NORTH TEXAS ENTERTAINMENT

LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTHWEST, THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX IS COMPRISED OF MORE ENTERTAINMENT VENUES THAN WE COULD POSSIBLY LIST, BUT WE DID TRY TO PICK SOME OF THE AREAS TOP STOPS.


PERFORMING ARTS

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL OF DALLAS

The Mission Of Shakespeare Dallas Is To Create Exemplary Cultural Programs For North Texas That Are Affordable And Accessible To The Community Inspired By The Quality And Standards Found In The Works Of William Shakespeare. The Company Serves A Diverse Community Of Adults, Children And Artists Through Year-Round Staged Productions Including Its Flagship Outdoor Performances, A Unique Touring Education Program And Community Outreach Services, Bringing A Sense Of Artistic Purpose And Cultural Richness To The Communities It Serves.

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MEYERSON SYMPHONY CENTER

The home of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Meyerson Symphony Center is just as integral to the sound of the music as the musicians themselves. Since 1989, the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center has become a landmark on the Dallas skyline and the international press has proclaimed the hall “world-class, rivaling the great concert halls of the world” and is part of the Dallas Arts District.

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WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE

It’s impossible to miss the flurry of activity and the unmistakable “buzz” in the heart of the downtown Dallas Arts District, where cranes hover over the distinctive horseshoe-shaped auditorium of the new Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts.

The Dallas Opera is already preparing for our anticipated move into this new, permanent location, scheduled to open to the public in the fall of 2009. The Dallas Opera offices will be located on the Winspear Opera House upper floors, above and behind the Margaret McDermott Performance Hall. Beyond the long-term advantages of eliminating annual rental costs, having both the performance and administrative sides of the company in the same building streamlines daily operations and improves overall efficiency.

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DALLAS THEATER CENTER

One of the leading regional theaters in the country, Dallas Theater Center (DTC) performs to an audience of more than 90,000 North Texas residents annually. Founded in 1959, DTC is now a resident company of the AT&T Performing Arts Center and presents its mainstage season at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre. DTC also presents at its original home, the Kalita Humphreys Theater, the only freestanding theater designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright. DTC engages, entertains and inspires a diverse community by creating experiences that stimulate new ways of thinking and living by consistently producing plays, educational programs and community initiatives that are of the highest quality and reach the broadest possible constituency.

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BASS PERFORMANCE HALL

The mission of the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall is to serve as a permanent home to major performing arts organizations of Fort Worth and as a premiere venue for other attractions so as to enhance the range, quality, and accessibility of cultural fare available to the public; to promulgate arts education; and to contribute to the cultural life of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and the region.

“Bass Performance Hall has made Fort Worth a different city, and has changed lives here, both on communal and individual levels…A building that has made itself the heart of the community like no other arts venue in Texas…A magnificent frame for fine performances.”
— Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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DALLAS CHILDREN’S THEATER

Hats off to 30! As we celebrate 30 great years of service to the community, Dallas Children’s Theater announces an astonishing lineup of shows and activities including a hat design contest, a community birthday party, and more free show-themed parties on opening nights!

We raise our hats in gratitude and admiration to all the artists, board members and friends who have helped to make DCT what it is today.

And not to be missed, we are most especially appreciative to the nearly four million patrons, like YOU, who have seen a DCT performance to date.

THANK YOU! Three decades is a dream come true and we are planning parties and fun for everyone so the celebration lasts all season long.

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THEATER THREE & TOO

Theatre Three produces a wide variety of literature for the stage so that our understanding of the human condition is expanded. Theatre Three strives to illuminate the ideas and emotions the author intends rather than imposing other ideas and emotions alien to the writer’s intent. Theatre Three creates a workplace where mature and young artists are supported in personal and artistic growth and to emphasize the employment of artists who make their year-round residence in Dallas and North Texas. Theatre Three is inclusive as a theatre organization recognizing all elements of the company and the community. Theatre Three promotes the particular pleasure that is gained only from live performance of actors and audiences.

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CONTEMPORARY THEATER OF DALLAS

Contemporary Theatre of Dallas wishes to celebrate the human condition through a shared exploration of human relationships via quality live theatrical performances.

Through our exploration of relationships we seek to nourish the common threads that bind all people together. The theater is a natural home for all to share the joys, dreams, trials and tribulations that make up our world today.

