The best plays, musical performances and exhibits in Texas are enjoyed by record number crowds, according to our cultural adventurer Claire-Lise Greve who shares our favorite recommendations from across the state.
AUSTIN
STOP! IN THE NAME OF COOL
Motown: Sound of Young America is the exhibit that recalls the 1960s when the music label and its talents burst onto the music scene…and the world has continued to love it since. Take a trip into yesteryear with this fabulous look at sights, sounds and the costumes that changed pop culture. Through January 26, 2020. At LBJLibrary.org
The Supremes costumes, the 1960s. Photo courtesy of LBJ Presidential Library
WOMAN POWER
Sister Suffragists is a centennial celebration exhibit of the movement that brought suffrage to the women of Texas and the nation. On June 28, 1919, Texas became the ninth state to ratify that amendment, which would later become the Nineteenth Amendment when women nationwide won the right to vote. See the era unfold in this can’t-miss look into our past at the Bullock State History Museum. Through August 31, 2020. At TheStoryOfTexas
Photo courtesy of Bullock State History Museum
A CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC
With a story about life and how we choose to live it, Dear Evan Hansen portrays the tough social issues that many young Americans face today in a deeply moving and groundbreaking way. Coming this December to Austin’s Bass Hall, this six-time Tony Award®-winning musical is one not to miss. December 10–15. At TexasPerformingArts.org
Photo courtesy of Matthew Murphy, Dear Evan Hansen U.S. Tour
DALLAS / FORT WORTH
A SLEEPING BEAUTY
In a new exhibit at the Dallas Contemporary Museum, artist John Currin focuses on depictions of gender, the masculine identity, and the male gaze, as well as an analysis of his own masculinity as it is tracked through his art in My Life As A Man. Through December 22. At DallasContemporary.org.
John Currin. Detail of Fishermen, 2002. © John Currin. Photo by Rob McKeever. Courtesy of Gagosian and Dallas Contemporary
THE NEW TIDE
After a year-long renovation project, the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth reopens to the public with the first exhibit to feature the formative years of photographer Gordon Parks’ career, a favorite of Vogue. In Gordon Parks: The New Tide, The Gordon Parks Foundation collaborated with the National Gallery of Art to conceive this inspiring collection displaying his photos of African American life in the middle of the 20th century. Through December 29. At CarterMuseum.org.
Photo courtesy of The Gordan Parks Foundation
A TASTE OF SPAIN
Spain’s most celebrated artists are presented like never before at the Meadows Museum in the exhibit El Greco, Goya, and a Taste for Spain. On loan from the Bowes Museum in the United Kingdom, these paintings represent a vast scope of history ranging from the 15th to 19th centuries as well as Josephine Bowes’ role in collecting these works of art. Through January 2020. At the MeadowsMuseumDallas.org.
The Repentant St. Peter by El Greco. Photo courtesy of The Meadows Museum.
HOUSTON
SPANISH FLAIR
The Houston Grand Opera presents the world premiere of El Milagro del Recuerdo/The Miracle of Remembering, the prequel to Cruzar la Cara de la Luna. Perfect for all ages, this opera explores family dynamics while dealing with life-altering changes. Dec. 5–22. At HoustonGrandOpera.org
Photo courtesy of Houston Grand Opera
PIVOTAL ARTISTS
Monet to Picasso: A Very Private Collection showcases paintings from some of the world’s most renowned artists including Pissaro, Renoir, Picasso and many more at pivotal moments in their careers. This never before seen collection is at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. September 10–Jan. 12, 2020. At MFAH.org
Woman Seated in an Armchair (Femme assise dans un fauteuil), 1941, oil on canvas, private collection. © Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy of MFAH.
HOLIDAY’S TRADITION
The Houston Ballet presents Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, the holiday story about a young girl and her Nutcracker as they venture to the land of Sweets where they encounter the mystical Sugar Plum Fairy. Featuring stunning choreography and an iconic score this is a must-see for the whole family this holiday season. November 29–December 29. At HoustonBallet.org
Photo courtesy of the Houston Ballet
SAN ANTONIO
BEYOND THE CATHEDRAL
Paris: Notre Dame and Beyond, a new exhibit by the McNay Museum, sparked by the recent fire at the Notre-Dame Cathedral this year, features several lithographs depicting some of the most architecturally stunning aspects about Paris’ famed Cathedral. December 5–February 23. At McNayArt.org
Henri Rivière, Du Haut des Tours Notre-Dame from Les Paysages Parisiens, 1900.
Lithograph from the collection of the McNay Museum.
CITY CELEBRATION
With a tripartite presentation entitled Waking Dream, Isaac Julien: Playtime and Jewels in the Concrete, the inaugural opening of the new Ruby City will feature seminal works by contemporary artists including Do Ho Suh, Teresita Fernández, Ana Fernandez and Chuck Ramirez. At RubyCity.org
Photo of Teresita Fernández Silver Screen (30 Dissolves), 2011, courtesy of Ruby City
VICTORIAN RADICALS
British art had a dynamic period of growth in the late 19th century and was revolutionized by new avant-garde techniques of the Victorian era. The San Antonio Museum of Art’s upcoming exhibit Victorian Radicals: From the Pre-Raphaelites to the Arts and Crafts Movement highlights this time period with various paintings, sculptures, and jewelry. Through January 5. At SAMuseum.org
Photo courtesy of The American Federation of Arts and SAMA