Weekend Event Planner

These are the 16 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Even though there is a lot going on around Dallas this weekend, there is not one event that stands above the others. Instead, you can choose from a lot of really good events, including five different local theater productions, a trio of big-name comedy events, four concerts from a variety of genres, and more.

Below are more best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, February 15

SMU Meadows Lyric Theatre presents Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of Giacomo Puccini, Meadows Lyric Theatre presents a double-bill of the composer’s heart-rending Suor Angelica, the story of a young woman who has had a child out of wedlock and is sent to a convent to atone for her sin; and his only comedy, Gianni Schicchi, in which the greedy Donati family discovers that the wealthy Buoso has left all his money to the church, leaving them bereft of an inheritance. Both operas, sung in the original Italian with English titles projected above the stage, will have four performances through Sunday at Owen Arts Center.

WaterTower Theatre presents Ann
Ann is a no-holds-barred portrait of Ann Richards, the legendary governor of Texas. The inspiring and hilarious play brings the audience face to face with a complex, colorful, and captivating character bigger than the state from which she hailed. It takes a revealing look at the impassioned woman who enriched the lives of her followers, friends, family, and fellow Texans. The production runs through February 25 at WaterTower Theatre in Addison.

Ochre House Theater presents Town for Sale
Town for Sale is about a secluded resort town that has passed its prime, with the current residents stuck in a place which could disappear from the map at any time. A stranger arrives with a mysterious plan, and is quickly caught up in mistaken identity. Town for Sale is a magical world of bright characters, bizarre turns, and delicious music. The production runs through March 2 at Ochre House Theater.

Friday, February 16

Repertory Company Theatre presents Bonnie and Clyde the Musical
Two small-town kids from the middle of nowhere became the biggest folk heroes in all America. They craved adventure and each other. Their names were Bonnie and Clyde. Fearless, shameless, and alluring, this is the electrifying story of love, adventure, and crime that captured the attention of an entire nation. The production will have three performances through Sunday at Courtyard Theater in Plano.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd in concert
Blues rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd got an early start in the music business, getting his first big exposure at the age of 13. Since his official debut in 1995 at 18, he has been atop the blues charts, with all 11 of his albums hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Blues charts, including Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 1 in 2023. He'll play at Majestic Theatre.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Uptown Nights: It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing"
Inspired by Harlem’s famed musical hot spots like The Cotton Club and The Savoy, this swingin’ night of musical sensations focuses on Harlem’s heyday when Duke Ellington’s orchestra was the house band, and Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, and Ethel Waters showcased the classics of the Great American Songbook. The concert, conducted by Jeff Tyzik, will feature trumpeter/vocalist Byron Stripling, vocalist Carmen Bradford, and tap dancer Leo Manzari. There will be three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Company of Rowlett Performers presents Moon Over Buffalo
Charlotte and George Hay are on tour in Buffalo in 1953 with a repertory consisting of Cyrano de Bergerac (the "revised, one nostril version") and Noel Coward's Private Lives when they receive word that they might just have one last shot at stardom: Frank Capra is coming to town to see their matinee. The production runs through February 25 at Plaza Theater in Garland.

Improv Arlington presents Rob Schneider
Rob Schneider is an accomplished actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the award-winning NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in films, television, and stand-up comedy. He'll perform four times through Saturday at Improv Arlington.

The Definition of Love II : The Love and Laughter Edition featuring Joe & Cedric The Entertainer
Valentine's Day may have passed, but love will still be in the air at this special music and comedy event featuring Joe and Cedric the Entertainer. Joe has released 13 albums in his career, most recently My Name Is Joe Thomas in 2016. Cedric the Entertainer is best known for co-starring on The Steve Harvey Show, as one of The Original Kings of Comedy, and for his starring role in Barbershop. They'll perform at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.

Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts presents The Sound of (Black) Music
The Sound of (Black) Music is a dynamic and groundbreaking production that reimagines one of America's most beloved musical classics through an Afrofuturistic lens. The score, featuring elements of jazz, soul, funk, and hip-hop, celebrates the rich cultural heritage of black music and its impact on American popular culture. The one-night-only event takes place at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.

Saturday, February 17

Majestic Theatre presents Brad Williams
Brad Williams has become one of the most in-demand comedians working today. He has parlayed that success into a multitude of stand-up television experiences, including two one-hour specials on Showtime. In addition to stand-up and acting, Williams has a podcast with Adam Ray, About Last Night. He'll perform twice at Majestic Theatre.

Avant Chamber Ballet presents Star-Crossed: Swan Lake Act 2 + Romeo & Juliet
For the Valentine’s season, Avant Chamber Ballet presents an evening of live orchestra and ballet masterpieces telling tales of romance and enchantment, true love and sacrifice. This triple bill features George Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht Ballet, Swan Lake Act 2, and Paul Mejia’s Romeo & Juliet. There will be performances on Saturday and Sunday at Moody Performance Hall.

