Whatever floats your boat when it comes to being entertained, you're almost certain to find it this weekend in and around Dallas. You can bear witness to two events with great dancers, two others that use the human body in mind-blowing ways, comedy from a former late-night talk show host, two concerts featuring big-name performers, 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, February 16
Dallas Summer Musicals presents Stomp
Stomp is an international percussion sensation, featuring an eight-member troupe that uses everything but conventional percussion instruments — matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps — to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. Dallas Summer Musicals presents the show at the Music Hall at Fair Park through Sunday.
AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson first gained prominence in the U.S. on The Drew Carey Show as the title character’s boss, Mr. Wick, a role that he played from 1996 to 2003. He's most recently known as the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, a Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that aired on CBS from 2005 to 2014. Ferguson gets back to his first love, stand-up comedy, at this special one-night-only show at Winspear Opera House.
Friday, February 17
Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents Cultural Awareness
Cultural Awareness, the latest from Dallas Black Dance Theatre, features two distinct dances. The 40-year evolution of the dance troupe unfolds in Interpretations, a multimedia world premiere by DBDT dancer and choreographer Sean J. Smith. Audience favorite Awassa Astrige/Ostrich captures the powerful movements of the king of birds. The performance takes place at the Wyly Theatre through Sunday.
Cirque du Soleil presents Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities
Cirque du Soleil's Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities, playing at Lone Star Park in Grand Praire through March 26, is a tale in which time comes to a complete stop, transporting the audience inside a fantasy world where everything is possible. In this realm, set in the latter half of the 19th century, reality is quite relative indeed, as our perception of it is utterly transformed. The name of the show refers to the humble and strange characters that inhabit the Seeker’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
Kitchen Dog Theater presents Paper Flowers
In Kitchen Dog Theater's new production, Paper Flowers, a lonely woman (Christie Vela) accepts the offer of a taciturn vagrant to carry groceries from the supermarket back to her apartment. When she invites him into her refined home, she begins an unexpected encounter with a man who is not what he claims to be, as she finds that he intends to occupy her life as well as her house. The play runs at Trinity River Arts Center through March 11.
Saturday, February 18
Turtle Creek Chorale presents Boys Do Babs
Turtle Creek Chorale celebrates the legendary Barbra Streisand at this special concert, featuring select members of the chorus, Camerata, and Jodi Crawford Wright. This one-night-only cabaret at 7 for Parties spotlights favorite songs from Streisand’s extraordinary career spanning six decades.
TITAS presents Doug Varone and Dancers
Since its founding in 1986, Doug Varone and Dancers has commanded attention for its expansive vision, versatility, and technical prowess. Varone's kinetically thrilling dances make essential connections and mine the complexity of the human spirit. From the smallest gesture to full-throttle bursts of movement, Varone's work can take your breath away. The troupe performs at Winspear Opera House.
Sunday, February 19
Neil Fest: Celebrating the Music Of Neil Young
Benefiting the Refuge Foundation for the Arts, Neil Fest is a unique opportunity to see a slew of great singers and bands honor a legendary musician. Performers at Granada Theater include Norah Jones, Boz Scaggs, Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards, The Flatlanders (Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, Joe Ely) featuring Terry Allen, Alison Mosshart of The Kills, Charlie Sexton, Nikki Lane, and many more.
Yes in concert
Classic rock band Yes comes to Dallas as part of their The Album Series: Drama + Topographic 1 & 4 tour. The show features the 1980 album Drama performed in its entirety, sides one and four of 1973’s double album Tales From Topographic Oceans, and other selections of the band’s greatest hits. The concert is at Majestic Theatre.
Doug Varone and Dancers perform at Winspear Opera House on February 18.
Vila Brazil is beefing up its DFW locations. Photo courtesy of Vila Brazil 