Whether it's a holiday hangover or just the effects of starting a new year, the slate of events in and around Dallas is always a little light at the beginning of the year. Don't fret: There are still interesting things to do, including visits from two nationally known comedians, new theater, a unique art event, and more.
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, January 7
Rover Dramawerks presents Four Weddings and an Elvis
Located in a shopping center in Plano, Rover Dramawerks has churned out interesting and fun theater for the past 16 years. Its latest is Four Weddings and an Elvis, which chronicles the wild and crazy goings-on at a wedding chapel in Las Vegas, all officiated by an Elvis impersonator. The production will run through January 30.
Friday, January 8
Nasher Sculpture Center presents 24-Hour Book Swap
This special event will take place in Chalet Dallas, an exhibit designed by artist Piero Golia that transformed the Nasher Sculpture Center's Corner Gallery into a luxurious gathering space that integrates architecture, entertainment, and works of art. Visitors to this event can bring in art-related books to exchange for others, as well as listen to local notables do readings over a 24-hour period.
The Museum of Geometric and MADI Art presents Arcadia Salon Series Discussion
The Museum of Geometric and MADI Art, which has been in Dallas since the early 2000s, celebrates a modern art movement known for its bright colors and bold geometric forms. Its latest exhibit, Middle Eastern Influences: The Art of Liz Whitney Quisgard and Fariba Abedin, comes to a close this weekend, and includes this event at which Abedin will discuss her work.
Saturday, January 9
Dallas Holocaust Museum presents Anne Frank: A History for Today
The lessons from the Holocaust are ones that still need to be taught, and there's almost no better way to understand them than through the example of Anne Frank. The Dallas Holocaust Museum will open a new exhibit that takes you beyond the pages of her diary by providing a wide perspective on the Holocaust, human rights, the Nazis, and the Frank family’s experiences in hiding. It will be on display through May 31.
Lavell Crawford in concert
There are many reasons to love the all-time great TV show Breaking Bad, and the performance by comedian Lavell Crawford is among them. Playing Huell, the not-so-great security man for lawyer Saul Goodman, he had his fair share of memorable and funny moments. Crawford will get back to his regular gig of stand-up comedy with this performance at the Majestic Theatre.
Michael Che in concert
Few comedians have had a better past two years than Michael Che. In April 2014, he was hired as a correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Just over four months later, he was hired by Saturday Night Live — a show for which he had previously written — to co-host the Weekend Update segment, a job he still holds. Che will jet down from NYC to perform stand-up at Club Dada.
Sunday, January 10
Inaugural Dallas Choral Festival
The first-ever Dallas Choral Festival will be the first new choral festival in Texas since 1999. 100 professional singers will take the stage at Meyerson Symphony Center for a rare performance of a large-scale Sacred Masterwork with a professional orchestra, highlighting Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and conducted by artistic director Greg Hobbs.
Michael Che, co-anchor of Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live, will perform a stand-up comedy show at Club Dada on January 9.
