The last weekend in January brings an interesting variety of events to Fort Worth. They include opera on a small stage, Motown via a symphony, a movie starring a newly minted Oscar nominee, three concerts, and a play about an African-American hero.
Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, January 26
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth presents FOCUS: Stanley Whitney
The closing of the KAWS exhibit at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth last weekend overshadowed the opening of its latest exhibit, featuring the work of Stanley Whitney. Since the mid-1970s, Whitney has been known for his multicolored, irregular grids on square canvases. His configurations are loose, uneven geometric lattices comprised of vibrant stacked color blocks that vary in hue, shape, and the handling of the paint. The exhibit is on display through April 2.
Fort Worth Opera presents Opera Unfiltered
Fort Worth Opera is heading to Wild Acre Brewing Company to give an exclusive sneak peek of its 2014 Frontiers showcase winner, Voir Dire. Written by composer Matthew Peterson and librettist Jason Zencka, the explosive new work receives its world premiere during the 2017 Festival and features firsthand accounts of the brutal world of legal drama. The creative team is discussing the process of developing the piece from page to stage, and the cast is performing selections from this gut-wrenching true-crime opera.
Friday, January 27
Magnolia at the Modern: Things to Come
Actress Isabelle Huppert is on a roll, winning a Golden Globe Award and being nominated for an Oscar for her role in the 2016 film, Elle. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is screening another 2016 film of hers, Things to Come, in which she plays a passionate middle-aged philosophy professor who rethinks her already much-examined life after an unforeseen divorce. The film plays six times through Sunday.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Ray Charles, Motown, and Beyond
Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ellis Hall, Ray Charles’ protégé and the “Ambassador of Soul,” pays tribute to the incomparable Charles in this special concert at Bass Performance Hall. Alongside the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Hall plays hits like “Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “Ain’t No Mountain,” “Let the Good Times Roll,” and much more. There are three performances through Sunday.
Jubilee Theatre presents Thurgood
Prior to his appointment to United States Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall worked tirelessly as a lawyer for the NAACP. This one-man play tells the story of his role in the civil rights movement and the people who influenced him. Both historical and inspiring, the heroism of Marshall’s life’s work and the hard-fought civil-rights victories achieved under his stewardship are truly uplifting. Jubilee Theatre puts on the play through February 26.
Scotty McCreery in concert
Though he hasn't been one of the more successful winners in American Idol history, country singer Scotty McCreery is still out there trying to make it happen. He's released three albums since being crowned the season 10 winner in 2011, including his most recent, 2013's See You Tonight. He plays at Billy Bob's Texas.
Saturday, January 28
Griffin House in concert
The music world is full of big-name singers and also people like Griffin House, who you may know even if you don't know you know him. He's toured with people like Patti Scialfa, John Mellencamp, and The Cranberries, and his music has been featured in TV shows like One Tree Hill, Army Wives, and Brothers and Sisters. He plays at Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge in support of his 2016 album, So On and So Forth.
Aaron Lewis in concert
The lead singer of Staind may be about the last person you'd expect to be making a go at it in country music, but Aaron Lewis is full of surprises. After fronting the rock band for over 15 years, Lewis has made impressive inroads in the country genre, releasing two albums and hitting No. 1 with his latest, Sinner. He plays at Billy Bob's Texas.
Ellis Hall pays tribute to Ray Charles with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra at Bass Performance Hall, January 27-29.
