JooYoung Choi, "Like a Bolt Out of the Blue, Faith Steps In and Sees You Through," 2019. Wooden armature, fabric and hardware, paint, vinyl dots. courtesy of the artist and Nancy Littlejohn Fine Art
Wednesday, April 20
USA Film Festival at Angelika Film Center
Ready to grab your movie hoodie and get back in the theater? You’re in luck. It’s time for the 52nd Annual USA Film Festival at Angelika Film Center (5321 E. Mockingbird Lane) from Wednesday through Sunday. Opening night on Wednesday brings a double feature of short Texas documentaries The Portal and the Park and Texas Wines, as well as features The Pact (based on a true story) and The Phantom of the Open (starring Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins). But the rest of the weekend offers a great many gems from shorts to full-lengths (Emily the Criminal with Aubrey Plaza) to classics (a screening of The Getaway with Sally Struthers in attendance). Don’t sleep on the festival's calendar, and call 214-821-6300 for your free advance tickets today (yes, we mean use a phone, and yes, free). Day-of tickets will be released one hour prior to each showtime.
JooYoung Choi artist talk at Crow Museum of Asian Art
It’s no secret we’ve been fans of JooYoung Choi: Songs of Resilience from the Tapestry of Faith currently on exhibition at The Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas (2010 Flora St.), so we’re super excited to learn the artist will be present for a reception and artist talk 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 20. The variety of paintings, videos, soft sculpture, animation and more that transports visitors to another world is extraordinary, as is the opportunity to hear its creator speak on it. The exhibition runs through Sept. 4, and admission to the Crow is free, but donations are accepted (and encouraged right now, so donate).
Dallas Gallery Late Night at various locations
This is really like a round-up, and we make no apologies. The Dallas Art Fair is arriving this weekend and that’s awesome, but Wednesday, April 20, presents its own opportunity of awesome because it’s Gallery Late Night in the Design District from 6 to 9 p.m. to kick things off. Plan your route to include: 12.26, Erin Cluley Gallery, the Green Art Family Foundation, Keijsers Koning, PDNB Gallery, the Karpidas Collection, Dallas Contemporary, Site 131, Conduit Gallery, Galleri Urbane, Peter Augustus, Cris Worley Fine Art, Holly Johnson Gallery and Pencil on Paper Gallery.
Thursday, April 21
Pints on Pointe at Pegasus City Brewery Downtown Taproom
Some people geek out on local brews and some folks get turnt by local tutus. Fortunately for all mentioned, the pegasi have joined forces to present Pints on Pointe at Pegasus City Brewery Downtown Taproom (1508 Commerce St.) 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 21. Pegasus Contemporary Ballet brings the culture with a performance, a behind-the-scenes look at how ballets are put together, and a meet-and-greet with the PCB dancers. $10 gets you all that plus a beer token. Great Galettes will also be on hand to serve crepes.
Deep Ellum Wine Walk
Discover Deep Ellum is back at it with a Deep Ellum Wine Walk celebrating Dallas Arts Month. Fingers all crossed that this month’s is sunny and mild with nary a raindrop, so attendees can get their drink and shop on. Recent additions Westlake Brewery and Everything Ellum are participating, among other neighborhood businesses, and the glass is designed by artist Jeff “Skele” Sheely, currently on exhibit at Kettle Art. Reserve glasses online for $15 (or in person for $20) and then check in at Discover Deep Ellum (2650 Main St.) for the event 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 19
Friday, April 22
????? ??????? (Futile Roses) at Ochre House Theater
Ochre House continues it’s In the Garden series of original one-act plays with ????? ??????? (Futile Roses), written by Kevin Grammar. The title is pronounced “Marni Troyandy” and is Ukrainian for “Futile Roses.” It explores relationships during crises. This particular crisis is a family struggling to maintain their normal while their city is invaded and devastated. Adding another layer of relevance, the play features the voice of Ukrainian actor Denys Lyubimov. It runs 8:15 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays through April 30. Tickets are $15.
Earthx2022 Expo at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center
Earthx2022 is a lot of things. It’s a “green gathering,” a celebration of Earth Day, a giant collection of environmental conferences and keynotes, and a huge expo of vendors and activities the whole fam can get into. We won’t dissuade anyone from attending a conference (check out the schedule — it’s packed), but it’s the expo part that’s our favorite. Making things accessible and understandable is key in saving this wee planet, and maybe we can have a bit of fun, too, do don't turn down the goat yoga or lessons on how to be a better camper. The whole shebang runs Wednesday through Sunday (the expo runs Friday through Sunday), so find all the schedules and registrations online.
