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Improv Addison presents Michael Palascak

Cap City Comedy Club presents Michael Palascak

Photo courtesy of Michael Palascak

Michael Palascak has done stand-up on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Conan, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman, and Comedy Central's Half Hour. He was also a Top 5 finalist on Last Comic Standing, and has performed at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, where he taped a set for Kevin Hart’s LOL network.

Photo courtesy of Kim Wadsworth

Dallas Comedy Club presents Stand-Up for Hope

Dallas Comedy Club will present Stand-Up for Hope, a night of laughs with a full lineup of LGBTQ+ comedians emceed by Stefan Newman, the host of Queer Factor. The night features Kim Wadsworth, Kerry Day, Charlotte Parker, Lucia Hardaway, and Jamie Zeske.

In celebration of Pride Month, Dallas Hope Charities will be the beneficiary of Dallas Comedy Club’s first-ever comedy show fundraiser. Dallas Hope Charities is a Dallas-based non-profit that supports Dallas' LGBTQ+ community. Their mission is to provide food, shelter, and a range of services for LGBTQ+ homeless youth, empowering the community with dignity, stability, and hope.

Photo courtesy of Mocky Horror

Mocky Horror Picture Show presents Captain America (The 1990 Version)

Long before every other movie that hit the theaters had a Marvel logo on it, director Albert Pyun turned his cinematic eye towards Marvel Comics and released a big-screen adaptation of Captain America starring Matt Salinger as America's number one hero with a shield. It hit the big screen in 1990 and as they say in Hollywood, the results were... not good. Entertainment Weekly called the film's story a "shapeless blob of a plot."

That means it's perfect for the Mocky Horror Picture Show, Dallas' only, live, interactive, movie comedy show featuring comedians Liz Barksdale, Danny Gallagher, and Albie Robles making fun of a movie in the theater while audiences watch it. The Mocky Horror show also throws prompts on the screen during the movie so the audience can yell lines, throw stuff and make fun of the movie with them along with a few other surprises.

Photo by Preston Meneses

These are the 17 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Weekend Event Planner

This weekend in and around Dallas is jam-packed with events, to the point that it was difficult to pare down the list. Choices that made the cut include five theater productions, a music festival, several big concerts, art openings, the annual Pride celebration, and more.

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. Find some big food and drink events here.

Thursday, June 1

Josh Gates: An Evening of Legends, Mysteries and Tales of Adventure
Adventurer, television personality and author Josh Gates is the host and executive producer of the Discovery Channel series Expedition Unknown. The show follows Gates as he sets out on a global journey to explore archaeological discoveries, historic mysteries, and scientific breakthroughs. Gates immerses himself in each story, conducting his own investigations, showcasing the work of dedicated explorers while also highlighting vibrant cultures and fascinating destinations. He'll talk about his experiences during this event at Winspear Opera House.

Undermain Theatre presents The Way She Spoke
The Way She Spoke is a haunting and theatrical one-woman play which travels from the stage to the treacherous streets of Juárez, Mexico, where thousands of women have been murdered in an epidemic of violence that has yet to stop. The play is a raw and riveting exploration of responsibility: one playwright's journey to give voice to a city of women silenced by violence, fear and a world that has turned a deaf ear to their stories. The production runs through June 18 at Undermain Theatre.

Uptown Players presents Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical
In an epic game of cat and mouse, two diabolically charming step-siblings place a bet, and vow to destroy anyone who gets in their way. Seduced by passion and revenge, this devious duo spins a web of dangerous liaisons and find themselves entangled in the cruelest game of all: love. Based on the cult classic film and featuring favorite '90s hits, the production runs through June 11 at Kalita Humphreys Theater.

Belle Sauvage presents The Last Flapper
Is she mad… or just angry? Alone in a mental hospital, Zelda Fitzgerald, icon of the Jazz age, asks the questions her doctor should have. Did F. Scott steal her words? Did he claim she was insane just to gain his freedom? Can a woman decide her own fate? In this poignant, playful and truthful one-woman show, Zelda finally gets to tell her side of the story. The historical play wrestles with issues that are not at all a thing of the past. The production runs through June 11 in Theatre Too at Theatre Three.

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Poems for Broken Screens
Part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project series, Poems for Broken Screens is a transmedia performance art project spanning multiple genres and disciplines. It is an adventurous expression of 21st century poetry, broadly interpreted: the poem as sound, as image, as movement, as media. This ambitious project is an avant-garde interpretation of poetic forms translated through technology and experimental performance. There will be three performances through Saturday at Hamon Hall inside Winspear Opera House.

