Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music, dance, comedy and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information.
Opening this week:
Broadway at the Bass: Hamilton, Tuesday-July 26.
Eisemann Center Jazz Series: Kazunori Tanaka Quartet, 7:30 p.m. July 16.
Garland Summer Musicals: Hello, Dolly, July 17-26 at the Granville Arts Center, pictured.
Mesquite Arts Theatre: Perfect Wedding, July 17-Aug. 2.
Repertory Company Theatre: Finding Neverland, July 17-Aug. 2.
Cara Mia Theatre: Mariachi, a staged reading, July 19 at Latino Cultural Center.
NTPA Repertory: West Side Story, July 19-28 at Willow Bend Center of the Arts.
Amphibian Stage: The Shark is Broken, July 22-Aug. 16.
Onstage now:
Shakespeare Dallas: Alice in Wonderland, through July 17 at Samuell-Grand Amphitheater.
Shakespeare Dallas: Merry Wives of Windsor, through July 19 at Samuell-Grand Amphitheater, pictured.
The Core Theatre: Ruby Tuesday, through July 19.
Meow Wolf: Phenomenonaly, through Aug. 8.
Pocket Sandwich Theatre: King Arthur & Merlin: A Tale of Sword & Sorcery, through Aug. 22.
Community of Rowlett Players (CORP): Deliver Us From Mama, Friday-July 18.
Uptown Players: Urinetown: The Musical, Friday-July 19.
Art Centre Theatre: The Outsiders, Friday-July 26.
Hip Pocket Theatre: A Twisty Intergalactic Spectacle, Friday-July 26.
Nominations are now open for the Bruce Wood Dance Excellence Awards
Bruce Wood Dance Dallas has opened nominations for its annual awards. The Bruce Wood Dance Excellence Awards honor outstanding achievements in three key categories with recipients receiving a $1,000 cash award. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 1.
The categories include:
- High School Dancer | Exceptional talent and rising stars.
- College Dancer | Technical mastery and artistic growth.
- Dance Educator | Mentors shaping the future of our art form (must be nominated by a third party).
There are eligibility requirements. The nominee must call the Metroplex home. Submissions of recent work must be from the 2025–2026 season. The nominee must also be able to accept the award in person.
To nominate, click here. Contact woodworks@brucewooddance.org with questions.
Soul Rep Theatre Company announces its 2026–27 season
Soul Rep Theatre Company has announced its new season that showcases and celebrate the richness, resilience and diversity of Black storytelling. The season begins in October and runs through May. The three shows will play across two venues.
“Our 2026–2027 Season showcases three remarkable playwrights whose work celebrates the richness and diversity of Black life,” Soul Rep Theatre Company leadership stated in a press release. “Led by three outstanding directors, this season reflects our ongoing commitment to producing work that inspires conversation, strengthens community, and advances the Black Theatre experience. We invite audiences to join us for another year of bold storytelling and unforgettable performances.”
The season includes:
Oct. 16-Nov. 1: Spunk by George C. Wolfe. Adapted from the stories of Zora Neale Hurston, this is a theatrical experience infused with the rhythms of blues, gospel, and jazz. Through three tales, the production celebrates love, folklore, resilience and the enduring spirit of community. Directed by Anyika McMillan-Herod. Performances held at Bryant Hall.
Jan. 29-Feb. 14: The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls by Keli Goff. This comedy celebrates Black womanhood, friendship, identity and self-discovery through the conversations and connections found inside a neighborhood beauty salon. The play is a tribute to community and embracing one’s authentic self. Directed by Guinea Bennett-Price. Performances held at South Dallas Cultural Center.
April 23-May 9: Stew by Zora Howard. This drama gathers generations of Black women around a family kitchen where food becomes a language of love, memory and legacy. The play explores the traditions that nourish us and the family bonds that sustain us. Directed by Khira Hailey. Performances held at Bryant Hall.
Season subscriptions are on sale now with flexible subscription packages available for individuals, couples, families and groups. Current subscription pricing is available through Aug. 7, after which subscription prices will increase.
More information is available at SoulRep.org.
