Events News

The latest event cancellations in Dallas-Fort Worth due to coronavirus concerns

Shakespeare in the Park presents A Midsummer Night's Dream

Shakespeare Dallas' Shakespeare in the Park, scheduled June 10-July 19, has been canceled.

Photo courtesy of Shakespeare Dallas

As concerns regarding the spread of the coronavirus and government restrictions on group gatherings continue, more event cancellations and postponements are being announced every day in Dallas-Fort Worth. In an effort to keep you as up-to-date as possible, we'll compile a list of different announcements every week.

Note: Given the pace at which things are happening during these times, cancellations are coming at a rapid clip. To be sure you're up to speed, you may want to check with the presenting organization or venue regarding the status of any particular event.

Dallas

Dallas Summer Musicals: The production of Jesus Christ Superstar, scheduled for April 28-May 10, has been postponed to an undetermined date.
Etsy Dallas Spring Bash: The maker event, scheduled for May 2 at Gilley's Dallas, has been canceled.
Shakespeare in the Park: The annual summer productions by Shakespeare Dallas, scheduled for June 10-July 19 at Samuell-Grand Amphitheater, have been canceled.
The HiFi Dallas: The new music venue in the Dallas Design District, scheduled to open on May 15 with a concert by Blue October, has postponed all events through at least May 30. As of now, the concert by Hayley Williams on June 5 will be its debut event.

Grand Prairie

98.7 KLUV presents Rewind featuring Blondie, Berlin, and more: This concert, scheduled for May 20 at The Theatre at Grand Prairie, has been canceled.
Elevation Nights with Elevation Worship and Pastor Steven Furtick: This concert, scheduled for May 28 at The Theatre at Grand Prairie, has been canceled.
Lonestar Landfest: The music festival scheduled for May 30 and 31 at The Theatre at Grand Prairie, which was to have featured Allison Krauss, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and more, has been postponed to an undetermined date.
The Monkees: This concert, originally April 16, has been rescheduled for July 25.

Fort Worth

Billy Bob's Texas: The music venue has rescheduled a number of postponed and forthcoming concerts, including Shane Smith & The Saints (now June 5), Easton Corbin (June 19), Robert Earl Keen (June 20), Roger Creager (July 17), Gary Allan (was May 23, now August 1), Drake White & The Big Fire (was May 22, now August 14), Tracy Byrd (was May 1, now August 21), Sammy Kershaw (September 11), Justin Moore (September 26), Lonestar (October 30), Josh Ward (November 13), Colter Wall (November 19), Stoney Larue (December 5), and Flatland Cavalry (December 26).
Carole Bufford - Come Together: When the '60s Meet the '70s: This cabaret production, scheduled for April 28-May 2 in the Reid Cabaret Theatre at Casa Mañana, has been rescheduled for October 6-10.
El Fuerte Taco Fest: The taco and music festival, scheduled for May 2 at Panther Island Pavilion, has been canceled.
Fort Worth Camera presents Foto Fest: This annual event celebrating photography and cameras, scheduled for May 1-8 at various venues in Fort Worth, has been rescheduled for October 9-18.
Fortress Festival: The annual music festival at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, which had previously postponed its event on April 25 and 26, has been rescheduled for April 24-25, 2021, with most of the announced artists still participating.
Stage West Theatre: The theater company has canceled its production of Church & State, scheduled for May 7-June 7.
Texas Motor Speedway: Changes to events through the end of May at the car racing venue include Pate Swap Meet (originally April 30-May 2, rescheduled for October 1-4), American Flat Track Texas Half-Mile (scheduled for May 2, now canceled), Ducks Unlimited Expo (scheduled for May 15-17, postponed until 2021), Lone Star Corvette Classic (scheduled May 22-24, now canceled), and the Classic Parts of America C10 Nationals (originally May 28-30, now August 14 and 15).

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Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer is an unappreciated mom in Oh. What. Fun.

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun.

Of all the formulaic movie genres, Christmas/holiday movies are among the most predictable. No matter what the problem is that arises between family members, friends, or potential romantic partners, the stories in holiday movies are designed to give viewers a feel-good ending even if the majority of the movie makes you feel pretty bad.

That’s certainly the case in Oh. What. Fun., in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays Claire, an underappreciated mom living in Houston with her inattentive husband, Nick (Denis Leary). As the film begins, her three children are arriving back home for Christmas: The high-strung Channing (Felicity Jones) is married to the milquetoast Doug (Jason Schwartzman); the aloof Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz) brings home yet another new girlfriend; and the perpetual child Sammy (Dominic Sessa) has just broken up with his girlfriend.

Each of the family members seems to be oblivious to everything Claire does for them, especially when it comes to what she really wants: For them to nominate her to win a trip to see a talk show in L.A. hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). When she accidentally gets left behind on a planned outing to see a show, Claire reaches her breaking point and — in a kind of Home Alone in reverse — she decides to drive across the country to get to the show herself.

Written and directed by Michael Showalter (The Idea of You), and co-written by Chandler Baker (who wrote the short story on which the film is based), the movie never establishes any kind of enjoyable rhythm. Each of the characters, including competitive neighbor Jeanne (Joan Chen), is assigned a character trait that becomes their entire personality, with none of them allowed to evolve into something deeper.

The filmmakers lean hard into the idea that Claire is a person who always puts her family first and receives very little in return, but the evidence presented in the story is sketchy at best. Every situation shown in the film is so superficial that tension barely exists, and the (over)reactions by Claire give her family members few opportunities to make up for their failings.

The most interesting part of the movie comes when Claire actually makes it to the Zazzy Sims show. Even though what happens there is just as unbelievable as anything else presented in the story, Showalter and Baker concoct a scene that allows Claire and others to fully express the central theme of the film, and for a few minutes the movie actually lives up to its title.

Pfeiffer, given her first leading role since 2020’s French Exit, is a somewhat manic presence, and her thick Texas accent and unnecessary voiceover don’t do her any favors. It seems weird to have such a strong supporting cast with almost nothing of substance to do, but almost all of them are wasted, including Danielle Brooks in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo. The lone exception is Longoria, who is a blast in the few scenes she gets.

Oh. What. Fun. is far from the first movie to try and fail at becoming a new holiday classic, but the pedigree of Showalter and the cast make this dismal viewing experience extra disappointing. Ironically, overworked and underappreciated moms deserve a much better story than the one this movie delivers.

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Oh. What. Fun. is now streaming on Prime Video.

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