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Legendary songstresses Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle join forces for Dallas-Fort Worth show

Midnight Train

TheabaAgency.com

It may be hard to nail down what gives someone “soul,” but two iconic performers are taking that je ne sais quoi on tour. Gladys Knight (“Midnight Train To Georgia”) and Patti LaBelle (“Lady Marmalade”) are joining forces for a summer tour that breezes through Dallas-Fort Worth.

They'll take the stage together at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie on Sunday, June 18.

Both women came up as frontwomen of groups — Knight with her family as Gladys Knight & the Pips, and LaBelle with girl group Labelle. Knight stayed more in the realm of soul and R&B, while LaBelle crossed over to a more rock sphere. Both have won numerous awards and are considered pioneers in the genre.

Knight and LaBelle are the same age, but after decades of friendship spanning the majority of their lives, the former calls the latter her “little sister.”

The pair famously first appeared together in the 1986 HBO special Sisters in the Name of Love, and have been seen as a pair many times since, including when LaBelle bestowed Knight with her Kennedy Center honors in 2022, and even facing off in a Verzuz battle (a webcast stream in which the two artists chatted and took turns singing karaoke to their own tracks).

The duo will be hard to catch elsewhere, as both are on separate tours that only sometimes converge. In Texas, LaBelle will perform at San Antonio’s Majestic Theater on June 17, before she's joined by Knight the following day in Grand Prairie. They'll then travel to Austin, where they'll play a show together at the Bass Concert Hall on June 19. Knight’s independent tour schedule does not show any Texas dates.

Tickets for the Dallas-Fort Worth performance are available through AXS.com.

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High school stars shine at Broadway Dallas' teen musical theater awards

Broadway Babies

Musical theater's rising stars had their night in the spotlight on June 3, when Broadway Dallas hosted its 12th annual High School Musical Theatre Awards.

Broadway veteran Major Attaway hosted the event at the Music Hall at Fair Park, which is modeled after the Tony Awards and features student performances, award presentations — including $60,000 in scholarships — and acceptance speeches from the winners.

The 2023 Outstanding Musical Award went to Guyer High School’s production of Anastasia, and the awards for Outstanding Lead Performer were presented to Fabiola Caraballo Quijada (Hairspray, Tyler Legacy High School) and Corbin Ross (Anastasia, Guyer High School).

Previous winners of the HSMTA have found success as professional performers, including Haley Dortch, who is currently starring as Fantine in the national tour of Les Miserables.

A list of all 2023 winners, participating high schools, and their productions can be found at https://broadwaydallas.org/education-community/hsmta/.

“As we always say, the Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theatre Awards is our favorite night of the year and this year’s ceremony was nothing short of spectacular,” says Ken Novice, president and CEO of Broadway Dallas. “We are so proud of these hardworking students and teachers, and it’s our honor to be able to celebrate them on the Music Hall stage. Congratulations to all the 2023 nominees and winners!”

A total of 74 productions from 72 participating high schools were evaluated by a diverse group of highly qualified judges from the North Texas theater community.

Awards were presented in 14 categories and scholarships were awarded to outstanding graduating seniors who were nominated by their teachers and selected by the Broadway Dallas scholarship panel. To date, the Broadway Dallas HSMTA College Scholarship program has awarded more than $500,000 in cash scholarships to deserving students.

In addition, award-winning producer, writer, and founding artistic director for the Bishop Arts Theatre Center, Teresa Coleman Wash, was presented with the 2023 Fullinwider Award in honor of her accomplishments within the North Texas theater community and beyond.

Wash is a National Arts Strategies fellow, having studied at Harvard Business School and is the recipient of several accolades, including the Theater Communications Group’s prestigious Peter Zeisler Memorial Award for Artistic Integrity and Ingenuity in 2019, the Irma P. Hall Theatrical Excellence Medal in 2020, and most recently the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce’s Quest for Success Award.

The Fullinwider Award is named for Leah and Jerry Fullinwider, the founding donors of the Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theater Awards. The award was created to honor the Fullinwiders for their initial gift of $100,000, which helped fund and produce the HSMTA program in 2012.

Matilda at Melissa High School

Photo courtesy of Broadway Dallas

Melissa High School's production of Matilda was nominated for Outstanding Musical.