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UPTOWN PLAYERS

Now entering its tenth season, Uptown Players has gathered a dedicated following with an annual audience base of over 10,000 patrons, including over 850 season subscribers. The response from the community and critics has been remarkable, including over 25 Leon Rabin Awards from the Dallas Theatre League, several hundred “The Column” Awards and 14 Theatre Critics Forum Awards in its first six seasons. Uptown Players has also been named the best theatre company by the Dallas Voice Readers in 2006 – 2008 and by the Dallas Observer in 2004 and 2005. Uptown Players is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, presenting plays and musicals that challenge audiences artistically, build cultural bridges, and strive to create greater positive public awareness and acceptance through the performing arts. There is no other theater group with this unique mission in the Dallas area.

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POCKET SANDWICH THEATER

We say that our place is “the most fun you can have in a Dallas theatre,” and we constantly strive to live up to that claim. Professional quality, locally produced theatrical shows are blended with good food, drink, and a friendly, casual atmosphere. A place where you can relax while enjoying food, fun, friends, and the thrill of a live theatrical performance in an intimate setting where there isn’t a bad seat in the house (okay, okay – maybe a few bad seats). We seat up to 145 at table, bar, and booth seating, which is assigned on an as-you-arrive basis. Special consideration is given to seat larger groups together, and for patrons with special physical needs.

Funkier than fancy, our storefront location is in the downstairs corner of the Mockingbird Central Plaza Shopping Center (same center as Jason’s Deli and Whole Earth Provision Co.). We have adequate free parking, wheelchair accessibility, vegetarian plates and a smoke-free environment. How’s that for political correctness?

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WATERTOWER THEATER

WaterTower Theatre (WTT), founded in 1996, is not-for-profit professional theatre company in Addison, Texas – just north of Dallas. We produce five main stage shows each season in our flexible, state-of-the-art facility at the Addison Theatre Centre.  Celebrating our 16th anniversary of providing live theatre to the Dallas area, WaterTower Theatre is managed by Producing Artistic Director Terry Martin, who is entering his 14th season here.  WaterTower Theatre has won numerous major awards over the past 15 years.  WTT also produces a number of award-winning educational programs and offers a number of community outreach programs, including reduced ticket prices for seniors and students, to ensure that our work is accessible to as many people as possible.

Conveniently located in the North Dallas area, you can’t ask for more from an entertainment area.  Addison overflows with restaurants for all taste buds and pocketbooks.  Parking is FREE and the art is top-notch.

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CONCERT VENUES

AMERICAN AIRLINES

American Airlines Center was designed by David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, Inc. and HKS, Inc. The team combined architecture and technology to give Dallas a beautiful, fan friendly venue with lots of hi-tech touches. From its sweeping signature arches to the retractable seating, American Airlines Center’s unique features single it out as the premier sports and entertainment venue in the country.

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BILLY BOB'S

To deliver the world’s greatest honky tonk experience and create lasting Texas memories.

We’ll help you embrace your inner cowboy (like we do) by delivering the finest live music, exciting live bull riding and an authentic western atmosphere to enjoy with your family and friends.  We set the highest standards of customer service for ourselves because we know that first impressions are important, but lasting impressions are what matter most.

Our employees are our greatest assets. We believe in teamwork and know that great ideas come from great employees.  We encourage every employee to speak up, to listen to others’ ideas respectfully, and to continuously look for ways to make Billy Bob’s a better place for our guests and ourselves.

We celebrate the tradition of western culture and honor the long and storied history of the Fort Worth Stockyards.  We are proud of the ongoing history and actively support the economic and cultural development in our community.

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COWBOYS STADIUM

AT&T Stadium is more than the home of the Dallas Cowboys, it’s a world of facts and figures about the world’s largest domed structure, an art museum, a classroom. The things you can do inside AT&T Stadium are endless, and with AT&T Stadium Tours, you can experience them all.

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GEXA ENERGY PAVILLION

The Gexa Pavilion Formerly the Superpages.com Center is one of the premier outdoor amphitheaters in the south to catch the summer concert series. Gexa Energy Pavilion was opened in 1988 under the name Coca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre. The venue was also known as the Smirnoff Center from 2000 to 2008. The Superpages.com Center box office can seat 7,533 people for any show and has accommodations for another 12,578 on the lawn. Popular Gexa Energy Pavilion tickets have included Coldplay, Rush, Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Dave Matthews Band, Jonas Brothers, and Roger Waters. The Gexa Pavilion is part of the Fair Park complex that is owned and operated by the City of Dallas.

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GRANDA THEATER

On August 18, 2004 The Granada opened under new management of Mike Schoder, owner of the independent CD World stores. A true music fan, Schoder envisioned a better music venue for Dallas. His installation of big-time sound and lighting systems alone help ensure an improved concert experience. A local artist added decorative scrolls to the entrance doors and poster boxes and applied the midas touch to the lobby bar. Special attention was given to the lobby lighting, enlivening the existing murals and decor.

