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    BOOK SMART

    An inside look at the upcoming star-studded and celebrated Arts & Letters Live

    Kendall Morgan
    kendall Morgan
    Jan 15, 2013 | 12:25 pm

    With the assistance of what she calls a “great team,” Arts & Letters Live director of programming Carolyn Bess has solidified the reputation of Dallas’ premiere performing arts series during her 10-year tenure.

     

    As the scope of Arts & Letters Live has grown, the link between its featured authors and performers and the Dallas Museum of Art’s collections and exhibitions has become stronger, broadening its appeal far beyond the bastion of bookworms who snap up tickets every year.

     

    The 2013 program, which kicks off January 17, is particularly eclectic, offering something for everyone from literary politicos to collectors of artistic pop-up books to fans of such crowd-pleasing authors as Margaret Atwood, George Saunders and David Sedaris. Bess shared a sneak peek at what else to expect in this exciting series.

     

     CultureMap: There seems to be a very careful balance between all of the featured authors and performers this year. Do you schedule each season with this in mind, or is this one unusual in its “something for everyone” approach?
    

     Carolyn Bess: Every year we aim for there to be events that appeal to everyone’s taste and reading preferences — no matter whether you prefer literary fiction, nonfiction, memoir, humor, history, biography, poetry, short stories, art, music or dance.

     

    Woven into all of Arts & Letters Live’s programs is an emphasis on and celebration of the creative process; these experiences allow people to hear the inside scoop from authors and performers about how they came to write a particular book or choreograph a new dance inspired by art.

     

     CM: Who do you anticipate being the year’s hottest ticket and why? Is anything sold out already?

     

     CB: Nothing is sold out yet, though tickets are selling well. Even though David Sedaris has done annual appearances with us for the past five years, he is still very much a hot ticket because he reads new and unpublished material every year.

     

    He loves to test out his new essays in front of live audiences and make notes about what people find funny. We still have tickets available for David Sedaris. This year it is held at the Winspear Opera House.

     

    Other hot tickets this year include Margaret Atwood and Temple Grandin. We’re exploring moving both events to larger venues downtown because we’ve almost surpassed our seating capacity at the DMA. Because they are still at four months away, we don’t want to turn away people who want to attend.

     

    Atwood is a literary icon and an amazing speaker. Many people are interested in hearing Grandin, both for her insights into autism and her work with animals.

     

     CM: Can you talk about how the series has evolved and continues to evolve?

     

     CB: Arts & Letters Live is celebrating its 22nd year in 2013, and we’re so thankful that it has developed a loyal fan base in North Texas. In the early years, the core programs were the Distinguished Writers series and Texas Bound programs. Our founding producer emerita, Kay Cattarulla, co-founded Selected Shorts and got it on public radio when she worked for Symphony Space in New York City.

     

    When she moved to Dallas in 1992 and fell in love with Texas literature, she gave the Selected Shorts model a Texas twist, and our Texas Bound series was born. It features Texas-connected actors reading short fiction by Texas-connected authors. She developed relationships with iconic actors and authors, such as Tommy Lee Jones, Kathy Bates, Doris Roberts, Marcia Gay Harden and many others. That series continues to be popular today, and we’re always finding and featuring new actors with Texas connections.

     

    People won’t want to miss the February 11 Texas Bound event with actors Matt Bomer (who plays Neal Caffrey on the hit series White Collar) and Dallas native Stephen Tobolowsky, who has appeared in over 100 movies and 200 television shows (Glee, Groundhog Day, Seinfeld).

     

    I also think it’s important to commission new work from writers inspired by art in the collections. This year, we’re commissioning two award-winning poets, Paul Muldoon and Nikky Finney, to each write a new poem in response to a work of art that strikes their fancy; they will read them as part of their event for Arts & Letters on April 3 in celebration of National Poetry Month.

     

    I’ve also worked on expanding our programs featuring children’s and young adult authors and illustrators.

     

     CM: What is the most surprising performance you’ve had in recent years?

     

     CB: At radio icon Ira Glass’ event, I was surprised by the intricacy of the production process and the layers of information, stories and music he seams together in such a seemingly effortless way.

     

    In terms of a performance, I was mesmerized when the Booker T. Washington Dance Repertory Company created an original suite of dances inspired by the “Matisse: Painter as Sculptor” exhibition. They worked for a month with artist-in-residence Jessica Lang, a dancer and choreographer; the depth of the students’ understanding of Matisse’s art and their beautiful expression and interpretation of it with their bodies was a night that will stand out in my memory for a long time.

