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

Broadway Babies

Photo courtesy of Broadway Dallas

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.

Photo courtesy of Broadway Dallas

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

Image by Vanessa Kenney

Curiousifi presents Transcendence

Curiousifi presents Transcendence, an inter-dimensional voyage for their Pride fundraiser. They'll travel through space and time with a lineup of storytellers, poets, and other performance artists who will explore the intricacies of queer identity and the many ways in which it intersects with the fantastical worlds of science fiction.

All show proceeds will be donated to House of Rebirth, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting black trans women in Texas.

Photo by Jordan Fraker

These are the 19 must-see shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for June

Theater Critic Picks

It's a joke in the news industry that things more or less slow down in the summer, but theater apparently never got that note.

This summery month sees 19 — two more than last month! — shows opening in Dallas-Fort Worth, plus the return of Shakespeare in the Park, a special role reprisal, and concerts by two absolute Broadway legends.

In order of start date, here are 19 local shows to watch this month:

Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical
Uptown Players, through June 11
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, this new jukebox musical is utterly intoxicating. This is a co-production with Fort Worth's Stage West.

The Last Flapper
Belle Sauvage, through June 11
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. Adapted and performed by award-winning Dallas actress Catherine D. DuBord and directed by award-winning Texan Lydia Mackay, the historical play wrestles with issues that are not at all a thing of the past.

SparkFest
Amphibian Stage, through June 14
SparkFest features a variety of events, workshops, performances, staged readings, and parties over a two-week period. See the link for full schedule.

Tiny Beautiful Things
Circle Theatre, through June 17
The play is based on Cheryl Strayed’s journey as the beloved anonymous advice columnist for “Dear Sugar.” Over the years, thousands of people turned to “Sugar” for words of wisdom, compassion, and hope. Reluctant to claim that she has all the answers, Sugar looks to her own past and draws on her life experiences to bring light, laughter, and humanity to others.

The Way She Spoke
Undermain Theatre, through June 18
This haunting and theatrical one-woman play 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. Written by Isaac Gómez based on his intimate interviews, 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.

Next to Normal
Theatre Three, through July 2
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.

Praise the Lord and Raise the Roof
Jubilee Theatre, June 2-18
Written by Celeste B. Walker, this light-hearted comedy is set in the fictional town of Rule Hill County, Virginia, where an African American church takes in a friendly white drifter amidst fear and suspicion about a rash of local church burnings. When tragedy strikes, they must reconcile their own prejudice with their Christianity.

Miss Saigon
Casa Mañana, June 3-11
In the turmoil of the Vietnam War, Chris, an American soldier, and Kim, a Vietnamese girl, fall in love and marry but are distressingly separated when Saigon falls. As years pass, Chris, remarries and attempts to move on with his life. Kim, however, gives birth to Chris’ son and waits faithfully for Chris’ return. When circumstances bring Chris back to Vietnam, he learns the truth. Legendary actor Lou Diamond Phillips stars as The Engineer.

Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show
Broadway Dallas, June 6-8
This is a powerful and stirring reinvention of the beloved favorite, celebrated the world over for its Grammy Award‐winning score and the thrilling energy and passion of its Irish and international dance. Twenty-five years on, composer Bill Whelan has rerecorded his mesmerizing soundtrack while producer Moya Doherty and director John McColgan have completely reimagined the groundbreaking show with innovative and spectacular lighting, projection, stage, and costume designs.

Much Ado About Nothing
Shakespeare Dallas, June 7-July 16
For some in Much Ado About Nothing, love begins at first sight. For others, love has been forsworn. The war is over. Pedro Prince of Aragon, with his followers Benedick and Claudio, visits Leonato, Duke of Messina, father of Hero and uncle of Beatrice. Claudio fights for his love for Hero, and Benedick has forsworn women until his friends make him believe that he has caught the eye of Lady Beatrice. It plays in repertory with Two Gentlemen of Verona.

The Last Truck Stop
Kitchen Dog Theater, June 8-25
The Mainstage production of the 25th annual New Works Festival, The Last Truck Stop is a world-premiere production that centers on a tenacious trucker-turned-truck-stop-owner and her poetic, gun-toting postal carrier, who debate staying or going when their desert town becomes a no-go zone. Should they trust the colorful stranger who arrives with a story they desperately want to believe? A journey into a not-so-distant dystopian future; with blistering heat, resilient heart, and dreams of the open road.

