Stage Notes: Kevin Moriarty named ED of DTC; TDO introduces 2022/23 class of women conductors

Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information.

Dallas Theater Center names Kevin Moriarty as its executive director

In an announcement Thursday afternoon by DTC, Kevin Moriarty, who has served as Dallas Theater Center’s Enloe/Rose Artistic Director for 15 years, has been named Executive Director, following the recent announcement of the retirement of DTC managing director Jeffrey Woodward, who has served in that position for eight years. DTC’s Board of Directors will launch a national search for a new Enloe/Rose Artistic Director early this winter.

“DTC is fortunate to have had Jeff and Kevin as a leadership team, and together, they brought us through the last few difficult years,” DTC Board of Trustees Chair, Jennifer Altabef said in the press release. “We know that Kevin will continue to advance DTC’s mission in his new role, as he focuses on organizational health, equity, diversity and inclusion, and bringing our exceptional artistry to all of our community. Kevin will also head our strategy for the future, including the exciting renovation of the Kalita Humphreys Theater and reimagining the park around it as a place of shared connection to art, architecture, and nature.”

Moriarty was DTC’s only fifth artistic director . During his tenure, Moriarty has led DTC’s move into the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre; the creation of the Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company; established the Public Works Dallas initiative; fostered community collaborations with North Texas Food Bank, Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, Sixth Floor Museum, along with some of the area’s theater companies. Moriarty has also served as board chair of the Dallas Arts District.

Under the leadership of Woodward and Moriarty, DTC was awarded the Regional Theatre Tony Award in 2017.

“After 15 years of producing and directing theater productions as artistic director, I am honored to have the opportunity to turn my focus to DTC’s institutional future,” Moriarty said in the release. “We are living through a time of immense change. I am eager to support a new generation of artistic leadership at DTC, while turning my primary focus to ensuring DTC’s long-term organizational health, deepening our relationship with our community, and ensuring that our city’s flagship theater will thrive for generations to come. At the end of December, we will present to the City of Dallas a visionary Master Plan for the future of our historic Kalita Humphreys Theater. I am energized by the opportunity to bring all of my energy and creativity to the challenge of ensuring that DTC is a place where all are welcome, and where theater created of Dallas, for Dallas, and by Dallas will flourish for generations to come.”

He will officially step into the role on Jan. 1. DTC’s Board of Directors will immediately begin a national search to select his successor for an artistic director, with an expected appointment to be announced in the fall of 2023.

TACA distributes $300K to area arts organizations

TACA – The Arts Community Alliance – announced Thursday that 41 Dallas County grantees are recipients of its second round of Catalyst grants. Catalyst grants are distributed without restrictions and are made twice yearly in the fall and spring to support high-performing arts organizations strengthening Dallas’ vibrant arts identity.

Grantees may use the funds as they wish on a range of expenses, such as program costs, salaries, administration, office expenses, technology or other operational needs.

The 41 Catalyst grantees are sharing $300,000, with grants ranging from $4,000 – $12,000. kNOwBOX dance, Agora Artists and Voices of Change are three new organizations or that have not been recently funded.

“We at kNOwBOX dance are grateful to be a first-time recipient of a TACA Catalyst Grant! This grant will directly impact our operational costs and sustainable growth. We believe that by saying ‘NO’ to the boxes of limitations, boundaries, and confines for connection, we enable ourselves to say ‘YES’ to fostering innovative possibilities, facilitating trans-geographical connections, supporting local artists and audiences, and highlighting underrepresented and diverse voices. With TACA’s support, we can continue to serve as a catalyst for positive impact and transformation for the Dallas community and beyond via the kNOwBOX dance Film Festival and Dance Behind the Screen podcast,” Martheya Nygaard, Co-Creator and Managing Director of kNOwBOX dance said in the press release.

Among this round of recipients include Arstillery, Bruce Wood Dance, Dallas Museum of Art, Echo Theatre, Sammons Center for the Arts, Turtle Creek Chorale, Uptown Players and Voices of Change. See the full list here.

The Firehouse Theatre announces 2023 season reveal gala

The Firehouse Theatre will host its fifth annual Curtain Call Gala, on Nov. 18 at the Nuvo Room in Farmers Branch. Hosted by comedian Tim Ketchersid (Mixed Nuts Comedy), the gala will feature Firehouse performers as they help attendees discover the 2023 season of shows.

“Your first clue to solve the mystery of our 2023 Season? We are over the moon to announce six mainstage musicals and three Firehouse Jr. productions,” Executive Director David Moore said in a press release. “We’re so grateful to our Associate Producer for the event, Owen Beans, Gala Co-Chairs, Julie Bonneau and Sara Rivas, and our Silent Auction Chair Linda Bambina for all of their work on this amazing event.”

Individual tickets are $150 and sponsorship packages range from $500–$5,000. All are available for purchase now here. Look over the silent auction here.

