The best plays, musical performances and exhibits in Texas are being enjoyed by record number crowds, according to our cultural adventurer Rob Giardinelli, who shares our favorite recommendations from across the state.
AUSTIN
HOW OPERATIC
Austin Opera presents a classic work by iconic Italian Composer Giacomo Puccini, La Bohème, the epic story of young bohemians who struggle to find love and make their dreams come true in the Paris Latin Quarter circa 1840. Through May 5. At AustinOpera.org
FAIRYTALES REVEALED
The Tony Award winning and family friendly play by Roald Dahl, Matilda the Musical, is an empowering story about a young girl with telekinesis who overcomes obstacles and takes things into her own hands. April 3 – May 12. At ZACHTheatre.org
STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Off the Rails: The Rise and Fall of Austin’s Street Cars takes a look at how the street car era (1875 through 1940) impacted life in Austin and how it influenced the city’s residential development. Through May 26. At Library.AustinTexas.gov
IMAGE: Congress Avenue and 6th Street, 1913 C02001 Chalberg Collection of Prints and Negatives
DALLAS / FORT WORTH
COLOR WEAVING
World-renowned artist Sheila Hicks, whose vibrant works have graced such iconic spaces as Versailles and the Highline In New York City, comes to Texas with new, textile installations. May 11 – August 18. At NasherSculptureCenter.org
IMAGE: Image from 2018 Shelia Hicks Migdalor Magasin III Jaffa Exhibit in Tel Aviv. Photo courtesy of Nasher Sculpture Center.
BEAUTIFUL MUSIC
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical chronicles the life of one of the world’s most beloved and influential songwriters of the second half of the twentieth century. Hearing the timeless tunes of this legend has created over the last six decades will have you singing too. June 18 – June 23 at the Winspear Opera House. At OperaHouseDallas.org
PARK’S RECREATION
David Park: A Retrospective, is the first museum in exhibition in more than 30 years of one of the influential artists of post WW II Abstract Expressionism. Known as the father of San Francisco figurative art, Park’s works from his Cubist-inspired paintings in 1930s through his figurative paintings of the 1950s are featured. June 2 – September 8, The Modern Museum. At TheModern.com
IMAGE: David Park, Four Men. Photo Courtesy Of The Modern Museum
HOUSTON
CONTEMPORARY FOCUS
50 master works from one of the world’s most influential artists of all time, Vincent van Gogh: His Life in Art features works throughout his life from his early years in the Netherlands to his landscapes in Saint-Rémy and Auvers. March 10 through June 27. At MFAH.org
HALF A CENTURY LATER
Stonewall 50 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the June 1969 Stonewall Riots that became a seminal moment in LGBTQ right movement. The exhibit features works on a broad range of topics including transgender issues and intergenerational dialogue on the path to equality. Through July 29. At CMAH.org
IMAGE: Photo courtesy of Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
RISING AGAIN
The Phoenix is an opera based on the incredible life of Venetian priest and poet Lorenzo Da Ponte, who after getting kicked out of Venice due to scandal, meets Wolfgang Amadeus Motzart and becomes a top librettist. Through May 10. At HoustonGrandOpera.org
SAN ANTONIO
STAGE’S DESIGN
America on Stage celebrates stage designers of the most substantial theatrical productions of 20th and 21st centuries. Drawn from the Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts it includes works ranging from Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma to Lin Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights. Through June 30. At McNayArt.org
IMAGE: Douglas Schmidt, Scene design for Grease, 1972. Collage on board with acrylic, ink, and varnish. Collection of the McNay Art Museum, Gift of Robert L. B. Tobin
FAIRYTALE FUN
Cinderella is the ultimate children’s classic with an underdog to root for, a wicked step-mother, a prince, a fairy god-mother and most importantly, a happily-ever-after ending that never gets old for kids and kids at heart. May 16 and May 17. At ChildrensBalletOfSanAntonio.org
IMAGE: The Arrival by Xiang Zhang
ONCE MORE WITH FEELING
The Grammy and Tony Award- winning musical, Once is the musical adaptation of the 2007 film by John Carney. It’s the story of an Irish musician and Czech immigrant who grow close in Dublin due to their mutual love music. May 16 – June 9. At ThePublicSA.com
IMAGE: Photo courtesy of The Public Theatre of San Antonio