Local high schoolers collected the hardware Thursday night at the annual Betty Buckley Awards.

Tyrees Allen has been on dozens of TV shows and a coupla Broadway shows. But he came back to North Texas to act for the African-American Rep – to support the DeSoto company and as something of a personal challenge.

Places like Italy, China and Russia have become breeding grounds for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. But this year’s field also includes a competitor from spot that rarely makes the cut – Dallas. Here’s the story of the musician who’s finally getting to compete in his own backyard.

Memorial Day Weekend is one of the biggest movie weekends of the year. But this weekend’s biggest film – Epic – is based on a tale that’s actually smaller than life. Here’s the story of how a phone call between a couple of SMU alums launched a movie project a decade in the making.

Local arts advocacy group ArtLoveMagic holds its signature event, Underground, on Saturday. It’s a live art show, where visitors can watch artists at work. The event is part of the organization’s mission to help connect artists with the public.

Fela! is a thunderous wall of sound-and-dance. In staging the life, music and defiant politics of the Nigerian firebrand, choreographer-director Bill T. Jones has gone for hip-shaking, sexual energy – not so much for coherent story. But the world tour at the Winspear is top-notch.

For a musical, Fly By Night is not big or splashy and there’s very little of what might be called dancing. Yet Fly By Night is easily the best new musical the Dallas Theater Center has presented.

Texas energy trader Enron was the largest corporate failure in history in 2001. Since then, Bernie Madoff and our ugly recession have made us forget it. Lucy Prebble’s drama, Enron, is a pointed reminder. And it finally gets its North Texas premiere at Theatre Three.

You can help get affordable housing for artists built here in North Texas. You’ve got until July 1 to fill out the survey, but hey, you’re online now, aren’t you?

A well-traveled guest conductor, Emmanuel Villaume was music director of the Spoleto Festival USA for ten years. He’ll be only the third music director in Dallas Opera history.