New Works Festival
Kitchen Dog Theater, June 10-24
The 25th annual edition includes a Staged Reading Series and the 22nd year of Playwrights Under Progress (PUP) Fest, co-produced with D-PAC (Dallas - Playwriting Arts Collective), an alliance between KDT, Dallas ISD, and local youth organization Junior Players. See link for the full schedule.

Two Gentlemen of Verona
Shakespeare Dallas, June 14-July 14
Two Gentlemen of Verona is one of Shakespeare's earliest plays and also one of the most rarely performed. It's about betrayal, love, and disguise. When two best friends fall in love with the same woman, chaos ensues. Proteus is determined to destroy the betrothal of his friend, Valentine, and the lovely Silvia, but he also forgets his own beloved Julia in the midst. Resolved to win back his love, Julia travels to Milan to find Proteus. It runs in repertory with Much Ado About Nothing.

I Wanna F*cking Tear You Apart
Stage West, June 15-July 9
Best friends and roommates Sam and Leo are an unbreakable team. United by their cozy co-dependent diet of mutual self-loathing and Grey’s Anatomy marathons, this "us-against-the-world" pair loves each other to absolute death. But when a new friend enters the scene, doubt creeps in and a shattering secret is about to be dragged kicking and screaming into the light.

Fly By Night
Theatre Arlington, June 16-July 2
In this darkly comic rock-fable, a melancholy sandwich maker’s humdrum life is intersected by two entrancing sisters. A sweeping ode to young love set against the backdrop of the Northeast blackout of 1965, Fly By Night is a tale about making your way and discovering hope in a world beset by darkness. David Coffee reprises his role as Mr. McClam, which he originated in the world premiere at Dallas Theater Center.

Lea Salonga In Concert
AT&T Performing Arts Center, June 17
Multiple award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga is best known for her Tony Award-winning role in Miss Saigon. She was also the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical Les Misérables on Broadway and returned to the beloved show as Fantine in the 2006 revival. Many fans of all ages recognize Lea as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from Aladdin and Fa Mulan for Mulan and Mulan II.

Chita Rivera In Concert
The Eisemann Center, June 23
A theatrical icon and one of Broadway's greatest triple-threat talents, Rivera is one of the most nominated performers in Tony Award history, having earned 10 nominations, two wins, and the 2018 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. She will recreate signature moments from her legendary Broadway career, from West Side Story, Sweet Charity, and Bye Bye Birdie to Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Visit, and more.

The Butterfly's Evil Spell (El Maleficio De La Mariposa)
Hip Pocket Theatre, June 23-July 16
Written by Federico Garcia Lorca and last produced at Hip Pocket in 2011, Lorca's poetic world of beetles, fireflies, and other magical creatures is disrupted when a hypnotic, wounded butterfly enters their dewdrop paradise. Boy beetle is cast under the spell of love, and Scorpy is sure to shake things up in this timeless tale of longing and beauty.

Hadestown
Broadway at the Bass, June 27-July 2
Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Hadestown intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and King Hades and his wife, Persephone — as it invites the audience on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and director Rachel Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.

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

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 Kitchen Dog Theater

Kitchen Dog Theater presents 25th Annual New Works Festival

Kitchen Dog Theater will present the 25th anniversary of its annual New Works Festival. For the Staged Reading Series, audiences will have the chance to hear and discuss four new plays, selected from some of best playwrights from Texas and beyond as well as a brand-new play by Kitchen Dog Theater Artistic Company Michael Federico.

In addition to these four readings, this year's Festival also features the 22nd year of Playwrights Under Progress (PUP) Fest, co-produced with D-PAC (Dallas - Playwriting Arts Collective), an alliance between KDT, Dallas ISD and local youth organization Junior Players, created to provide innovative programs and opportunities for high school playwrights.

Staged Reading Series schedule

June 17 (1 pm): Six and One and Witches by KDT Artistic Company Member Michael Federico - A two-person comedy about the staggering insecurity of King James as he tries to write his witch-hunting treatise, Daemonologie.
June 17 (4 pm): The Agency by Lia Romeo - An aspiring actress takes a job at a "rental agency," where lonely clients can hire actors to impersonate family members and loved ones. But what will it mean for her real-life relationships?
June 25 (1 pm): Address the Body! by Zachariah Ezer - When Cree and Blair, the only two Black members of The Presidential Committee on Slavery and its Afterlife, notice something amiss at their new work-study job, they uncover a racist plot at the heart of America’s most prestigious university.
June 25 (4 pm): Walden by KJ Sanchez - What is a girl to do when she’s had it with humanity? Escape the planet to find her own Walden among the stars.

