FW ARTS FUNDING: The City of Fort Worth is considering a 25 percent funding cut to the arts in next year’s budget. The final decision will come down on Tuesday. And that had plenty of concerned citizens out at this week’s public forum making the case that the arts generate money. At that meeting, the question of why the city hasn’t allocated $15 million in hotel taxes came up, according to fwweekly.com. Also on FWW‘s site, Anthony Mariani makes a strong case for keeping the “culture” part of the “cowboys and culture” motto.

‘HAPPY’ IN IRVING: Lyric Stage is opening its new season with The Most Happy Fella. And, this being Lyric Stage, you know that means big sound – this time coming via a 38-piece orchestra. “Once again, Jay Dias conducts from a unique, fully orchestrated score, inspiring and enhancing the production’s soaring dynamic at operatic scale,” Alexandra Bonifield writes on criticalrant.com. Gregory Sullivan Isaacs says that the show also requires actors with opera-quality voices, making it a tricky show to cast. But he writes in his theaterjones.com review that, “Lyric Stage has met and exceeded the challenges and it would be hard to imagine a better production by any regional theater or opera company anywhere.” Meanwhile, Lawson Taitte reserved special praise for one of the local’s in the show – Amber Nicole Guest, who plays Rosabella. “Until now, Guest has done well in smaller roles that gave no clue she possessed the splendid sound, pinpoint control and emotional vibrancy she brings to this difficult assignment,” he writes on dallasnews.com. The shows runs at the Irving Arts Center through Sunday.

SEXY AND YOU KNOW IT: Still got that beach body you worked so hard for? Still feel like showing it off? Well don’t let it go to waste just because the summer’s over! The Dallas Opera is looking for a few good men to fill “non-singing extra or supernumerary” roles (sans shirt) in its production of Aida. In other words, you’ll be eye candy. But I guess technically you’ll also be able to say you’re making your Dallas Opera debut?