Theatre Three presents Next to Normal
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. The highly anticipated production runs through July 2 at Theatre Three.

Friday, June 2

Dreamhack
At Dreamhack, guests can participate in a variety of activities, including esports tournaments featuring Counter-Strike and Halo, cosplay contests, shopping expo, visiting with content creators, and more. The event runs through Sunday at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

Stonebriar Centre presents Disney and Pixar’s Elemental Experience
Disney and Pixar’s Elemental Experience invites fans into the world of the new film Elemental, featuring fun film-themed activities like photo and video opportunities, a chance to draw with Pixar artists, a movie-ticket grab in a wind tunnel, plus giveaways and special film content. The event runs through Sunday at Stonebriar Centre ahead of the film's opening on June 16.

KHYI 95.3 The Range Radio presents Texas Music Revolution
KHYI 95.3 The Range Radio presents the 27th annual Texas Music Revolution, a two-day event featuring over 75 bands on 15 stages throughout downtown McKinney. Performers will include Charlie Robison, Kevin Fowler, Chris Knight, John Baumann, Shane Smith & the Saints, Robert Earl Keen, Adam Hood, Micky & the Motorcars, and more.

Spark presents Prismatic
Prismatic is a pop-up experience where visitors can immerse themselves in rooms decorated with one single color and theme, designed and built entirely by local high school students. Taking place on weekends through August 27, the event is open to all ages, but will also include a variety of adult-only nights.

Janet Jackson in concert
Janet Jackson comes to Dallas as part of her ninth concert tour, Together Again. The tour will celebrate Jackson's 50th anniversary in entertainment and spotlight milestones for two of her most critically acclaimed albums - 25 years of The Velvet Rope, and 30 years of janet, featuring her biggest chart-topping hits, plus new music. The concert will be at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Lady A in concert
What's in a name? Lady A has seemingly found out since shortening the former "Antebellum" part of their name in 2020. Prior to the change, each of their seven albums had reached No. 1 or 2 on the Billboard Country charts, and come in near the top of the Billboard 200. Their only album since the name change, 2021's What a Song Can Do, charted at No. 12 and 135 respectively, a far cry from their previous heights. And after playing at Dos Equis Pavilion in each of their three most recent visits to Dallas, they'll play the far more intimate Majestic Theatre this time around.

Rodney Crowell in concert
The soon-to-be 73-year-old Rodney Crowell has been a mainstay in country music since his debut album in 1978. Since then, he's gone on to release 22 albums, reaching his highest heights in 1988 and 1989, when all five singles off his album Diamonds and Dirt went to No. 1 on the Billboard Country charts. He'll play at Longhorn Ballroom in support of his new album, The Chicago Sessions. He will be joined by Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley.

Heather McMahan: The Comeback Tour
A beloved standup comedian, storyteller, and the best friend everyone wants, Heather McMahan has seen her popularity skyrocket with fans and the industry falling for her voice, wit and southern flair. Her podcast, Absolutely Not With Heather McMahan was named one of the 10 Best Podcasts of 2021 by Entertainment Weekly. She'll perform at Winspear Opera House on Friday and Saturday.

Saturday, June 3

Arlington Museum of Art openings
Even though it's an art museum, music will be the centerpiece of two new exhibitions at the Arlington Museum of Art. Piggybacking on the recent visit by superstar Taylor Swift, they'll host Taylor Swift: "The Eras Tour Collection," curated by the museum from Swift’s own private collection and featuring original costumes, photographs, and concert videos drawn from her creative periods, or "eras." Also opening is "Girl in a Country Song: Women of Country Music," featuring intimate portraits of female country music legends like Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Tanya Tucker, LeAnn Rimes, and others. Both exhibitions will be on display through September 24.

Dallas Pride Weekend
Dallas Pride Weekend is a two-day event that includes a music festival headlined by Allison Ponthier on Saturday, the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade on Sunday, and other activities celebrating the LGBTQ community. The celebration takes place around Fair Park on both Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday, June 4

Janet Jackson

Photo by Preston Meneses

Janet Jackson will play at Dos Equis Pavilion on June 2.

Mary Chapin Carpenter in concert
Country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter debuted in the late 1980s, but she hit her peak in the 1990s with hits like "Passionate Kisses," "He Thinks He'll Keep Her," "I Take My Chances," and "Shut Up and Kiss Me." Those songs are more than enough to keep her relevant 30 years later even though she's continued to release new albums, most recently 2020's The Dirt and the Stars. Carpenter will play at Majestic Theatre.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Arts District

Dallas Arts District presents Pride Block Party

Dallas Arts District presents Pride Block Party, their annual Pride celebration at the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and Crow Museum of Asian Art, and throughout the Arts District.

