Some technical malfunctions in the Wyly Theatre wreaked havoc on last season's Off Broadway On Flora lineup, leading to a few postponements and one cancelation, but everything is ship-shape now and ready for the 2018 season.
This touring series from AT&T Performing Arts Center brings a diverse assortment of shows to Dallas, ranging from immersive theater to improv comedy to searing satire, and many have enjoyed sold-out success in New York, Chicago, and London.
The latest season begins with Bess Wohl's Small Mouth Sounds, a new play that follows six strangers as they embark on a silent retreat in the woods. Their vow of silence collides with their human need to connect, and forces us all to ask how we address life’s biggest questions when words fail us. It's directed by Rachel Chavkin, recently Tony nominated for leading Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 to Broadway. The play runs at the Wyly Theatre January 31-February 4, 2018.
Next is a postponement from last season: 600 Highwaymen: The Fever. This collaborative work from Abigail Browde and Michael Silverstone relies on a willing audience to explore how people act and react when all eyes are on them. Sounds intriguing but also kind of terrifying? It plays in the sixth-floor Studio Theatre at the Wyly Theatre March 27-April 1, 2018.
A comedy that's been generating buzz for three years in New York takes audiences over to the Moody Performance Hall next for two shows only. Celebrity Autobiography has a comedic ensemble performing from the actual memoirs of celebrities, running the gamut from the “poetry” of Suzanne Somers to the shocking “romance tips” from Tommy Lee to the most famous Hollywood love triangle in history: Elizabeth Taylor, Debbie Reynolds, and Eddie Fisher. It runs May 25-26, 2018.
Chicago's famous improv troupe returns for The Second City Summer Blockbuster, a new comedy revue that's aimed at mature audiences. It plays the Wyly Theatre June 6-9, 2018.
Those four productions make up the official Off Broadway On Flora season, but there is also an additional add-on scheduled for late-2017. Gobsmacked! is a mind-blowing vocal show that features the reigning world-champion beatboxer Ball-Zee and an international cast of world-class vocalists. Through all forms of a cappella — from traditional street corner harmonies to cutting-edge, multi-track live looping — the performers tell an urban tale of love, loss, and redemption. It will be staged at the Majestic Theatre November 21-22, 2017.
“The [AT&T Performing Arts] Center is the place to be for excellent live entertainment, from original local productions to the latest Broadway smash and everything in between," says Doug Curtis, ATTPAC's president and CEO, in a release. "Off Broadway On Flora is the 'everything in between.' This is a diverse lineup of unique productions from New York, Chicago, and all over the world."
Discounted four-show season ticket packages range from $25-$75, with the option to add Gobsmacked! for $35-$75. Season ticket buyers may also purchase discounted self-parking for only $10 per show (regularly $17). Tickets are available now online at www.attpac.org/offbroadway, by telephone at 214-880-0202, or in person at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Winspear Opera House box office.
The Second City Summer Blockbuster plays the Wyly Theatre in June 2018.
Rachel Simone Webb hosted the awards ceremony.Photo by Thomas Garza
Towdah Kiima of Rockwall-Heath High School accepts the award for Outstanding Lead Performer.Photo by Thomas Garza