Winter Wonderland

Dallas hotel ups the ante with seasonal packages full of holiday cheer

Did a recent story about Peppermint Park send you scrambling to book a winter staycation at the Hilton Anatole? If you haven't planned a pre- or post-holiday getaway yet, the Anatole announced a few more perks to help sweeten the deal.

Breakfast with Santa
The jolly guy himself is dropping by the hotel for 10 special days, and you can get in some quality time with this stay-and-play package. It includes one standard guest room with 1 pm late check-out, breakfast for two adults and two children with Santa on day of departure from 9-10:30 am, complimentary entrance into Peppermint Park, and a holiday movie night. Available breakfast dates are December 6, 7, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, and 22.

VIP holiday experience
Want to turn the experience up a few notches? Feel like an extra-special elf with this package, which includes a meet-and-greet reception with Santa and Mrs. Claus on your day of arrival, one complimentary 5×7 photo with Santa, cookies and refreshments, breakfast with Santa for up to two adults and two children on day of departure, complimentary entrance into Peppermint Park, a holiday movie night, valet parking for one vehicle, one standard guest room, and late 3 pm check-out. Available VIP dates are November 30 and December 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, and 23.

A reminder that Peppermint Park is reserved for hotel guests, and transforms the outdoor park into a winter wonderland complete with train rides, interactive entertainment, light displays, photos with Santa, holiday games, and more. Kids can even enroll children in "Elf School," where they can learn all the elf basics and become honorary Santa assistants.

Peppermint Park is open from 5-9 pm on November 29 and 30 and December 6, 7, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, and 22.

For additional information, visit christmasattheanatole.com.

Hop on board the train, which runs around the park.

Photo courtesy of Hilton Anatole

Hop on board the train, which runs around the park.

families breakfast promoted hotels kids holidays

New Theater

Premieres lead the way in Dallas Theater Center's 2026-27 season

Aigner Mizzelle and Okieriete Onaodowan in the off-Broadway production of The Monsters

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

The Monsters, which started off-Broadway, will make its regional premiere as part of Dallas Theater Center's 2026-27 season.

The 2026-2027 season for Dallas Theater Center will feature six productions, including three world premieres, a regional premiere, a returning favorite, and a to-be-determined sixth production.

The inaugural season of incoming Enloe/Rose Artistic Director, Jaime Castañeda, will be marked by a renewed commitment to new work at Dallas Theater Center.

That starts with with the world premieres of three new shows:

The Cold War thriller Reykjavik86 by Gabe McKinley, which brings the 1986 nuclear summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev to life on stage. It will be the initial production of the season, running September 11-27, 2026 at Wyly Theatre.
The dark comedy musical Kill Local, with a book by Mat Smart and music and lyrics by Liza Anne, is about Sheila and her sister, Abigail, who work together for their mother’s small family business, which just so happens to be assassins. It features killer songs about blood ties, revenge, and how hard it is to get unstuck. It will run March 26-April 11, 2027 in the Wyly Studio Theatre
The Making of a Saint by KJ Sanchez is theatrical exploration of faith and family in which KJ, a documentary writer/performer, sets out to understand the story of Sister Blandina, whom KJ's brother is helping to canonize. It will be the final scheduled show of the season, running May 14-June 6, 2027 in the Wyly Studio Theatre.

Joining them will be the regional premiere of The Monsters by Ngozi Anyanwu, about a scrappy young fighter named Lil who is ready to enter the ring. She reconnects with her brother Big, an accomplished fighter in the local MMA scene and tries to earn his respect.

The production, which just finished a critically acclaimed Off-Broadway run on March 22, runs October 9-November 1, 2026 in the Wyly Studio Theatre.

A yet-to-be-named fifth production, which will be announced on June 1, will run February 5-21, 2027 in the Kalita Humphreys Theater.

All of those productions will be part of the season subscriptions. Dallas Theater Center's annual holiday production of A Christmas Carol, running November 27-December 27, 2026 at Wyly Theatre, can be added on.

“New work is the engine of the American Theater, and Dallas Theater Center will be a laboratory for artists who have something urgent and honest to express today,” said Enloe/Rose Artistic Director Jaime Castañeda in a statement. "These plays are about the now, and they are events for the stage that are in direct conversation with the audience."

DTC’s Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company members will be featured throughout the 2025-26 season, including Christina Austin Lopez, Tiana Kaye Blair, Blake Hackler, Bob Hess, Liz Mikel, Alex Organ, Molly Searcy, Tiffany Solano, Sally Nysteun Vahle, Esteban Vilchez, Zachary J. Willis, and Bri Woods, who is the Linda and Bill Custard SMU Meadows Actor.

Subscriptions for the 2026-27 season are available now, and can be purchased online at DallasTheaterCenter.org or by calling the DTC Box Office at 214-522-8499.

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