Weekend Event Planner

These are the 14 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Although there is a lot going on in and around Dallas this weekend, there is no one big event that will draw more people than others. Choices include four comedians, a heavy metal concert, four theater events, a dance production, a symphony concert, two festivals, and the final days of a notable art exhibition.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. If you want more options, check out our calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, March 19

Dan Soder: The Golden Retriever of Comedy Tour
Dan Soder is a New York City-based comedian who’s best known as Mafee on the Showtime series Billions. His HBO special, Son of a Gary, debuted in 2019. He also has a half-hour special on Netflix’s The Standups, and his first hour-long stand-up special, Not Special, premiered in 2016 on Comedy Central. Soder also hosted Sirius XM’s The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson from 2015-2023. He'll perform for one night only at Texas Theatre.

Bad Omens in concert
Heavy metal band Bad Omens has become one of the biggest groups in the genre over the past decade. They released their debut self-titled album in 2016, making the top 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Both of their subsequent albums went even higher, with their third album, The Death of Peace and Mind in 2022, going all the way to No. 1. They'll play at American Airlines Center, joined by special guests Beartooth and President.

Modi: Pause for Laughter
Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, Modi emigrated with his family to the United States at the age of 7 and was raised on Long Island. He worked as an investment banker until his first open-mic night made him realize that stand-up was his true calling. Equipped with a sharp wit and a knack for reading an audience, Modi has gone on to become a successful fixture in New York’s vibrant comedy scene, often doing bits that incorporate his heritage. He'll perform for one night only at Majestic Theatre.

Improv Addison present Dave Attell
Dave Attell is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer, best known as the host of Comedy Central's Insomniac with Dave Attell, which gave him a cult following. He's also been seen in the Hulu series Life & Beth with Amy Schumer, Bumping Mics with Jeff Ross, and HBO’s Crashing with Pete Holmes. When not on the road, Attell makes regular appearances at the Comedy Cellar in New York City. He'll perform five times through Saturday at Improv Addison.

Pegasus Theatre presents Rehearsal for Murder!
Lt. Foster has inherited a guest inn from his Great-Grand Uncle Cyrus Johnson in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Mrs. Holmes (the housekeeper) and Seth Murdock (the groundskeeper) occupy the guest inn, which, as the play begins, is hosting famed writer/director Adrian Garson and a troupe of actors who are rehearsing a new Broadway play away from the scrutiny of the Manhattan theater critics. Before Lt. Foster arrives, leading man Allen Simpson falls to his death from Eagle Point. It looks like a tragic accident — but was it? The production runs through April 5 at Addison Performing Arts Centre.

Friday, March 20

Akaash Singh: Generational Triumph Tour
Akaash Singh is a nationally touring stand-up comedian, podcaster, and actor. His career took off with many television shows, including MTV’s Wild’n Out, Netflix’s Brown Nation, and HBO’s The Leftovers. He's also known for the podcast Flagrant, co-created with fellow comedian and good friend Andrew Schulz. His newest special, Gaslit, was released in 2024. He'll perform for one night only at Majestic Theatre.

Undermain Theatre presents St. Miles*
Undermain Theatre will present a staged reading of St. Miles*, an Undermain World Premiere in development directed by Jiles R. King II. Five years ago, the Ellis family lost one of its members, a young Black man named Miles, to an act of police violence. Now Miles’ mother Opal wants him to be recognized as a saint. As the Ellises navigate the arduous canonization process, the family clashes and battle lines are drawn. Is true salvation on the other side of it all? There will be three performances through Sunday at Undermain Theatre.

TITAS/Dance Unbound presents BODYTRAFFIC
Regularly working with powerhouse choreographers like Kyle Abraham, Ohad Naharin, Hofesh Shechter, Victor Quijada, Arthur Pita, Fernando Magadan, Micaela Taylor, and Trey McIntyre, a BODYTRAFFIC show is a master class in what’s hot and happening in dance right now. There will be performances on Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Alexi Kenney Plays Barber"
Rising star violinist Alexi Kenney and Principal Guest Conductor at the Metropolitan Opera Daniele Rustioni will join together for one of the most-performed 20th century masterpieces, Barber's Violin Concerto. The program will also feature a first-time DSO performance of Casella’s Second Symphony. There will be three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Uptown Players presents Pure Glitter
Pure Glitter is a vibrant, heartfelt comedy celebrating the messy, glittering bonds of chosen family. At Stan and Tony’s 10th anniversary surprise party, old friends and new flames collide in a whirlwind of revelations, shade, and musical theater debates. As secrets unravel — breakups, betrayals, and hidden truths — the group confronts love, loss, and the courage to be honest. The production runs through March 29 at Kalita Humphreys Theater.

