2022 was a busy year for the arts and entertainment around the Permian Basin.
The upcoming year will be no different.
2023 will feature numerous festivals and events in the Midland and Odessa area.
From the new season of Broadway in the Basin to Mural Fest in May to Disney On Ice in March, there will be something for everyone.
As always, the beginning of the new year in Odessa means it’s time to saddle up and head towards Ector County Coliseum for the 2023 SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo which will take place from Jan. 5-14.
This year’s edition of the stock show will mark its 90th anniversary.
There will be plenty of rodeo performances, roping, a livestock show and more.
Broadway in the Basin will begin its 11th season, starting with “Jesus Christ Superstar” at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center.
All Broadway in the Basin shows will take place at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center.
Broadway in the Basin will continue its 2023 season with “My Fair Lady” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15, followed by “Hairspray” at 7:30 p.m., March 6 and “Anastasia” at 7:30 p.m. April 2.
Its season will conclude with “Cats” at 7:30 p.m. May 4.
The Ellen Noël Art Museum may be undergoing renovations right now but that won’t mean that one of its signature events is put on hold as Shrimpfest ‘23 will take place at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 27.
Midland’s Museum of the Southwest will also feature numerous exhibitions this year with Seymour Fogel and Simon Waranch in January, Daryl Howard and Andrea Reyes in April, Lauren Ruiz in June, Angelica Raquel and Thomas Blackshear in July, Woody Gwyn and Christopher Benson and even Andy Warhol and Fritz Scholder in October.
Disney lovers will relish the return of Disney On Ice at Ector County Coliseum this March.
It’ll be the first time since 2017 that Disney On Ice will be performing in Odessa.
There will be six performances at the coliseum from March 9-12.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. March 9, 7:30 p.m. March 10, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. March 11, and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. March 12.
Of course, there will be plenty of fundraisers this year and one of which includes Dancing with the West Texas Stars.
Put on by the Crisis Center of West Texas, Dancing with the West Texas Stars will take place at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Ector Theatre.
Another fundraiser will be Odessa’s Got Talent which is going to resume for its third year.
The event serves as a fundraiser for the Permian Basin Mission Center and while an exact date has not been announced yet, it is slated to return sometime in the spring/summer.
There will always be something new to the calendar each year and this spring, the inaugural Mural Fest will take place on May 13 in downtown Odessa.
The day will feature live music with a concert at 9 p.m. May 13 at Ector Theatre as well as watching and participating as artists paint five new murals in downtown Odessa.
There will also be a bike zoo, painted pianos, art vendors and more throughout the day.
Of course, no preview for entertainment is complete without a look at upcoming local theatre shows in the basin.
Basin Theatre Works is getting ready for its new season with its first show which will be a classic Texas play called “Greater Tuna.”
Auditions for the production will take place at 7 p.m. on Jan. 3 and 4 at the Permian Playhouse on 310 W. 42nd street.
The dates for the show are Feb. 24-26 and March 3-5.
Midland Community Theatre will begin its 2023 season with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” which will run from Feb. 3-March 4.
MCT will also be putting on “Sense and Sensibility” (March 24-April 15), “Rock of Ages” (April 28- May 13), “Leader of the Pack” (July 14-23), “Rumors” (Sept. 8-30), “The Diary of Anne Frank” (Oct. 6-15) and “The Girl on the Train” (Oct. 20-Nov. 11).
MCT’s 2023 season will conclude with the famous Rogers and Hammerstein musical “The Sound of Music” which will run from Nov. 17-Dec. 16.
MCT will also have Summer Mummers once again this year.
Comic book lovers will enjoy another edition of the Permian Basin Comic Con which will take place from March 17-19 at the Midland County Horseshoe Arena.
For music lovers, the West Texas Symphony will resume its season which will include its Masterworks Series with WTS Spotlight featuring Philip Hill on Bassoon on Feb. 4 at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center.
The Masterworks Series will continue with Rachmanioff, featuring Caroline Hong on piano on April 15 at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center.
The West Texas Symphony will also be resuming its Pops and Family Series which includes Brad Leali on saxophone on March 4 and “Back to the Future” in concert on May 20 to wrap up the season. Both shows will take place at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center.
Don’t forget about the West Texas Symphony Chamber Series which will include Lone Star Brass at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 at Jack Rodgers Fine Arts Auditorium at Odessa College.
The Permian Basin String Quartet will have a performance at 3 p.m. April 23 at the Rea-Greathouse Recital Hall at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center.
The West Texas Winds will perform at 7:30 p.m. May 13 at the Wagner Brown Auditorium at Midland College.
Of course, there will be plenty of other events throughout 2023.
More shows can be found on Ector Theatre’s website at theector.com/calendar as well as the Wagner Noël’s website at wagnernoel.com/events, Ector County Coliseum at ectorcountycoliseum.org and Midland Horseshoe Arena at midlandhorseshoe.com/events.
Check back with the Odessa American’s Ticket section which runs every Friday as well as the OA’s calendar page which runs daily.
