Weekend Event Planner

These are the 15 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

It's a packed weekend around Dallas, with events split between theater and music. No fewer than eight new local theater productions will start their runs this weekend, with productions taking place all over the map. On the music side, five big concerts take the stage, including a country star making her long-awaited return to touring. There will also be a fun dance production and a "Christmas in July" event for the whole family.

Below are the 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, July 20

The Firehouse Theatre presents Disney's Newsies
Based on the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899, the Disney musical Newsies tells the story of Jack Kelly, a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant Joseph Pulitzer raises newspaper prices at the newsboys’ expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action. With help from reporter Katherine Plumber, all of New York City soon recognizes the power of “the little man.” The production runs through August 13 at The Firehouse Theatre in Farmers Branch.

WaterTower Theatre presents Goin' Hollywood
Alice Chandler does not feel like she belongs in the 21st century, but she never dreamed that a magical birthday wish would transport her and her best friend and writing partner, Garson Stein, back in time to 1949 Hollywood. Alice and Garson land smack in the golden age of movie musicals, where they land their dream job writing for L. B. Mayer at MGM and are surrounded by glittering stars of Hollywood. But they soon see that under all the glamour lies a studio system crumbling, the blacklist threatening their closest allies, and their eyes are opened to Hollywood’s darker side. The world premiere production runs through July 30 at WaterTower Theatre in Addison.

Friday, July 21

Garland Summer Musicals presents Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, based on the popular 1988 MGM film, takes the audience to the French Riviera for high jinks and hilarity. Sophisticated, suave with a good dash of mischief, the hysterical comedy features a jazzy score by David Yazbek (The Full Monty) and was nominated for 11 Tony Awards. The production runs through July 30 at Granville Arts Center in Garland.

Repertory Company Theatre presents Brigadoon
Brigadoon is the original Scottish time-travel story. The mystery and beauty of the Scottish Highlands is the backdrop for Lerner and Loewe’s magical tale about following your heart and the power of love. The production runs through July 30 at Repertory Company Theatre in Richardson.

Theatre Arlington presents Superior Donuts
Arthur Przybyszewski owns a decrepit donut shop in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Franco Wicks, a black teenager who is his only employee, wants to change the shop for the better. The comedy-drama by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Letts explores the challenges of embracing the past and the redemptive power of friendship. The production runs through August 6 at Theatre Arlington.

Shania Twain in concert
Country music star Shania Twain is the best-selling female artist in country music history, a record she's achieved despite releasing only six albums in her 30-year career. Despite taking big breaks between each of her last three albums, she still sells tons of albums, with her latest, the new Queen of Me, coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. She'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion, with support from a star for a new generation, Arlington native Mickey Guyton.

Theatre Three presents Next to Normal
If you missed the initial run of Theatre Three's Next to Normal, you'll get a second chance this weekend, as they'll put on four more performances through Sunday at Coppell Arts Center. The Goodman family is just a “normal” family: Dad's an architect, mom packs lunches and makes birthday cakes, and their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens. Under the surface, their family is anything but. Next to Normal is an emotionally charged Tony-Award winning musical that explores a family’s raw and emotional journey with a mother struggling with chronic bipolar disorder as they navigate a world of therapists and medication.

B. Moore Dance presents Jazz-Soul-Funk-Classics
As part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project series, B. Moore Dance will present Jazz-Soul-Funk-Classics, a classic night of sultry jazz, soulful harmony, and the funkiest funk. Adding to her prolific repertoire of choreographic work, Artistic Director Bridget L. Moore focuses her eclectic, diverse and daring vision on music that rocks avant-garde audiences around the world. The production will highlight the dynamic dancers of B. Moore Dance, coupled with live music, vocalists, and visual artists from Dallas. There will be three performances through Sunday at Wyly Theatre.

Art Centre Theatre presents Drunk Shakespeare
Shakespeare is difficult to read sober, let alone eight drinks in. For this production, one or more performers begin to do shots of any kind of alcohol and then attempt to perform A Midsummer Night's Dream. Hilarity and mayhem ensue while the four sober actors try and keep the script on track. There will be six performances through August 5 at Art Centre Theatre in Plano.

Camp Death Productions presents Vampirettes of the Caribbean
Captain Jackie Raven is out to get her ship back from the evil Vampire Pirate Barbarellosa, and possibly save Eleanor Lark in the process. A raunchy spoof of Pirates of the Caribbean, it’s got vampires, it’s got pirates ... how many more reasons do you need? The production will have six performances through August 5 at Pocket Sandwich Theatre in Carrollton.

Saturday, July 22

Nickelback in concert
The term "Nickelback" has somehow become synonymous with "overrated" since the group's breakout in 2001. And yet 10 albums and almost 30 years into their career, they remain a top-selling band, so it's clear they still have plenty of fans out there. They'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion in support of their 2022 album, Get Rollin'.

