If you like theater and/or sports, you're in luck with this weekend's line-up of events in Dallas. Among the offerings are a popular Broadway musical, a visit by a certain globetrotting basketball team and a viewing party for the biggest football game of the year.
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 30
Dallas Summer Musicals presents Ghost The Musical
One of the latest productions to cash in on the "adapt a popular movie into a musical" trend, Ghost the Musical takes the same story as the 1990 film starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg and updates it with a bunch of new songs. Dallas Summer Musicals presents it at Music Hall at Fair Park through February 9.
Second Thought Theatre presents Cock
The 10th anniversary season for Second Thought Theatre kicks off with the boldly named Cock, which explores identity and sexuality through the story of a gay man recently out of a long-term romance who falls in love with a woman. The play runs at Kalita Humphreys Theater through February 22.
Friday, January 31
2014 DFW Boat Expo
Boating season may be months away, but that actually makes it the perfect time to check out the latest and the greatest from the boating industry. More than 650 all-new 2014 boat and watercraft models are on display and nearly 150 different vendors have booths at the expo, running through Sunday at Dallas Market Hall.
Arts & Letters Live: Jessica Fellowes
You may or may not be satisfied with the current season of Downton Abbey, but there's no denying the cultural impact the show has had in its four seasons. In the latest Arts & Letters Live from the Dallas Museum of Art, Jessica Fellowes, the niece of the creator of the show, talks about her books, The World of Downton Abbey and The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, at First United Methodist Church of Dallas.
Saturday, February 1
Crow Collection of Asian Art presents Chinese New Year Festival
For its 15th annual celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Crow Collection of Asian Art presents its biggest festival yet, spanning across Flora and Harwood Streets. Expect a host of traditional Chinese New Year art-making activities, plus mini horses, calligraphy demonstrations and food trucks galore.
U.S. Olympic Committee presents Road to Sochi Tour
The Sochi Winter Olympics start on February 9, and you can get pumped up for the world-class athletic performances by trying your hand at versions of them. Among the activities are roller luge sleds and cross country skis, a hockey slapshot and photo ops in a bobsled. The tour stays at Klyde Warren Park through Sunday.
American Airlines Center presents Harlem Globetrotters
If it's early February, then it's time for the annual visit from those comedy basketball ambassadors, the Harlem Globetrotters. Along with their usual shtick, the Globetrotters have introduced online voting for fans to vote on new rules that could affect the outcome of the game. They play twice at American Airlines Center.
Sunday, February 2
The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida
It's been almost a year and a half since Shakespeare Dallas and AT&T Performing Arts Center set out to present staged readings of every one of Shakespeare's works. The 13th in the series is another under-the-radar selection, Troilus and Cressida, set amidst the Trojan War. It plays on both Saturday and Sunday in Hamon Hall inside the Winspear Opera House.
Super Bowl XLVIII Watch Party
Once again, the Dallas Cowboys came nowhere close to making the Super Bowl this year, but that doesn't mean it's not worth watching. In fact, the match-up between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks promises to be one of the most competitive games ever, and you can see it for free on the biggest screen in Dallas at the Granada Theater.
Ghost the Musical plays at the Music Hall at Fair Park through February 9.
Braunda Smith will compete on BBQ Brawl. Braunda Smith/ Facebook 