This weekend will bring a little bit of almost every conceivable entertainment option to the Dallas area. Among your choices will be a new local theater production, a military-themed film festival, two big-name comedians, big band jazz performed by an orchestra, a music and beer festival, a live version of a hugely popular podcast, and the final days of a major art exhibit.
Below are the best ways to spend your free time Thursday through Monday. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, November 9
Undermain Theatre presents John
In John, it's the week after Thanksgiving in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where a young couple are welcomed to an eerie bed and breakfast by an eccentric inn keeper. The play is a haunting and haunted meditation by Annie Baker, the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Flick. The production will run at Undermain Theatre through December 3.
Sons of the Flag presents Stars & Stripes Film Festival
Timed to coincide with Veterans Day weekend, the Stars & Stripes Film Festival will feature five military-themed and critically acclaimed films that highlight the bravery of men and women in uniform. Among the screenings will be 13 Hours, Green Berets, The Hunt for Red October, The Patriot, and The Dirty Dozen. All screenings, most of which are free, will take place at Highland Park Village Theatre.
Chris Rock: Total Blackout
Despite having been in the business for 30 years, Chris Rock is still one of the strongest comedic voices working today. The Grammy and Emmy Award-winning comedian is revered by fans and fellow comics alike for his insightful and daring sense of humor. Rock will bring his all-new Total Blackout tour, his first in over nine years, to the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory for one night only.
Friday, November 10
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Pops Series: Harlem Renaissance
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will present Harlem Renaissance. The Cotton Club, Harlem’s legendary jazz nightclub, comes alive again with an evening of great jazz, soulful tapping, and showmanship. The concert, being performed three times at the Meyerson Symphony Center through Sunday, will feature trumpeter/singer Byron Stripling, singer Miche Braden, tap dancer Red Louis Levy, and drummer Robert Breithaupt.
Saturday, November 11
Index Fest
Formerly known as Untapped Festival, Index Fest will celebrate beer, music, food, and arts at Fair Park. The same focus on craft beer and music will remain, but Index Fest now tries to incorporate high-quality food and arts. Performers will include Big Boi, J Roddy Walston & The Business, Cherub, Langhorne Slim & The Law, Tone Loc, and Michael Lee and the Wartime Limousine.
Trevor Noah in concert
Like other late night talk show hosts, Trevor Noah has made hay since Donald Trump was elected president. The Daily Show's inherent political bent has allowed him to go even further than other hosts, making his takeover for Jon Stewart all the more natural. Noah will take a break from his duties on Comedy Central to get back to his roots as a stand-up comic at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory.
My Favorite Murder Live
Diving deep into the details of murders committed by infamous serial killers wouldn't normally be entertaining, but in the hands of Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, it's that and much more. The two have turned their podcast, My Favorite Murder, into one of the most popular on the Internet thanks to their unique ability to talk about horrific things in a light yet respectful way. They'll record three live shows — two on Saturday and one on Sunday — at Majestic Theatre.
Sunday, November 12
Dallas Museum of Art presents "Shaken, Stirred, Styled: The Art of the Cocktail" closing day
Sunday is the final day to take in this cocktail-centric exhibit. Featuring nearly 50 works predominantly from the DMA’s extensive design holdings, "Shaken, Stirred, Styled: The Art of the Cocktail" explores the culture of cocktails and the wares in which they were prepared and served. The exhibition follows the development of the modern cocktail from the late 19th century to the present day, tracing the stylistic reflections of the rituals of the cocktail’s concoction, presentation, and consumption through metalware, glassware, and ceramics.
Chris Rock will perform at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory on November 9.
The 95-degree, 285-foot drop of Tormenta Rampaging Run. Photo courtesy of Six Flags Over Texas 
Misting fans and pergolas will help keep riders cool while waiting in line for Tormenta.Photo by Alex Bentley