This weekend around Fort Worth will be a showcase for all sorts of performing arts, including music, theater, comedy, and dance. Choices include a celebration of an award-nominated singer, a local theater production, three comedians, screenings of Oscar-nominated films, a concert by the "Queen of Hip Hop," a dance production, two country music concerts, and a symphony concert.
Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, February 20
Sundance Square presents Abraham Alexander Oscar Nomination Celebration
Sundance Square will host an Oscar send-off party for Fort Worth musician Abraham Alexander, whose song "Like a Bird” (from the movie Sing Sing) received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 2025 Academy Awards. The event will include a City Proclamation presented by Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and fireworks. There will also be a DJ and live music, and Alexander will meet with attendees and sign autographs. (UPDATE: Due to the intense cold weather, this event has been moved indoors to The Spotlight at 310 Houston Street).
Theatre Wesleyan presents Letters from the Library
Theatre Wesleyan will present Letters From The Library, a world premiere play by Mercedes Kuhn. In rural Kentucky, at the height of the Great Depression, Harriet’s husband falls ill and loses his job, leaving them with very few options. In order to keep their spirits up, Harriet takes advantage of the Packhorse Library Project and meets Leslie, a traveling librarian who brightens up Harriet’s darkening world. The production runs through Sunday at Thad Smotherman Theatre on the Texas Wesleyan University campus.
Improv Arlington presents Martin Amini
Martin Amini is a stand-up comic based in Los Angeles whose material touches on what’s its like growing up mixed in America, coming from a Bolivian and Iranian background. After making his TV debut on Laff Tracks on TruTv, Amini filmed his stand-up special “Son of An Ice Cream Man” at The Kennedy Center in 2020. He'll perform seven times through Sunday at Improv Arlington.
Friday, February 21
Magnolia at the Modern: Oscar-Nominated Short Films
For the 20th consecutive year, Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures will present the Oscar-nominated short films in both the Animated and Live Action categories ahead of this year's Academy Awards, taking place on Sunday, March 2. At the 5 pm screening on Saturday, February 22 and 2 pm screening on Sunday, March 2, Dr. Christine Veras, Assistant Professor at UT Dallas's Bass School of Arts, will introduce the animation short film program and be available for a post-film discussion. The films will screen Friday-Sunday this weekend and February 28-March 2.
Mary J. Blige in concert
Mary J. Blige, aka “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,” comes to Fort Worth as part of “The For My Fans Tour" in support of her new album, Gratitude. Gratitude marks the 15th album in a career that dates back to What's the 411? in 1992. The majority of those albums have gone to No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart, and almost all of them have been in the top 10 on the overall Billboard 200. She'll perform at Dickies Arena, joined by Ne-Yo and Mario.
Big Laugh Comedy Club presents Willie Barcena
Raucous, irreverent, and never politically correct, Willie Barcena is one of the sharpest minds in comedy. His universal material spans family, religion, race, sex, politics, and whatever else you aren’t supposed to talk about. His 12 Tonight Show appearances are among the most frequent for any comedian and by far the most for any Latino comedian. He'll perform four times through Saturday at Big Laugh Comedy Club.
Texas Ballet Theater presents International Woman
In a celebration of female creativity and choreography, Texas Ballet Theater presents International Woman, an evening dedicated entirely to works by female choreographers. Highlights include Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Shibuya Blues, an exploration of modern life and dance; Lamentation Variations, inspired by Martha Graham's elegy in movement; Martha Graham’s whimsical Maple Leaf Rag; and Natalie Weir’s vibrant Jabula, a celebration of motion and dance through the music of Hans Zimmer’s The Power of One. There will be four performances through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall.
Hyena's presents Ralph Barbosa
Dallas comedian Ralph Barbosa was named 2019’s Funniest Comic in Texas, 2021’s Winner of the New York Latino Film Festival Stand Up Comedy competition, and recently made his HBO debut on the HA Festival Comedy Special. Barbosa has also worked with comedians such as Dave Attell, JR De Guzman, Mark Normand, Adam Ferrara, Dusty Slay, Jesus Trejo, and Anjelah Johnson. He'll perform four times through Saturday at Hyena's.
Cooper Alan in concert
North Carolina native Cooper Alan wasted no time after graduating college to pursue his dream of being a singer, moving directly to Nashville. The up-and-coming 23-year-old has yet to release an official album, but he's made an early mark with songs like "Take Forever (Hally's Song)," "To the Bar," and "First Rodeo." He'll play at Billy Bob's Texas.
Saturday, February 22
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents "A Night at Hogwarts: The Music of Harry Potter"
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will brings the enchanting world of Harry Potter to life as they journey through musical moments from the films. From the soaring strings of “Hedwig’s Theme” to the thrilling “Nimbus 2000,” and the majestic beauty of “Fawkes the Phoenix,” this concert will transport the audience straight to the wizarding world. The orchestra will make a rare appearance outside Fort Worth, playing for one night only at the Arlington ISD Center for Visual and Performing Arts.
Stoney LaRue in concert
Singer-songwriter Stoney LaRue is part of the recent wave of Texas Country/Red Dirt artists, having put out six albums since 2002, most recently Onward in 2019. LaRue is as close to a regular at Billy Bob's as you can get, having played there multiple times and even recording a live album there in 2007. He'll play there yet again on Saturday night.