05.20.2024

Today’s Forecast

90º | 10% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:27 a.m. | Sunset 8:25 p.m.
Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

🎭 That’s showbiz

Hidden Gem: Find magic in your pocket at Hip Pocket Theatre

Hip Pocket Theatre has debuted new works and presented retold classics for nearly 50 years. | Photo by FTWtoday

West on Silver Creek Road and past Brewer High School — the route to Hip Pocket Theatre might as well be “the second star to the right and straight on til morning.” The experimental, rural theater isn’t altogether unlike Peter Pan’s Neverland.

When creator Johnny Simons, costume designer Diane Simons, and composer Douglas Balentine set out from Casa Manaña in the 1970s — with only the cash in their hip pockets — their goal was to produce theater like no one had seen before. Nearly 50 years later, the founding trio’s legacy is still making magic on the shores of Lake Worth.

The small outdoor theater — in its third location at 1950 Silver Creek Rd. — is now run by Johnny and Diane Simons’ daughters Lake and Lorca, alongside a team of volunteers, who produce a mix of original compositions and classic re-tellings.

FTW-hip-pocket-theatre-entry — The open-air theater allows guests to witness performance art while appreciating the natural North Texas landscape.
|
Photo by FTWtoday

Sharing the site with wildflowers, field mice, and birds of prey, the “always under construction” outdoor venue is composed of salvaged materials — like painted wagon wheels and rusting corrugated tin roofing — twinkly lights, and a lot of storytelling.

“This is an imagination place,” Quinten McGown, Hip Pocket’s Board of Directors treasurer, said. “We’re trying to help people maintain their imaginations at a time when everyone says we shouldn’t have one.”

FTW-hip-pocket-theatre-backyard-night — Gates open at 7:30 p.m. for live music and drinks in the BackYard.
|
Photo courtesy of Hip Pocket Theatre

Hip Pocket Theatre raised the curtain on its 48th season last Friday, premiering Basil Twist’s “A Twisty Intergalactic Spectacle,” which will run through Sunday, June 2. Grab tickets for the 9 p.m. showtime. Pro tip: Pack a seat cushion and bug spray.

Don’t forget to show up early or stay after the show for live music by local artists in the BackYard picnic-style bar. Here’s a look at the rest of the season:

Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream "| Friday, June 14-Sunday, July 7
“Raft Project” | Friday, Aug. 9-Sunday, Aug. 25
“Big Love” | Friday, Sept. 6-Sunday, Sept. 29
Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” | Friday, Oct. 11-Sunday, Nov. 3

Explore other secret spots in Fort Worth with our Hidden Gem series.

Asked

Have you ever been in a play?

A. Many times — the show must go on
B. 1-2 times — in obligatory school productions
C. No — stage fright wins every time
D. Not yet — my debut is yet to come

Take the stage

Events

Monday, May 20

Yappy Hour | Monday, May 20 | 4-7 p.m. | Bohemian Bull, 1112 W. Northwest Hwy., Grapevine | Free | Bring your fur-ever friend for happy hour specials, including $4 pints — 25% of sales go to Grapevine Animal Services.

Tuesday, May 21

Yoga in the Park | Tuesday, May 21 | 5:30-6:15 p.m. | Burnett Park, 501 W. 7th St., Fort Worth | Free | BYO mat for a post-work stretch for yogis of all levels.

Wednesday, May 22

Westside Farmers Market | Wednesday, May 22, Wednesday, May 29 | 2-6 p.m. | Westside Presbyterian Church, 8700 Chapin Rd., Fort Worth | Free | Stock up on fresh produce and support local growers.

Thursday, May 23

BTX Honey Tour Carnival | Thursday, May 23-Sunday, May 26 | Times vary | Chisenhall Fields, 500 W. Hidden Creek Parkway, Burleson | Free | Enjoy live music, carnival rides, arts and crafts, and family-friendly activities.

Friday, May 24

ZestFest | Friday, May 24-Sunday, May 26 | Times vary | Will Rogers Memorial Center, 3401 W. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth | $18.78-$60 | Ignite your taste buds with the ultimate spicy food and barbecue festival.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Number

978,468. That was Fort Worth’s official population count in 2023, according to newly released data from the US Census Bureau. Now the fastest-growing city by population, Fort Worth is 12th largest city in the US, trailing Austin by less than 2,000 people.