All 2023 Staged Readings are one-time events and will be followed by a moderated panel discussion focused on the unique process of commissioning, developing and creating new work, involving the playwright, KDT staff and the audience.

PUP FEST

June 10 at 1 pm and 4 pm at Booker T Washington HSPVA

Written and performed by some of the DFW's finest high school talent, the 22nd Anniversary D-PAC PUP Fest will feature an afternoon of six world premiere staged readings mentored and developed through playwriting workshops with celebrated local artists Erin Ryan Burdette and Omar Padilla. This year’s fest will also include free master acting workshops for all PUP Fest student participants, led by area arts professionals Lisette Sandoval Perez and KDT Artistic Company Member Jamal Sterling.

PUP Fest 2023 Titles and Playwrights:

Abscission by Erica Turner (Bryan Adams HS)
Five More Minutes by Chandler McGuire (Woodrow Wilson HS)
In the Basement by Abigail Zamora and Caesar Ventura (Seagoville HS)
More Time by Thylyn Moore (Townview TAG)
The Nihilist's BLT by Olivia Stanley (Booker T. Washington HSPVA)
Once in a Dream by Winter McWhirter (Bryan Adams HS).

Ad Placement 300x100

Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

Ultra-buzzy Bobbie's Airway Grill opens at Dallas' Preston-Royal

Big Opening News

A hyper-buzzy new restaurant in prime North Dallas turf is making its big debut: Bobbie's Airway Grill, a neighborhood spot from Western Addition, who also own the Park Cities restaurant il Bracco, has opened at 5959 Royal Ln. #515, at the northwest corner of the Preston-Royal intersection, in the space that was previously home to Preston Hollow institution Dougherty's Airway Pharmacy.

According to a release, the restaurant is named for two things: owner Robert Quick’s mother, Bobbie, the inspiration behind many of the company’s recipes; and Dougherty’s.

The restaurant hosted a soft opening over the weekend of June 4-5, and if you judge by the social media posts, it attracted just about every foodie in town. Buzz buzz buzz.

Their cuisine is upscale American grill fare with mid-century nods, high-quality ingredients, and from-scratch cooking, including Prime meats and fish butchered in-house, plus house-made breads and desserts.

A flashy French brass Rotisol rotisserie is on display through the kitchen window, spinning the chicken used in a variety of dishes, and a wood-fired grill burns Texas Post Oak.

In a statement, COO Matt Gottlieb calls Bobbie's "your new neighborhood go-to."

"Whether it’s a salad and glass of wine on the patio at lunch, a bite and a cocktail at the bar during date-night, or family dinner, there is something on the menu for anyone and any occasion," Gottlieb says.

They should know, since they live in the neighborhood.

“We live in this neighborhood, as do our families, and we saw the need for a place like this," Quick says. "Preston and Royal is an iconic Dallas intersection. With the revitalization of the area, everything looks different. Preserving a piece of Dallas history was important to us. You’ll see the original “Airway” sign hanging above our kitchen window, and nods to the golden age of aviation and classic Preston Hollow neighborhood culture throughout the space, whether through design details, art, architecture or menu."

Design of the 5,500-square-foot space features intimate booths, coffered ceilings, wood floors, a full service bar inside, and a partially covered patio, designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, in conjunction with Mary Lucille Quick, VP of Design for Western Addition and principal partner of MMaison.

Art is from the Quicks' personal collection featuring original works and limited-run prints from notable artists such as David Shrigley, Robert Mangold, Roy Lichtenstein, David Byrne, and Matt Kleberg.

The patio is a new addition to the building, with tables for al fresco diners, as well as lounge seating around a hand-poured concrete outdoor firepit. A newly planted Live Oak from south Texas offers shade.