New location of buzzy healthy restaurant Flower Child blooms in Plano

Healthy Eating News

A popular restaurant concept from a hospitality mastermind is opening in Plano. Flower Child, the fast-casual healthy-centric restaurant that's part of Arizona-based Fox Restaurant Concepts, is opening a location at the Preston Park Colonnade Shopping Center. According to a release, it'll open in late 2023.

Flower Child’s menu offers customizable bowls, wraps, salads, different mix-and-match veggies, grains, fruits, and healthy proteins. It’s clean eating with convenience.

Known for its upbeat environment, Flower Child has locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

The concept currently has four locations in Dallas and another in Fort Worth, making this the sixth location in North Texas. See, you add the 4 + 1 and get 5, and so this is #6.

Flower Child is known for its menu that caters to multiple dietary preferences including and especially vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.

The menu will feature fan-favorite dishes such as:

Mother Earth Bowl with ancient grains, sweet potato, portobello mushroom, avocado, cucumber, broccoli pesto, charred onion, leafy greens, red pepper miso vinaigrette, and hemp seed;

Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese, which they describe as infamously creamy with aged white cheddar and parmesan

Chicken Enchiladas with guajillo chile, smoked gouda, poblano cream, organic black bean, roasted corn, and avocado

Flying Avocado Wrap with smoked turkey, gouda, romaine, tomato, and avocado hummus

Brussels Sprouts & Organic Kale Salad with red grape, organic apple, pink grapefruit, white cheddar, smoked almond, and apple cider vinaigrette.

Fox Restaurant Concepts was founded by Sam Fox, who opened his first restaurant in Tucson in 1998, and has since created dozens of brands, including Culinary Dropout, North Italia, Zinburger, Blanco Cocina + Cantina, Doughbird, and The Henry.

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

This week in gluttony

Barbecue, tiki drinks, seafood, and white wine are all on the menu this week as restaurants embrace the summer season. There’s also opportunity to get the kids out of the house for a fancy afternoon tea, and a Saturday book signing event will come with barbecue from a famous pitmaster. Save room for new Tex-Mex dishes launching at a Snider Plaza restaurant for its first birthday celebration.

Tuesday, June 6

Sonoma Summer Wine Dinner at Carrabba’s Italian Grill
The Italian restaurant chain with locations in Dallas, Plano, and Hurst will welcome diners from all over DFW for a four-course summer wine dinner. Guests will get wines from well-known labels like La Crema, Mark West, Josh, and Kendall Jackson paired with crab and artichoke salad, linguine with crushed tomatoes and grilled chicken, Tuscan-grilled sirloin, and butter cake with berries. The dinner is $55 and begins at 6:30 pm.

Wednesday, June 7

The Douglas 1st Anniversary Party
The Snider Plaza bar and grill will celebrate its first birthday with a party, including the launch of Tex-Mex dishes. There’ll be live music by Ray Johnston, drink specials, and new menu items like smoked guacamole, queso, tacos al carbon with Wagyu skirt steak, and churros served with Mexican chocolate. The festivities kick off at 4 pm.

Thursday, June 8

Children’s Tea at the Dallas Arboretum
Bring the littles to an afternoon tea service geared just for them. The Arboretum’s Restaurant DeGolyer Tea Room will offer a multi-course, kid-friendly tea menu, including assorted sandwiches and sweet treats. The price is $42 for children 2-12, and $59 for adults. Reservations include parking and garden admission. The tea service will be offered on Thursday and Saturday at 2 pm.

Saturday, June 10

Aaron Franklin Barbecue and Book Signing at Loro Addison
The Asian smokehouse will host Loro co-founder and barbecue guru Aaron Franklin for a barbecue and book signing. Franklin will sell and sign copies of his latest book, Franklin Smoke, on the restaurant’s patio. He and his team will also prepare pulled pork and chopped brisket for purchase. The first 50 guests who buy a sandwich will get a free signed copy of the book. The event will run from 2-5 pm.

Dallas Tiki Week
A week of events offers a taste of the tropics without leaving North Texas. The annual celebration of tiki drinks and tropical vibes kicks off Saturday with a sip-and-shop at Savannah Hoffman Designs in Carrolton. Events through June 18 range from cocktail classes and tasting parties to a full-blown luau. Find the full schedule of events here.

Monday, June 12

Seafood & White Wine Dinner at Urban Crust
Kick off summer at this Plano dining destination with a light and lovely seafood dinner paired with four crisp white wines. Dinner is $59.90, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm.

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