Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information. And a lot has happened since we dropped the last Stage Notes of 2024 in mid-December that this edition feels giant-sized.
Stage Notes Calendar
Opening this week:
NTPA Repertory: Chicago, today-Sunday.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra: The Music of Star Wars, Friday and Saturday.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra: Dvořák’s New World and Mozart’s 40th, Friday-Sunday.
Pocket Sandwich Theatre: Camp Death, Jan. 3-Feb. 15.
Shakespeare Dallas: Measure for Measure, Wednesday-Jan. 27 at Theatre Three., pictured.
Onstage now:
Broadway Dallas: Peter Pan, through Sunday.
MusicalWriters.com Productions: Getting Through April, through Sunday.
WaterTower Theatre: The Play That Goes Wrong, through Jan. 12.
WaterTower announces a new summer musicals program
WaterTower Theater in Addison is no stranger to producting musicals, but this year, they are doing so with intent. To kick off the year with the news, WTT dropped a bomb by announcing its WaterTower Summer Musicals series. And they did this while even opening a show on New Year’s Eve.
From WTT:
Starting in the summer of 2025, we’re kicking things off with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock—a fun, high-energy show about music, self-discovery, and, of course, the power of rock ‘n’ roll.
For our first WaterTower Summer Musicals production, we’ll be partnering with the Dallas College Brookhaven Campus Theatre. This incredible venue, with over 600 seats and state-of-the-art facilities, is the perfect place to launch this exciting new chapter. While this is our first time teaming up with Brookhaven, we’re thrilled to bring this production to life in such a fantastic space.
The talented JC Schuster will direct, with Alli Betsill handling choreography and Cody Dry leading the music.
Watch the video announcement below:
The Dallas Opera to host panel discussion on music and dementia
On Thursday, Jan. 23, TDO will host Melodies of Hope: Music, Dementia and Brain Science, a panel discussion exploring the connection between music and the brain. The event is inspired by TDO’s premiere of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice. The discussion will touch on the power of music in supporting cognition and building connections with those suffering from dementia, like Alzheimer’s disease, and other types of memory disorders.
Dementia is key to this new version of the opera. In the TDO production, Director Joachim Schamberger reimagines the Greek myth with Orpheus as the grieving husband and caretaker to his Eurydice who is suffering from the disorder. He uses music to connect with her waning memory. A brief musical performance depicting a scene from the opera will be part of the evening’s events.
The event will be moderated by W. P. Andrew Lee, M.D., Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost and Dean, UT Southwestern Medical School and feature Sarah Shahmoradian, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Biophysics, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute; William Dauer, M.D., Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute Professor of Neuroscience and Neurology; Marc Diamond, M.D. Professor and Director, Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases; Brendon Kelley, M.D., Clinical Vice-Chair, Department of Neurology, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute
This event is for those affected by this disease, including caregivers and loved ones. An understanding of opera is not required. RSVP for up to four complimentary tickets here. Program length is approximately 90 minutes.
Circle Theatre will launch a new quarterly series
The Fort Worth company announced last month its new quarterly event, An Evening With, beginning this year. This series will honor the contributions of North Texas theater makers who have left an impression on the local theater community. The series will showcase directors, actors, designers and others.
From Circle:
Each An Evening With will be an intimate and inspiring event, offering guests a unique opportunity to connect with the honorees, learn about their work, and experience their artistic journey in a meaningful way. Through cocktails, conversation, live performances, and multimedia showcases, we aim to highlight the profound influence these artists have had on the world of theater and beyond.
Circle Theatre is currently accepting nominations for recipients of An Evening With. Nominations can be done here and are due Jan. 7 with finalists announcements made on Jan. 15. An Evening With events are scheduled for March 17, June 23, Aug. 18 and Oct. 20.
Second Thought Theatre gifted audiences with a new season announcement
For its 2025 season, each production in STT’s new season will be a world premiere showcasing local DFW playwrights.The season features three mainstage productions and two development programs. Artwork for the season was created by Evan Michael Woods.
“STT is a place where audiences intentionally attend to be challenged by and wrestle with
sharp new stories and an electric take on reimagined classics,” Executive Director Parker Gray said in the announcement in late December.
In addition to the world premieres, STT will continue its year-long playwriting incubator program, Thought Process as well as add another development program to the
docket.
This will be the inaugural year of Second Thought Theatre’s Associate Director
Program — a year-long cohort aimed at providing professional development through education, exposure and opportunity. Three early-career professionals will have the opportunity to assist on one production in the 2025 season, spend the year working on scene study with McCain and end by taking the lead on 1-3 readings for the 2025 Thought Process series.
McCain mentioned in the release. “We want to offer early-career directors a safe place to develop their craft and seek feedback from their peers and other professionals. We want this to be a group that allows directors to grow without the pressures of impressing a professional
theater in order to be hired again.”
The production season will launch in April.
Shows for STT’s new season include:
April 23-May 10: Healed by Blake Hackler. Gail has been sick for 25 years. Every doctor, every test, every treatment—none of it has worked. Now, with nothing left to lose, she sells everything and heads to a radical health center in the Texas Hill Country, run by the enigmatic and controversial Dr. T. Directed by Carson McCain.
July 9-26: Your Wife’s Dead Body by Jenny Ledel. Taking place in the near future, Jane takes advantage of a new AI technology that would extend her lifespan even if she’s not around to see it for herself. Directed by Alex Organ.
Oct. 15-Nov. 1: Incarnate by Parkey Gray. Trapped in her cell, Rosamund is hellbent on escaping her fate while the Man who kidnapped her struggles with the consequences of what grief can do, and how far he will go to escape it. Directed by Jenna Burnett.