Food
Starters include:

Buttermilk Biscuits with French Beurre de Baratte and house-made orange marmalade
Oaks Dip, inspired by a secret family recipe, with sharp cheddar and served chilled with Frito’s
Poached Shrimp cocktail with horseradish cocktail sauce
Crispy Oysters with Flower Street vinaigrette

Salads include:

The Moroccan, with rotisserie chicken, Medjool dates, herbs, roasted carrots, pistachios and French feta
Iceberg Wedge with warm blistered tomatoes, herbs, bacon lardons and Pt. Reyes bleu cheese
Niçoise, with seared ahi tuna, new potatoes, green beans and Kalamata olives and tomatoes

Sandwiches include

The Oaks Burger with house-ground chuck, aged cheddar, pickles, iceberg and Oaks barbeque sauce
Italian Beef, with shaved tri-tip, provolone, sauteed broccolini, and giardiniera spread, served with au jus
Tuna Burger, offered at lunch only, with seared tuna, avocado, jalapeño coleslaw on a toasted bun

Entrees include crab cakes with lemon dill sauce and French fries; Duroc pork chop; and two USDA Prime steaks: a Center Cut Filet and the Post Oak Ribeye, are cooked over the Texas Post Oak woodfire grill.

Desserts include a classic Banana Split, Pineapple Upside Down Cake a la mode, and Carrot Cake, from Bobbie's recipe.

The Bar
House cocktails include cocktails such as the The Bracco (a frozen greyhound with Aperol and fresh grapefruit), Rum Dum with Mt. Gay rums, lemon, & egg white, and a Vesper martini, stirred, not shaken, as well as an extensive yet approachable wine list with interesting finds as well as big names, which the release says is a feature that Western Addition restaurants are known for.

Founded in 2018, Western Addition specializes in casual fine dining concepts, and has launched il Bracco locations in both Dallas and Houston, where they'll open a concept called Balboa Surf Club this summer.

Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch preps big for pickleball tourney

Pickleball News

For the first time, the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships will be held in Texas — specifically, at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch — and now Brookhaven Country Club is getting ready.

The club is executing a $5 million investment to transform itself into a first-class racquet club and state-of-the-art play area with 68 tennis, pickleball, and padel courts.

The project is underway and will be completed ahead of the championships, presented by PPA Tour, November 5-12. The event will kick off on November 5 with clinics and other activities, while official tournament competition begins on November 6.

Previously held in Indian Wells, California, the USA Pickleball National Championships will be the largest-ever pickleball tournament, hosting an expanded field of more than 4,000 amateur and professional players competing on up to 100 pickleball courts.

The renovations are being funded by Invited, the Dallas-based owner-operator of private golf and country clubs, city and stadium clubs, whose portfolio comprises more than 200 owned or operated golf and country clubs, city clubs, sports clubs, and stadium clubs in 27 states, the District of Columbia, and two foreign countries.

Invited CEO David Pillsbury says in a statement that they're all in on pickleball.

“We continue to see incredible growth in the game across our nationwide portfolio of clubs," Pillsbury says. Invited has made strategic and substantial investments in creating world-class pickleball facilities, capable of hosting the highest level of professional pickleball events, that our members will enjoy as well."

Upon completion of the project in October, Brookhaven Country Club will feature:

28 permanent outdoor pickleball courts, four of which are covered
new fencing with a lower height between courts
new lighting pole placement with new LED lights
new court surfaces
new pickleball net systems
New landscaping and enhanced member and player hospitality areas

This is on top of previously announced upgrades that include designating the street outside of Brookhaven Country Club as “Pickleball Boulevard” to make space for nightly musical performances and family-friendly activities with sponsors and local businesses during the event.

The Nationals will feature the largest prize purse in tournament history. The release predicts that it will turn the Brookhaven community into "the biggest pickleball party of all time," with a "unique blend of entertainment and culinary celebrations to create unforgettable memories for players and an estimated 25,000 spectators."

Connor Pardoe, CEO of the PPA Tour, is grateful: “With Invited’s substantial investment, Brookhaven will be a spectacular venue for this historic tournament," Pardoe says. "The significant number of permanent pickleball courts available year-round is outstanding for the sport’s local growth. We cannot wait to showcase the incredible upgrades to the players and fans. The atmosphere for Nationals will be off the charts, and we are excited to continue to work with our partners as we look to grow the event year after year."

So is USA Pickleball Board Chair Robert Quicksilver: "As we work with the PPA, Invited, and our partners to present the premier tournament in pickleball, I am pleased to see Invited's significant investment into our sport," he says. We are confident that this will create a best-in-class facility for the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships and future tournaments."

"Invited and Brookhaven Country Club's commitment to pickleball was a key factor in our decision to bring the crown jewel of our sport to Dallas," Quicksilver says. "All of us at USA Pickleball look forward to seeing how these renovations and upgrades will further elevate this year's player and fan experience."

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.

View All Listings