Welcome to our weekly mega-list of performing arts happenings on TheaterJones! It covers a Thursday-to-Wednesday cycle and rounds up our picks for the best theater, classical music, opera, dance, comedy, spoken word/poetry and performing arts on film that are opening on North Texas stages and in movie theaters. Of all the local print and/or digital publications out there, it's the only weekly list of best bets that covers the range of performing arts—and only performing arts.

This week: Uptown Players and Turtle Creek Chorale join forces, Second Thought Theatre gets some religion, and dance is on tap at the Wyly Theatre.

This list doesn't have everything happening in this week's cycle, but we've hit the highlights. For more listings, click the red calendar button at the top right of the page, and then you'll see a search function where you can search for events by presenting company, venue, title, description, date range and more options. There are currently more than 500 listings in our database.

Note: Theater productions that have opened in a previous cycle and are in the middle of the run are not in the list below, but you can find them in the listings (see paragraph above). When a show is in its final weekend, we'll mention it in the "Last Chance" section of Places!

Get out and support the arts!

THE BIG 12

 THU JAN 14  thru  WED JAN 20 

Photo: Mike Morgan

Aida presented by Uptown Players and Turtle Creek Chorale

 1  Aida: Concert Version

Turtle Creek Chorale and Uptown Players | Dallas City Performance Hall

For opera aficionados who might not be aware, this Aida is not the Verdi opera, but the Broadway musical based on the Verdi, with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice. Considering Disney's name is attached, we probably don't have to tell you that the musical has a happy ending with its framing device. But don't worry, there's still operatic themes and undeniably catchy songs. The concert version is a co-production of Uptown Players and the Turtle Creek Chorale, whose collaborations have given us terrific concerts of Ragtime (2013) and Sweeney Todd (2014). Aida is directed by Ann Nieman with musical direction by Kevin Gunther, and features Feleceia Benton as Aida, Grace Neeley as Amneris, Kyle Igneczi as Radames, Alex Heika as Mereb and Jonathan Bragg as Zoser. | 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15-17

Photo: Courtesy

Hoofer Sarah Reich

» More info in our listing

 2  Martyr

Second Thought Theatre | Bryant Hall on the Kalita Humphreys Theater campus, Dallas 

Second Thought Theatre opens its 2016 season with Maja Zade's translation of German playwright Marius von Mayenburg's 2012 play Martyr, and if the title conjures religious imagery, well, let STT Artistic Director Alex Organ elaborate:

“With examples of religious extremism on the rise both at home and abroad, Marius von Mayenberg's MARTYR seems particularly timely. This play raises the kind of difficult questions audiences have come to expect from us at STT, and it does so with humor and intelligence," he says in the press release. The play deals with a teenager who becomes so obsessed with the Old Testament that his fundamentalism goes to scary places.

Directed by Blake Hackler (The Flick at Undermain Theatre and Cock at Second Thought Theatre), the production features Garret Storms, Ruben Carranzana, Andrews Cope, Mikaela Krantz, Allison Pistorius, Paul Taylor, Lulu Ward and Thomas Ward. | Jan. 15-Feb. 6

» More info in our listing

 3  Infusion

Rhythm in Fusion Festival | AT&T Performing Arts Center, Wyly Theatre

We had so much fun at last year's inaugural Rhythm in Fusion Festival, which is all about tap and percussive dance, that we bursting with anticipation for the second one. This year, the public concert is at the Wyly Theatre. And while it's more tap-focused than last year (which also had flamenco, folklórico and Irish step dancing), the lineup is killer. It includes Chloe Arnold, Sarah Reich, Nicholas Young, Justin Lewis, Acia Gray, and Matthew Shields. The rest of the festival is about workshops and classes, for which you'll have to register. | The Infusion concert is 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18

» Read our interview with tap dancer Justin M. Lewis

» More info in our listing

 4  Directors Choice: Artistic Fusion

Ballet Frontier of Texas | Fort Worth Community Arts Center, Scott Theatre

Ballet Frontier of Texas has been expanding and improving in recent years, and we're excited for this evening that features works by Artistic Director Chung-Lin Tseng, Moldau and Bamboo Symphony. To add to the enticement, Dallas Black Dance Theatre II and Dark Circles Contemporary Dance will join in. | 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16

» More info in our listing

Photo: Dario Acosta

Yefim Bronfman

 5  Yefim Bronfman

The Cliburn | Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth

It's been a decade since the acclaimed Russian-born Israeli-American pianist performed for the Cliburn. At this concert, he'll grace the audience with Prokofiev's sonatas 1, 5, 6 and 7. | 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19

» More info in our listing

 6  Vaughan Williams' Fantasia

Dallas Symphony Orchestra | Meyerson Symphony Center

The Dallas Symphony plays an ambitious program that includes Britten's Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Walton's Violin Concerto, Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, and Elgar's In the South (Alassio). Donald Runnicles conducts, and co-concertmaster Alexander Kerr is the featured violinist. | 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 14-16

