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Here are the top 8 things to do in Houston this weekend

Houston Ballet presents never-before-seen footage of Just by Stanton Welch.

Photo by Noor Eemaan

This weekend offers up some drive-in laughs, dog-friendly fun for National Fetch Day, and some totally stroll-worthy local markets. Meanwhile, the ballet spins to a virtual performance, while a local theater company pays homage to the legendary Stevie Wonder.

Here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, October 15

Houston Ballet presents A Night at Jacob’s Pillow
This weekend is the last time you can check out this virtual ballet, which made its world premiere in August 2018 at the historic Ted Shawn Theater. This ballet will also feature never-before-seen footage of Just by Stanton Welch. Commissioned by Jacob's Pillow for the company's return to its famous summer festival after 40 years, Welch's edgy choreography showcases the dancer's raw emotion while exploring the heartbreak of lost love. 10 am.

A.D. Players presents Signed, Sealed, Delivered: John-Mark McGaha Sings Stevie Wonder
Now that the real Stevie Wonder has recently decided to part ways with longtime Motown, perhaps now would be a good time to have somebody take you back to those classic songs the Grammy-winning legend did for the label. Singer and multi-instrumentalist John-Mark McGaha (The Ray Charles Legacy, Smokey Joe's Cafe) will pay tribute to Wonder and his music with this show, which will run through Sunday, October 31. 7:30 pm (3 and 8 pm Saturday; 2:30 pm Sunday).

Friday, October 16

The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival
Like so many things that have been popping off during these pandemic times, the Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival is going virtual. A celebration that is designed to bring the joy of fine art and fine crafts into the homes of art lovers in the community and beyond, the festival will also have a VIP Art Dash Party on Friday. It will be transformed into an intimate, virtual experience with an online “happy hour” and raffle for art by featured artist and naturalist Christina Smith. 10 am.

Bert Kreischer at Moonstruck Drive-In
Bert Kreischer has been making some cool moves lately. Earlier this week, his new show The Cabin with Bert Kreischer debuted on Netflix, where he and fellow comic buddies rough it in the woods. But you can still see him in his element: onstage, with his shirt off, telling embarrassing but usually funny stories. The thing is, you’re gonna have to be in your car to take that in. He’s just one of several comics as of late who’ve been hitting the road and playing drive-ins across the country. 10:30 pm.

Saturday, October 17

Canines and Croissants at CityPlace
Saturday is National Fetch Day, and CityPlace has an event where you can spend some quality time with your beloved pet. This complimentary, pet-friendly event will feature professional dog portraits, pet adoptions from Special Pals, vet consultations from Banfield Pet Hospital, and live music from musician Lloyd Hughes. Vendors such as Furrever Doggies, MexiPaws Boutique, and Natural Pawz will be on site offering delicious treats and handmade accessories for dogs of every breed and size. 10 am.

Jack Rabbit Gallery presents "Nostalgia!" opening reception
Jack Rabbit Gallery, the Heights-located spot which prides itself on being “not your typical art gallery,” has an exhibition debuting this weekend that, judging from the title, may have some spectators affectionately reminiscing about certain points in time. This group show features new paintings and photo composite works by Elisabeth Ladwig, Matthew Paoletti, Tom Jean Webb, and more. It will be on view through Tuesday, December 1. 6 pm.

Sunday, October 18

Wanderlust Market HTX
Well, this looks like a fun, bohemian time had by all. Head over to East Downtown (that’s EaDo, for people in the know) every Sunday and take in four hours of outdoor shopping, live music, games, food trucks, a full bar, and oh-so-much more. No flights are needed to discover international foods, textiles, artisan products, games ,and performances representing countries from all over the world. 11am.

Art Hop at Sawyer Yards
Have you ever visited a bunch of art studios and said to yourself, “Do you know what would make this better? Beer!” Holler Brewing Co. will be making your dreams come true with this ale-saturated tour throughout Sawyer Yards. Each participant will pick up his or her map at Holler, grab some beer to-go and visit multiple stops to chat with artists and view artwork on display. There will also be prizes given out by the artists, as well as a prize from Holler if you visit five stops. 3 pm.

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Movie Review

Cookie Queens goes behind the scenes of Girl Scout Cookie season

Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Girl Scouts in Cookie Queens.

Few people are strong enough to resist the lure of Girl Scout cookie season every year, with the cookies’ limited availability and unique flavors a strong incentive to indulge. But only the girls and their families who have sold the cookies know the joys and stresses of trying to get people to buy them, a process that is detailed in the new documentary, Cookie Queens.

The film by documentarian Alysa Nahmias uses the stories of four different girls to represent the nationwide ritual for the Girl Scouts. They include 12-year-old Olive in Charlotte, North Carolina, a longtime top seller; 8-year-old Shannon Elizabeth in El Paso, Texas, who wants to earn the reward of going to camp; 5-year-old Ara in San Diego, California, whose goal is modest compared to most other girls; and 9-year-old Nikki in Chino, California, who has to compete with her older sisters in the cookie-selling bonanza.

The girls represent a cross-section of both ages and backgrounds, with some girls coming from wealthy families and some girls dealing with more limited means. And how much money your family has makes a big difference, as not only does someone richer have more freedom with their time and supplies, but all scouts are required to reimburse the organization for every box they take in, regardless of whether they’re able to sell it or not.

That caveat makes the journeys of the four featured girls feel wildly different. It’s clear from the start that Olive and Nikki’s families don’t give a second thought to the personal economics of selling cookies, with each girl taking in thousands of boxes at the beginning of the six-week selling season. With both Olive and Nikki rightfully confident that they’ll have no problem offloading their supply, their stories turn to how selling is personally affecting them, with each trying to reconcile the fun of doing it with the pressure they feel from their family members.

Shannon Elizabeth’s story is more harrowing, as her parents feel a strong desire to help her accomplish her lofty goal, but worry that the cost might literally be too high for the family as a whole. More than once, the parents are shown fretting that they won’t have the money to pay back what they owe should they fall significantly short in their sales. Their selling approach, which includes walking through an empty swap meet and standing outside a chain restaurant at night, only adds to their stress.

The most fun story to watch is that of Ara, whose innocence is matched by her confidence. Her parents teach her how much money they’ll owe with her small goal of 55 boxes, but right away she takes on more responsibility than expected. She’s shown making sales pitches and tallying the total number of boxes she’s sold with little-to-no help from either her mom or dad. With her high voice, glasses, and a monitor on her arm to manage her diabetes, she becomes the cute and sympathetic part of the film.

There are times that the film starts to feel more than a little manipulative, however. While many of the moments documented come off as organic, some of them seem like Nahmias is actively guiding the participants in order to get a better story. This is especially evident with Shannon Elizabeth and her family, whose early struggles turn into a miraculous feel-good story by the end, a turnaround that seems implausible at best. Everything with them might have been aboveboard, but Nahmias and her team edit the family’s journey in a way that pushes a bit too hard for emotion.

Cookie Queens, which was produced by a company owned by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, helps to give insight into the business of selling Girl Scout cookies for those who’ve only been on the purchasing end of the transaction. The dedication of each girl toward selling their allotted supply proves fun and interesting, even if the filmmaker tries to gild the lily on occasion.

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Cookie Queens is now playing in theaters,

movies girl scout cookie film

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