Summer Camps & Standup Comedy Standout at Irving Arts Center

Upcoming Performances

June 3 | The Author’s Café

Presented by Irving Black Arts Council

7:30 p.m. | $15-$20

An evening celebrating black authors, writers, bloggers, poets, bookstore owners and literary friends from the Dallas-Fort Worth community. Featured authors will share their unique journey during this grown-up affair, hosted by Spoken Word artist Markel Jackson.

June 8-9 | Disney Aladdin Jr.

Presented by Irving Youth Theatre

7 p.m. | $17.50

Youth from the Irving community come together with Entertainment Series of Irving’s new educational outreach initiative, Irving Youth Theatre. For their first production, they bring “a whole new world” to Irving Arts Center’s Dupree Theater. Discover the truth of the lamp: “it’s not what is outside, but what is inside that counts” in Disney Aladdin Jr.

June 23 | TGIF Comedy Nights: Kristin Key

Presented by Irving Arts Center

7:30 p.m. | $27.50-$32.50

Irving Arts Center is pleased to introduce a new standup comedy series coming this summer: TGIF Comedy Nights. The first of these comedy nights features headliner Kristin Key with support from CJ Starr. Kristin Key grew up a minister’s daughter in a small town in West Texas. Known for her original comedy songs and rapid-fire style of stand-up, Kristin has performed on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and “Bring the Funny.” Key has recorded five full-length stand-up comedy albums and one studio music comedy album. She currently hosts the “Kristin Knows Blank” podcast. Additional credits include appearances on "Comics Unleashed," "VH-1’s 100 Greatest Series" and "The Bob and Tom Show."

Opener CJ Starr was raised all over the Midwest, but his comedy was born in Texas. A mid-40s man trying to win Stepdad of the Year as he tries to figure out what he wants to do when he grows up, Starr has worked as a writer for Apple TV and as an actor for the web series “Giggle-Lows.” He’s performed his stand-up on "Fox Laughs" multiple times. He can be seen on Hulu and heard on his podcast, “Dad Bodies of Comedy.”

June 30-July 9 | Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

Presented by Gateway Performing Arts

$18-$32

Celebrate Christmas in July with a musical based on the beloved film with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.

Youth And Family Programs

June 1 | JumpstART Stories & Art: Summer Splash!

10 a.m. | Free

It is summer! Time to chill out with stories and art that are all about summer fun at the beach and by the pool.

June 11 | Second Sunday Funday: Mixed Media Mash

Up + Teen Open Studio

1 to 4 p.m. | Free | All ages Discover the creative possibilities of making mixed media artwork and collage with a variety of materials.

Irving Arts Center In The Galleries

Free to view. Open Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. No advance reservation needed. Guided tours are offered the first Saturday and second Sunday of every month at 2 p.m.

Texas Sculpture Group Membership Show

Through July 8 | Main & Focus Galleries

Works by members of the Texas Sculpture Group will be on display in both the Main and Focus galleries. Founded in 2010, the Texas Sculpture Group promotes Texas-based contemporary sculpture and supports the work of sculptors in Texas through exhibitions, publications, educational outreach and programs.

Creating for Change

Through July 15 | Courtyard Gallery

This exhibit features art created by Irving Arts Center Teen Ambassadors and volunteers.

Evolution: Paintings by Jo Temming

Through July 29 | Carpenter Lobby Gallery

Jo Temming is an Asian American artist who creates contemporary minimalist art ranging from small single-panel pieces to large-scale multipanel works. Her artistic objective is to eliminate the extraneous and reduce her art to the simplest form, whether with composition, color or form. Jo believes that the connection between artist and viewer should be collaborative, so she frequently designs her creations so they can be displayed and viewed in multiple ways.

June 12-16 | Intro to Art Mini Camp: Color Safari

10 a.m. to noon | $75 for the week | Ages 4-5

Mini campers embark on a week-long adventure. Each day has a color focus and a safari in search of all the creatures that have the same color, starting with YELLOW! Wear something yellow the first day, and let the journey begin! Campers will keep a colorful Safari Journal all week to document discoveries. Be ready to paint, draw and create through the whole color wheel!

June 19-23 | Intro to Theatre Mini Camp: Who’s Who in the Zoo?

10 a.m. to noon | $75 for the week | Ages 4-5

Create a zoo with all sorts of animals from peacocks to kangaroos, complete with habitats and plants! Create a play about the zoo with costumes and props the students make. The week-long mini camp will conclude with a showcase for families and friends.

June 26-30 | Theatre Camp: Who’s Who in the Zoo?

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | $225 for the week | Ages 7-14

Final Performance: Friday, June 30 at 6 p.m.

This camp provides activities for 60 children divided by age into four acting companies. Professional theatre artists will lead students through a unique experience that encourages ensemble building, self-esteem and problem solving. Students will learn and develop skills in acting, singing, adaptation and much more! Students stage a final performance that includes plays, songs and dances created from stories written by the campers, as well as some of Child’s Play’s favorite repertory pieces. For more information about all activities planned, visit IrvingArtsCenter.com

Windows: Works by Mark Goad

Through Aug. 26 | Dupree Lobby Gallery

Mark Goad is an Irving native (an Irving High School and University of Dallas grad) who, after many years in Austin, has returned to North Texas. Finding inspiration in the landscape of his native Texas, as well as a myriad of other subjects, Goad creates unique works of art through a most unique process — essentially painting with fiber pulp. Mark’s method is unique because his application of liquified paper pulp becomes the handmade paper and the “painted” image together. The fiber literally becomes the medium and the canvas. Solidified in their final form, the pieces are delicate, yet able to hold a weight of detail. Depicting the natural beauty of his home state and occasionally the characters who comprise it, Goad is a true Texas original, conjuring scenes and a slice of life in The Lone Star State.