» More info in our listing

 7  33rd Annual Black Music and Civil Rights Movement Concert

The Black Academy of Arts & Letters | Meyerson Symphony Center 

This is the annual concert from the Black Academy of Arts and Letters, reflecting on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the struggles and victories of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It is a compelling evening of narration, music and dance, recounting contemporary movements of then and now. The concert features special guest artists Tony Terry and Rahsaan Patterson. Conceived and produced by Curtis King. Conducted by John Mark Tatum, Pat Kessee and Clark Joseph. | 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17

» More info in our listing

Photo: Rashaan Patterson

Rahsaan Patterson performs for the Civil Rights Concert

 8  Kholodenko & Friends

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra | Kimbell Art Museum

2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medalist Vadym Kholodenko and friends from the Fort Worth Symphony (Michael Shih, violin; Swang Lin, violin; Dmitry Kustanovich, viola; and Allan Steele, cello) perform two works by Leos Janácek, Pohádka (Fairy Tale) and Sonata for Violin and Piano, plus Dvořák's Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81. 

» More info in our listing

 9  Light Up the Sky

Theatre Arlington

For Theatre Arlington, this is not just a revival of the fizzy Moss Hart comedy about New York theater folk at an out-of-town tryout in Boston, it's a revival of the first play this group staged 43 years ago, when it was first known as Arlington Community Theatre. Sharon Veselic directs and the cast includes Kenneth Fudge, David Johnson, Barrie Alguire, Sterling Gafford, Kirk A. Corley and Dena Dunn as Broadway diva Irene Livingston. Keep an eye on this play, because Theatre Three has it on the schedule for March. | Jan. 15-31

» More info in our listing

Photo: Eric Younkin

Light Up the Sky at Theatre Arlington

 10  33 Variations

Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas | Irving Arts Center, Dupree Theatre

Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas presents Moisés Kaufman's play that makes a parallel between the genius of Beethoven and a contemporary mother/daughter relationship. Directed by Jill Stephens and featuring Dana Harrison as Dr. Brandt, the role that Jane Fonda played in the 2009 Broadway production, and Rodney Dunn as Beethoven. | Jan. 15-30

» More info in our listing

 11  Damon Williams

Black Academy of Arts & Letters | Clarence Muse Café Theatre

Comedian Damon Williams, known from the Kings of Comedy tour, does two nights of comedy at the Black Academy of Arts & Letters. Check him out in the video below. | 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 15-16

» More info in our listing

 12  Pandora's Box Poetry Showcase

Pandora's Box | Margo Jones Theatre, Fair Park

The monthly poetry showcase known as Pandora's Box kicks off 2016 with a lineup that includes Mike Guinn, founder and originator of Fort Worth National Poetry Slams; Jolee Davis, creator and former Editor of Death List Five (voice of the lunatic fringe); and Jim Dolan, a psychotherapist in Oak Cliff who has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

» More info in our listing

 MORE PERFORMANCES OPENING JAN 14-20 

 THURSDAY, JAN 14 

Jeff Burghart

The comedian is at Hyena's Comedy Night Club Fort Worth. | Jan. 14-16

» More info

Affion Crockett

The comedian is at the Addison Improv. | Jan. 14-17

» More info

Photo: Courtesy

Lisa Landry

Lisa Landry

The comedian is at Hyena's Comedy Night Club Dallas. And she'll be at Hyena's Fort Worth next weekend, and in Plano in February. | Jan. 14-16

» More info

Nick Guerra

Nick Guerra at Hyena's Comedy Night Club Plano. | Jan. 14-16

» More info

 FRIDAY, JAN 15 

Brent Buemi

The clarinetist is the featured guest with the Garland Symphony Orchestra at the Granville Arts Center, Garland. | 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15

» More info in our listing

Late Nights

The Dallas Museum of Art has its first Late Nights event of the year, in which the museum is open until midnight on Friday, with music and arts performances, lectures, films, interactive events and much more. It's $15, with special exhibits an additional fee. | 6 p.m.-midnight Friday, Jan. 15

» More info

The Lion in Winter

Denton Community Theatre presents The Lion in Winter at the Campus Theatre, Denton | Jan. 15-24

» More info in our listing

Donell Rawlings

The comedian is at the Arlington Improv. | Jan. 15-17

» More info in our listing

 SATURDAY, JAN 16 

Brent Buemi

The clarinetist is the featured guest with the Las Colinas Symphony at the Irving Arts Center. 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16

» More info in our listing

Rodney Carrington

The comedian is at the Majestic Theatre, Dallas. | 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16

» More info

Made in America

The Plano Symphony presents "Made in America" at the Eisemann Center in Richardson | 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16