Saturday, March 21

Texas Forever Fest
Texas Forever Fest is a celebration of the food, art, music, and people that make the Lone Star State unforgettable. Visitors can enjoy a full day of live music, entertainment, interactive activities, food, drinks, and vendors, all inspired by Texas’ rich and diverse culture. Performers will include William Clark Green, The Wilder Blue, Tejas Brothers, Angel White, and Battle of the Balladeers champion Jake Ryan. The event takes place at Haggard Park in Plano.

Dallas Festival of Colors
The Dallas Festival of Colors (Holi Mela) will make a second go of it two weeks after being rained out. Inspired by the ancient Indian festival of Holi, the Festival of Colors is a high-energy, family-friendly experience featuring live music and DJs, traditional and contemporary dance performances, color throws, cultural showcases, food vendors, and activities for all ages. It takes place at Myers Park & Event Center in McKinney.

DFW Play presents Fest O' Theatre
DFW Play will present North Texas’ first-ever South Asian Theater Festival, marking a historic milestone for the region’s cultural landscape. Fest O’ Theatre is more than a lineup of performances — it is a thoughtfully curated, all-day celebration of Indian stagecraft, bringing together compelling storytelling, powerful performances, and diverse theatrical traditions in one immersive experience. The one-day event will be at Dallas Children's Theater.

Sunday, March 22

Dallas Museum of Art presents "International Surrealism" closing day
Sunday will be the final day to view "International Surrealism" at the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibition features over 100 works by an international array of artists, all drawn from the impressive collection of Tate in London. It highlights the wide range of practices, techniques, and perspectives from across the globe that came to define the movement, emphasizing the endless reach of the surrealist mindset through a rich display of works by celebrated artists and writers, including André Breton, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dalí, and René Magritte, as well as their peers.

Photo by Guzman Rosado

TITAS/Dance Unbound presents BODYTRAFFIC at Moody Performance Hall on March 20 and 21.

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Movie Review

Ryan Gosling tries to save the universe in Project Hail Mary

Photo by Jonathan Olley

Ryan Gosling in Project Hail Mary

The reasons behind the success of 2015’s The Martian, which earned over $630 million worldwide and got nominated for seven Oscars, had as much to do with the novel written by Andy Weir as it did with star Matt Damon and director Ridley Scott. Weir’s commitment to making an entertaining story that was also scientifically accurate proved to be easy to translate into a blockbuster movie.

The same is true for Weir’s 2021 novel, Project Hail Mary, now a film starring Ryan Gosling. Gosling plays Dr. Ryland Grace, who opens the film waking up from an induced coma, alone on an interstellar spaceship named the Hail Mary. As his foggy mind clears, he - and the audience - learn that he was recruited to help an initiative to save the world after it’s discovered that a mysterious phenomenon is causing the sun to cool down, threatening all life on Earth.

The film toggles back and forth between Grace’s time on the ship and his whirlwind journey of scientific discovery on Earth, with revelations coming on both sides. On Earth, he mostly deals with Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller), the unflappable and unstoppable leader of the international coalition dedicated to solving the problem. And in space, orbiting the far-off star known as Tau Ceti, he encounters another being he names Rocky, a five-limbed creature that looks like a boulder which teams up with him to try to save both of their worlds.

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and written by Drew Goddard (who also wrote The Martian), the film melds multiple genres into an astonishingly great whole. It starts off as a mystery, morphs into science fiction, transitions into actual science, becomes a thriller, adds in plenty of drama, and - for good measure - features plenty of comedy along the way. Shifting tones like this film does is tricky for many filmmakers, but Lord and Miller prove to be masterful at knowing just how much of each to include before it becomes too much.

One of the biggest keys to the story is the fact that Grace is not a hero in the movie sense of the word. He’s very smart, but he’s also an everyman, teaching middle school science after being shunned from academia. The circumstances of how he ended up on the Hail Mary are doled out in pieces over the course of the film, but it’s clear from the start that Grace’s talents are not the ones found in your typical astronaut. Ironically, it’s him being forced to do heroic stuff that imbues him with an atypical type of bravery.

The relationship between Grace and Rocky is unique, and Rocky ends up being as endearing an alien that’s been featured in movies despite the fact that he has no face and speaks only in musical tones. The film does a very effective job of putting the audience in Grace’s shoes, having to figure out ways to communicate with Rocky at the same time as he’s trying to figure out how to complete a mission he wasn’t trained to do.

Gosling is the ideal actor to portray a man like Grace. Essentially alone for much of the film, his innate charm and humorous delivery keep the film from feeling like an extended monologue. The flashback scenes to his time on Earth feature solid performances from people like Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall), Lionel Boyce (The Bear), and more, who fill in the pieces of the story without feeling out of place.

Project Hail Mary is a crowd-pleaser in all the right ways, delivering plenty of thrilling action and funny moments while also digging deep into science nerd elements. With a movie star like Gosling in the lead and successful filmmakers like Lord, Miller, and Goddard behind the scenes, the film makes an early case for being one of best of the year.

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Project Hail Mary opens in theaters on March 20.

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