Opening

Gregorys Coffee, a Manhattan-based cafe, will make its Texas debut tomorrow at North East Mall in Hurst. Stop by for fresh coffee, warm pastries made in-house, and roasted coffee beans to take home. (CultureMap Fort Worth)

Closing

On Sunday, May 26, Pinky’s Champagne Room & Velvet Lounge will shut its doors. The Near Southside bar at 615 S. Jennings Ave. opened in 2022 as a showcase spot for local jazz musicians.

Civic

City officials halted a proposal to charge residents for street maintenance. The proposed fee would have increased property owners’ city service bills by ~$110 annually, but was terminated last week.

Edu

Tarleton State University will soon allow eligible first-year students to attend without tuition and fees. The Stephenville-based school is expanding its Tarleton Promise Program to the Fort Worth campus so that students’ financial situations will not prevent them from higher education.

Coming Soon

Japanese tchotchke store Daiso is opening a new Fort Worth location off Camp Bowie Boulevard on Saturday, June 1. The first 100 customers to visit the 9,824-sqft store on opening weekend + spend at least $30 will get an exclusive goodie bag.

Eat

Diners have less than two months to eat at Reata Restaurant and Los Vaqueros in the restaurants’ current locations. Both eateries will go dark on June 30 to relocate to their new homes — each within two blocks of their current spots. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Legacy

Former Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage died on Thursday at 65 years old. “One of the world’s biggest race fans,” Gossage was the track’s first general manager in 1996. (WFAA)

Sports

How favorable is the newly unveiled upcoming schedule for “America’s Team”? Find out from the local experts of the Dallas Cowboys with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Biz

How do Tarrant County’s movers + shakers stay ahead of the competition? They read 817 Biz. In less than five minutes, you’ll learn so much about local business that you’ll be a hit at both the office and happy hour. Join entrepreneurs, aspiring business leaders + others by subscribing to 817 Biz.*

Finance

Ah, the art of the balance transfer. This card offers not one, not six, but 18 months of 0% intro APR on balance transfers, giving you nearly two years to save big. (Plus, you can earn 2% cash back on purchases with no annual fee.) Learn more and apply.*

Home

You deserve beautiful, energy-efficient windows and doors. Renewal by Andersen^® is offering buy one, get one 40% off + $200 off your order for a limited time.*

Transit

🚊 All Aboard

All Aboard: Trinity Metro unveils new TEXRail fleet names

Trade in your bumper-to-bumper commute for a comfy ride on TEXrail. | Photo by @ridetrinitymetro

In January, Trinity Metro launched a contest to help name seven of the trains in its TEXRail fleet in honor of the commuter service’s fifth anniversary.

The commuters didn’t disappoint, submitting over 1,000 suggestions. In addition to the already named Spike train, meet the new trains, each featuring a signature logo:

Maverick sports a spur.
Miles clocks distance with an odometer.
Vaquero dons a cowboy hat.
Ranger is emblazoned with a star-shaped badge.
Panther is printed with a paw.
Bluebonnet sprouts the state flower.
Zippy speeds along with a double-arrow logo.

Some of our favorite suggestions that didn’t make the cut are:

Meghan Trainor
Purple Panther Prowler
Howdy Express
Funkytown Fred
No Train, No Gain

Ready to ride? Hop aboard TEXRail to spend a day in downtown Grapevine or grab a flight from DFW Airport.

The Buy

Group B, The Buy 5.20.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

An excellent summer hydration bottle: Hydro Flask’s 32-oz. stainless bottle with a flex straw lid. Color “Sugar Crush” is only available for a limited time, and it’s so cute and summery, we’ve got all the heart eyes for it.

Share FTWtoday

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

Facebook

Twitter

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_11}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.

Claim your rewards

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Kate

From the editor

An anonymous Haslet resident purchased a $50 scratch-off lottery ticket from a convenience store off Saginaw Boulevard and has pocketed some major cash. What would you do with $5 million? Send us your local lottery dreams.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY