The Fourth of July Artisan Show takes over the River Walk all weekend.
Photo courtesy of San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau
Before the fireworks on Fourth of July, kick off your holiday weekend with a River Walk art show, family-friendly musical, or German beer contest. For a full list of San Antonio happenings, visit our events calendar.
Friday, June 30
Fourth of July Artisan Show Start your holiday weekend off at this show of unique, hand-crafted gifts. The Fourth of July Artisan Show at the River Walk features one-of-a-kind pottery, textiles, art, jewelry, and more. The fair runs through Monday.
Krause's Café presents Masskrugstemmen Competition Tap into your competitive side at Krause's Café with a strongman/strongwoman contest featuring Hofbrau beer. How long can you hold up a liter of beer? Ready your biceps (and your liver), and give it a go!
Woodlawn Theatre presents Shrek the Musical It's opening weekend of Shrek the Musical at Woodlawn Theatre. This fun-loving story of an ogre on a quest to save his home runs through July 30.
Tejas Brothers in concert Tex-Mex country group Tejas Brothers takes the stage of John T. Floore's Country Store for one night only. This Lone Star show is worth the quick drive to Helotes.
Saturday, July 1
Pride Bigger Than Texas Festival & Parade Round up your friends and allies to celebrate the LBGTQ community at Crockett Park. Pride Bigger Than Texas is a full day of music, drinks, live entertainment, and more. The festival charges admission, but the parade is free to enjoy.
Comedian John Early is one of those “that guy” actors, having appeared in shows and movies like Broad City, Neighbors 2, Portlandia, Late Night, and Search Party without ever being the lead. So he’s taken it upon himself to give himself bigger exposure by writing, directing, and starring in the new film, Maddie’s Secret.
Early plays the titular female character who works as a dishwasher with her best friend Deena (Kate Berlant) at a food video content company called GourMaybe. When a homemade cooking video shot by her boyfriend Jake (Eric Cahill) goes viral, Maddie gets bumped up to on-camera talent, soon becoming the face of the company, much to the chagrin of rival Emily (Claudia O’Doherty).
With that added exposure comes more scrutiny in the form of online comments, many of which point out Maddie’s fuller figure and clear enjoyment of the food she makes. This criticism triggers Maddie’s bulimia, a condition she thought she had under control. Not wanting to lose her coveted spot, Maddie tries to keep her bulimia from everyone around her, something that becomes increasingly difficult to do.
If that sounds like an ABC afternoon special, that’s because that’s the vibe it seems like Early is going for. The film feels like a melodrama, with many of the actors speaking in unnatural cadences to make situations seem more intense than they actually are. That gives the film a natural comedic tilt, although Early makes sure to have everyone play their scenes straight, letting the ridiculousness of the story speak for itself.
Early playing a woman is oddly not part of the joke. According to him, the performance is not him doing drag, and he never plays the role in an over-the-top manner or like he’s making fun of the character. In fact, it’s striking how earnestly he inhabits Maddie, as if he truly was trying to get into the skin of a woman who found herself in such a situation. Anything funny that comes from him is just part of the progression of the story.
Setting the film in the world of food vlogging is the one area where Early seems to actively be going for jokes. Maddie and Emily come up with creations that seem reasonable and off-the-wall at the same time, like a Rotel dip made with French techniques. Characters also frequent real L.A. restaurants with punny names like Naughty Pie Nature, making fun of the food scene as much as they are exalting it.
Early definitely holds the viewer’s gaze in his first lead role, allowing Maddie to become a fully-realized character. His scenes with Berlant and Cahill make the film, as each of the supporting actors commit to their roles and elevate Early’s writing. Other standouts include Connor O’Malley as the boss at GourMaybe, Kirsten Johnston as Maddie’s mom, and Vanessa Bayer in a late-film cameo.
Because Early is not trying to make a full-on comedy, many may come away perplexed by Maddie’s Secret. But the film is clearly made with intention, giving a slight send-up of both 21st century food culture and a loving homage to the cheesy TV movies of the past.
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Maddie's Secret opens in select theaters on July 3.
