DIVERSIONS
The Greatest Show on Earth
The excitement is palpable: the lights dim, the drums roll, the brilliantly costumed performers begin their majestic opening march. If it’s summer, it must be the Ringling Bros, and Barnum & Bailey Circus. With the three rings, the flying trapeze, the scents of sawdust, elephants, and cotton candy, it’s an unspoken rule that everyone who enters must become a child. Only a select few of the “real” small fry get to ride in the circus procession. But first there’s the dog show, daredevil motorcycle riders, and an international acrobatics coterie, each troupe occupying one of the rings. Then, the biggest drum roll of all for Gunther Gebel-Williams, master of fifteen Bengal tigers. This year’s show will also feature The Soaring Stars flying trapeze act and King Tusk, a huge Asian elephant with tusks six and a half feet long. But it’s the clowns who steal the show, skillfully weaving the crescendo of one act into the buildup of the next.
July 21-24 at the Fort Worth/ Tarrant County Convention Center, 1111 Houston St, Fort Worth, and July 26-August 7 at Reunion Arena, 777 Sports St, Dallas. Tickets S5.50-$10.50 from Rainbow-TicketMaster (787-1500) or Ticketron (640-7500).
ART
A King’s Ransom
The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection in Lugano, Switzerland, is really a collection of collections, a peerless treasure known primarily for its old master paintings and, lately, for modern art. Equally deserving of attention, however, is the spectacular collection of gold and silver objects gathered together by two generations of passionate collectors and previously seen by the public only once, during a 1986 visit to museums in Moscow and Leningrad.
Scattered around tabletops and consoles at Villa Favorita and at the family’s country estate at Daylesford House in Gloucester, England, this king’s ransom ranges from Renaissance jewelry to French gold and enameled snuff boxes to the fabulous objects fashioned by Carl Faberge, all set with precious and semiprecious stones. The collection, in fact, can well serve as a history of the metal masters’ craft: particularly well represented among the 121 works on display is the work of German goldsmiths from the 16th and 17th centuries as well as English and Continental silver of the 18th century.
Through Aug 21 at the Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5 pm, Sun 11-5 pm. (817)332-8451. -Ken Barrow
PERFORMING ARTS
A Decade of Junior Black Achievement
After ten years of wrestling with a shoestring budget, Curtis King, director of the nationally respected Junior Black Academy of Arts and Letters, should finally feel the worth of his labor when the cultural conservatory celebrates its first decade in July. Actresses Esther Rolle and Margaret Avery, singers Eartha Kitt and Jennifer Holliday, actor Louis Gossett Jr., and musician James “Bluesman” Thomas are a few of the headliners for the Summer Gala, which kicks off July 14 with a celebrity reception at the downtown Sheraton Hotel. A Secondline parade on Friday, July 15, will commence in the Deep Ellum area and cavort to the christening site of the Academy’s new Lamar Street headquarters. Other events through July 17 include a Majestic Theatre concert and an all-star testimonial brunch with hostess Margaret Avery (who played Shug Avery in the movie The Color Purple) and host Tom Joyner of KKDA radio. A Sunday worship service featuring a one-hundred-voice male choir concludes the homecoming and anniversary celebrations for the nation’s only JBA and begins another decade of bigger and better contributions to Dallas’s artistic and cultural complexion. Call the JBA office at 720-1964 for more information.
-Cecil Sharp
MUSIC
A Month of Adventure and Discovery
Think of July as a month of adventure-while much of Dallas is vacationing or lying torpidly beside the pool, there’s a perfect opportunity to discover some Dallas Symphony Orchestra performances that are spicier than the regular season lineup. The Discovery Series features more challenging music that gives the musicians, along with special guest artists, a chance to limber up and let it rip. The big guest star this month is flutist James Galway, who will play an arrangement of Khachaturian’s violin concerto. On the same July 7 program, Alfred Mouledous will perform Howard Hanson’s Piano Concerto and the orchestra will play the Webern Concerto for Nine Instruments, both real rarities. James Rives Jones will conduct the performance of July 14, which includes the Haydn “Harmoniemesse” and works by Milhaud and Stravinsky. Eduardo Mata returns to town to lead the last two Discovery concerts for 1988. On July 21, guitarist Angel Romero will tackle the Ponce Concierto del Sur; the second half of theprogram will feature the Brahms SerenadeNo. 2, not often heard in Dallas. On July 28the piano duo of Guher and Suher Pekinelwill play the Poulenc Double Concerto andthe orchestra will be heard in works by Barbara Kolb, Stravinsky, Debussy, Ravel, andMessiaen. All concerts are at 8:15 pm atthe Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm. Tickets$10-$20.692-0203. -Bill Jungman
ART
Richard Serra. Sena’s work was the center of lawsuits. public hearings, and shouting matches when ii was placed in public places in New York City. A smaller, more lyrical, but no less powerful Serra. My Curves Are Not Mad, has been placed in the plaza in front of the Dallas Museum of Art On long-term loan, 1717 N Harwood Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 10-5 pm; Thur 10-9 pm; Sun noon-5 pm. 922-0220.
