This weekend is almost evenly split between events from local organizations and out-of-towners coming to entertain us. Groups like Casa Mañana, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and Hip Pocket Theatre will have new events, while two comedians and a country singer will make stops in Fort Worth as part of national tours.
Below are the best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend.
Thursday, September 16
Casa Mañana presents "You Send Me: A Salute to the Life and Music of Sam Cooke"
Audiences can twist the night away in the Reid Cabaret Theatre with the stories and music of the King of Soul, Sam Cooke, sung by Curtis Wiley. Singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, and civil rights activist, Cooke fused soul and pop, pioneering the sound for future R&B artists. The concert, playing at Casa Mañana Theatre through September 25, will include songs like “You Send Me,” “Chain Gang,” “Another Saturday Night,” “Cupid” and “A Change Is Gonna Come.”
35th Annual GrapeFest: A Texas Wine Experience
The 35th Annual GrapeFest: A Texas Wine Experience, with the theme of "Texas Wine. Come and Taste It!," features wines from Texas and guest wineries from California’s Napa Valley and South Australia’s Barossa Valley. It features four days of family-friendly festival fun with live music and entertainment on four stages, a carnival midway, and shopping at local boutiques, galleries, and select vendors. The festival takes place in Historic Downtown Grapevine through Sunday.
Improv Arlington presents David A. Arnold
David A. Arnold is a stand-up comedian, writer, producer, and actor who can currently be seen in his Netflix special, David A. Arnold: Fat Ballerina. He has also made numerous TV appearances, including The Ruckus on Comedy Central, Def Jam Comedy, and Entourage on HBO. He'll perform five times through Saturday at Improv Arlington.
Friday, September 17
Magnolia at the Modern: On Broadway
For anyone who loves theater, this contemporary history of Broadway is a pure joy. Interviews with legends of the stage and screen, including Hugh Jackman, Helen Mirren, Christine Baranski, August Wilson, James Corden, Alec Baldwin, John Lithgow, Viola Davis, and Ian McKellen, take viewers behind the scenes of Broadway's most groundbreaking and beloved shows, from A Chorus Line to Hamilton. The film will screen seven times through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents "Pulling Back the Curtain: Sibelius, Dvorak, and Brian Raphael Nabors"
During this concert, audiences can hear violinist Ray Chen's charismatic take on Sibelius' stirring Violin Concerto. The concert, playing through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall, opens with Brian Raphael Nabors' 2019 Pulse for Orchestra, which musically captures our shared perceptions of the universe's natural rhythms, and concludes with the rugged enthusiasm of Dvorak's Symphony No. 8.
Hip Pocket Theatre presents The Slam Bang Story of Ickamore Twerpwhistle(UPDATE: The opening weekend of Icky Twerp has been postponed due to COVID complications; a new date will be announced soon.Those who grew up in DFW in the 1960s and early '70s remember Icky Twerp as the host of Slam Bang Theater on local channel 11. But Bill Camfield, the man who created and portrayed Icky Twerp was much more than a TV kiddie show host. The Slam Bang Story is the story of a man who rose from hardscrabble beginnings and endured great personal tragedies to achieve a fondly remembered legacy of joy and laughter. The production will run October 3 at Hip Pocket Theatre.
Hyena's presents Liz Miele
Liz Miele is a New York City comedian who has appeared on Comedy Central, FOX, AXS TV, Hulu, and NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me. Her newest special, Self Help Me, can be found on YouTube; she released her book, Why Cats Are Assholes, in February 2021; and she has a weekly podcast with comedian Maria Shehata called 2 Non Doctors. She'll perform four times through Saturday at Hyena's Comedy Club.
Saturday, September 18
Wedgwood Historical Association presents Parade of Homes
At Wedgwood Historical Association's Parade of Homes, visitors can see a sampling of Wedgwood’s midcentury houses and learn some history of this well-planned neighborhood and its early residents. Four homes of varying styles will be featured, with both exterior and interior tours available. The event will also include classic cars, live music, lemonade, and a Wedgwood Garden Club appearance.
Cory Morrow in concert
Country singer Cory Morrow has been a steady presence on the Red Dirt scene for almost 20 years. He had his breakout with a covers album alongside Pat Green, Songs We Wish We'd Written, and has continued that success with eight more studio albums, including 2018's Whiskey and Pride. He will play at Billy Bob's Texas.
Curtis Wiley stars in Casa Mañana's You Send Me: A Salute to the Life and Music of Sam Cooke, playing through September 25.
Fort Worth Police Sgt. Billy Randolph, RIP.
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