Saturday, April 23
Experience Lowest Greenville
Saturday, April 23, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., get down to Lowest Greenville and get the shit done. The Lowest Greenville Collective is hosting a celebration of the restaurants, retail and activity in the strip, and frankly, we’re not sure you’re prepared for some of it. You can “shake what you got” and mix your own drink at Alamo Club, build your own bouquet at Leela’s Wine Bar, do a downward dog on the roof at HG Sply Co. and — our favorite — participate in a pizza box folding contest at Greenville Ave. Pizza Company (GAPCo). There are so many other activities and specials, so get there.
Trunk Show with Julie Cohn at the Nasher Sculpture Center
Local jeweler Julie Cohn was self-taught but found herself inspired by Harry Bertoia’s “abstraction of nature” and works in bronze early in her career. So it’s artistic kismet that she was asked to create a collection inspired by Harry Bertoia: Sculpting Mid-Century Modern Life on exhibit at the Nasher Sculpture Center (2001 Flora St.) through the weekend. Her pieces play with juxtaposition, presenting as both soft and edgy, organic yet industrial, modern yet primitive. Browse Cohn’s pieces during a trunk show 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23.
The Morning After, a Dallas Observer Brunch Event at Dallas City Hall Plaza
Bottomless brunch samples? Yes, please. Of course we’re tooting our own brunch horn because it’s the 6th Annual Morning After, A Dallas Observer Brunch Event. So the breakdown is pretty easy: It’s at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 23, in our fair Dallas City Hall Plaza (1500 Marilla St.) and tickets are still available. Now, there are drinks involved, so this event is a 21+ situation. You could go GA Advanced for $40, score a Brunch Squad 4-pack, save some dough with group sales for GA or get that VIP tip and get a special bar and restrooms.
Sunday, April 24
Dallas Art Fair at Fashion Industry Gallery
The Dallas Art Fair is back, and it brings with it four days of possible strolling, browsing, squinting, leaning forward and then standing back, staring and making that “hmmm” noise you make when you’re thinking about art. The Fashion Industry Gallery (1807 Ross Ave.) hosts exhibitions of modern and contemporary art from galleries from right here in Dallas as well as all over the world. The DAF officially starts with a private preview night on Thursday but opens to the public Friday through Sunday, April 24, at 11 a.m. There’s also the Eye Ball closing party on Saturday at (surprise) The Eye at the Joule. Find all manner of tickets available, including day passes and weekend passes, on the Dallas Art Fair site.
Joyce Yang: Bernstein’s West Side Story & Gershwin’s Piano Concerto at the Meyerson
Joyce Yang won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition at the age of 19. She’s also been nominated for a GRAMMY®, and that’s fantastic, but that first prize is still distracting us a bit. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra welcomes her to the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center (2301 Flora St.) for performances Friday through Sunday as Thomas Wilkins conducts her through Bernstein’s star-crossed score for West Side Story and Gershwin’s hopeful Piano Concerto in F. Her dazzling presence rivals her technical approach, so these are can’t-miss shows. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 24.
Meat Fight’s Meat Raffle at Community Beer Co.
Meat Fight knew we couldn’t last until the fall for another delicious “funlanthropy” event, so they’ve bestowed upon us a little get together noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 24, at Community Beer Co. (3110 Commonwealth Drive). Now, let’s get this out of the way: A meat raffle is a raffle for meat. Like, actual meat. Brisket, chicken wings and what have you. Perhaps a taco kit, a charcuterie board or some biscuits, too. Every prize is delicious. Oh, and someone lucky will get two tickets to the next Meat Fight coming later this year. Tickets are $18, available now online, and if you buy in advance they include two raffle tickets, one beer and one slider from Easy Slider. (Don’t worry, you can purchase more of all those things on site.) As always, this Meat Fight event benefits people living with multiple sclerosis.
Monday, April 25
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days at Griggs Park
Monday night seems like a rough night for getting out there and doing. But Griggs Park (2209 Clark St.) has a stress-free option: easy, breezy movie nights. Monday, April 25, from 8 to 10 p.m. learn How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days with the help of Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Kathryn Hahn and Thomas Lennon. See, it’s just classic rom-com mayhem and foolishness when writer Andie says she can lose a guy in 10 days and Benjamin says he can make a woman fall in love with his executive ass in 10. Go ahead and see if you can guess what happens. Right or wrong, the popcorn is free. Bring your blankets and picnics.
Tuesday, April 26
Arts & Letters Live: David Sedaris at McFarlin Auditorium
Just in case you feel like this already happened, it was supposed to and was reschedule for this new date. Arts & Letters Live and KERA welcome satirist David Sedaris to McFarlin Auditorium (6405 Boaz Lane) 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 26. He’ll be reading new and unpublished magic, as we’ve come to expect after enjoying 10 years of Sedaris performances already. We thought we could claim a favorite book, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult thanks to Sedaris’ ever-growing pile of laugh-through-tears brilliance. Dive into the latest collection of essays, A Carnival of Snackery: Diaries (2003-2020) to prep … or as dessert.