The two showcase events in Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend have big names attached to them, but neither will actually be in attendance for vastly different reasons. On the flip side, another event features two well-known actors, but you wouldn't know it just from the title. Who are they? Read on.

Below are your 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 23

Neko Case in concert with Thao & the Get Down Stay Down
If you know the name Neko Case, consider yourself an indie music expert, as she is about as indie as indie gets. Whether as the lead singer for The New Pornographers, a solo act or a contributor to numerous other projects, she's the epitome of being famous for not being famous. She'll play at the Granada Theater with Thao & the Get Down Stay Down as opening act.

Marilyn: Forever Blonde
It's been 52 years since Marilyn Monroe's death, but the specter of her celebrity still looms larger than ever. The show Marilyn: Forever Blonde is a play that's full of quotes Monroe made throughout her brief career about her life, making this essentially a chance for her to tell her story in her own words. The production will play at Wyly Theatre through Sunday.

Friday, January 24

ZestFest 2014
Most native Texans are very familiar with spicy food, and ZestFest, a three-day festival at Irving Convention Center, celebrates that taste for zest in a big way. There are cooking demonstrations, booth after booth selling hot sauces and spices, live music, contests and, of course, tons of food samples. The festival will run through Sunday.

Tyler Perry's Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned
Despite his name appearing in the title, don't expect the man who plays Madea to appear at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie this weekend. Hell Hath No Fury... is part of Tyler Perry's growing empire, one that includes television, movies and theater. The play, running through Saturday, follows the familiar themes in Perry's works of love, loss and revenge.

Saturday, January 25

2014 Texas Rangers Fan Fest
Believe it or not, it's just over three weeks until pitchers and catchers report for the start of Major League Baseball's spring training. The Texas Rangers will get fans ready for another season with their annual Fan Fest at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, at which you can get autographs, run the bases, catch pop flies, tour the clubhouse and more.

KidFilm 2014
USA Film Festival's annual KidFilm is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion, they're letting everyone in for free. The catch? Tickets will only be given away an hour before each show, meaning you'll have to show up early to Angelika Film Center to get into screenings like The LEGO Movie, The Muppet Movie and more. KidFilm runs through Sunday.

Arts & Letters Live: Danger and Desire: Tales of Hopper's City
On the surface, the latest Arts & Letters Live at Dallas Museum of Art doesn't seem to enticing except for its tie-in to the current Hopper Drawing: A Painter's Process exhibition. But then you find out that this event will actually be a performance by David Straithairn, Parker Posey and Kaneza Schaal, imagining characters exploring the world inside Hopper's paintings, and it becomes something you can't miss.

Sunday, January 26

Performing Arts Fort Worth presents Dance Theatre of Harlem
Dance Theatre of Harlem has a similar goal to Dallas Black Dance Theatre, using multicultural performers to bring out the beauty of the art of dance. If you can't make this performance at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, they'll also perform next Thursday at the Irving Arts Center.

Lone Star Wind Orchestra presents Epic Tales
This concert by the Lone Star Wind Orchestra at Meyerson Symphony Center will encourage its listeners to dream big, as it will feature several bombastic pieces, including Michael Daugherty’s Niagara Falls, John Mackey’s The Frozen Cathedral, Johan De Meij’s Symphony No. 1 “The Lord of the Rings” and John Williams’ The Raiders March.

The life of Marilyn Monroe will be on full display in Marilyn: Forever Blonde, playing January 23-26 at Wyly Theatre.

The Cultural Expose

The life of Marilyn Monroe will be on full display in Marilyn: Forever Blonde, playing January 23-26 at Wyly Theatre.