Weekend Event Planner

These are the 11 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Although there are still nods to the pandemic, the slate of events this weekend in and around Dallas is one of the strongest indicators that we may be on the other side of the COVID-19 mountain. They include a variety of concerts, theater productions, and dance productions, a new type of outdoor movie, and notably, two festival-type events with crowds gathering together once again.

Below are the best to spend your precious free time this weekend.

Thursday, June 3

Old 97's in concert
The Old 97's started a new tradition in Dallas a few years ago, the Old 97's County Fair, that features a variety of performers, rides, food, and more. This concert at Grandscape in The Colony will not be as festive as that event, but it will feature a headlining performance by the legendary Dallas band, along with The 40 Acre Mule and Joshua Ray Walker.

Theatre Three presents The Music Man
The Dallas theater company Theatre Three is putting on a new production, although it won't be at their home base. In perhaps a nod to The Music Man itself, the production about fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill will travel to three different outdoor venues over the next month, starting with the Coppell Senior Center through June 13. After that it will go to Union Coffee Shop, June 16-27, and Texas Discovery Gardens, June 30-July 4.

Todd Snider in concert
Singer-songwriter Todd Snider is one of those musicians who is renowned despite never having achieved real mainstream success. A relatively late bloomer — he released his debut album in 1994 at age 28 — he used a connection with the late John Prine to come out of the Memphis music scene. He's gone on to release 19 albums, including the new First Agnostic Church Of Hope and Wonder. He'll play two shows — one Thursday and one Saturday — at The Kessler.

Shakespeare Dallas presents Hamlet Project
Shakespeare Dallas' Hamlet Project will feature 16 actors putting on solo performances inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet. The catch is that each actor only has 24 hours to prepare. The performances, which will feature original monologues written by Migdalia Cruz and Erik Ehn, will include local actors like Christopher Llewyn Ramirez, Salley Nystuen Vahle, Ivan Jasso, Christie Vela, and Allison Pistorius. The production will take place Thursdays-Sundays through June 13 at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre.

Rooftop Cinema Club: Summer Series at Heritage Village
After delaying its planned May 27 opening, the Rooftop Cinema Club will officially open its new Summer Series at Dallas Heritage Village. Instead of the drive-in option they offered in 2020, this one will have spacious cinema-style seating, including adjustable deckchairs and beanbag chairs, facing a 30-foot movie screen. The experience will also include wireless headphones, food trucks, a full bar, and outdoor games to enjoy before each screening. Opening weekend, dubbed Nineties Weekend, includes films like Jurassic Park, 10 Things I Hate About You, Friday, Clueless, Poetic Justice, and Scream.

Friday, June 4

Galleria Dallas presents Turtle Creek Chorale: "Stronger" opening day
Galleria Dallas will showcase the Turtle Creek Chorale in two different ways this weekend. The first is "Stronger," an exhibit that details the group's history and mission to entertain, educate, unite, and inspire. Now in its 41st year, the group has now grown to more than 250 members who contribute to performances and community outreach. To go alongside the exhibit, the group will put on two performances in the mall on Saturday. The exhibition will remain on display through June 30.

Taste Addison
At Taste Addison, guests can sample fare from a wide array of Addison dining destinations, listen to musical entertainment, this year headlined by Flo Rida on Friday and Third Eye Blind on Saturday, stroll the marketplace, or take in presentations and craft activities. Kids 12 and younger can enjoy the Adventure Grove, a specially-ticketed play area with games, attractions, a petting zoo, and more. The festival will take place on Friday and Saturday at Addison Circle Park.

Kitchen Dog Theater presents New Works Festival Commission Series - In The Works
To celebrate their 30th Anniversary, Kitchen Dog Theater dedicated its entire season this year to new plays by BIPOC writers, including a reimagined New Works Festival Staged Reading Series called In the Works, featuring commissioned new plays by four emerging playwrights of color. The plays will be presented virtually on Fridays and Sundays this weekend and June 11-13, performed by Kitchen Dog Theater friends and alums from across the country.