» More info in our listing

Madrigals and Spirituals

Presented by the Ken Davis Chorale at Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas. | 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16

» More info in our listing

Les Pêcheurs de Perles

The Metropolitan Opera's The Met: Live in HD series screens the Met's production of the Bizet opera The Pearl Fishers, at various movie theaters. | 11:55 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16 and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20

» More info in our listing

 SUNDAY, JAN 17 

Twelfth Night

Shakespeare Dallas continues its fourth year of the Complete Works, readings of every play, plus sonnets and more, with one of the Bard's most popular comedies, at Hamon Hall in the Winspear Opera House. | 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17 and 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18

» More info in our listing

 EDITOR'S CHOICE 

New to Places! Because Mark Lowry doesn't review a number of shows for either TheaterJones or the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, each week he'll mention something that he has seen (and possibly reviewed) that he highly recommends to you.

Photo: Shelby-Allison Hibbs

Shut Up and Listen from Cry Havoc Theater Company

Shut Up and Listen

Cry Havoc Theater Company delivers a terrific experiential piece created by teenagers, and it really speaks to the frustrations and feelings of teens, which we, as adults, can never truly know again. Because baggage. Performed at the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park, Dallas. | Through Jan. 16

» More info

 WEEKLY HAPPENINGS + OPEN MICS 

Backdoor Comedy Open Mike

The Backdoor Comedy Club at the Doubletree Hotel in Dallas has weekly open mike stand-up. | 8:30 p.m. Thursdays

» Our listing, with times, ticket info, map and more

Fort Worth Poetry Slams Open Mike

Host Michael Guinn leads this weekly open mike; participants earn points to see who makes it to Cowtown's award-winning national slam team. You can also just go to watch and listen. | 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Dec. 22

» Our listing, with times, ticket info, map and more

Glitterbomb Denton

A weekly queer variety show that offers the "very best drag, burlesque, queerlesque, sideshow, magic and musical talent Denton has to offer," at Mable Peabody's Beauty Parlor and Chainsaw Repair, Denton | 9:30 p.m. Thursdays

» Our listing, with times, ticket info, map and more

Mama's Party

Amy Stevenson hosts a sometimes-weekly musical theater open-mike event at the Uptown Theater in Grand Prairie

» More info

Liz Mikel's Entertainer's Showcase

Dallas Theater Center company member Liz Mikel leads a jazz, R&B and show tune open mike every Monday at the Balcony Club, above the Lakewood Theater in East Dallas. | 9:30 p.m. Mondays

» More info

The Open Stage

Circus Freaks does a weekly open showcase of circus feats and other category-defying acts, from stand-up in costume to hula-hooping opera singers to stripping poets, at Celebration Event Center and Ballroom in Plano | 7 p.m. Mondays 

» Our listing, with times, ticket info, map and more

Open Classical

Bring an instrument (including your voice) and participate in this weekly classical music open mic. | 8 p.m. every Tuesday at Buzzbrews Kitchen on Lemmon Avenue, Dallas.

» Our listing, with times, ticket info, map and more

Open Mic Nite at Central

The Dallas Public Library Central Branch presents an open mic for musicians, poets and other performers. At the J. Erik Jonsson Library in downtown Dallas. | 5:30-7:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of the month.

» More info

LAST CHANCE 

 THESE PRODUCTIONS CLOSE THIS WEEKEND 

The Frozen Kingdom

An original ballet inspired by the movie Frozen, performed by Plano Metropolitan Ballet at the Courtyard Theater, Plano. | Closes Saturday

» More info in our listing

Motown the Musical

The national tour of Bass Performance Hall. | Closes Sunday

» More info in our listing

Shut Up and Listen

An original devised piece from Cry Havoc Theater Company at the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park. | Closes Saturday

» Look for our review coming on TheaterJones

» Read Shelby-Allison Hibbs Teacher/Artist columns about this project, Part 1 and Part 2

