Kennedy Davenport will be a featured performer at this year’s Dance Planet 25. (Courtesy photo)
Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information.
Drag Race comes to Dance Planet
On Wednesday, The Dance Council of North announced its upcoming festival Dance Planet 25. The event celebrates the diverse dance community here in North Texas. The event features a variety of dancers and styles with performances and classes. The event will be held March 27 at the Irving Arts Center. All performances and classes are free.
For those needing a listen on the art of twirling, Drag Race alum Miss Kennedy Davenport will host the free master class Twirling Out. You only thought you knew how to twirl. She will lead the class on the Dupree Stage from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. the day of the festival.
The remaining schedule includes:
1:10-5 p.m. Performance Showcase: Member dance studios and companies perform multiple styles off dance including flamenco, African, hip-hop, tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, Indian Classical and more on the Dupree stage.
1:30-2:30 p.m. Contemporary free Master Class with Vincent Hardy (Zion Dance Project) in the studio.
2:30-3:30 p.m. Hip-hop free Master Class with Geena Driven (Dallas Hip-Hop Fest) in the studio.
The Elevator Project announces RAGE, a play on Black women throughout US history
Opening March 31 and runing through April 9, the local production company All A Gray Area will present RAGE, a one-act play that features the fictionalized stories of 10 Black women from throughout the history of the United States. Through staged monologues, these women’s stories span from the Cherokee Revolt of 1842 through present-day events to highlight injustice and dehumanization faced by Black women.
Playwright Janelle Gray — founder of All A Gray Area — is pursuing her Ph. D. in Literature at The University of Texas at Dallas. She says RAGE was first conceived of in a 2020 class that posed the question, “Knowing how bad slavery and Jim Crow were, why weren’t there more rebellions?”
“It made me wonder, how are we defining ‘rebellion?’” Gray said in a press release. “As Black women’s voices have been erased, ignored, and talked over throughout history, RAGE seeks to honor their existence.”
The play will run for seven performances at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Studio Theatre as part of its Elevator Project initiative which promotes small and emerging arts groups. Tickets are available here.
Keyboard Conversations closes season with Evocative Visions
Keyboard Conversations with concert pianist Jeffrey Siegel concludes its 2021-2022 season on April 11 with Evocative Visions in the Bank of America Theatre at the Eisemann Center in Richardson. Siegel’s program will feature visually-inspired masterpieces by Debussy, Liszt, Mendelssohn and Rachmaninoff. This concert will introduce a livestream option in addition to the traditional concert experience.
This series differs from usual classical music shows by adding commentary by Siegel and an innovative format that gives the audience some insight to the performed pieces.
Tickets for the concert and livestream are available here.
Theatre Arlington will reopen its doors with Sister Act for its 49th season
Theatre Arlington opens its new season and space with ‘Sister Act.’ (Courtesy TA)
The time is nigh for Theatre Arlington to reopen its doors after a $3.5 million renovation. The company will kick of its 49th season in the new space with Sister Act, a musical comedy based on the hit 1992 film. The stage version centers on disco diva Deloris Van Cartier who witnesses a murder and is put in protective custody in a place no one will think to look – a convent. Despite being at odds with the rigid lifestyle and an even more rigid Mother Superior, she uses her God-given singing and dancing talents to breathe new life into the church and community.
Directed by executive producer Steven D. Morris, Sister Act marks the first full-size production in two years and continues the theater’s journey of becoming an Equity house under their Actors’ Equity Association’s Small Professional Theater Contract.
Through pandemic challenges, the theater embarked on the largest renovation of its history last spring, thanks to a $2 million grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation. Patrons will experience Sister Act from the comfort of roomier new seats in the middle of a fresh, modern space with state-of-the-art lights and sound.
“Sister Act is a perfect production to open our wonderful new space,” Morris said in a press release. “The show is so much fun and its theme of creating a family for yourself is what we do with our Theatre Arlington family.”
The musical opens March 25 with a run through April 15. On April 9, the theater hosts Pride Night where guests can receive a $5 discount on tickets with discount code PRIDE. Tickets are available here.
Theatre Three announces the first installment of its all-new program T3 Translates
In an effort to build a bridge for contemporary audiences to experience works originally written in another language, Theatre Three collabs with Deep Vellum for its new T3 Translsates series. T3 Translates brings compelling, classic works from around the world to DFW audiences through invited readings with a potential path to full production.
