Weekend Event Planner

These are the 5 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

While the majority of events in and around Dallas have either been postponed or canceled, there are a few that have popped up to offer the masses some entertainment while still adhering to the social distancing necessary during the coronavirus pandemic.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. While they're not all outside of the house, they all promise to provide a nice distraction from the everyday life.

Thursday, July 16

Dallas CASA presents Parade of Playhouses
The 25th anniversary of Parade of Playhouses will once again be on display at NorthPark Center, although it will be a bit different this year in deference to the pandemic. Three custom-built, unique children’s playhouses will be on display at the mall out of the reach of children, while the other seven will be available for viewing online. As always, each playhouse is available to win via raffle, with the proceeds benefiting Dallas CASA. The playhouses will be on display through July 26, when the winning tickets will be drawn.

WaterTower Theatre presents I Am My Own Wife
Based on a true story and inspired by interviews conducted by the playwright, Doug Wright, over several years, I Am My Own Wife tells the fascinating story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, an elegant and eccentric 65-year old German transgender woman who, against all odds, managed to survive both the Nazi onslaught and the repressive East German Communist regime. WaterTower has made the play into a virtual event, with a filmed version of the play available for streaming through August 2. All ticketholders will have 24 hours after purchase to watch the play.

Friday, July 17

Addison Weekend Drive-In Concert Series
At the Addison Weekend Drive-In Concert Series, guests can listen to live music from a variety of Dallas-Fort Worth bands. Located in a parking lot at 15499 Julian St., just south of Addison Circle Park, attendees will be able to enjoy the shows from the comfort of their vehicles or in lawn chairs next to a car. Music will be transmitted via both speaker system and FM radio. All Funk Radio Show will perform on Saturday, while D City Rock will perform on Sunday. The series will return on August 14 and 15, as well as August 28 and 29.

Prism Movement Theater presents Everything Will Be Fine
After four performances at Latino Cultural Center, Prism's outdoor theater production will move over to Pleasant Oaks Recreation Center for the next two weekends. Everything Will Be Fine is about a woman learning how to deal with a new world and her well-meaning (if slightly clueless) friends after experiencing an unthinkable loss. Packed into 45 minutes, the performance is designed to be experienced safely by the audience from the comfort of their vehicles.

Sunday, July 19

Casting Crowns: The Drive-In Theater Tour
While performers like Garth Brooks and Blake Shelton are doing long-distance drive-in concerts, fans will be able to see Christian rock band Casting Crowns live and in person when they perform at Southfork Ranch in Parker. Lawn chairs or blankets are welcome but must fit inside the allocated parking space. Casting Crowns has released eight albums in their career, including 2018's Only Jesus.

Joseph Veazie will be one of the performers during the Addison Weekend Drive-In Concert Series, taking place on various weekends through August 29.

Photo courtesy of Joseph Veazie

Joseph Veazie will be one of the performers during the Addison Weekend Drive-In Concert Series, taking place on various weekends through August 29.

event-planner theater concerts

Movie Review

Dark comedy Friendship covers male bonding with copious cringing

Photo courtesy of A24

Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship.

Comedian Tim Robinson has gained a cult following thanks to series like Detroiters and I Think You Should Leave, in which his brand of cringe comedy is on full display. The former Saturday Night Live writer/performer has had a few small movie roles over the years, but he’s now getting his first starring role in the off-kilter Friendship.

Robinson plays Craig, a mild-mannered suburbanite with a wife, Tami (Kate Mara) and son, Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer). Craig has a boring life that involves little more than going to his middle manager job while wearing the same clothes day after day, anticipating the next Marvel movie, and helping Tami out with her at-home floral business.

He gets a jolt of energy when Austin (Paul Rudd) moves into the neighborhood. The two men seem to hit it off, with Austin - a weatherman at a local TV channel - even taking Craig on a couple of impromptu adventures. But when Craig commits a couple of faux pas at a group gathering at Austin’s house, their bond starts to fracture.

Even though the film is written and directed by Andrew DeYoung, it’s clear that Robinson had a big influence on the style of comedy it features. There are no big set pieces with a slew of jokes coming one after another. Instead, the film forces the audience to try to vibe with the very particular type of wavelength it’s giving off, one that could almost be called anti-comedy for the way the laughs come out of left field.

The 100-minute film is full of random comedic moments, like Steven kissing Tami on the lips, Craig being obsessed with his plain brown clothes, a group sing-along, and more. More often than not, it’s the way Craig reacts to both normal and abnormal situations that gets the laughs. The character is needy and oblivious, two traits that combine to make many of his actions cringeworthy.

Perhaps most importantly for this type of movie, there are many things in the story that go unexplained or don’t make sense. Seemingly crucial elements are brought up only to fade away just as quickly, while other parts that appeared to be throwaway sections get callbacks later in the film. DeYoung and Robinson are determined to keep the audience on their toes the entire time, never knowing what to expect next.

Robinson has the perfect face for a story like this, one that’s bland enough to blend into the background but memorable enough to sell the jokes. His demeanor is also excellent, never becoming too expressive, even when he gets angry. With long hair, a mustache, and a certain swagger, Rudd is a great complement to Robinson. Only in a film like this would an everyman like Rudd be considered the suave and cool one.

There will be some that will see Friendship and come away wondering what the hell they just watched. But anyone who goes in knowing that they’re about to witness a comedy that challenges their sensibilities will likely have a great time.

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Friendship is now playing in select theaters.

movies film

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 5 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Joseph Veazie will be one of the performers during the Addison Weekend Drive-In Concert Series, taking place on various weekends through August 29.

Movie Review

Dark comedy Friendship covers male bonding with copious cringing

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