Cara Mía Theatre presents Yanga
Jaime Chabaud’s Yanga is inspired by the real-life story of Gaspar Yanga, an enslaved African Prince who led a rebellion and successfully negotiated an independent territory with the Spanish crown less than 100 years after the arrival of Hernán Cortés in Mexico. Newly translated to English for the first time, Yanga sheds light on the history of the Afro-Mexican experience. The production runs through March 3 at Latino Cultural Center.

Plano Symphony Orchestra presents Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis received early acclaim as a saxophonist bringing new energy and new audiences to jazz. Since then, the multiple Grammy-winning icon has refined and expanded his talents and his horizons as a musician, composer, and educator to become a 21st century mainstay of artistic excellence. The Plano Symphony Orchestra will highlight the acclaimed musician in this concert at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.

Sunday, February 18

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live: King for a Day
Daniel, O the Owl, Miss Elaina, Katerina Kittycat, Prince Wednesday, and more familiar friends will go on a brand-new adventure in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, where Daniel learns just what it takes to be King. The beloved characters come alive on stage with new songs, magical moments, and surprise guests along the way. The event takes place at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.

Black Violin in concert
For nearly two decades, Black Violin - comprised of Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste - has been merging string arrangements with modern beats and vocals and building bridges in communities along the way. The duo is coming off a recent Grammy nomination for “The Message,” a collaboration with Blind Boys of Alabama. They have released six albums in their career, most recently Give Thanks in 2020. They'll play at Majestic Theatre.

Image courtesy of Cara Mía Theatre

Cara Mía Theatre presents Yanga at Latino Cultural Center, February 17 through March 3.

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Movie Review

Dual murder plans go awry in bloodily funny Over Your Dead Body

Photo courtesy of IFC Films

Jason Segel and Samara Weaving on Over Your Dead Body.

When dysfunctional couples are depicted in movies, about the worst that typically happens is an acrimonious divorce. But in the new comedy/thriller Over Your Dead Body, the husband-and-wife have already gone way past that point by the time they’re introduced to the audience, with their plans leaning toward murder.

Dan (Jason Segel) is a low-level filmmaker relegated to directing pop-up ads, while Lisa (Samara Weaving) is an actor making do in small theater productions. The film finds them heading toward a rare getaway to a remote lake cabin, but it’s clear from the start that the married couple has been at odds for months, if not years. As the film begins, Dan clumsily drops hints at an alibi for his planned murder of Lisa to his ailing dad (Paul Guilfoyle) and others.

His shoddy planning was already sussed out by Lisa, who turns the tables on him when he tries to attack her, revealing a plan of her own. The situation naturally heightens their shared enmity of each other, but their blind hatred turns out to reveal the presence of Pete (Timothy Olyphant) and Todd (Keith Jardine), two escapees from a nearby prison who were helped by guard Allegra (Juliette Lewis). What was once a shared murder plan turns into a fight for survival, forcing Dan and Lisa to work together.

Directed by Jorma Taccone (The Lonely Island) and written by former SNL writers Nick Kocher and Briand McElhaney, the film aims to mine comedy out of darkness. Dan and Lisa’s ire for each other is palpable, and their interactions early in the film are uncomfortable. As the film turns increasingly violent with the introduction of other unsavory characters, most of the humor is derived from the creative ways people are attacked and the ultraviolence that results from them going after each other.

It’s a little tough to get fully invested in the story when the filmmakers throw the audience directly into the plot with almost zero setup. There’s not even a cursory montage of Dan and Lisa being in love, so it’s hard to care a lot about their current hate for each other. Likewise, the presence of the prison guard and escapees is completely random, and the three of them aren’t utilized well in the story despite having a couple of well-known actors portraying them.

The saving grace of the film, though, is the twists and turns it takes in the final act. Everyone on screen is put through the wringer, with each of them suffering multiple injuries or worse. The mayhem becomes so chaotic that it’s almost impossible to tell what’s going to happen next, which slightly makes up for the fact that the story as a whole is lackluster. Even though the audience knows they’re being manipulated, the sequences are entertaining enough to overcome that fact.

The cast as a whole is solid. Segel (How I Met Your Mother, Shrinking) uses his comic sensibility to keep the proceedings light. Weaving (Ready or Not) has done multiple movies in this vein, so she knows how to navigate the comedy/thriller waters. Olyphant feels a little out of place, but he has a presence that elevates his part. Lewis goes a little too manic in her part, and Jardine ably embodies the dumb brute.

The comedy history of Taccone, Segel, and Weaving keeps Over Your Dead Body as a positive experience even when the story doesn’t quite measure up. The film never becomes fully predictable, giving the audience a great dose of pandemonium that lifts it up despite its other faults.

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Over Your Dead Body is now playing in theaters.

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