UNT professor James Thurman might want to borrow that book when you’re done with it. Don’t let him. He’ll turn it into stone. There’s no dark magic at work, and the “stone” in question is actually a new art material that Thurman created and has now trademarked, called Thurmanite. With…
The story of how Wake in Fright came to circulation is a fittingly strange one. It debuted at Cannes in 1971, then had a limited run through America (under the name “Outback”) and its native Australia. But after that, it vanished. Martin Scorsese was at that Cannes screening, and called…
Desiree Yanez’s impeccable hair is no match for her flawless tattoos. The 22-year-old hair stylist at Esoterica Salon in Fort Worth has dedicated pretty much her entire body to the art of tattoos. Her knuckles bare the words “Pish Posh” in delicate cursive and can only be read when held…
Some friends of Mixmaster sent in this photo of their baby posing with Santa at the Galleria. Clearly this peanut isn’t quite sure of what to make of the old dude in the furry red suit. And really, can you blame him?…
Last week the Observer’s theater critic, Elaine Liner, dedicated an entire mini review to the limelight-stealing, self-animating powers of Constantine Maroulis’ hair. The locs are currently starring in the Broadway Series musical, Jekyll and Hyde at the AT&T Center, and it seems her words really started something. Now everyone’s chatting…
Fair Park will reinvent itself during our hottest months for a new round of thrills with its just-announced Summer Adventures series. It looks to be geared more towards the little ones than rowdy young adults, but all who show up will get a first look at the newest Fair attraction,…
Darnell, a recently adopted 9-year-old street kid, can’t believe his dad never figured out his real name. It’s engraved right into his silver grill: D-A-R-N-E-L-L. Thinking he had no name, his dad’s been calling him Peter since adopting him and bringing him back to God’s country (Southlake). Get it together,…
Early morning flurries left light frost and a gentle dusting around Dallas, but we at Mixmaster are shamelessly holding out for more. Sure, fancy weather scientists say it’s over and that the only thing dropping tonight will be the temperature, but we don’t care. We’re going to manifest a snow…
As we hit mid-December, here is an unconventional art show that has nothing to do with the “scene” and everything to do with real life at its harshest. Every fall, the art program at the Stewpot heads to the central branch of the Dallas Public Library to exhibit pieces created…
On Friday, April 6, Viva Dallas performed a burlesque version of Alice in Wonderland. It featured the aerial acrobatics of Alley Oops and Fleur De Tease (imagine: “Alice” in a throat-clearingly perfect split a few feet above the stage). The show was one of many adventurous-themed productions this year, which…
Whether the matter is one of love or art, giving in fully requires trust. If that union isn’t present, we allow only the brashest, most peripheral pieces of ourselves to mingle, while protecting the endangered ones. Those sparse pockets of emotional greenspace that we hold close are precious — they…
With Peter Jackson’s return to Middle Earth hitting theaters next week (read our review of it here), here are som Hobbit-themed things happening around Big D. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Marathon Saturday, December 8th & Sunday, December 9th Both Cinemark and AMC Theatres are hosting day-long marathons of…
Here’s a video making the rounds. TexasExes.org has the backstory: UT freshman Jacob “Gator” Weaver has a talent for staring that has turned into a YouTube sensation. “Stare of the Gator,” filmed by UT junior Craig Murphy, shows Weaver approaching unsuspecting people on the UT campus only to stare at…
That fad started in the tunnels of New York back in 2001, under the x-ray spec guidance of Improv Forever, an NYC-based “prank collective.” Since then No Pants Subway Ride has gotten huge. More than 50 cities now join in the pranking mission, droppin’ drawers in solidarity. Dallas, refusing to…
Macy’s has announced that many of its stores, including all Dallas area locations, will stay open for the entire 48 hours of the pre-Christmas weekend. It begins at 7 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21 and ends at midnight on Sunday, Dec. 23. This is great news since I often need a…
In The Parent Crap, Alice Laussade chronicles life as a mom in Dallas. Worried you’re screwing up your kid? Tweet questions to @thecheapbastard and she’ll confirm that, yes, you’re screwing up your kid. It’s Christmastime again, and if you have a toddler at home, that means it’s also probably Elf…
There’s a moment of realization in the Apatow-produced television series Freaks and Geeks where young, gangly Sam Weir realizes he hates his popular cheerleader girlfriend. They’re sitting in a movie theater, she’s heavily primped and wearing an angora sweater. He’s nervously attempting to find common ground by sharing his favorite…
Every Thursday we highlight the best comedy of the coming weekend. Find more comedy events at dallasobserver.com/calendar. Shawn & Marlon Wayans at the Addison Improv These two brothers of In Living Color and White Chicks fame are in Addison Thursday through Saturday. Come see ’em bust out some tandem comedy…
Remember when flash mobs were vibrant movements staged so that others would see the wonder and magic possible in everyday life? That was short-lived. “Wonder” and “magic” aren’t drunk enough rallying points for most of us, case in point: this flash mob training video, leaked by Santa Rampage…
You can view this week’s list in two ways: holiday event guide, or holiday survival guide. Take your pick. We’ve got well-curated, artist-run shopping parties to help you avoid the soul-shattering mall parking lots; art shows to rejuvenate your energy supply; and even a holiday-themed haunted house to redirect your…
Once again, ’tis old-coot season. That’s what Christmas theater is, right? Time to celebrate the eccentricities of crotchety old men, some with beards, some without. If there’s a grand vizier of geezers, he’s Ebenezer Scrooge, star of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Dallas Theater Center’s big and boisterous annual production…
One Thirty Productions changed the name of Truman Capote’s 1956 short story A Christmas Memory to the more generic A Holiday Memory for its current matinees-only offering of the sentimental three-character dramedy at the Bath House Cultural Center. Actor John Davies is this show’s lovable old coot, narrating recollections of…