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Christmas in July
Christmas in July is a fun-filled evening to tide visitors over until the holidays actually arrive. It will feature screenings of The Muppet Christmas Carol and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, holiday-themed drinks from G.Texas, and photo ops with Santa. The free event takes place in Sammons Park outside of Winspear Opera House.

Boz Scaggs in concert
Musician Boz Scaggs is a journeyman if ever there was one. He was born in Ohio, grew up in Oklahoma and Texas (attending school in Dallas), tried to start his career in Madison, Wisconsin and Austin before traveling in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, eventually settling in Stockholm, where he recorded his 1965 debut album, Boz. Eighteen albums and nearly 60 years later, Scaggs is still showing why he's one of the pre-eminent modern rock musicians. He'll play at Winspear Opera House.

Sunday, July 23

Slightly Stoopid in concert with Sublime With Rome
Reggae rock is a subgenre dating back to the 1970s that has gone up and down in popularity through the years, with everyone from The Police, No Doubt, and 311 falling under its label. Two current bands in the genre - Slightly Stoopid and Sublime with Rome - will combine forces for this co-headlining concert at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving. Slightly Stoopid is touring in support of their new album, So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously, while Sublime with Rome has released three albums in their career, with a fourth scheduled for release later in 2023.

Erykah Badu in concert
We here in Dallas typically see Erykah Badu in relatively small venues, whether it's her annual birthday celebration in Deep Ellum or just around town since she lives here. But this concert will find her playing one of the biggest venues in the area, American Airlines Center, as part of her 25-city Unfollow Me tour, which is coming to a close in her hometown. She will be joined by longtime friend and hip-hop artist, yasiin bey.

Photo by Louie Banks

Shania Twain will play at Dos Equis Pavilion on July 21.

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Movie Review

Hugh Jackman channels Neil Diamond in biopic Song Sung Blue

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in Song Sung Blue.

Neil Diamond - a member of both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame with 10 No. 1 songs and over 56 million albums sold - is such a music legend that it would be easy to do a straight-up biopic of him. Instead, the new Song Sung Blue - named after Diamond’s 1972 hit song - serves as a shadow Diamond biopic, with his songs showcased through a real-life husband-and-wife tribute act known as Lightning & Thunder.

Based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, the film focuses on Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman), who comes up with the idea for a Diamond-centric act when he meets Claire (Kate Hudson). The duo soon grows in popularity locally in Milwaukee, headlining not just restaurants and bars but also some larger venues. As their legend spreads, they even start to get the attention of the media and bigger names outside of Wisconsin.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a good biopic without a little turbulence, and — without spoiling things — Mike and Claire learn that good times never seemed so good when they face more than their fair share of troubles. The couple endures their ups and downs with the help of their combined family, including children Rachel (Ella Anderson) Angelina (King Princess), and Dana (Hudson Henley), as well as a community of fellow tribute acts.

Written and directed by Craig Brewer (Dolemite is My Name), the film’s appeal lies mainly in the irrepressible enthusiasm of Mike, a man born to entertain if ever there was one. Neither his long-dormant alcoholism nor health problems nor location in the Upper Midwest can stop Mike from demonstrating his showmanship skills. Of course, it helps that he’s portrayed by Jackman, who - despite getting a little long in the tooth - gives every performance his all.

What the story can never quite answer, though, is why this particular couple is worth an entire feature film. Sure, they have a somewhat interesting arc, especially when it coincides with a certain early ‘90s grunge band, but otherwise there’s little that separates them from other tribute acts toiling around the country. Brewer struggles to define them outside of their singing lives, and when things get really bad for them, the emotional connection is at a minimum.

Then there’s the aspect of incorporating Diamond’s music, some of which has endured across the decades more than others. Naturally, “Sweet Caroline” gets a notable showcase, but whither “America” or “Heartlight?” The title song is featured the most often, as Mike uses it to celebrate his yearly “sober birthday,” but it’s not a barnburner. Mike also has an obsession with the relatively obscure "Soolaimón," an odd choice both for him and for the movie to include so much.

Jackman and Hudson have good chemistry together, and when the film puts them together in singing scenes, their bond becomes infectious. Each of them has naturally melodic voices as well, lending an extra boost to that part of the film. Supporting actors like Anderson, King Princess, Michael Imperioli, and Fisher Stevens complement them well, but Jim Belushi, playing their promoter, gives a hammy performance that seems to be in a completely different movie.

While it’s unclear who the audience for Song Sung Blue might be other than hardcore Diamond fans, it has just enough crowd-pleasing moments to make for a solid watch. The entertainment factor of the film comes and goes, but Jackman using every ounce of his abilities mostly makes up for any deficiencies.

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Song Sung Blue opens in theaters on December 25.

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