Hold Onto Your Cowboy Hats

Cirque du Soleil's new country show line-dances into the State Fair of Texas

The beloved tradition is back: For the first time since 2013, Broadway Dallas is presenting a show during the State Fair of Texas.

It's a new Cirque du Soleil creation called Songblazers, which celebrates the pioneering spirit of country music’s trailblazers in partnership with Universal Music Group Nashville. Songblazers runs through the end of the Fair, October 20, and each show ticket purchased comes with free same-day admission to the State Fair of Texas.

This collaboration means that some of country's most recognizable songs — think "Crazy," "King of the Road," "Achy Breaky Heart," and "All My Exes Live in Texas" — are the live soundtrack to Cirque du Soleil's jaw-dropping athletics and acrobatics.

Cirque du Soleil Songblazers This scene is performed to "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!"Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

The story follows Dusty, a young songwriter disheartened by a poor performance at a local carnival's talent show. He sets off on a quest to reignite his passion and find his voice, meeting his future songwriter partner, Wyatt, along the way.

Amidst campfire sing-a-longs, barn dances, and bar fights, the audience is taken on an emotional train ride through the heartlands of the American West, meeting a variety of unforgettable characters and muses, each embodying the spirit of country.

Outlaws, ranch girls, brakemen, and conductors all guide Dusty and Wyatt, offering lessons in life, love, and the relentless pursuit of dreams. Together, they navigate the highs and lows of the musical artist’s journey, sharing moments of triumph, despair, friendship, and rivalry.

Here's a sneak peek of the show:

There are also lots of fun facts about Songblazers, such as:

Country’s roots are deeply intertwined with African American musical traditions, as early country music blended blues, gospel, and spirituals. The African banjo — the "banjar" — and the European fiddle both contributed to the birth of country music and its unique sound. Throughout the show, the two main characters play both instruments.
Sam Williams, son of legendary country artist Hank Williams Jr. and grandson of Hank Williams Sr., has written an original song for the show, along with fellow songwriters PJ Harding and Ned Houston. It's called "Carnival Heart."
The Country Music Hall of Fame was established in 1961. One of its first inductees was Hank Williams, whose song "I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry" features in Songblazers.
As well as directing shows for many of the world’s most renowned musical artists, Songblazers director Amy Tinkham has also conceptualized numerous performances for the Country Music Awards.
Songblazers' costume designer Zerina Akers has dressed famous celebrities such as Megan Thee Stallion, Chloe, and Halle Bailey, as well as collaborating with Beyonce as her personal stylist for more than a decade.
More musicians and vocalists appear in Songblazers than in any other Cirque du Soleil show, with 13 musical artists in the cast.
Overall, Songblazers stars 29 artists and 21 crew members from 13 countries, communicating in over 10 languages.

Cirque du Soleil Songblazers A little country and a lot international.Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

Meet a cast of fun characters along the way.

Every Songblazers ticket purchased comes with free same-day admission to the State Fair of Texas. The show is 95 minutes long and suitable for all ages. Purchase tickets here.

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Movie Review

Rose Byrne fights for her life and car in new movie 'Tow'

Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Rose Byrne in Tow.

Actor Rose Byrne had a banner year in 2025, getting her first Oscar nomination for her starring role in If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You. Although she came up short in that race, she’s getting another chance to prove her acting bona fides in the new film, Tow.

In the “inspired by a true story” movie, Byrne plays Amanda, a down-on-her-luck woman who lives in her car and can’t find a job. Living in Seattle, she tries to stay in touch with her daughter, Avery (Elsie Fisher), who lives with her dad in another city, but circumstances sometimes limit their communications, especially when her car is stolen.

The good news is that her car is found relatively quickly. The bad news is that the tow company is charging her to get her car back, money she can’t afford. Now truly homeless, she does everything in her power to right the wrong, even taking the company to court. Without much luck, she has to start staying in a women’s shelter run by Barbara (Octavia Spencer), where she makes friends with Nova (Demi Lovato) and Denise (Ariana DeBose), among others.

Directed by Stephanie Laing and written by Jonathan Keasey and Brent Boivin, the film has relatively low stakes going for it and never really tries to make the story feel deeper than it is. The situation Amanda finds herself in is clearly a tough one, and any empathetic person would feel for her and want her to overcome her plight. But the filmmakers keep things light and never try to up the drama in any significant way.

The issue Amanda is dealing with, being price gouged by a predatory towing company, is one with which many people can relate. But aside from helpfully underscoring Amanda’s frustration by showing the increasing number of days she is without a car, they never establish why they felt this particular story was one worth telling. Her personal issues, including a growing estrangement with her daughter, fail to conjure any big emotions.

The filmmakers are very loose with their storytelling, especially when it comes to side characters. The presence of the women she meets at the shelter, and Kevin (Dominic Sessa), the young lawyer who offers to help her, never makes full sense other than a need for her to have other people with whom to interact. A tighter focus on what Amanda was going through would’ve helped both her and people around her feel more important.

Byrne is a dynamic performer who’s shown great skill at both drama and comedy, but there’s nothing special about her performance here. Hampered a bit by a blonde wig and false teeth, she feels out of sorts for much of the film. The unusually high-powered supporting cast - both Spencer and DeBose are Oscar winners - makes things interesting on first blush, but none of them outside of Sessa is given much to do, so they’re mostly wasted.

Tow will be a disappointment for anyone hoping to see more great stuff from Byrne. While she remains a fine actor, her performance and the story as a whole are nowhere near the level shown in her previous film. The real life predicament shown in the film also never rises to the level of being of something worth showing to the masses.

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Tow is now showing in theaters.

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