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HOUSE OF BLUES

The House of Blues grew out of founder Isaac Tigrett’s love for the unique American art form known as the “the Blues”. Weaned on this music during his early childhood in Tennessee, one of Isaac’s goals was to introduce the world to the music of the rural south, including the Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Gospel, Jazz and Roots-based Rock & Roll.

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LONGHORN BALLROOM

The Longhorn Ballroom was built in 1950 for country music legend Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys and was originally named Bob Wills’ Ranch House. It was managed for a time by Jack Ruby before it landed in the capable hands of ‘Dewey’ Groom, who renamed it the Longhorn Ballroom. Groom built it into one of the greatest venues of its day. The Ballroom hosted a wide variety of acts from country legends like Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Charley Pride, Patsy Cline, and George Jones to world-renowned jazz, blues, and R&B artists like B. B. King, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, James Brown, and Al Green. Johnny Rodriquez, Freddy Fender, and Selena have also graced the stage.

A new generation of ownership brings an entrepreneurial and independent spirit and looks forward to returning this legendary venue to its storied heyday.

VERIZON THEATER

One of the most flexible and advanced indoor performance spaces in the United States, Verizon Theatre is the first venue of its kind. Many touring artists have already called Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie “the theater of the future.”

Featuring comfortable, spacious seating, elite luxury suites with private entrances, upscale catering, corporate hospitality areas and convenient parking, Verizon Theatre sets a new standard in the concert and theatrical touring industry.

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PARKS & TRAILS

KATY TRAIL

In Dallas, Texas, abandoned railroad tracks that had once divided the downtown core are rapidly being transformed into the unifying Katy Trail, a linear 3.5-mile (5.6 km) long, landscaped pedestrian, inline skating and bicycle trail system that runs through the most densely developed section of the city.

The trail consists of a 12-foot (3.7 m) wide concrete path for pedestrians and cyclists that runs 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from the American Airlines Center in Victory Park to Mockingbird Station (a DART light rail station) near Southern Methodist University. Next to the concrete path, a soft recycled-rubber track is built parallel for runners.

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LEWISVILLE OUTDOOR LEARNING AREA

Tucked into the folds of the soft rolling hills of north central Texas, situated beneath the Lewisville Dam, the Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) occupies a unique ecological position in the landscape of North America. It is here where the northwestern-most extent of the bottomland forests stretch fingers into the southern end of the tallgrass prairie of the Midwest; where the Elm Fork of the Trinity River winds its way out of the sandy uplands of the dry Cross Timbers into the deep, rich soils of the Blackland prairies; where agricultural lands intergrade with ranching and a rapidly growing urban expanse.

With its diversity of habitats, LLELA is home to a profusion of wildlife.

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NORTHAVEN TRAIL

The Northaven Trail (NHT) is a commuter and recreational bike and hike trail built and maintained by the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department. The Trail currently runs through the Oncor power line easement that is between Northaven Road and Royal Lane. The trail’s master plan runs from Central Expressway to Denton Drive with plans to connect to the White Rock Creek Trail on the east and Irving’s Campion Trail on the west. There will also be connections to DART’s Forest Lane Station and Walnut Hill / Denton Station.

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RAY ROBERTS LAKE STATE PARK

Activities include picnicking, camping, hiking, biking, horseback riding, rollerblading, swimming on a beach area (unsupervised), boating and fishing. Johnson Branch also offers backpacking. If you plan to swim at the park, read through our swimming safety tips before you come.

In addition to campsites and indoor accommodations at Lantana Resort, the park also has four group picnic pavilions.

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TRINITY RIVER TRAIL

The Trinity River Trail, which connects Dallas County’s Joppa Preserve/Lemmon Lake and the Trinity River Audubon Center, currently has a length of about of about 4.5 miles. This twelve-foot-wide trail is the beginning of what is to become an extensive trail system along the Trinity River and already offers scenic views of the river as well as Little Lemmon Lake and Lemmon Lake which are popular stopping points for migratory birds.

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WHITE ROCK TRAIL

Although you may not have notice it, there’s a great local business a few feet from the White Rock Creek Trail near Greenville Avenue. Cafe Silva is a cozy coffee house that serves delicious espresso drinks, home-made pastries, and sandwiches. It is located at the intersection of Royal Lane and Greenville Avenue, about a mile east of US 75. If you’re on the trail, you reach it by taking the side path near the soccer fields at Northwood Park. The entrance faces Royal Lane.

In addition to great food and drinks, the cafe has a great view from its large floor to ceiling windows that overlooks the trail, Royal Oaks golf course and Northwood Park. You can sit and watch people passing by while you sip!

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