Praise Be

Everything you need to know about attending Magic Mike Live and His Story: The Musical

In a tent erected in a shopping center parking lot, a muscled man is dancing for a screaming crowd. Less than five miles away, in a another parking-lot tent, a different muscled man is body-rolling to frenzied applause.

The difference? One man is part of Channing Tatum's Magic Mike Live. The other man is portraying Jesus in His Story: The Musical.

It's a unique time in North Texas, with these two wildly different — yet oddly similar? — productions pitching their tents so close to each other.

CultureMap recently attended both shows back to back, and is revealing what you can expect with each.

Magic Mike Live: The Tour
Where: Stonebriar Centre, parking lot C (near Dillard's)

When: ~~Through June 11~~ (extended through July 2)

The basic gist: A female emcee (either Crystal Powell or Nikki Lowe) empowers the audience while teaching "Mike" (Kalon Badenhorst) what women really want, with the help of an ensemble of very in-shape, attractive men.

The dancing and acrobatics are genuinely impressive and expertly executed, and there are several opportunities for the men to showcase other talents like drumming, singing, and piano playing.

Kiana De Van der Schueren contributes to two of the most jaw-dropping numbers, one in a pool of water and the other an aerial number high above the audience.

As expected, there is lots of audience participation both onstage and off, but if you do not wish to be touched or pulled onstage you can simply say the safe word ("unicorn") and the gents will back off. Consent is sexy!

The venue: A multi-story, 600-seat theater with a swanky lobby and indoor-outdoor courtyard for gathering before or after the show.

The release claims that "every fabric, every finish, every detail of the venue has been meticulously curated by Tatum and the Magic Mike Live creative team, led by co-director and film franchise choreographer Alison Faulk with co-choreographer Luke Broadlick." It's very easy to forget you're in a tent.

The vibe: Sexy, with terrific lighting, leather couches, and plenty of Instagram photo opps. The entire endeavor feels luxurious and high-end.

The concessions: Charcuterie boxes, wine, and signature cocktails utilizing Steven Soderbergh’s spirit brand Singani 63. We tried "Permission," a tequila concoction with cucumber and lychee, and the sangria-like "Seduction," each averaging $25 before tip.

The bathrooms: High-end portable toilets, with three times as many women's as men's — an excellent touch.

Key producers: Channing Tatum, Steven Soderbergh, Vincent Marini (who also co-produced the HBO Max reality contest series Finding Magic Mike)

Show length: 90 minutes, no intermission

Audience age: Strictly 18 and up

Souvenirs: Each seat is pre-staged with a few "Unicorn Bucks," the purpose of which is kind of unclear. The cast was unresponsive when audience members tried to give them the fake money (or stuff it down their waistbands), so the pink paper basically functions like confetti for Instagram boomerangs.

Tickets: $49-$299. Options exist for Ultra Seats (front-row seating, complimentary cocktails, personal concierge, post-show meet-and-greet with members of the cast) and the Mike's Exclusive Package add-on.

To order and more information: MMLTour.com or call 833-624-4265

His Story: The Musical
Where: Grandscape, by the Grandscape Wheel

When: Open-ended

The basic gist: "A Broadway-style theatrical event 2000 years in the making," touts the release, and the show recounts the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Anna Miriam Brown was 17 when she wrote the musical, and the show is definitely youthful. Choreographer Eamon Foley works the young, non-union cast to near exhaustion, with knee pads that get plenty of use.

This is JC for Gen Z, with Hamilton-esque raps and costumes that range from tunics to track suits, accented with temporary tattoos and even a leather harness. Jesus (Max Kuenzer) wears a sleeveless hoodie and a man bun.

The voices are generally strong, though the tunes utterly forgettable. A program insert warns of violence though the least affecting part is the crucifixion, staged by director Jeff Calhoun with Jesus lying down and Judas hammering from several feet away.

Casey Lamont is especially transfixing as Lucifer, while Mat Blasio garners several laughs in a variety of small roles.

The venue: The Broadway Tent at Grandscape, a 1,300-seat theater tent designed by Matthew Churchill Productions, Ltd. with stadium seating, 360-degree overhead projection, and full A/C and heating. It is very easy to remember you are in a tent.

