Texas
Enjoy TEXAS and Shakespeare in the Canyon this season
The TEXAS Outdoor Musical announces its upcoming 58th season, with tickets on sale now, alongside a new series being introduced to the outdoor stage, “Shakespeare in the Canyon.”
According to a news release, the TEXAS production will run every Tuesday through Sunday from June 6 to Aug. 3. “Shakespeare in the Canyon” will have a limited viewing, available every Tuesday through the month of July beginning July 9.
“TEXAS Outdoor Musical” is a family-friendly show set against an authentic tapestry of history. The show’s fictional characters bring to life the stories, struggles and triumphs of the settlers of the Texas Panhandle in the 1800s. Song and dance abound – and a generous helping of good ol’ Texas humor, too – with spellbinding lighting and special effects. The show takes place every year in the beautiful Pioneer Amphitheater carved out and nestled into the natural basin of Palo Duro Canyon, the second largest canyon in the United States. This years new season also offering “Shakespeare in the Canyon” which uses the talented cast to showcase different types of theatre in this rare setting.
“This is the 58th season of Texas Outdoor Musical. We are very excited to once again offer the story of the setting in the Texas Panhandle by song and dance, all performed in the canyon representing the historic routes of the production. … We are also excited to officially launch a ‘Shakespeare in the Canyon’ series, which will present ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ on Tuesdays in July in lieu of Texas,” Stephen Crandall, artistic director for TEXAS Outdoor Musical, said.
According to Crandall, the Shakespearian series is an addition to the production after seeing the community’s enjoyment of their previous Shakespeare inspired productions. Crandall said this year’s “Shakespeare in the Canyon” will be an official launching of a new formal series, where new productions of the iconic works will be performed each season.
“We of course encourage everyone to try to see both productions. Attending a show in the amphitheater in the canyon is a really special experience; it is a very beautiful serene landscape. … It is just an overall enjoyable experience to sit in the audience and be entertained in the open under the stars. It is such a one-of-a-kind experience,” Crandall said.
In addition, the production is also seeking seasonal personnel for the upcoming production. Applications are now being accepted online at https://www.texas-show.com/p/auditions-employment .
“We are gearing up, about to start our audition process; for that, we hire approximately 80 to 100 individuals to work onstage and back stage and then another number of people to run the front of house. This is a big production, and we are excited to begin seeking for that,” Crandall said.
Summer 2024 TEXAS Outdoor Musical Schedule:June 6 – August 3rd
Tuesday- Sunday
- 6 p.m.: Amphitheatre, Box Office and Parking Opens
- 6:15-7:45 p.m.: BBQ Dinner (must be pre-purchased)
- 6:45-7:30 p.m.: Pre-Show Entertainment
- 7:40 p.m.: Amphitheatre Seating Opens
- 8 p.m.: Show
Summer 2024 Shakespeare in the Canyon Schedule:
Tuesdays in July: 9, 16, 23, 30
- 6:30 p.m.: Amphitheatre, Concession, Box Office and Parking Opens
- 7-7:30 p.m.: Pre-Show Entertainment
- 7:40 p.m.: Amphitheatre Seating Opens
- 8 p.m.: Show
The option to purchase the crowd favorite Chuckwagon meal, serving a BBQ dinner, will be available with the Texas production only. Special themed foods will be available at the concession stand for the Shakespeare in the Canyon shows, including turkey legs and more.
Discounts are available for seniors, military and West Texas A&M University staff/faculty/students applicable for both of the shows. Children ages 12 and under are eligible to receive free admission to “Shakespeare in the Canyon”. Children ages four and under are eligible for a discount for the production of TEXAS with ages 12 to 4 years old eligible for a discounted admission fee.
The TEXAS VIP package offers premier parking, souvenir posters, back stage tours and best seats in the house. This offer is available for TEXAS only.
Guests can purchase tickets to both shows by purchasing the new Season Membership available now.
Tickets and information are available at texas-show.com or by calling our Box Office at 806-651-2181. For our complete listing of costs, volunteer opportunities and more information, visit www.texas-show.com
Just days before Mother’s Day, a North Texas father is grieving the sudden loss of his wife and unborn son after she died unexpectedly, only days before her due date. Avi Carey said he is still in shock over the death of his wife, Tiffany, whom he described as his “rock” and “soulmate.”
“Tiffany’s smile, her radiance, her presence … she didn’t meet a stranger,” Carey said.
Nearly two decades together
The couple had been together for nearly two decades, raising two children, Kingston and Kasyn, and preparing to welcome their third child, a baby boy they planned to name Kylo.
Carey said Tiffany began complaining of a severe headache just days before she was due to give birth. He recalled her sitting on the couch, dozing off multiple times – something he said was unusual.
A short time later, Carey found her unresponsive.