Ballet North Texas present Cinderella
Cinderella is the ultimate classic fairy tale. The timeless story embodies an element of unjust oppression and triumphant reward. Audiences will journey with Cinderella as her fireside dreams are turned to reality by her Fairy Godmother, and she is whisked off to the Prince’s dazzling ball. Ballet North Texas will present three performances at Winspear Opera House through Saturday.

Dallas Pride Weekend
Dallas Pride is back with a celebration to raise awareness and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Taking place in person at Fair Park Coliseum, the event will feature two days of entertainment from groups/people like Marsha Dimes, Uptown Players, Kennedy Davenport from RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Cast of the Rose Room, Sister Helen Holy, an ensemble of the Turtle Creek Chorale, and others. In addition to the in-person experiences, the event will also be streamed online for those who feel more comfortable watching from home.

Bruce Wood Dance presents UNITE
Bruce Wood Dance will present UNITE, featuring captivating works by Bruce Wood and world premieres by Omar Román De Jesús and artistic director Joy Bollinger. The program will include Sombreristas, created for Bruce Wood Dance by De Jesús; the world premiere of Blue by Bollinger; the return of Bruce Wood’s masterpiece, Requiem; and the return of Wood’s last completed work, Hide Me Angel. There will be three performances through Sunday at Moody Performance Hall.

Dallas Pride Weekend will take place at Fair Park Coliseum on June 4 and 5.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Pride

Dallas Pride Weekend will take place at Fair Park Coliseum on June 4 and 5.

concerts movies dance event-planner theater

Movie review

Nick Jonas steals song from Paul Rudd in music-heavy Power Ballad

Photo by David Cleary for Lionsgate

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd in Power Ballad.

Writer/director John Carney is one of the great purveyors of movies featuring music (as opposed to musicals) in the 21st century. Starting with Once in 2007 (which was turned into a Broadway musical several years later), he has made music-themed stories like Begin Again, Sing Street, Flora and Son, and now Power Ballad.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a former wannabe rock star who is now the lead singer of “Ireland’s #1 Wedding Band,” The Bride & Grooves. While they mostly play smaller weddings, a gig at a country estate leads to an encounter with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band member struggling to make it as a solo artist. Rick and Danny wind up bonding in a booze- and pot-filled jam session, sharing various song ideas.

After returning to Los Angeles and desperate for a hit, Danny steals one of Rick’s songs, which miraculously turns into the No. 1 “How to Write a Song (Without You).” Rick, initially overjoyed that something he wrote has become big, is crushed when he finds out Danny didn’t give him credit. His quest to find a way to prove his worth sends him into a spiral, upending the ordinary life he had built.

Co-written by Peter McDonald, the film is a nice exploration of two men trying to hold on to their music dreams. Their individual circumstances could not be more different, but each of them knows the ups and downs of the business as well as the other, as well as the ineffable magic of creating that one great song. While the music scenes are hit-and-miss because of a reliance on lip synching, the scene featuring Rick and Danny trading ideas is electric with creativity.

Oddly, though, the film could have used a bit less music and more of a focus on the two men’s personal lives. Rick wound up living in Ireland after falling in love with his future wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), while on tour with his former American band. He spends a decent amount of time with her and his daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), but his story needed a few more family scenes to drive the point home. Danny’s personal life is all but nonexistent, giving his arc less impact than it could have had.

Instead of loved ones, Carney and McDonald try to give Rick and Danny more depth through friends and business associates. Rick’s bandmate Sandy (McDonald) is a ride-or-die kind of guy for him, but his presence is only good for a few humorous distractions. Danny’s manager Mac (Jack Reynor) is difficult to parse, as he goes to bat for Danny on multiple occasions, but also seems to keep him at arm’s length.

It’s long been joked that Rudd never ages, and that youthfulness serves him well in this role, in which his character is supposed to be much younger than his actual age of 57. His energy and enthusiasm make his character appealing throughout, even when Rick starts to go off the deep end. Jonas is decent in his role, selling the music side well, but there might be a reason his character doesn’t have many scenes requiring him to show emotions.

While Power Ballad has all the hallmarks of another great Carney music movie, it’s missing a few pieces that could have put it over the top. It’s still a fun film with an insanely catchy song at its center, but it’s not quite as memorable as most of the filmmaker’s previous efforts.

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Power Ballad is now playing in theaters.

movies music film