LOOKING AHEAD

 UPCOMING PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS 

 THEATER 

1. Garland Civic Theatre presents The Man with Bogart's Face at the Granville Arts Center | Jan. 21-Feb. 13
2. Lyric Stage presents a concert reading of The New Moon at Irving Arts Center | Jan. 21-24
3. Theatre Three presents Neil Tucker's Oil! | Jan. 21-Feb. 14
4. Audacity Theatre Lab presents The Night of the Tarantubears at the Margo Jones Theatre, Fair Park | Jan. 21-31
5. The Black Academy of Arts & Letters presents the Al Green bio-musical Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings at the Clarence Muse Cafe Theatre in the TBAAL complex in downtown Dallas | Jan. 22-23
6. WaterTower Theatre in Addison presents Lord of the Flies | Jan. 22-Feb. 14
7. Runway Theatre in Grapevine presents Nevermore | Jan. 22-Feb. 7
8. The tour of the musical If/Then opens at AT&T Performing Arts Center's Winspear Opera House | Jan. 27-31
9. Dallas Theater Center does Romeo and Juliet at the Kalita Humphreys Theater | Jan. 27-Feb. 28
10. The Ochre House presents A Brother's Harvest | Jan. 27-Feb. 20
11. Circle Theatre's 2016 opens with Clever Little Lies | Jan. 28-March 5
12. Proper Hijinx Productions presents Eric Coble's The Dead Guy at the Addison Centre Theatre's Studio Theatre | Jan. 28-Feb. 7
13. MBS Productions presents Slave Letters at the Stone Cottage in Addison | Jan. 28-Feb. 14
14. The Firehouse Theatre season opens with Steel Magnolias | Jan. 28-Feb. 7
15. Jubilee Theatre in Fort Worth does August Wilson's Seven Guitars | Jan. 29-Feb. 28
16. Dallas Children's Theater presents A Year With Frog and Toad | Jan. 29-Feb. 28
17. Sou Rep Theatre Company presents Her Stories at South Dallas Cultural Center | Feb. 1-7
18. The tour of The Bridges of Madison County is presented by Dallas Summer Musicals at the Music Hall at Fair Park | Feb. 2-14
19. Teatro Dallas presents the 17th International Theater Festival at Rosewood Center for the Performing Arts | Feb. 4-6
20. Brick Road Theatre presents Company at Courtyard Theatre, Plano | Feb. 4-6

 DANCE 

1. TITAS presents BodyTraffic at the Winspear Opera House | Jan. 22
2. Performing Arts Fort Worth presents Shaping Sound: Dance Reimagined at Bass Performance Hall | Jan. 27
3. Contemporary Ballet Dallas presents Apollo's Flight at Latino Cultural Center | Feb. 4-5
4. TITAS presents Cloudgate Dance Theater of Taiwan at the Winspear Opera House | Feb. 5
5. Muscle Memory Dance Theatre presents Heavy Rotation: A Rebirth of Song and Movement at LIFE in Deep Ellum | Feb. 6-7
6. Sossy Mechanics' Trick Boxing: Swingin' in the Ring is at the Eisemann Center in Richardson | Feb. 11-14
7. TITAS presents BalletBoyz at the Winspear Opera House | Feb. 13
8. Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents Cultural Awareness 2016 at the Wyly Theatre | Feb. 19-21
9. Riverdance: The 20th Anniversary Tour comes to the Allen Event Center | Feb. 19-21
10. Texas Ballet Theater presents Classic Combinations at Bass Performance Hall | Feb. 26-28

 CLASSICAL MUSIC + OPERA 

1. The Dallas Symphony presents Gershwin's Greatest Hits at the Meyerson Symphony Center | Jan. 22-24
2. The Fort Worth Symphony presents "A Night at the Oscars" at Bass Performance Hall | Jan. 22-24
3. Fine Arts Chamber Players presents works by Vaughn Williams, Debussy at Dallas Museum of Art, Horchow Auditorium | Jan. 23
4. Voices of Change presents Street Antiphons at SMU's Caruth Auditorium, Dallas | Jan. 24
5. The Dallas Symphony presents Mozart No. 39 and The Magic Flute overture | Jan. 29-31
6. The Dallas Bach Society presents a house concert featuring viola da gamba | Jan. 29-30
7. The Fort Worth Symphony presents Viva Italia at Bass Hall | Jan. 29-30
8. The Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth presents the Montrose Trio at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth | Jan. 30
9. The Lone Star Wind Orchestra presents "Music, Mind, Body & Soul" at the Eisemann Center in Richardson | Jan. 31
10. The Dallas Opera's Titus Art Song Series presents Jake Heggie and Frederica von Stade at the Winspear Opera House | Jan, 31

 COMEDY + SPOKEN WORD + CIRCUS ARTS + BURLESQUE + FILM FESTIVALS 

1. Special K is at the Arlington Improv | Jan. 21-24
2. Patton Oswalt comes to the Majestic Theatre | Jan. 22
3. Kathleen Madigan comes to the Majestic Theatre | Jan. 23
4. Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy come to Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie | Jan. 23
5. The 8th Annual Dallas Burlesque Festival is at House of Blues, Dallas | Feb. 12-13
6. Royal Comedy Tour: Sommore, Earthquake, Gary Owen, Tony Rock and Tommy Davidson is at Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie | Feb. 13

» For complete listings of what's happening on North Texas stages, click on the calendar icon at the top right of the page. Once there, you can click the red "Search the Calendar" box, and search for listings by dates, performance type, the presenting company, titles or descriptions. For instance, type "Shakespeare" into the description field, click SEARCH and you'll find a host of performances (theater, dance, music, etc.) by, adapted from or about the Bard.