“I saw her face … her lips were blue. And I already knew,” he said with tears in his eyes.
A celebration turned to heartbreak
Tiffany Carey and her unborn son died May 2, leaving behind a grieving husband and two children. The loss came less than a week after the family had celebrated a baby shower.
“We went from celebrating the baby shower to planning a funeral in less than five days,” Carey said.
A crisis affecting Black mothers
Health officials say cases like this highlight a broader crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women in the United States are more than three times as likely as white women to die from pregnancy‑related causes, and most of those deaths – around 80% – are considered preventable.
Carey said he is still searching for answers and now lives with questions about whether warning signs were missed.
“I would say educate yourself. Take everything seriously,” he said. “That should have been a red flag … the headache.”
Honoring Tiffany’s legacy
Now, surrounded by baby supplies meant for a child who never arrived, Carey said he is focused on honoring Tiffany’s memory and raising their children with the values she lived by.
“She always said, ‘You’ve got to lead with love,’” he said. “She did that in everything.”
Trump administration to release UFO files soon, president says
President Trump said his administration plans to release information and materials relating to UFOs.
Ever look up at the vast Texas sky and see something move across it? It could be a shooting star, a satellite — or a UFO.
The Pentagon released several documents Friday, May 8, detailing sightings of unidentified flying objects, or “bogeys,” in U.S. airspace, including reports from Texas.
The documents were released by the U.S. Department of Defense at the directive of President Donald Trump, marking the release of government files related to “alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP)” and UFOs.
“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves. This release of declassified documents demonstrates the Trump Administration’s earnest commitment to unprecedented transparency,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in a statement.
Here’s a look at the files related to Texas.
UFO spotted in 1948 above Abilene, Texas
A DoD incident summary shows that on Jan. 1, 1948, a man identified as “Mr. A. Schroeder” reported a UFO in the 1100 block of Highland Ave in Abilene, Texas.
Schroeder reported seeing a stationary bright blue-green bell-shaped object in the western sky above Abilene at 1:25 a.m. and 1:30 a.m.
Fort Worth man sees UFO above Alaska
Also in 1948, Lt. Aytch Johnson noticed a silver flat disk in the sky in Fairbanks, Alaska.
According to the incident report, the Fort Worth man observed the object flying over Alaska at around 1:06 p.m. on April 18, 1948, at an estimated speed of 250 to 300 miles per hour.
The report also noted that the sighting “may have been the reflection of sun from wings” of aircrafts flying in the area at the time.
Possible UFO sighting during the NASA Gemini 7 space launch
The DoD released the transcript and audio file of NASA’s Gemini 7 mission in 1965 when astronaut Frank Borman reported to NASA mission control in Houston his sighting of an unidentified object, which he referred to as a “bogey.”
While the launch didn’t take place in Texas, the report came back to space control in Houston.
The conversation occurred on Dec. 5, 1965 — 4 hours and 24 minutes into the flight — when Borman notified space control that there was a “bogey” on their left-hand side.
When asked to clarify what they are seeing, Borman said he was seeing “hundreds of little particles” on their left, about three to four miles away.
As NASA Public Affairs clarified, the bogey was an unidentified object, along with the particles.
Pentagon documents report of other possible sightings in Texas
Some documents have connections or reports of possible UFO sightings in Texas, but are missing details to understand the situation.
For example, the DoD received a clipping from the Yoakum Times-Record reporting UFO sightings by Mrs. Anna Banys in 1947, but it is unclear why she was writing to the DoD.
This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.
Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
Concern over effectiveness of AMBER Alerts
For nearly 30 years, the AMBER Alert has helped locate hundreds of children, but one of its founders believes changes should be made to make the emergency alert system more effective.
Fox – 7 Austin
An AMBER Alert has been issued for a 13-year-old girl abducted from Louisiana who was last seen in North Texas.
Merlin Chirinos-Argueta was last seen around 7:10 p.m. May 7 in Allen, Texas, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Authorities say the teen was abducted from Keithville, Louisiana, and may be traveling in Texas
Chirinos-Argueta is described as a 13-year-old Hispanic girl with black hair and brown eyes. She is about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds, officials said.
The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office said Merlin was reported missing Thursday. May 7 from the 6200 block of Bain Boulevard in Keithville. Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr. said investigators are asking for the public’s help in locating the teen.
Investigators believe she may be with 18-year-old Daniel Vasquez Mejia, who has black hair and brown eyes.
Merlin has not been in contact with her family, which has raised concerns for her safety and well-being, authorities said. The investigation is ongoing.
Authorities say they may be traveling in a white Chevrolet SUV with Texas license plate VML6061. The vehicle is believed to have a skull sticker on the rear driver’s side back window and a “mojo” sticker on the passenger side rear window.
Anyone with information is urged to call 911 or contact the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-675-2170.
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