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closeWednesday, Nov. 04, 2009
The Dirty Dozen: The sound of music, Silent Bob in Dallas and getting a jump on Christmas shopping
Hang out this week with director Kevin Smith, the von Trapps, and the gruesome Sweeney Todd.
The Von Trapp Children
Christopher Plummer may have once called it The Sound of Mucus, but we’ll always be suckers for the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. In fact, we’re overcome with the desire to join a massive group singalong of Edelweiss with these legacy kids — the real-life great-grandchildren of the actual Capt. von Trapp. They’ll be performing songs from the musical, as well as a variety of folk and classical songs, accompanied by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Bass Hall, Fort Worth
Cost: $26-$78
Info:www.basshall.com; 817-665-6000
Guitar Center food drive
Sure, you might be convinced that when you sidle up to the counter to buy a pack of guitar picks and some Eagles sheet music, you’re doing the world a bit of good. But for a few days this month, that feeling will actually be valid — if you bring an item of nonperishable food to a participating Guitar Center, to benefit local food banks. And you get a little something back, too: a 10 percent-off coupon for your next Guitar Center single-item purchase.
When: Through Nov. 15.
Where: Area Guitar Center locations, including the Fort Worth (5250 S. Hulen St.) and Arlington (721 Ryan Plaza Drive) shops.
Cost: At least one nonperishable food item
Info:www.guitarcenter.com
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Throat-slashing gruesomeness, unspeakable tragedy and bitter revenge — everybody sing! Casa Mañana presents the Stephen Sondheim musical about a barber who is falsely imprisoned, loses his family and starts exacting revenge in the form of some pretty uneven shaves. Um, parental discretion advised, folks.
When: Tuesday through Nov. 15 (see Web site for showtimes)
Where: Casa Mañana Theatre, Fort Worth
Cost: $35-$55; this Monday is student preview night ($10 for students, faculty and staff with valid school ID).
Info:www.casamanana.org; 817-332-2272
Tom Russell
How good is singer-songwriter Tom Russell? We saw a clip of him on Letterman in October — he played East of Woodstock, West of Viet Nam, from his new, critically acclaimed Blood and Candle Smoke — and we were blown away by his quiet, lyrical power. Russell, who incorporates folk, country and Tex-Mex into his music, says this is his best album yet, and a lot of critics agree. If you don’t already know him, give this musical vet a whirl.
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday (Fort Worth); 9 p.m. Wednesday (Dallas)
Where: McDavid Studio, Fort Worth; AllGood Cafe, Dallas
Cost: $25
Info:www.basshall.com; www.allgoodcafe.com
An Evening with Kevin Smith
Chasing Amy, Clerks, Dogma, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. If you dig these clever, foulmouthed flicks, then chances are you worship the clever, foulmouthed brain of writer-director Kevin Smith. And this weekend is your chance to see Silent Bob in the flesh: Smith will do a Q&A at the House of Blues.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: House of Blues, Dallas
Cost: $50-$75 ($37.50 apiece if you buy a four-pack of standing-room-only tickets)
Info:www.houseofblues.com
Canines, Cats & Cabernet No one has ever had to twist our arm to get us to a wine tasting, so we’d likely hit this event even if it weren’t a fundraiser for Operation Kindness. But it is, and it’s the 17th year for the event, which benefits North Texas’ largest and oldest no-kill animal shelter. The event features wine tastings, hors d’oeuvres and a slew of live- and silent-auction items. The Carrollton-based shelter helped and/or adopted out nearly 3,000 dogs and cats in 2008. A hearty cabernet toast to them.
When: 3-6 p.m. Sunday
Where: Marriott at Legacy Town Center, 7120 Dallas Parkway, Plano
Cost: $75
Info:www.operationkindness.org
Hilary Swank
The Million Dollar Baby actress was slated to give her Brinker International Forum talk a year ago but canceled. Now, on the wings of her Amelia Earhart biopic, she’s back on tap, and she’s got a great new venue in Dallas’ Winspear Opera House. Sure, the weak box office for Amelia was a bummer, but don’t weep for Macushla. Her two best-actress Oscars (Baby and Boys Don’t Cry) should cushion the blow.
When: 8 p.m. Monday
Where: Winspear Opera House, Dallas
Cost: $20-$150
Info:www.dallasperformingarts.org
Bobby Womack, the Manhattans Quentin Tarantino used Womack’s funkalicious song Across 110th Street over the opening sequence for Jackie Brown, and to this day it’s probably one of the reasons we love the film so much. The R&B soul master, along with the Manhattans (remember Shining Star from 1980?), are headlining the Legends Tour, which brings the groove to Nokia this weekend.
When: Nokia Theatre, Grand Prairie
Where: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Cost: $39.50-$59.50
Art and pottery sales a-go-go
If you’re dreading Christmas shopping, these weekend events will help you get going in a fun, creative way that also lets you avoid a hellish trip to the mall. In Fort Worth, it’s the Texas Pottery & Sculpture Guild’s Annual Holiday Sale, which showcases the functional and decorative artwork of North Texas artists. And the Craft Guild of Dallas will throw its Contemporary Art Show and Sale, featuring scads of funky-cool gift potential.
Fort Worth sale
When: 5-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Fort Worth Community Arts Center, 1300 Gendy St.
Cost: Free
Info:www.tpsg.biz
Dallas sale
When: 7-10 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Craft Guild of Dallas, 14325 Proton Road
Cost: Free
Info: www.craftguildofdallas.com
'A Lie of the Mind’
Sam Shepard is so terrific at writing dysfunctional drama, we wonder what Thanksgivings are like at his and Jessica Lange’s place. This 1985 play by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright follows two families in the West as they navigate the dark corners of love and relationships and the impact of spousal abuse. Pass the pumpkin pie!
When: Thursday-Sunday through Nov. 14 (check Web site for show times)
Where: Studio Theatre at the Addison Theatre Centre, 15650 Addison Road, Addison
Cost: $20
Info: www.secondthoughttheatre.com
KXT 91.7
Listen up, fans of alt-country, Americana, Adult Album Alternative or whichever euphemism for "good music" you prefer. On Monday, tune your FM radio dial to 91.7, and then beep it into your presets. For those of us still heartbroken over the much-too-short life span of Quality Rock 93.3, KERA’s new music station sounds like it will fill the void. Programmers say you can expect a range from established artists like Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams and Radiohead to up-and-comers like Ingrid Michaelson, Monsters of Folk and Fleet Foxes.
When: Starting at 7 a.m. Monday
Where: 91.7 on your FM radio dial
Cost: Free
Info:www.kxt.org
'Good Things’
Pushing 50, dumped by her husband for a younger woman, suddenly jobless and mother to a raging hormonal teen daughter, Susan tries to re-enter the dating pool. The Liz Lochhead play, presented here by Stage West, enjoyed a successful London run, with the Guardian crowing that it "delivers the laughs, the pathos, the urban poetry and the happy ending with such feel-good assurance that you can only be entertained."
When: Thursday-Sunday through Nov. 29 (no Thanksgiving performance)
Where: Stage West, 821 W. Vickery Blvd.
Cost: $20-$30 Info:www.stagewest.org
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