show his skills. Ruben (Javier Bardem), an old competitor from Formula 1 who now owns his own team, comes calling when the lead driver of his team gets injured. Soon enough, Sonny has joined up with the team halfway through their season, with rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) as his teammate.

The bulk of the film finds Sonny trying to impose his old-school ways on the modern sport, with crew members like Kate (Kerry Condon) and Kasper (Kim Bodnia) alternately bristling and marveling at his methods. Sonny and Joshua also spar, sometimes off track, but typically on, where the stubbornness of each threatens not only the success of the team as a whole, but also their safety.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski and written by Ehren Kruger, the filmmaking team tries to bring the same you-are-there feel that they did successfully in Top Gun: Maverick. And there’s no doubt that the film is at its best when it puts multiple cameras in a Formula 1 car while it navigates tight turns and speeds down straightaways, especially because it seems like Pitt and Idris actually did some of the driving. Even non-racing fans should come away impressed with what the cars and drivers are capable of.

Now, if you’re looking for any kind of story, you’ve come to the wrong place. The Sonny-Joshua rivalry has a bit of juice to it, but not much. Unlike most sports movies, the film rarely goes outside of the team, so there’s no antagonist to be found in the film. In fact, were it not for the presence of other cars in the various races, you’d think that Sonny and Joshua were the only drivers, with an annoying commentator constantly talking about them alone, even when they’re far behind the leaders.

The film also struggles with making the sport accessible for non-fans. With the winding courses the circuit uses, there’s far more to it than a car’s (and driver’s) ability to go really fast. The characters use lots of technical jargon about how the design of the car allows the driver to shave tenths of seconds off their times, but the filmmakers are not able to deliver that information in a manner compelling enough to draw the viewer in.

Pitt, as he’s been for more than 30 years, is a magnetic presence who knows how to play to the camera. Sonny is not one of his most interesting characters, but he makes the role work overall. Idris, best known for starring in the FX series Snowfall, makes the case for being the film’s breakout star, giving his character plenty of charm and cockiness. Bardem, Condon, Tobias Menzies, and other members of the team are cast well, even if the story lets them down.

As a showcase (aka advertisement) for the sport it depicts, F1: The Movie works relatively well, giving viewers a taste of what it’s like to actually be in a rocket on wheels. As a film, though, there’s not much to recommend, to the point that it almost negates any of the positives that come from the racing scenes.

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F1: The Movie opens in theaters on June 27.

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