TDO introduces 2022/23 Class of The Hart Institute for Women Conductors

TDO 22/23 Class of The Hart Institute for Women Conductors

The Dallas Opera announced Thursday the 2022/23 class of its Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors. The program will begin virtual sessions, with two livestreams open to the public. Participants will work with faculty throughout the week, honing administrative and musical skills. The group and individual sessions lead up to the Showcase Concert on Jan. 28.

The four conductors chosen to participate include Celia Llácer Carbonell (Spain), Yuwon Kim (South Korea), Blair Salter (Canada) and Anna Sułkowska–Migoń (Poland). Each will conduct TDO’s orchestra in excerpts from classic to contemporary.

From TDO:

TDO Hart Institute for Women Conductors is an advanced artistic and leadership program that advances women conductors to pursue major positions with national and international opera companies. The only initiative of its kind in the world, its mission is to address the extreme imbalance of leadership on the podium: of the more than 180 professional opera companies operating in North America, only a handful have music directors who are women. The same disparity exists globally.

Additionally, each year, a select number of women currently holding management positions in small and medium-sized opera companies are invited to apply to audit sessions with the conductors and to study with the administrative staff of The Dallas Opera.

Virtual sessions feature a faculty from around the country and include: Chelsea Dennis (Director of Production – The Santa Fe Opera), Ian Derrer (The Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO – The Dallas Opera), Cynthia Floyd (Board Member – The Dallas Opera and Texas Instruments Foundation), Mariana Fonseca (Vice President of Digital, Loyalty, and Marketing – Virgin Voyages), Shawna Lucey (General Director and CEO – Opera San José), Nicholas Martin (Operations and Labor Consultant), Kim Noltemy (Ross Perot President and CEO – Dallas Symphony Orchestra), and Emmanuel Villaume (The Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director – The Dallas Opera).

The TDO will also host two free livestream panel discussions open to the public to coincide with the new 2022/23 class announcement.

On Tuesday at 1 p.m. CST will be Women in Art and Leadership with Afton Battle (FWO), Teresa Coleman Wash (Bishop Arts Theatre Center), opera director Ella Marchment and others.

The second will be on Nov. 17 at 9:30 a.m. CST. Cultivating an Opera Community will discuss the ways to cultivate a community of operagoers, lovers, and creators.

Both will be livestreamed here with registration required.

Undermain’s current show is a testament to company founder

The cast of ‘Feeding on Light.’ (Courtesy photo by Evan Michael Woods)

After Katherine Owens passing in 2019, Undermain Theatre’s producing artistic director Bruce DuBose, and the Undermain Theatre Board of Trustees established the Katherine Owens/Undermain Fund for New Work to carry on her commitment to new works.

From Undermain:

Bringing the world premiere of Feeding On Light to the Undermain stage marks a significant milestone for the Katherine Owens/Undermain Fund for New Work. Playwright Lenora Champagne was the first recipient of a commission and Feeding On Light is the first fully-realized play developed and produced in part by the Katherine Owens/Undermain Fund for New Work. Based on Lenora Champagne’s personal relationship and discussions with Katherine Owens, the play is dedicated to Owens.

The fund is open to donations here. Feeding on Light opens today-Nov. 27.

Christmas with the DSO begins with The Nutcracker

The DSO will deck the halls of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center this month with garlands, bows, wreaths, and Christmas trees to prepare for its slew of holiday concerts. The festivities will begin with The Nutcracker on Nov. 25 and continue through Dec. 31 with its annual New Year’s Eve concert. The Dallas Symphony Christmas Pop will begin on Dec. 2. Tickets are now available.

See the full schedule here.

Vitruvian Lights to showcase Jordan Kahn Orchestra, Dallas String Quartet

The largest free holiday lights display in North Texas will start on Black Friday at 6 p.m. Vitruvian Park in Addison transforms into a free holiday wonderland and celebrates a decade of the annual Vitruvian Lights, with more than a million LED lights wrapped around almost 600 trees. The festivities kick off at 6 p.m. Nov. 25 with a performance by the Jordan Kahn Orchestra. Opening night will also feature food trucks, photos with Santa, holiday characters, elf balloon artist letters to Santa and more.

The festival will also host a concert by the Dallas String Quartet on Dec. 3.

For more information, click here.

Opening this week:

Undermain Theatre: Feeding on Light, today-Nov. 27.

TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND: BodyTraffic, Friday at the Winspear Opera House.

Broadway at the Bass: Elf the Musical, Friday-Sunday.

Art Centre Theatre: Money Talks, Friday-Nov. 20.

The Classics Theatre Project: Dutchman, Friday-Nov. 26.

Irving Symphony Orchestra: The Vocal Majority, Saturday at the Irving Arts Center.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra: Robert Spano performs Chamber Music, 2 p.m. Sunday at the Kimbell.

Theatre Arlington: Comedy Club, Sunday.

A Gathering, a multidisciplinary performance event benefiting local HIV/AIDS service organizations, 7 p.m. Monday at the Winspear.