The vibe: Megachurch revival weekend meets traveling circus. The tent and revolving set are repurposed from 2015's Peter Pan 360, and the surrounding projections feel planetarium-like.

The concessions: Popcorn, soda, nachos, beer, and other circus-like fare, all allowed in the theater.

The bathrooms: Separate entrances for men and women ... which spill into one long row of portable bathrooms.

Key producers: Willie and Korie Robertson (of Duck Dynasty fame), Tony Award-nominated Bruce Lazarus

Show length: 2 hours, including a 20-minute intermission

Audience age: Recommended for ages 8 and up. Children under the age of 2 are not permitted in the theater.

Souvenirs: Take your pick: There's everything from T-shirts, hoodies, and baby onesies to prayer stones, crosses, and picture frames. If you can think of it, there's a branded version for sale here. Credit to the merch department for the deep-cut "James #1" and "James #2" shirts, though.

Tickets: $39-$239. VIP packages include access to the Nebraska Furniture Mart VIP Lounge, a free glass of champagne or sparkling juice, and a free gift.

To order and more information: HisStoryTheMusical.com or call 855-447-7867

Photo courtesy of Magic Mike Live

A swanky lobby is designed for gathering before or after the show.

theater

Movie Review

Jessica Chastain drama Dreams stumbles through steamy romance

Photo courtesy of Teorema

Isaac Hernández and Jessica Chastain in Dreams.

The opening scenes of the new drama Dreams are bracing, fictional sequences that call to mind real-life scenarios. In them, a young Mexican man named Fernando (Isaac Hernández) goes through a somewhat harrowing journey from the back of a semi truck in South Texas all the way to San Francisco. It’s a familiar immigrant story that seems to set the stage for a film with something interesting to say.

It turns out, however, that Fernando has not made the long and arduous trek for a job. Instead, it’s to be with Jennifer McCarthy (Jessica Chastain), a rich woman who helps lead a foundation dedicated to multiple things, including funding dance academies. Fernando, a talented dancer, and Jennifer have been in an off-and-on affair for years, with Jennifer wanting to keep their relationship a secret.

Although both are drawn to each other in an inexplicable, lustful way, their bond is tenuous, with each of them dissatisfied for different reasons. Fernando clearly sacrifices much more of himself than Jennifer, who wants for nothing except maybe more affection from her father, Michael (Marshall Bell), and brother, Jake (Rupert Friend).

Writer/director Michel Franco seems to try to inject tension into Fernando and Jennifer’s relationship from the start, an attempt that is only halfway successful. It’s clear from the way they greet each other - not to mention a steamy sex scene shortly thereafter - that they have known each other for a good length of time. Franco is able to get across this familiarity with an economy of scenes, and the intensity of their bond holds for a while.

But as the film progresses and both of them grow disenchanted with their arrangement, Franco starts taking the story in some odd directions. The biggest issue is that it’s never clear at what point in time the story is taking place. Fernando ends up making multiple trips back and forth across the border, with Jennifer doing the same at one point, and Franco’s use of flashbacks muddies the waters, wrong-footing the audience when he should be trying to draw them further into Fernando and Jennifer’s complications.

Revelations in the final act make the story even more confusing, as both main characters start saying and doing harsh things that seem to come out of nowhere. That would be all well and good if Franco actually committed to their changes of heart, but he keeps things wishy-washy for most of the final 15 minutes, resulting in an ending that makes little sense for either character.

Despite the story issues, both Chastain and Hernández give compelling performances. Chastain has been a little under the radar since winning an Oscar for The Eyes of Tammy Faye, but she keeps this character interesting longer than it should have been. Hernández has limited credits and appears to have been cast for his dancing ability, but he goes toe-to-toe with Chastain on more than one occasion and acquits himself well.

Dreams had all of the ideas to explore a more in-depth story about the complicated immigration policies between Mexico and the U.S., or how wealthy people take advantage of those less fortunate. But Franco never finds the right footing, settling instead for a titillating and somewhat mystifying relationship story that feels half-baked.

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Dreams is now playing in select theaters.

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