The Texas Theatre’s 'Awkward Dance' Prom To Precede 10 Things I Hate About You

On Aug. 9, The Texas Theatre is taking guests back to high school. Not the regular kind of high school we all went to where most of the time was spent crying over algebra equations or fretting over whether we should’ve lost our virginity by now. We’ll pass on doing any of that again.

We’re talking about the world of 10 Things I Hate About You, where all the students are witty and well-dressed and the band Letters to Cleo is always around for some reason. Between Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles and baby Joseph Gordon Levitt, it’s a teenage dream for '90s rom-com enthusiasts.

“10 Things I Hate About You is a classic,” says Vianca Vega, The Texas Theatre’s “Girl Who Works at the Box Office.” “It celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. [...] I’ve traveled to Tacoma, Washington, to visit the high school and even moved to Seattle for a summer because of this film. It runs deep in me!”

Vega has organized this event as a birthday party for herself. Her birthday movie screenings have become something of an institution at The Texas Theatre.

“The birthday tradition started around eight years ago when my manager Barak [Epstein] agreed to let me choose a fave film of mine to show on the big screen,” Vega says. “It was just such a nifty way of celebrating my birthday along with my friends, but also being able to bring in folks to see the films that I loved.”

Vega’s screening of 10 Things will go above and beyond. Attendees won’t just get to watch the characters go to the prom. They’re encouraged to come in prom attire and dance the night away. The film will be preceded by an awkward dance competition (with gift card prizes) and followed by a prom-themed DJ set by Charli Milk.
“I have great friends that are always wanting to go above and beyond for me, and the prom-themed party and screening came from wanting to provide a rad and memorable experience for them as well,” she says.

Adult prom events are all the rage, and it makes sense. The opportunity to get all dressed and dance with your friends is kind of wasted on teenagers. You don’t get to drink or dance close together or do anything you actually want to do unless you’re invited to an after-party.

Thanks to events like this 10 Things I Hate About You screening, Double Wide’s annual Prom Nite and other events that cater to our selectively curated nostalgia, we finally have the chance to party like it’s the fictional version of 1999.

“The appeal is giving folks memories that they can talk about for years,” Vega says. “More than just watching a movie but maybe even getting to be a part of something they didn’t have growing up. [...] That’s what’s cinema to me: another layer of life!”

Vega has hosted many events at The Texas Theatre, including a special screening of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse during this year’s total solar eclipse and Cinema Con Nosotros, her ongoing series of Spanish-language films.

“I’m always excited to bring more of the cinema I love learning about and grew up watching to folks in the DFW metroplex,” she says.

Tickets to 10 Things I Hate About You and the prom-themed festivities are available on The Texas Theatre website. More information on events coordinated by Vianca Vega can be found on The Girl Who Works at the Box Office.