Theater Critic Picks

These are the 11 can't-miss shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for September

It's still festival time in both Dallas and Fort Worth, along with a few familiar titles from a certain ALW (that's Andrew Lloyd Webber to most). Some recent Broadway hits are also making their way to local stages in regional productions, as are one or two brand-new works showcasing native talent.

Here are the 11 shows to see in order by start date:

Cats
The Firehouse Theatre, September 5-22
Set among a larger-than-life junkyard playground, Cats is alive with purr-fect felines, including Rum Tum Tugger, Mr. Mistoffelees, Macavity, Jennyanydots, Old Deuteronomy, Skimbleshanks, and Grizabella. The all-singing, all-dancing Tony-winning musical spectacular has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and additional material written by Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe, and is based on Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot.

Fort Worth Fringe Festival
Fort Worth Community Arts Center, September 6-8
Fourteen different shows over three days on two stages. Bump from Buckle Up Theatre is the headliner, supported by performances from Proper Hijinx, The Maverick Theatre Company, Drag Strip Courage, and others.

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
Casa Mañana, September 7-15
Don your black-rimmed glasses and celebrate Buddy Holly's meteoric rise to fame and the top of the record charts with the "World's Most Successful Rock Musical." Set during the golden days of rock 'n' roll, Buddy Holly will have audiences dancing in the aisles to rousing hits such as "Peggy Sue," "That'll be the Day," and "Rave On." The last half of the show re-enacts his last night 60 years ago: the concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, complete with performances from Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.

Pete: A New Dance Musical
Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, September 12-15
Conceived and choreographed by internationally award-winning choreographer and founder of DCCDUSA Joshua L. Peugh, this original 90-minute dance musical is inspired by J. M. Barrie's iconic novel Peter Pan. Responding to the narrative of the classic story, Pete: A New Dance Musical takes an adventurous, playful, and creative approach to not only explore the intersecting themes of childhood, freedom, and mortality, but to reflect on issues of race, gender, sexuality, and privilege.

First Date
Stage West and Theatre TCU, September 12-October 13
When tightly-wound Aaron (Seth Womack) is set up with laid-back Casey (Amber Marie Flores) on a blind date, a casual drink turns into an uproarious high-stakes dinner. As the date unfolds, this mismatched pair's inner critics take on a life of their own, as other patrons transform into supportive best friends, manipulative exes, and protective parents.

First Impressions Mainstage Showcase
Imprint Theatreworks, September 13-29
Three local plays from the 2018 and 2019 First Impressions Festivals were chosen to be mounted as full productions, led by three new directors from the Director Development Program.

Red Chariot
Undermain Theatre, September 18-October 13
What if tarot cards could actually affect your future? And you could use that tarot deck to control other's destinies as well? And what if the Internet created that tarot deck? This world premiere science fiction thriller is set amid the downfall of civilization after the Internet has created a mysterious tarot deck that, when read, can actually affect the past, present, and future. Gordon Dahlquist takes us on a journey though time as we explore the chaotic effects of new technological advancements and the role humans have, or haven't, played in stopping that chaos.

In the Heights
Dallas Theater Center, September 21-October 20
Conceived and with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights is the universal story of a vibrant community in New York's Washington Heights neighborhood. A place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music, it's a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams, and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you and which ones you leave behind.

Evita
Lyric Stage, September 20-22
This seven-time Tony Award-winning musical tells the passionate and unforgettable story of Eva Duarte de Perón, and her meteoric climb from the slums of Argentina to one of the most powerful women in the world as the first lady of Argentina. The international hit musical is by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

The Phantom of the Opera
Broadway at the Bass, September 24-October 5
Cameron Mackintosh's spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical makes its triumphant return to Fort Worth, boasting new scenic and lighting designs, new staging, new choreography, and the legendary chandelier.

What We Were
Circle Theatre, September 26-October 19
This world premiere from acclaimed local playwright Blake Hackler is done in collaboration with Dallas' Second Thought Theatre. It tells the story of Carlin, Nell, and Tessa, three sisters who suffered a childhood of abuse. Now adults, each lives in some degree of denial, but the lies are starting to become more unbearable than the truth.

Seth Womack and Amber Marie Flores star in First Date at Stage West.

Photo by Evan Michael Woods

Seth Womack and Amber Marie Flores star in First Date at Stage West.

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Elon News

Dallas bookstore and publisher gets federal arts funding axed

Deep Vellum

Stack of books at Deep Vellum

A Dallas arts organization got its budget chopped by the federal government: Deep Vellum, the bookstore and publisher at 3000 Commerce St., lost a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant due to federal government budget cuts.

According to owner Will Evans, the award, which is granted annually, has been terminated as of May 31. The bookstore had received $20,000 for the past six years.

Deep Ellum started as a publisher in 2013 and opened their bookstore in Deep Ellum in 2015. Since then, they have become a center for literature lovers. Evans is a translator whose mission has been to translate the world’s best novels into English for American audiences.

Evans was notified on May 2 via an email that was reportedly sent to grant recipients nationwide. The note read:

"The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President. Consequently, we are terminating awards that fall outside these new priorities."

The new priorities included projects that elevate the Nation's HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions, celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster AI competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities, assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America healthy again, support military and veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities.

The Grants and Public Affairs departments at NEA did not respond to a request for comment. On Monday May 5, the Literary Staff was laid off, and the agency is facing possible elimination entirely, as part of the 2026 Discretionary Budget Request presented to Congress on May 2.

This year's grant to Deep Vellum was earmarked to fund the translation, publishing, and marketing costs of four books:

Carapace Dancer by Natalia Toledo, translated from Zapotec, published trilingually with Spanish and English translations alongside the original, translated by Clare Sullivan
Juvenilia by Hera Lindsay Bird of New Zealand, making her US debut, illustrated by Dallas artist Gino Dal Cin
Schattenfroh by Michael Lentz, translated from the German by Max Lawton, a 1001-page masterpiece and English-language debut
The Ruins by Ye Hui, translated from Chinese by Dong Li, the English-language debut from one of China's most distinguished and independent poets

The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency established by Congress in 1965 as a funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide anxd a catalyst of public and private support for the arts with the goal of advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, according to their website.

In their last stats document updated in November 2024, their FY’24 budget was outlined as $207M (representing 0.03 percent of the total federal budget), with 80 percent of their budget supporting grants and awards to organizations and individuals across the country. They typically offer over 2,000 grants each year.

"It’s been a strange few days for us, and for countless other nonprofit publishers, magazines, and arts organizations," Evans said.

Despite the cut, Deep Vellum plans to continue to promote literacy through unique books translated to the English language.

“This is not going to imperil our future but it’s something we need to consider as we move forward. These books are extraordinary, and they add so much for readers and culture. We just need to find additional revenue to fund them," Evans said.

Evans was first to reveal the funding cut but a number of organizations across Dallas and Texas have seen similar cuts including Ballet North Texas, Flamenco Fever, Dallas Theater Center, and Bishop Arts Theatre Center, as well as a number of groups in Austin.

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