     

    Lastly, here’s the scoop on the most surprising thing that has happened at an Arts & Letters Live book signing: A female fan, who already had a geisha tattooed on her thigh, asked Arthur Golden, author of the bestselling novel, Memoirs of a Geisha, to autograph her thigh alongside the geisha. He blushed a bit but agreed to do it!

    Temple Grandin is known as much for overcoming autism as for her love of animals. She speaks May 10 at 7:30 pm.

    Temple Grandin
      
    Photo by Joel Benjamin
    Temple Grandin is known as much for overcoming autism as for her love of animals. She speaks May 10 at 7:30 pm.
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    Theater Critic Picks

    From Wilde to 'The Wiz': 8 unmissable July shows in North Texas

    Lindsey Wilson
    Jul 2, 2025 | 10:18 am
    Second Thought Theatre presents Your Wife’s Dead Body
    Photo courtesy of Second Thought Theatre
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    Your instinct during the summer might be to hide out in an air-conditioned theater, and there are plenty of options to do exactly this month. But we would be remiss if we didn't remind you about a North Texas tradition: Shakespeare under the stars. Pack a picnic, bring a blanket, and watch The Bard (and this year Oscar Wilde) at Samuell-Grand Amphitheater with Shakespeare Dallas. Both shows opened in June, but continue through most of July.

    Here are eight shows local shows, listed in order of start date:

    The Importance of Being Earnest
    Shakespeare Dallas, through July 18 extended to July 26
    This witty romantic comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed in 1895, tells the story of two men who assume the identities of a fictional man named Ernest. This leads them to each fall in love and encounter an assortment of comical problems along the way.

    Othello
    Shakespeare Dallas, through July 20
    In this Shakespearean tragedy, Othello is at the peak of his powers: not only Venice's greatest general but also husband to the noble and beautiful Desdemona. But he does not know that in passing over his servant Iago for promotion, he has created a deadly but brilliant enemy. This production is set in an alternate-history version of the 1990s in which the Venetian empire is the predominant political, military, and economic power.

    King Kirby
    American Chronicle Theatre Co., July 4-12
    This is the story of Jack "King of Comics" Kirby. The play follows him from the tough Jewish ghetto of Hell’s Kitchen in New York, to the harrowing battlefields of Normandy during WWII, to tense Senate hearings in the 1950s. Watch as he creates some of the most iconic heroes in pop culture: Captain America, Thor, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, Iron Man, the New Gods, and countless others.

    Your Wife’s Dead Body
    Second Thought Theatre, July 9-26
    Written by Second Though Theatre artistic associate Jenny Ledel in her playwriting premiere, the play takes place in the near future, as Jane takes advantage of a new AI technology that would extend her lifespan ... even if she's not around to see it for herself.

    The Wiz
    Broadway at the Bass, July 15-20
    This all-new production of the groundbreaking, Tony Award-winning musical returns “home” in an all-new pre-Broadway tour, the first one in 40 years. The groundbreaking twist on The Wizard of Oz changed the face of Broadway, from its iconic score packed with soul, gospel, rock, and finger-snapping '70s funk to its stirring tale of Dorothy’s journey to find her place in a contemporary world.

    Noises Off
    Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas, July 18-August 2
    This play-within-a-play captures a touring theater troupe’s production of Nothing On in three stages: dress rehearsal, the opening performance, and a performance towards the end of a debilitating run. Playwright Michael Frayn gives a window into the inner workings of theatre behind-the-scenes, progressing from flubbed lines and missed cues in the dress rehearsal to mounting friction between cast members in the final performance.

    Everybody's Talking About Jamie
    Uptown Players, July 18-August 3
    Inspired by true events, this musical tells the inspiring story of Jamie New, a 16-year-old boy from Sheffield who dreams of becoming a drag queen. His loving mom showers him with endless support but it's not all rainbows for Jamie as his deadbeat dad and some ignorant school kids attempt to rain on his sensational aspirations.

    Shucked
    Broadway at the Bass, July 29-August 3
    This Tony Award-winning musical comedy features a book by Tony Award winner Robert Horn, a score by the Grammy Award-winning songwriting team of Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, and direction by Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien. The corn-fed, corn-bred American musical is sure to satisfy an appetite for great musical theater.

    broadway at the bassmusicalsnational tourplayssecond thought theatreuptown playersshakespeare under starsshakespeare in the parktheater
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