This weekend around Dallas has a lot going on, from events featuring local arts groups to traveling performers. Choices include three theater productions, two dance productions, three completely different types of concerts, three big comedians, a new art exhibition, a symphonic celebration of a popular anime series, monster trucks, and a special theatrical light experience.
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, March 6
Meadows Lyric Theatre presents Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Sweeney Todd tells the story of the barber, Benjamin Barker, who is sent away to prison on a false charge by the corrupt Judge Turpin. Returning to London after 15 years and now known as Sweeney Todd, he intends to exact his revenge on those who wronged him. This new production of Sweeney Todd, which has been updated to occur during the violent turbulence of the London Blitz at the end of the Second World War, will have four performances through Sunday at the Meadows School of the Arts on the SMU campus.
Indique Dance Co presents The Wedding is Fixed - A Bollywood Love Story
Across the world, a new fascination with Indian weddings has emerged. A typical Indian wedding spans several days with many shenanigans and festivities that keep everyone engaged and exhausted, but most importantly, entertained. Indique Dance Co will bring the dance and the “drama” in this comedic take on a whimsical Bollywood love story. The production, part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project, will have three performances through Saturday at Wyly Theatre.
Apocalyptica in concert
Apocalypitca is a Finnish symphonic metal band comprised of three classically trained cellists who are known for their unique take on the heavy metal genre. After getting their start in 1996 by releasing the album Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, they have returned to that legendary group almost 30 years later with their latest album, Plays Metallica, Vol. 2. They'll play at Majestic Theatre.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3"
Conducted by Fabio Luisi and featuring pianist Nelson Goerner, this concert from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will feature Rachmaninoff’s beloved Concerto No. 3 and Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks by Strauss. Rounding out the evening are DSO-commissioned works by two eminent female composers, Sophia Jani, the DSO’s Composer-in-Residence, and Arlene Sierra. There will be four performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.
Rover Dramawerks presents The Hat Box
Do we ever really know our parents? Do we want to? Really? Two sisters are about to find out when they discover a hat box hidden in the back of their recently deceased father's closet. What sits inside sends them off on an impromptu road trip to visit eccentric Aunt Esther and on an increasingly wild ride down memory lane. With surprising twists and hilarious turns, the brand-new comedy of family lore revels in the bizarre and beautiful mysteries that make up a life. The production runs through March 22 at Cox Playhouse in Plano.
Friday, March 7
Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas presents Into the Breeches!
It’s 1942 and Oberon Playhouse’s director and leading men are off at war with the Axis. With the men overseas, the women of the company see their chance to move from the sidelines to center stage and mount the first all-female production of Shakespeare’s Henry V. Into the Breeches! is a hilarious and heartwarming play about what happens when we’re all in it together, exploring how theatre can unite a community and expand our idea of who that includes. The production runs through March 22 at Irving Arts Center.
Marc Maron: All In
Comedian Marc Maron has released five hit stand-up comedy specials in his career, most recently the 2023 HBO special, From Bleak to Dark. Maron is also one of the original podcasters, hosting WTF with Marc Maron since 2009. He has starred in in the Netflix series Glow and the IFC series Maron, and has also appeared in movies like To Leslie, Joker, Respect, and Sword of Trust. He'll perform for one night only at Majestic Theater.
Saturday, March 8
Crow Museum of Asian Art presents Saya Woolfalk: "Floating World of the Cloud Quilt" opening day
Over the span of 20 years, artist Saya Woolfalk has undertaken the project of world-building in which a fictional race of women known as Empaths inhabit an Empathic Universe. For this immersive installation of "Cloud Quilt," Woolfalk created a dynamic interplay of symbols and imagery by drawing on her vast analog and digital archives of past projects. She also draws upon works from the Crow Museum’s vast collection. The exhibition will remain on display through March 8 at the Crow Museum of Art location on the campus of The University of Texas at Dallas.
Naruto: The Symphonic Experience
Naruto: The Symphonic Experience is a live show featuring an original two-hour feature film (shown with subtitles) created from the first 220 original episodes of the Naruto animated series. An orchestra will perform the iconic songs and themes from the series, live-to-picture, as scenes are projected on a full-size, HD cinema screen. There will be two performances on Saturday at Majestic Theatre.
Monster Jam
Monster Jam will be an adrenaline-charged event featuring heated rivalries, high-flying stunts, and fierce head-to-head battles. It will feature Monster Jam trucks like the legendary Grave Digger, Megalodon, El Toro Loco, Zombie, and more in Freestyle, Skills, and Racing competitions. The event takes place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents Dancing Beyond Borders
DBDT: Encore!, the professional training company for Dallas Black Dance Theatre, transcends borders and boundaries in their 25th anniversary season with a display of contemporary works. The program for this event includes Prototype by Tyrone C. Walker, High Society by Floyd McLean, Jr., and more. They'll perform at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.
Texas Trust CU Theatre presents Jo Koy
Jo Koy's uniquely relatable comedy pulls inspiration from his colorful family that has reached all kinds of people and has translated into sold-out arenas around the world. Koy starred in the 2022 film Easter Sunday, and he's also appeared in Disney’s Haunted Mansion and voiced characters in Netflix’s animated films Monkey King and Leo. He'll perform at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.
Matt Rife: Stay Golden
Comedian Matt Rife comes to Dallas as part of his Stay Golden tour. Rife self-produced two comedy specials, Only Fans and Matthew Steven Rife, both available on YouTube, which led to two Netflix specials, Matt Rife: Natural Selection and Lucid. He is set to take on a leading role in Rolling Loud, an R-rated comedy also starring Owen Wilson. He'll perform at American Airlines Center.
Sunday, March 9
Lightwire Theater presents The Ugly Duckling
In an age when technology seems to provide many distractions, Lightwire Theater brings the classic tale, The Ugly Duckling, to the modern stage. Lined with electroluminescent wire, the beloved story of The Ugly Duckling plays out through a cutting-edge blend of puppetry, technology, and dance. The performance takes place at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.
The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra: Tribute to Frank Sinatra
In Big Band history, Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra is recognized as one of the best all-around dance bands. Tommy Dorsey, “The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing,” was a master at creating warm, sentimental, and always musical moods. Frank Sinatra's career blossomed with Dorsey, and, with Sinatra's vocals, the band became more successful than ever. This special concert featuring a tribute to Sinatra takes place at the Music Hall at Fair Park.
