Weekend Event Planner

These are the 9 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

The circus is back in town — actually, two circuses — to headline another week of events in and around Dallas. Other choices include two big concerts in Arlington, a couple of comedy events, two new local theater productions, and a performance by one of the world's top mediums.

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

Thursday, July 25

Morgan Wallen in concert
Few entertainers have had a better start to their careers than country singer Morgan Wallen. His 2018 debut If I Know Me went double platinum and yielded a No. 1 hit, "Whiskey Glasses." His next two albums, most recently One Thing at a Time, each went to No. 1 on both the Billboard Country and overall Billboard 200 charts, resulting in a slew of awards at the Billboard Music Awards. His big-time status will be on display with concerts on back-to-back nights at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, where he'll be joined by other big names like Jelly Roll and Koe Wetzel.

UniverSoul Circus
One of two circuses in Dallas this weekend, UniverSoul Circus will celebrate 30 years with its interactive “Family Reunion Tour,” bringing together big names from five continents all backed by the beat of world music, including sounds and dance styles spanning the African diaspora. The circus, taking place at The Shops At RedBird through August 11, stopped using animals in 2023, and features circus arts, theater, and music that spans genres, including pop, classic R&B, Latin, hip hop, jazz, and gospel.

Improv Addison presents Dan Soder
Dan Soder is a New York City-based comedian who’s best known as ‘Mafee’ on the Showtime series, Billions, and as co-host of Sirius XM’s The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson from 2015-2023. He is also known for his frequent appearances on MTV2's Guy Code. He'll perform six times through Saturday at Improv Addison.

Friday, July 26

Bucket List Productions and Lewisville Playhouse present Long Day's Journey into Night
Bucket List Productions will present the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’Neill. The play is a brooding masterpiece about the pain of forgiving, and the impossibility of forgetting. The Tyrone family puts the not-so-fun in "dysfunctional," as the family tell their entire life’s progression story over the course of just one long day. The production runs through August 11 at Lewisville Playhouse.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey The Greatest Show On Earth
The second circus of the weekend is the long-awaited return of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey The Greatest Show On Earth, an immersive experience filled with acts that push the limits of human potential. The reimagined circus, which no longer features animals, is an action-packed production with modernized acts. Audiences will see never-before-seen stunts, acrobatic displays, and comedic acts from a globally diverse cast that includes 75 performers hailing from 18 countries. There will be six performances through Sunday at American Airlines Center.

Comedy Bang! Bang!: The Bang! Bang! Into Your Mouth Tour
Comedy Bang! Bang! has had a few different lives, first as radio show that started in 2009, then as an early podcast that has been put out weekly since 2010. It also had a five-season run as a TV show on IFC from 2012-2016. At this live show, host Scott Aukerman, along with Paul F. Tompkins and The Comedy Bang! Bang! All-Stars, will perform a totally improvised version of the award-winning podcast at Majestic Theatre.

Theatre Coppell presents Greater Tuna
Greater Tuna is a comedy about a small town named Tuna, Texas' third smallest town. The wacky inhabitants of this town - men, women, children and animals - are all played by two skillful, transformative actors who must change parts at a rather breakneck speed and use inventive voicework. The play features two actors, 20 characters, and a barrel of laughs. The production runs through August 11 at Coppell Arts Center.

Saturday, July 27

Matt Fraser: America’s Top Psychic Medium
The readings of medium Matt Fraser lead guests through a rollercoaster of emotions from laughing to crying, turning skeptics into believers with stunning details. His dynamic readings frequently include names, dates, and locations he couldn’t possibly know, only adding to his long-established reputation. He'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Sunday, July 28

Photo courtesy of Morgan Wallen

Morgan Wallen and special guests will play at AT&T Stadium on July 25 and 26.

Ateez in concert
South Korean boy band Ateez joined the K-Pop movement back in 2018, quickly gaining fans in both their native country and Japan by releasing a series of EPs and albums in both languages. They've been extremely popular in both countries, and now they're spreading their love to the United States with their world tour, Towards the Light: Will to Power in support of their 2023 album, The World EP.Fin: Will. They'll perform at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

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Movie Review

Horror film Bring Her Back may shock even fans of the genre

Photo courtesy of A24

Sally Hawkins and Sora Wong in Bring Her Back.

While there have been plenty of great horror movies that have come out of the United States, there are also many examples of other countries delivering films that put American ones to shame. Whether it’s the freedom of working outside the U.S. studio system, different sensibilities, or something else, international horror movies often hit way harder than domestic ones.

The latest example is the Australian film Bring Her Back, directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, the same filmmakers behind the 2023 sensation Talk to Me. The fantastically unnerving story centers on Andy (Billy Barratt) and his sister, Piper (Sora Wong), who’s legally blind. The two are put into foster care after the death of their father, finding a home with Laura (Sally Hawkins), a former social worker. Laura is enthusiastic about having Piper, who reminds her of her blind daughter who passed away, but Andy feels a coolness toward him right away.

Also living with Laura is Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), whom Laura says has been mute since her daughter’s death. But Oliver’s actions are much weirder than him not being able to talk, and Laura alternates between being dismissive of him and overly attentive. Things start to go off the rails when Andy witnesses a horrific event, and he and Piper - along with the audience - are unprepared for how awful things will get.

The film, written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, ranks extremely high on the list of most disturbing films you’re likely to see. It’s not just the blood and gore that can be found in many other horror movies; it’s the manner in which the carnage comes about that may haunt the dreams of viewers. The things that the filmmakers choose to show are so shocking that it’s fair to wonder what kind of a mind comes up with such atrocities.

But the Philippous have more on their mind than trying to traumatize viewers visually. It’s a movie about grief and a broken foster care system mixed with a tinge of the supernatural. While it’s not entirely clear what’s going on with Laura and Oliver, it involves something spooky that has affected both of them in inexplicable ways. The film combines the horrors of real life and the incomprehensible for a highly effective story.

The film also veers far away from your typical horror film arc. While Laura is the “villain” of the film, she’s also a victim in a certain way, and the filmmakers have empathy for the trauma that she has endured. They don’t excuse her actions, but the reasons behind them are explained, and so the journey that Andy and Piper go on becomes more meaningful than if it involved a monster with no back story.

Hawkins, who’s been nominated for two Oscars, elevates the film with her high-level acting. No matter what kind of weird thing Laura does, it feels grounded because Hawkins is bringing it to life. Barratt and Wong play their roles well, but it’s Phillips who’s the real revelation. Without speaking a word, he turns in a supremely creepy performance, one that’s especially amazing for the physical things he’s asked to do.

Even horror film aficionados may not be able to anticipate the level of depravity on display in Bring Her Back. Unlike other movies in the genre, it’s not out for cheap thrills. The Philippous give it heart and soul, along with some of the most messed-up scenes you’ll see this year.

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Bring Her Back is now playing theaters.

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