Broadway Dallas to launch the cabaret concept Club 909
This week, Broadway Dallas announced the launch of Club 909, an all-new cabaret concept held at the historic Music Hall at Fair Park. It will kick off Sept. 3-5 with Grammy Award-winner and Broadway star Reeve Carney, best known for originating the role of “Orpheus” in the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown and most recently starring as “Jay Gatsby” in The Great Gatsby on Broadway. Tickets will go on sale thisFriday.
Tickets for Club 909 featuring Reeve Carney start at $75 and will be available at BroadwayDallas.org or by calling 800-982-2728. A limited number of VIP seats are available that include a meet and greet.
“Broadway Dallas has always believed that musical theater has the power to move, uplift, and connect us, and cabaret is one of the purest expressions of that power. Club 909 gives us the opportunity to offer our audiences something deeply personal and intimate, right here in one of Dallas’ most storied venues,” Ken Novice, BD President & CEO said in a press release.
Club 909 will be staged in the Music Hall’s transformed Crystal Terrace and seat just 200 guests per evening in a fully immersive cabaret-style setting complete with full tableside service including specialty drinks and chef curated light bites.
Seating is general admission and includes table and bar seating. Seating is decided on the night of the show at the discretion of house management.
Like the great cabaret halls from Paris to New York, guests may be seated at shared tables with other attendees, and large parties may not be able to be seated together. BD restaurant partner Culinaire has curated a bespoke cabaret food and beverage menu; in addition to the ticket price, there is a $30 food and beverage minimum per person.
Novice continued, “I have always been a fan of the traditional cabarets such as New York’s storied 54 Below and another more recent New York venue, Madame George, especially their Monday night Broadway Nights. BD’s Club 909 will be our very own version of the cabaret, with jewel colored intimacy in a rich and moody space. I look forward to welcoming our beloved audiences to fabulous evenings with Broadway singers and more, as the Music Hall’s Crystal Terrace restaurant is transformed.”
This marks BD’s first dedicated cabaret programming in the organization’s 85-year history and reflects the organization’s continued commitment to expanding year-round access to live musical theatre for audiences of all ages. The cabaret will offer an up-close and personal musical experience unlike anything currently on Broadway Dallas’ mainstage.
Reeve Carney: Broadway Divas is a genre-defying evening featuring Carney’s singular takes on Broadway’s most iconic songs, timeless selections from the Great American Songbook, and original music from his award-winning debut album Youth Is Wasted. As a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter, Carney moves effortlessly between worlds — and on this stage, all those worlds collide.
He has performed his original music in theaters, cabaret rooms, rock clubs, and festivals across the globe.
MusicalWriters Festival kicks off next weekend
Now in its fifth year, the Musical Writers Festival will feature 30+ new musicals from writers all across the nation. The festival runs July 24 and 25 with a full schedule of events. The weekend will include the New Works Cabaret, Totally Made-up Musical, Pitch Night and more.
For more information and tickets, click here.
Uptown Players announces a special bonus show
As a special bonus show celebrating its 25th Anniversary Season, Uptown Players welcomes back one of the company’s most celebrated artists. Following her portrayals of Judy Garland in The Boy From Oz and End of the Rainbow, Janelle Farias Sando returns to the Kalita Humphreys Theater in Road to Carnegie: Me, Judy & Myself on Nov. 7-8.
Presented as a special addition to the season, Road to Carnegie: Me, Judy & Myself offers an intimate theatrical event inspired by Judy Garland’s legendary 1961 Carnegie Hall concert—widely regarded as one of the greatest live performances in entertainment history.
Blending iconic music with storytelling, humor and vulnerability, Sando reflects on the performances that shaped her career while revealing the woman behind the spotlight.
The show features Garland signature songs such as Over the Rainbow, The Trolley Song, The Man That Got Away, Stormy Weather and Come Rain or Come Shine.
“Janelle’s performances as Judy Garland remain among the most unforgettable in Uptown Players’ history,” Craig Lynch, Executive Producer said in a press release. “When the opportunity arose to present this special event, we knew it would be the perfect bonus addition to our 25th Anniversary Season.”
Lynch continued, “It gives audiences the chance to experience not only the music they love, but also the remarkable artist behind those performances.”
Tickets are available now at UptownPlayers.org.
–Rich Lopez