The first of the new program features The Black Veils with a translation by playwright Allison Horsley of Leonid Andreev’s dark and surreal The Black Masks. Translated from Russian to English, The Black Veils tells the story of a countess who throws a masquerade gathering where things quickly begin to shift into a dark, surreal nightmare.
Theatre Three hopes that selecting a work by a Russian playwright will contribute to the greater global conversation during this time of the Russia/Ukraine conflict. About the Russian playwright, Allison Horsley explains, “It’s probably safe to say Leonid Andreev had democratic ideals and was anti-capital punishment. He had already left Russia before the revolution, perhaps in protest of totalitarianism.”
The Black Veils reading will will take place at Booker T. Washington High School on March 27. The event will start with a dramaturgy hour at 5 p.m., an invited reading at 7:30 p.m., and a Q&A after the reading with Allison Horsley. This is a free event with no ticket is required.
The Dallas Opera announces 65th anniversary season with four new-to-Dallas productions
Cosi fan tutte (Courtesy TDO)
Programming for The Dallas Opera’s 2022/2023 Season was announced Thursday morning by Ian Derrer, The Dallas Opera’s Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO, and Emmanuel Villaume, the Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director, in celebration of the company’s 65th Anniversary.
The season will feature four new-to-Dallas mainstage productions — Verdi’s dramatic Rigoletto, Humperdinck’s charming Hansel and Gretel, Wagner’s epic Das Rheingold, and Mozart’s mischievous comedy Così fan tutte.
“The past two years have taught us that people’s appetite for grand opera has never been greater,” Derrer said at the announcement. “First-rate singing, lavish and imaginative productions, a renowned orchestra and chorus—audiences will enjoy them all in TDO’s 65th Anniversary celebration. Four spectacular new-to-Dallas productions of classic operas—all absent from our repertoire for more than a decade—and more than a dozen TDO debuts, plus the exquisite Ying Fang in recital make this a season to truly savor. And for our renewing and new subscribers who purchase season tickets by June 30, there will be no subscription-price increase. We invite you to join us.”
From TDO:
Verdi’s Rigoletto opens the season with notable TDO debuts: baritone George Gagnidze, who brings his “confident, imposing presence” (The New York Times) to the title role, and rising star American soprano Madison Leonard as Gilda. Tenor René Barbera (TheP earl Fishers, 2021/2022) sings the role of The Duke of Mantua. Directed by Tomer Zvulun and conducted by Emmanuel Villaume, with sets by Erhard Rom, and costumes by Jessica Jahn (TDO debut). Rigoletto runs Oct. 8, 12, 14 and 16 (m).
Hansel and Gretel, last presented by the company two decades ago, is composer Engelbert Humperdinck’s most famous work. Sung in English, the opera brings back soprano Elena Villalón (Flight, 2021/2022), as Gretel, and marks the TDO debut of countertenor Kangmin Justin Kim singing the role of Hansel. The soprano Patricia Racette sings the roles of both the Witch and the Mother, and baritone Mark Delavan is the Father, under the baton of Villaume. Directed and designed by Doug Fitch. Hansel and Gretel runs October 28, 30(m), November 2, and 5.
Wagner’s Das Rheingold returns to The Dallas Opera stage for the first time in 25 years in a new production from The Atlanta Opera. American bass-baritone Nicholas Brownlee (La bohème, 2018/2019) stars as Wotan, while South African soprano Amanda Echalaz makes her TDO debut as Fricka, and American soprano Karen Slack —winner of a 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence—makes her Dallas Opera debut as Freia. Tenor Barry Banks sings the role of Mime, bass-baritone Michael Mayes sings Alberich, and tenor Brenton Ryan is Loge. Rounding out the cast are Lindsay Ammann as Erda, Diana Newman as Woglinde, Hannah Ludwig as Welgunde, and a host of artists making their TDO debuts: bass-baritone Peixin Chen as Fasolt, bass Soloman Howard as Fafner, bass-baritone Joseph Barron as Donner, tenor Robert Stahley as Froh, and mezzo-soprano Jennifer Feinstein as Flosshilde. Tomer Zvulun directs. Set design is by Erhard Rom, with costume design by Mattie Ulrich in her TDO debut. Wagner’s Das Rheingold runs February 10, 12(m), 15, and 18.