There will be a variety of events, including gallery tours, drag performers, comedy, dancing, fashion show, and more.

Photo courtesy of Brad Upton

Brad Upton: Tap Out, Nap Out, Crap Out Tour

After 36 years in the standup business, the world is discovering comedian Brad Upton. Upton was teaching the fourth grade and coaching high school track in Pasco, Washington when he first stepped on stage in 1984. He quickly decided that he wanted to do standup instead, so he quit teaching in June of 1986 and never looked back. He has since gone viral and become Dry Bar’s most popular comedian, with two of his comedy specials - Will Be Funny for Money and I'm Not Done Yet! - and over 250 million views on social media.

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44 new Dallas debutantes star in this week's most popular stories

This week's hot headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. 44 new Dallas debutantes begin Presentation Ball prep with glam parties and glorious gowns. With the start of summer vacation came the beginning of the 2023-2024 Dallas Symphony Orchestra League debutante season - even though it seems like just yesterday that the 2023 debs were Texas-dipping into society. The DSOL introduced 44 new debs during Announcement Weekend festivities, May 18-20. Their parties, philanthropy, and training will culminate with the 38th Presentation Ball.

2. 21 North Texas museums offer free admission to military families this summer. Nearly two dozen Dallas-Fort Worth museums are honoring active duty military personnel and their families with free admission through the Blue Star Museums initiative, May 20-September 4, 2023.

3. 11 Dallas icons star in new book of most influential Texans from last 50 years. To commemorate Texas Monthly's 50th anniversary, the publication has collected the stories and photographs of 50 iconic Texans who have shaped the state and the country over the past 50 years for a book called Lone Stars Rising. Eleven Dallas megastars have made the roster.

4. These are the 7 best most intriguing hot dogs in Dallas right now. Hot dogs are the quintessential summer food and an item that nearly everyone loves. They're simple, flavorful, easy to make at home, and affordable if you dine out. Here are the seven most interesting hot dogs you can find in Dallas-Fort Worth.

5. Mississippi sisters debut perky Southern-chic boutique on Dallas' Greenville Avenue. When Allison and Anna Williams graduated from University of Mississippi in 2021, they didn't picture themselves owning a boutique on Lower Greenville in Dallas. But the Williamses' new women's clothing boutique, Five 54, opened this spring at 1906 Greenville Ave., next to Clark's Barbershop, in the buzziest neighborhood in town.

Dallas-Fort Worth arrives at surprising spot among top summer travel destinations

SUMMERTIME blues

Dallas-Fort Worth recently racked up more than a dozen accolades at the 2023 Texas Travel Awards. But a new survey reveals it's not necessarily such a hot travel destination this summer.

DFW comes in at a middle-of-the-road No. 45 in WalletHub's recent 2023 Best Summer Travel Destinations report.

The report compared 100 of the largest metro areas in America across 41 metrics, including number of attractions.

DFW scored an overall rating of 52.56 out of 100. Broken down by category, the Metroplex ranked 86th in "Travel Costs & Hassles;" 32nd in "Local Costs;" 20th in "Attractions;" 41st in "Weather;" 27th in "Activities;" and 50th in "Safety."

Taking the top spot in Texas was San Antonio, at No. 11, with Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown at No. 14. Behind Austin and San Antonio in the 2023 rankings is El Paso (No. 18), then Houston (No. 38). After 45th ranked DFW came Corpus Christi (No. 62), and McAllen (No. 86).

Dr. Susan Weidmann, assistant professor in the department of recreational management and physical education at Appalachian State University, said in the report that summer 2023 is going to be a “good season for travel” despite recent economic downturns that have many worried about a recession.

“Coming out of Covid, I think many people have taken these last few years to really evaluate what they want out of life, and for those that love travel, I think they have probably put it at the top of their list of things to do,” she said. “As far as economics are concerned, many may have saved their traveling money from the last multiple years, so will have money to spend. That being said, after the airline chaos of last year, many people may be thinking about domestic travel over the long-haul, just to alleviate many of the concerns that airlines, especially in Europe, are still grappling with, such as reduced staffing leading to flight cancellations.”

Weidmann predicts the time period between July and early August will be the most popular season for National Parks, like Texas’ Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains.

Despite none of them being in Texas, the top 10 destinations in WalletHub’s report are all popular cities worth a glance in sun-friendly states like Hawaii, New York, and Florida.

