Friday 09.23 — Sunday 10.22
Dallas Theater Center shows a more colorful take on the Old West with the world-premiere musical ‘Bella’
We all know what the Old West was like — white cowboys and blond milkmaids whooping it up in saloons. Only that’s not the Old West — there were African-Americans out there, too, ya know … the frontier was a more colorful place than John Wayne movies would have you believe. So it is with Bella: An American Tall Tale, a world-premiere musical from author, composer and lyricist Kristin Childs (who previously worked on the DTC’s Peter Pan musical Fly), and directed by Robert O’Hara. This tuneful romantic comedy stars Ashley D. Kelley in the title role, and also features local stars Liz Mikel and Denise Lee.
DEETS: Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora St. DallasTheaterCenter.org.
Friday 09.23
Local luminaries honored by Resource Center’s 5 Factor
Dallas’ Resource Center does a lot for the community, but they get a lot of help, and each year the annual 5 Factor party recognizes five folks — in culinary arts, media, community, government and philanthropy — who make a difference. Come toast this year’s honorees and support the center.
DEETS: 7 for Parties, 150 Turtle Creek Blvd. 7–9 p.m. $65. RCDallas.org.
Friday 09.23 — Sunday 10.02
Landmark musical ‘Rent’ continues at the Winspear, plus a special panel on Sunday
It was 20 years ago that a little-known composer opened a musical on Broadway that redounded across the culture. Jonathan Larson’s Rent remains a powerhouse document about the era of the AIDS crisis, while evoking the plot of La Boheme. Larson died suddenly before he could know its impact. It’s currently onstage at the Winspear Opera House for a special anniversary tour, but it will be even more special on Sunday night when a blue-ribbon panel of AIDS activists and experts (including AIN’s Steven Pace, UBE’s Jalenzski Brown and ASD’s Don Maison, among others) gather for a pre-performance discussion on Rent’s influence as well as the state of HIV today. The panel discussion is free and open to the public.
DEETS: Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St. Panel discussion at 6 p.m. on Sept. 25. Performance at 7:30 p.m. ATTPAC.org.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition September 23, 2016.