Mozart’s comical Così fan tutte closes the season in 2023, bringing a new production from San Francisco Opera and Michael Cavanagh. One of Mozart’s three Da Ponte operas, Così stars sopranos Sara Gartland as Fiordiligi and Diana Newman as Despina; mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong—in her TDO debut—as Dorabella; baritone Lucas Meachem (The Barber of Seville, 2021/2022) as Guglielmo and tenor David Portillo as Ferrando; and baritone Rod Gilfry, as Don Alfonso. Elizabeth Askren—an alumna of the second TDO Hart Institute for Women Conductors—makes her TDO debut leading The Dallas Opera Orchestra. Set design is by Erhard Rom, with costume design by Constance Hoffmann. Così fan tutte rusn March 24, 26(m), 29 and April 1.
“We are all extremely excited for this next season, our 65th,” Music director Emmanuel Villaume said. “It is one of the best we have ever planned, and it will give to our community world-class performances. We are also proud of the latest achievements of our orchestra—and know they will shine even more in this extraordinary repertoire.”
The Dallas Opera also salutes its Chorus Master Alexander Rom, who marks his final season with the company after more than 30 years. He prepares The Dallas Opera Chorus for Rigoletto and Così fan tutte in his final season with the company. Derrer stated, “Maestro Rom has been a fixture of The Dallas Opera’s artistic team for more than three decades, leading our outstanding chorus in an impressive array of operatic styles, genres, and languages. He leaves an indelible mark on TDO through the many lives he has shaped with his immense knowledge of, and passion for, great singing. He will be greatly missed, and we look forward to celebrating him throughout our 65th anniversary season.”
In addition to the mainstage performances, TDO will produce family operas with afternoon performances of The Billy Goats Gruff and The Elixir of Love. Shorter run time and family content are suitable for all ages. The fall and spring dates for those are Oct. 29 and Nov. 6, Feb. 5 and March 25.
The Dallas Opera’s annual Robert E. and Jean Ann Titus Family Recital is scheduled for Jan. 15 and will feature renowned soprano Ying Fang and pianist Ken Noda in an intimate program at Moody Performance Hall. The Hart Institute for Women Conductors Showcase Concert, featuring participants in the 2022 class of rising talent from around the world leading The Dallas Opera Orchestra, is set for Jan. 28. The biennial Lone Star Vocal Competition —which took place virtually in 2021 —returns March 31.
As its gift to Texas audiences, The Dallas Opera season begins with the free People’s Choice concert, which will take place Oct. 1. Programming and ticket availability will be announced at a later date.
Season subscriptions are available now by clicking here.
Plano Symphony Orchestra executive director departs
After six years at the helm of the Plano Symphony Orchestra, executive director Robert A. Reed will vacate the role effective May 24. Reed is departing the organization to assume the executive director position this June at Madison Symphony Orchestra in Madison, Wisconsin.
Marion Brockette, President of the PSO Board of Directors said in a press release, “We are grateful to Robert for his six years of leadership. During his tenure, he has made a significant impact in our orchestra’s growth. Robert’s leadership, flexibility, and determination during the past two years during the COVID-19 pandemic was an inspiration to the PSO team. As a friend, I’m delighted for this exciting new opportunity for Robert and for the Madison Symphony Orchestra. We are grateful for Robert’s many contributions to the PSO and our community.”
Reed has helped diversify the PSO Board and staff and make the organization more accessible to all. Over the last two years, he guided the symphony through the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on performing arts organizations. Under his leadership, the PSO pivoted to delivering streaming options for all performances—including subscription concerts and education initiatives.
“My six years with the Plano Symphony Orchestra and the relationships I’ve built here have meant a great deal to me,” Reed said in the release. “The successes we’ve had need to be shared by many. As the symphony looks forward to celebrating four decades of creating beautiful music for the community, I’m confident the future is brighter than ever for the PSO. I wish everyone with the symphony the very best and can’t wait to visit and enjoy future concerts. I will truly miss living and working in this culturally rich region.
Opening this week:
Onstage in Bedford: Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End, Friday-April 3.
Casa Mañana: Shrek the Musical, Friday-April 3.
Stage West, Witch, today-April 10.
Echo Theatre: in a word, Friday-April 10 at the White Rock Bath House Cultural Center.
On stage now:
Soul Rep Theatre Co.: Do No Harm, through Saturday at the Wyly Theater.
Dallas Summer Musicals: Come From Away, through Sunday at Music Hall at Fair Park.
Garland Civic Theater: Something Rotten, through March 27 at the Granville Arts Center.
Circle Theatre: An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, through April 2.
— Rich Lopez