Contemporary Printmaking. Prints are frequently collected by museums but infrequently shown; here are eighty works, representing the highest achievements in contemporary printmaking, purchased since 1974 with funds donated by Mrs. Jake L. Hamon and her late husband. Through July 3 at the Dallas Museum of Art. 1717 N Har-wood. Tue. Wed. Fri. Sat 10-5 pm; Thur 10-9 pm; Sun noon-5 pm. 922-0220.
A Folk-Art Sampler. From toys and decoys to coverletsand cigar store Indians, here is the cream of the collection assembled by the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. Through Sept 4 at the Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5 pm. Sun 1-5:30 pm. (817) 738-1933.
Watercolors and Drawings. Smaller works by big artists-Winslow Homer. Georgia O’Keeffe. and others- finally get their moment on the gallery wall. Through July 17 at the Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie. Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5 pm. Sun 1-5:50 pm. (817) 738-1933.
The Fabric of a Friendship. A life-size diorama, a 17th-century tapestry, and the world’s biggest ship model tell the story of the first Swedish colony in the New World. Through July 24 at the Trammell Crow Center Pavilions, 2001 Ross. Tue-Sat 10-5 pm. Sun noon-5 pm. 869-4917.
Jorge Castillo. A monumental, forged iron-plate sculpture. “Mujer Toro” (Woman-Bull), by a major contemporary Spanish artist, goes on long-term exhibit courtesy of Adams-Middleton Gallery. Through Dec 31 on the main quad at SMU. 692-3510.
Robin Sachs. An intense sense of confrontation marks these portraits of faces that have, for one reason or another, engaged the photographer’s attention over the past two years. Through July 7 at Plaza Gallery, level one of Plaza of the Americas. 600 N Pearl. Mon-Fri 11-4 pm. 880-0001.
Susan Dunshee. A Santa Fe artist transforms dyed yarns, bits of fabric, colored thread, and nylon netting into richly textured sculptures and wall pieces that suggest the forms in an enchanted-and decaying-forest. Through July 30 at Beverly Gordon Gallery, 2702 McKinney. Suite 101. Mon-Fri 9:30-6 pm. Sat 11-3 pm. 741-9600.
Pamela Bradford. Working with colored pencil over watercolor wash. Bradford creates pictures of ordinary people and objects that are marked by1 an extraordinary sense of light and space. Through July 18 at Adelle M., 3317 McKinney. Mon-Fri 9-5:30 pm, Sat 10-2. 220-0300.
MUSIC
Basically Beethoven Festival. On four successive Sunday afternoons, the Fine Arts Chamber Players will pre-sent concerts ranging from chamber music to full orchestra. All will feature music by Beethoven as well as other composers. July JO: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons played by fifteen-year-old prodigy Mariko Inaba, and Beethoven’s Incidental Music to “Egmont.” July 17: The Haydn Horn Concerto No. 1 played by Gregory Hustis. plus the Beethoven Symphony No. 4. July 24: A Beethoven string quartet, Nielsen’s Serenata. and a Mozart Serenade. July 31: Beethoven’s “Prometheus” overture, the Mendelssohn “Italian” symphony, and the Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 2 played by Stephen Girko. All concerts at 3 pm at the Dallas Garden Center. First Ave and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Fair Park. Free. 520-7788.
SMU Summer Conservatory Concert Series. “Rhapsody in Brass” with The Dallas Brass. Alfred Mouledous. Bert Truax, and Debra Richtmeyer-Truax. July 1 at 8:15 pm. Tickets $5-$8. Gala Concert: winners of the Conservatory Concerto Competition and others play with the Festival Concert Orchestra. July 2 at 8:15 pm. $5 donation for special scholarship fund. A Sousa Concert with the Conservatory Winds. Howard Dunn, conductor. July 3 at 7 pm. $5 donation. All concerts at Caruth Auditorium. Meadows School of the Arts. Owen Arts Center, Bishop and Binldey. SMU. 692-3680.
THEATER
The Mystery of Edwin Drood. This musical version of Charles Dickens’s unfinished novel lets the audience decide how the mystery turns out. Stars Jean Stapleton. July 5-17. “Man of La Mancha,” with Hal Linden, runs July 19-31. State Fair Music Hall, Fair Park. Tue-Sun at 8:15 pm and Sun at 2:30 pm- Tickets $5-$35. 787-2000.
Annie Get Your Gun. Irving Berlin is one hundred years old. but his music is timeless. Ruta Lee. as Annie Oakley, sings “Anything You Can Do 1 Can Do Better” and “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” July 11-23. The summer musical season continues with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel:” July 15-August 6. Mon-Sat at 8:15 pm. Sat matinees at 2 pm. Casa Manana Playhouse. 3101 W Lan-aster. Fort Worth. Tickets $13-$17. (817) 332-6221.
