Give It a Second Thought

Emmy nominee returns to her Dallas theater roots for first-ever fundraiser

Allison Tolman was nominated for a 2014 Emmy for her work on FX's Fargo.

Photo courtesy of Second Thought Theatre

Allison Tolman returns to Dallas this fall to headline a first-ever fundraiser for the theater she helped found, Second Thought Theatre. Dubbed Second Thought State of Mind, the event takes place October 25 at Bridge Bistro, where the Emmy nominee and, now, Mindy Project guest star will join theater supporters for an evening of food, drinks and conversation.

Tolman was born in Sugarland, Texas, and earned a BFA in theatrical performance from Baylor. After graduating she moved to Dallas, where she helped launch Second Thought Theatre in 2004. In 2009, she was accepted into Second City's Conservatory Training Program and later went on to write and perform sketch and satire with several groups throughout Chicago.

Tolman, who is now headed for Hollywood, received the Emmy nod for her role as Molly Solverson on the FX hit Fargo. She will not return for the second season — a decision Fargo creator Noah Hawley called a "crime and a tragedy" — because it's set in 1979, and Tolman's character would be only 4 years old.

"Since leaving Dallas, my career has taken me from Chicago to Calgary to Los Angeles, but I couldn't be more proud to be coming back to my artistic hometown for this event," Tolman said in a release. "At its root, this business is about people, and I've been privileged to work with some of the best people I've ever known through Second Thought.

"In shoddy rental garages and tiny black box theaters, in makeshift dressing rooms and corner booths at loud bars, and on the sets we lovingly built ourselves while cursing quietly — in all these places we shaped this company while this company was busy shaping us. In the last year and a half I've been blessed with incredible good fortune which has turned my career toward television and film. But everything I know about being patient and hardworking, about teamwork and humility and loyalty and miracles — every single one of those things I learned in the theater.

"Second Thought was my most beloved theater. It will always be my home."

Tickets to Second Thought State of Mind: Allison Tolman are on sale now at 2TT.co. Each $50 ticket includes entry to the event, two drink tickets and a light dinner courtesy of Bridge Bistro. The evening begins with canapés at 6 pm, followed by a moderated Q&A with Tolman.

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Theater Critic Picks

Here are the 12 must-see shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for November

Undermain Theatre presents Exit the King

Photo by Paul Semrad

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Grocery and department stores might want us to believe it's already the holidays, but at least local theater companies are (mostly) holding off until around Thanksgiving.

November starts with absurdism, moves along to a movie-turned-Broadway musical, and even throws a creepy thriller in the mix before it's time for Grinches, Scrooges, and Charlie Brown's sad Christmas tree.

In order of start date, here are 12 local shows to watch this month:

Exit the King
Undermain Theatre, through November 24
Eugène Ionesco’s absurdist comedy is set in the crumbling throne room of the palace in an unnamed country, where King Berenger the First has only the duration of the play to live. Once, it seemed he ruled over an immense empire and commanded great armies; now his kingdom has shrunk to the confines of his garden wall. Refusing to accept his end, he is attended by his present and former Queens, who must help him face the final inevitable truth of life.

Patti & Theo
Ochre House Theatre, November 2-23
The dark comedy with music that's written and directed by artistic director Matthew Posey returns. Patti and Theo are struggling artists in Brooklyn, New York. They are big boozers, and time will tell if the Drinking Religion outlives them. Song, music, and shadow play highlight this story of two lovers who hold each other passionately at arm’s length.

Mrs. Doubtfire
Broadway at the Bass, November 5-10
Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny comes to Fort Worth in the musical based on the beloved film, which tells the hysterical and heartfelt story of an out-of-work actor who will do anything for his kids.

The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe
WaterTower Theatre, November 6-17
Jane Wagner’s ever-timely one-woman show examines American society, art, and human connectivity, and explores the feminist movement. As one actor transforms into a series of other archetypal characters, they become the play’s guiding conscience for the audience. Under the guidance of the narrator, a role originated by Lily Tomlin, the audience is treated to a mischievously clever observer of the society around her.

A Tuna Christmas
Casa Mañana, November 9-17
It's 24 hours before Christmas and all comic hell is about to break loose. Tuna’s delightfully eccentric characters attempt to cope with seasonal traumas, like a disaster-prone production of A Christmas Carol and a yard-decorating contest that’s being sabotaged by a mysterious Christmas phantom.

Sleuth
Theatre Three, November 14-December 15
A cunning mystery writer, Andrew Wyke, invites his wife's lover, Milo Tindle, to his secluded English manor, setting off a deadly game of manipulation and deceit. As the tension rises, surprising twists keep the audience guessing the dramatic end. Presented in the Theatre Too space.

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical
Performing Arts Fort Worth, November 19-24
Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is "two sizes too small," decides to steal Christmas away from the holiday-loving Whos.

A Charlie Brown Christmas
Dallas Children's Theater, November 23-December 22
Discover the meaning of Christmas — or experience the nostalgia of childhood — while sharing laughs with the Peanuts Gang along the way. As a live combo fills hearts with music, merriment, and warmth, the story based on the Charles Schulz classic special is here just in time for the holidays.

Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings
Lyric Stage, November 29-December 22
The holiday classic by Stewart Ross opens Lyric Stage's 31st season. At first, Francis, Jinx, Smudge, and Sparky aren't sure why they've returned to Earth for another posthumous performance, but a phone call from the heavenly Rosemary Clooney lets them know that they're needed to put a little harmony into a discordant world.

The Play That Goes Wrong
Stage West, November 29-December 22
At opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor, things are quickly going from bad to horrible. With an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines), the whole evening is a disastrous smash.

A Christmas Carol
Dallas Theater Center, November 29-December 28
Three spirits have come to visit the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and take him on a fantastic journey through Christmases past, present, and future. Brimming with joyful songs, magical spirits, and holiday cheer, this holiday classic embodies a story of joy, redemption, and the spirit of Christmas.

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Theatre Three, November 29-December 29
The vibrant musical spectacle set in 19th-century Russia, and based on a 70-page segment of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, lets romance and intrigue unfold amid glittering ballrooms and tumultuous relationships. Its score features a unique blend of electro-pop and Russian folk-inspired music.

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