The top 10 best summer destinations are:

  • No. 1 – Atlanta
  • No. 2 – Honolulu, Hawaii
  • No. 3 – Washington, D.C.
  • No. 4 – Wichita, Kansas
  • No. 5 – New York City
  • No. 6 – Chicago
  • No. 7 – Tampa, Florida
  • No. 8 – Orlando, Florida
  • No. 9 – Richmond, Virginia
  • No. 10 – Springfield, Missouri

Score a hole in one at these 10 top public golf courses in Dallas-Fort Worth

Tee Time

North Texas recently popped the cork for the new $520 million Omni PGA Frisco Resort, which opened in May and features its own entertainment district, full-service spa and salon, four swimming pools, 500 guest rooms and suites, 10 private ranch houses, and 13 unique dining options.

But as the name hints, the resort is very much about the golf. With Father's Day around the corner, we're revisiting Dallas-Fort Worth's best public courses, including the two newest ones found in Frisco and their alternative ways to play.

Load up the clubs and hit the green with this list:

Fields Ranch
Frisco
Omni PGA Frisco Resort boasts two 18-hole championship golf courses, collectively known as Fields Ranch. Fields Ranch East was designed by Gil Hanse, and Fields Ranch West by Beau Welling.

Registered hotel guests can book tee times 120 days in advance of their stay to play Fields Ranch, which will be home to 26 major championships starting in May and continuing through 2034.

Not ready for the full 18-hole experience? Take a few practice swings at the Fields Ranch Practice Facility, then head to The Swing, a lighted 10-hole, par-3 short course, or The Dance Floor, a two-acre putting course and entertainment area.

This will also be the site of Frisco's first Lounge by Topgolf and PGA of America's new headquarters.

Take advantage of all that expertise at the PGA Coaching Center, which offers a high-tech, data-driven club-fitting and instruction experience.

Cowboys Golf Club
Grapevine
If you're a die-hard fan of both the 'Boys and the links, here's where your passions combine. The par-72, 6,553-yard course is as swanky as you'd expect from Jerry Jones, with years of Cowboys history scattered throughout. Of course, with all this top-of-the-line design comes a rather hefty price tag for the green fees, but you do definitely get your money's worth.

Meadowbrook Golf Course
Fort Worth
The 18-hole regulation facility is considered one of the top in Texas, with a par 71 that covers the most rolling terrain in the city. It's also a popular course, with a golf association of more than 200 members who play regularly.

Stevens Park Golf Course
Oak Cliff
All 18 holes of this par-70 course were completely redesigned in 2011, including new tee boxes, fairways, greens, and bunkers. Even the carts boast newly installed TekGPS units that track yardages to the front, middle, and back of the green (and help keep play moving). Appreciate mature oaks, dramatic elevation changes, and great views of downtown Dallas while you traverse the course, which is also affectionately known as "Little Augusta."

Pecan Valley
Fort Worth
Originally designed by golf course architect Ralph Plummer in 1963, Pecan Valley is actually two 18-hole golf courses separated by the Clear Fork of the Trinity River. The "River" course is considered one of the top municipal courses in Texas, while the "Hills" course is approximately 150 yards shorter. Several hundred trees were semi-recently planted and are just beginning to mature, which only bodes well for playing conditions in the years to come.

Texas Star Golf Course
Euless
The accolades come rolling in for this course, which has been recognized for its beauty and serene atmosphere by Golf Digest and Golf Weekly, among others. Unlike most public courses, which back up to private homes or run along busy streets, this par-71, 6,529-yard course is truly secluded, surrounded only by ponds, waterfalls, woodlands, and fairways. Reasonable green fees are a bonus, with residents of Euless receiving a 15 percent discount with proof of residence.

Tierra Verde Golf Club
Arlington
As the first municipal course in the world to be certified as an Audubon Signature Sanctuary, Tierra Verde offers breathtaking natural scenery to go along with its challenging holes. The par-72 6,085-yard layout boasts some of the most uniquely designed holes in DFW, and was named the top course in DFW in 2012 by Avid Golfer.

The Tribute Golf Club
The Colony
Not had the chance to play Hogan's Alley at Carnoustie, Nos. 1 and 18 from St. Andrews, or the fifth from Royal Troon? Then you can experience the next best thing here in Texas, without having to fly across the pond. This par-72, 7,000-yard course is brilliantly designed while replicating the best links-style courses from the United Kingdom.

Waterchase Golf Club
Fort Worth
Like its name implies, Waterchase does indeed boast a cascading waterfall, found between the ninth and eighteenth greens. From tree-lined doglegs to split fairways, the risk and reward opportunities are abundant for the six sets of tees on the par-72 course. The club even received a nomination to Golf Digest's best new courses and promises to be "a round you'll remember."