Coyote Ugly. Lynn Seifert’s outrageous comedy about a country boy who returns home for a family reunion. July 7-August 6. Thur-Sat at 8:15 pm. Addison Centre Theatre, 15600 Julian. Addison. Tickets $9.50. 934-3913.
Julius Caesar. Dale AJ Rose directs Shakespeare’s tragedy about political intrigue in ancient Rome. Shakespeare Festival of Dallas. July 5-17 at 8:15 pm (gates open at 7:15; no performances on Mondays). Free. 954-0199.
Social Security. A comedy about two senior citizens fall-_ in love, by Andrew Bergman. Dallas Repertory Theatre, 150 NorthPark Centre. July 1-31. Wed-Fri 8:15 pm, Sat 4 & 8:30 pm. Sun 2:30 & 7;30 pm. Tickets SI2.50-$17.50. 369-8966.
On Golden Pond. Ernest Thompson’s comedy-drama about an aging couple is a more-conventional-than-usual choice for this company. Greenville Avenue Pocket Sandwich Theatre. 1611 Greenville. July I-August 13. Thur-Sat at 8 pm. Sun at 7. Tickets $6.50-$8.50. $2 discount for senior citizens and children. 821-4643.
A Quarrel of Sparrows. The premiere of a new comedy by James Duff (a young author who got his start acting here). Theatre Three, in the Quadrangle. 2800 Routh St. July 9-August 20. Tue-Fri 8:15 pm. Sat 3:30 & 8:15 pm. Sun 2:30 & 7:30 pm. Tickets $13.75-$19.75. 871-3300.
Widows. Chilean writer Ariel Dorfman has adapted his 1983 novel, and Susan Chapek will direct. Hip Pocket Theatre. Oak Acres Amphitheatre, 1620 Las Vegas Trail N. one block north of Hwy 820, Fort Worth. July 77-August 7. Fri-Sun 9 pm. Tickets $4-$10. (817) 927-2833.
Hunting Cockroaches. Two famous Polish artists im-nigrate to New York where they discover a few worms in the Big Apple. July 9-Augusl 20; Mon-Sat 8:15, Sun 2:30 and 7:30. Sat 3:30. Theatre Three, in the Quadrangle, 2800 Routh St. Tickets $5-$19.75. 871-3300.
DIVERSIONS
Dallas Summer Boat Show. Boats and fishing tackle and sailboats and power boats and yachts and houseboats and boats, boats, boats. July 19-24, 3-10 pm Tue-Sat, 3-8 pm Sun. Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons (I-35). Tickets $4 for adults, $1.50 for children, Call collect, (713) 439-5890.
Tolbert’s Chill Head CookOff. You’ve gotta be brave to taste it (face it-you just plain don’t know what’s in some of that stuff), but Texans will think up any excuse to drink another beer and pig out on chili. July 16, 8 am, judging at noon. Tolbert’s Chili Parlor, 1800 N Market, in the West End. Free. 969-0448.
1988 Miss Texas Pageant. Come see who the next Miss America will be. . .why not? The last four have been Texans. July 6-9. 8 pm. Fort Worth/Tarrant County Convention Center Theater, 1111 Houston St. Fort Worth. Tickets $8 Wed-Thur. $9-$10 Fri. $15 Sat. S35 all four nights. 332-9222.
Fourth of July Fireworks! Heritage Park, on the Trinity River, downtown Fort Worth. 9:15 pm; Village on the Parkway, Belt Line at the North Dallas Tollway, Addison, at dusk on July 3; Texas Ranger game vs New York at Arlington Stadium; Fair Park at dusk. Robert B Cullum and Grand; Williams Square In Las Colinas, O’Connor and Hwy 114. Irving, 8 pm.
Taste of the West End. A “feastival” provided by some of the city’s hottest restaurant!) and free entertainment by nationally known bands. July 1S-17, II am-11 pm. Fri and Sat. 11 am-7 pm Sun, West End Historic District, Pacific and Market. “Tastes” cost from 50 cents to $3.50 each. 720-7107.
Old Fashioned Fourth. President Abraham Lincoln will tell stories. Civil War soldiers will perform drills and fire cannon, and there’ll be an old-fashioned political rally with a parade, pie-eating contests, and more. July 4. 11-4 pm. Old City Park. 1717 Gano. Free. 421-5141.
SPORTS
Texas Rangers. A mixed bag for the Rangers this month-easy pickings with the hapless Os. but stiffer opposition from other AL East teams. Arlington Stadium, 1-30 and Stadium Dr. Arlington. General admission tickets $4, $2 for kids thirteen and under. (817) 273-5000.
July 1-3 Baltimore 7:35 (6:05 the 3rd)
4-6 New York 7:35
14-17 Milwaukee 7:35 (2:05 the 17th)
25-27 Boston 7:35