Season subscriptions and individual tickets are on sale here. Auditions for all three shows and applications for Thought Process and the new Associate Director Program are live and can be accessed through SecondThoughtTheatre.com.
Kitchen Dog Theater has released its schedule of shows for 2025
Early in December (sorry, y’all. Missed this one initially), KDT announced its lineup for the company’s 34th season. Faced with delays to the construction of its new venue, the new season was reconceived by KDT’s artistic leadership to pivot with the challenges. The result is three fully produced events, the return of New Works Festival Staged Readings Series as a monthly series and the 23rd annual PUP Fest nurturing high school talent from Dallas/Fort Worth.
There are still details to be ironed out per the email announcement, but the theater has locked down the schedule for the year.
The season includes:
Feb. 7-23: Wakey, Wakey by Will Eno. The play questions why we are here and the journeys that everyone takes to eventually get to the same place. Eno challenges what is worth celebrating in life and what is worth treasuring in this moving and funny play. Directed by KDT Artistic Co-director Tina Parker. Performances at Expo Park.
March/April: Production No. 2. Title and location to be announced.
March-July: 2025 New Works Festival Staged Reading Series. Now in its 26th year, KDT’s signature series will showcase staged readings of the newest local and regional playwrights in contemporary theater today. Reimagined as a monthly series, each reading will feature DFW actors and directors and will take place at different venues.
June 7: New Works Festival D-PAC PUP (Playwrights Under Progress) Fest. For its 23rd annual event, PUP Fest will feature six staged readings of jury-selected plays written by DFW high school students, featuring student actors directed by area professional directors. PUP Fest is the culminating event of Dallas Playwriting Arts Collective (D-PAC), a partnership with Dallas ISD and Junior Players. Location to be announced.
August: The Happiness Gym by Ken Weitzman. This regional premiere will be a joyous, experiential event based on the science of well-being. Participants take part in a curated theatrical experience meant to boost their sense of happiness and feelings of connection and will serves a the soft opening to KDT’s new theater space. Dates to be announced.
Season subscriptions are $50 for adults and $35 for students/seniors (65+). This includes a ticket to all 3 mainstage productions, the Staged Reading Series and PUP Fest. Single tickets for each show will go on sale January 6th. Stay tuned for updates by KDT here.
TACA announces Mike Dilbeck as new deputy director
The newest addition to the TACA team is former Turtle Creek Chorale Director of Advancement Mike Dilbeck who will join on as Deputy Director. In this position, his focus will be the overall management and execution of TACA’s daily operations, organizational strategy and donor engagement.
“Mike’s exceptional track record in fundraising, event production, and organizational leadership brings a wealth of experience that aligns perfectly with TACA’s mission to champion excellence in performing arts. His ability to foster meaningful relationships and his visionary approach to advancing organizations will undoubtedly elevate our work and expand our impact. We are excited for the fresh perspectives and dynamic energy he brings to our team,” Maura Sheffler, Donna Wilhelm Family President & Executive Director proclaimed in the Dec. 20 press release.
For the past six years, Dilbeck served as the Senior Director of Advancement for the Turtle Creek Chorale, where he led all development efforts and created and produced Rhapsody, TCC’s signature benefit gala.
“We are grateful for Mike’s service to the Turtle Creek Chorale and he will be missed on our staff team. However, Mike will always be a part of the Turtle family. We’re excited for him and for TACA as we continue in our partnership moving forward” Dr. Dawson B. Taylor, Executive Director, Turtle Creek Chorale stated in the release.
Prior to TCC and throughout his career, he has managed his own company, produced award-winning video presentations, developed social campaigns and led fundraising initiatives for nonprofits.
“I am so grateful to have made a difference for the Turtle Creek Chorale during my tenure and am now honored and excited to elevate my contributions to the overall Dallas arts community,” he said in the announcement.
Hip Pocket Theatre names new — and first — managing director
Just before Christmas, Hip Pocket Theatre announced the appointment of Gianina Lambert to the position of managing director. A graduate of Texas Wesleyan University, Lambert is a multi-talented artist with skills in performance, stage and production management and theatrical marketing.
Holly Ellman, Chair of Hip Pocket’s Board of Directors said in a press release. “Her experience as a stage manager at Hip Pocket proved her ability to face problems head-on and develop creative solutions that benefit all. We are deeply grateful to the anonymous donor whose generosity will allow us to expand to a full-time, locally managed leadership team as we approach our 50th anniversary. This critical support allows our co-artistic directors, Lake and Lorca Simons, to dedicate more time to their creative vision, ensuring Hip Pocket’s continued growth and artistic excellence.”
Lambert attended Texas Wesleyan University and has worked with Fort Worth Opera, Circle Theatre, Artes de la Rosa, Casa Mañana and Stage West, and served as stage manager for several Hip Pocket Theatre productions.
“I joined Hip Pocket Theatre in the summer of 2021 and my heart has not left since,” Lambert said in the announcement. “I’m passionate about continuing the legacy of community, innovation and technique that Johnny Simons, Diane Simons and Douglas Balentine have built. I’m also thrilled to be working alongside Lake and Lorca Simons, two brilliant creatives whose artistry has shaped and molded me in beautiful ways. Together, I’m confident we can take Hip Pocket to new heights as we move toward the highly anticipated 50th season.”
Ochre House Theater gets a colorful new look
Early last month, the Expo Park theater posted these pics on Facebook of its new storefront. The result is a rich and colorful and eclectic welcome to audiences that matches Ochre’s unique vibes.
From Ochre’s post:
Ochre House Theater got a new facelift! Huge thanks to our resident Scenic Designer and local artist Isaac Davies & Artistic Director Matthew Posey. Check out these photos for this amazing new front we have!
–Rich Lopez