1. Nocturne, Second Thought Theatre at Bryant Hall, April 2-26.
Adam Rapp’s lyrical, haunting play concerns a 32-year-old man—and by association, his family—emotionally crippled by an early wound that never fully healed. Rapp, a prolific playwright and young adult novelist, also scripted Red Light Winter, a gut-punch of a play that Second Thought Theatre produced beautifully a few years ago.
2. Disney on Ice: Let’s Celebrate, American Airlines Center, April 2-6.
Already missing the chilly weather? Grab the kiddies and a cozy sweater and head to this Disney on Ice event. Over forty beloved characters and hated villains will meet and interact in this madcap jaunt through favorite Disney films. Scenes will include a royal ball with the Disney princesses, a winter wonderland with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and a Halloween song featuring the Disney villains. And yes, this is absolutely an excuse to marathon every Disney movie ever made. (No judgment here.)
3. Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Dallas City Performance Hall, April 4&5
This all-male ballet troupe, affectionately referred to as “Les Trocks,” dress in drag to rip the conventions of classical performance while still demonstrating not-inconsiderable technical skill. These dancers even know the pain of en pointe, proving once again that comedy is some serious business.
4. Die tote Stadt, Winspear Opera House, April 6
Most American opera-goers know Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Die tote Stadt (The Dead City) through recordings— if they know it at all. It simply isn’t done that much in this country. The Dallas Opera became only the fourth American company to present the 90-year-old work, in the process revealing the breathtaking power of the piece in live performance. This is your last chance to view the production here, since it closes after Sunday’s performance.
5. Dita Von Teese, House of Blues, April 2
Not necessarily a usual pick, but we have it on pretty good authority that the beautiful Dita Von Teese, who, amazingly, almost always does her own make up, is a master of the art of burlesque. Her show, Strip Strip Hooray, is billed as a 90-minute variety show that revisits four of her classic performances (complete with original casts) with a new one added in. She’s no stranger to Dallas, either—she was here two summers ago for a swim party at Ku De Ta.
