Wed 7 – Fresh off his Oscar nomination for directing Das Boot, Wolfgang Petersen came to America to make The NeverEnding Story, a fantasy film about a boy saving an enchanted kingdom from the Nothingness that threatens to annihilate it. The 1984 film that featured some of the best special effects of its day screens at 2pm and 7pm today at various movie theaters. Check Calendar for locations. Tickets are $4.60-9. Call 818-761-6100.
Thur 8 – For the opening of its 2016-17 season, Texas Camerata focuses on sacred music. Countertenor Ryland Angel, a favorite with the ensemble, joins the group for a performance of religious music accompanied by images from Baroque Era churches in Europe to give you a sense of the environment in which this was first performed. The concert is at 7pm at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1206 Throckmorton St, FW. Tickets are $5-20. Call 817-738-7939.
Fri 9 – If you’ve seen the TV show Empire, you’ll easily recognize the world of The Lion in Winter, James Goldman’s drama about King Henry II of England as he tries to pick a successor among his three sons while his ex-wife drops in and dispenses bitchy comments about everyone. Tarrant Actors Regional Theatre puts on this royal intrigue shot through with dysfunctional family drama today thru Sep 25 at Fort Worth Community Arts Center, 1300 Gendy St, FW. Tickets are $5-15. Call 682-231-0082.
Sat 10 – When you come down to it, is there really ever a bad time for bratwurst? The city of Mansfield gets a jump on all those German-themed celebrations scheduled for next month by holding WurstFest, ringing in the fall with live music, dancing, arts and crafts, and plenty of the German sausage that goes so well with mustard and beer. The event is 2-10pm in historic downtown Mansfield. Admission is free. Call 817-804-5795.
Sun 11 – Of all the 9/11 memorials in our area today, UNT College of Music looks to have the best-sounding one, as the school’s various musical ensembles perform Copland’s well-known Fanfare for the Common Man and John Rutter’s soothing, accessible Requiem. The concert is at 4pm at Winspear Hall, 2100 I-35E Frontage Rd, Denton. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Call 940-369-7802.
Mon 12 – Some musical shows are too wispy or dated for Artisan Center Theater, while others are too filthy to fit with the troupe’s squeaky-clean ethos. However, they all have songs that are worth hearing, which is why the company is putting on Songs From Shows You’ll Never See at Artisan, a revue that promises exactly what it says in the title, Fri thru Oct 8 at Belaire Theater, 420 E Pipeline Rd, Hurst. Tickets are $11-18. Call 817-284-1200.
Tues 13 – Ever seen a topaz stone weighing 10 pounds or a blue topaz stone the size of a football? You can at Giant Gems of the Smithsonian, a new exhibit at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. These huge semiprecious jewels have been lent from the nation’s capital to the Dallas institution which has a whole wing devoted to stones and jewels. The show runs Fri thru Jan 17 at 2201 N Field St, Dallas. Admission is $11-17. Call 214-428-5555.
