LAUGH IT UP: The Dallas Comedy Festival began its six-day run last night at Dallas Comedy House in Deep Ellum. The event includes comedians from across the country and runs from improv to sketch to stand-up. Paul Varghese is one of the local comics participating. And he tells theaterjones.com that performing in Dallas has its advantages. “What I find with Dallas crowds is that there are a lot of transplants, not many people born and raised here. So it tends to be a pretty good cross section. You can see how your stuff might play everywhere else.”

PACKING ‘EM IN: When the Dallas Opera announced that it would simulcast its performance of The Magic Flute at Cowboys Stadium the first question was: how many people are going to sign up for this? Cowboys Stadium is kind of a big place. As it turns out, a lot of people. We reported earlier this month, the requests had hit 21,000 people — the great majority of them new to the Opera’s mailing lists. The Opera announced Tuesday that 25,000 people have already requested the free tickets.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Have you checked out “The Age of Impressionism: Great French Paintings from the Clark” yet at the Kimbell Art Museum? No? Then be sure to take a look at Art This Week’s interview with the museum’s deputy director George Shackelford, who offers a preview.