Art News

Dallas' most colorful art exhibit hits the road with cute mobile mini show

A miniature version will take up residence in two cities during the holidays.

Sweet Tooth Motel

Sweet Tooth Hotel, the colorful immersive art venue in Dallas' Victory Park, has spun off a cute new portable venue. Called Sweet Tooth Motel, with an M not an H, it's like a miniature version of the hotel that is not only mobile, but also COVID-friendly.

While photos and details are still scant, the exhibit will be located inside a shipping crate, with a boomerang-shaped pink neon "motel" sign on top, and will make appearances in two cities, Denison and Allen. According to a release, it'll debut on November 28.

Sweet Tooth Hotel was first founded by Cole and Jencey Keaton in 2018 as a way to showcase emerging artists with unique art installations and yearly rotating themes. Their current exhibit is Intangible, A Fiber Fairytale, with colorful fiber pieces by some of the top fiber artists in the U.S.

Sweet Tooth Motel will showcase art installations from the past two years of exhibits, as well as new work.

"Sweet Tooth Motel allows us to experiment and bring our exhibits to life on a smaller scale," says Jencey Keaton in a statement. "We're also providing a private, safe experience for our guests without them having to worry about social distancing."

Sweet Tooth Motel opens only to individual groups, limiting visitors' exposure to other potentially COVID-19-carrying strangers.

Guests can expect:

an exterior mural reminiscent of a roadside vintage motel
an entry filled with fantastical (non-edible) dessert displays
a winter wonderland filled with snow frosted pine trees and a view of mountains with the northern lights shining above

The launch will take place in Denison on November 28 and run through December 4. Tickets for Denison are here.

The installation will move to Watters Creek in Allen beginning December 5 and run through the holiday until January 3. (Although it will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day). Tickets for Allen are here.

Each time slot is $40 to book and allows up to four guests per time slot. More info is posted on their website.

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Musical Theater

Broadway Dallas launches intimate Club 909 cabaret shows at Fair Park

Photo courtesy of Reeve Carney

Broadway star Reeve Carney will be the inaugural performer at Broadway Dallas' Club 909.

Broadway Dallas, which hosts the national tours of Broadway shows, is expanding its offerings with Club 909, an all-new cabaret concept at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

According to a release, the new venue, located in the Music Hall's transformed Crystal Terrace, will open with a performance by Grammy Award winner and Broadway star Reeve Carney, September 3-5.

It marks Broadway Dallas' first dedicated cabaret programming in the organization's 85-year history.

Carney is best known for originating the role of “Orpheus” in the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown. He is currently starring as “Jay Gatsby” in The Great Gatsby on Broadway.

At Club 909, he will present “Reeve Carney: Broadway Divas," featuring his takes on Broadway's most iconic songs, selections from the Great American Songbook, and original music from his debut album, Youth Is Wasted.

Club 909 will be an intimate venue, seating only 200 guests per evening in a cabaret-style setting complete with full tableside service, including specialty drinks and chef-created light bites. The menu comes from Broadway Dallas' restaurant partner Culinaire.

In addition to the ticket price for the Club 909 show, a $30 food and beverage minimum will be charged per person.

Seating is general admission and includes table and bar seating. A limited number of reserved VIP seats are also available.

Seating is decided on the night of the show at the discretion of house management, the release says. Guests may be seated at shared tables with other attendees, and large parties may not be able to be seated together.

"Broadway Dallas has always believed that musical theater has the power to move, uplift, and connect us, and cabaret is one of the purest expressions of that power," said Ken Novice, President & CEO of Broadway Dallas, in a statement. "Club 909 gives us the opportunity to offer our audiences something deeply personal and intimate"

Tickets for the debut event, which go on sale on Friday, July 17, start at $75 and will be available at BroadwayDallas.org or by calling 800-982-2728.

A very limited number of VIP seats are also available and include a meet and greet with Carney.

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