Uptown Players will present the 4th annual Dallas Pride Performing Arts Festival, a nine-day festival of plays, cabaret acts and a concert performance celebrating Dallas Gay Pride, closing with a very special presentation of Savage Love Live featuring Dan Savage.

Opening the festival on the Kalita main stage on September 12 at 8 pm will be a concert version of The Last Session, the hilarious and heartbreaking Off Broadway sensation that was part of Uptown Players first season. The Last Session gathers singers in a recording studio to record a new pop/gospel album with an old friend, faded pop star Gideon. But the mix is dramatically altered by the unexpected arrival of a Bible thumping, homophobic gospel singer. All of them are deeply connected to Gideon yet are unaware that he plans to end his struggle with AIDS after the session. Harmony is restored through friendship and the power of music.

Other productions will include:

Mythical Beastie by Bruce R. Coleman - Former college roommates Mark (a gay architect) and Greg (his straight friend) find themselves living together again after years of estrangement. Greg, a serial womanizer, invites his latest crush Wendy home to meet his best friend and to make an announcement that throws everyone and everything into a tailspin. Mythical Beastie is an outrageous, sexy comedy with heart, written by local playwright Bruce R. Coleman. (Playing September 13 at 5:30 pm, September 14 at 7:30 pm, September 16 at 8 pm and September 20 at 2 pm)

From White Plains by Michael Perlman - The 2013 Off-Broadway hit, From White Plains follows four men, straight and gay, as they attempt to take responsibility for past actions and move beyond them, aided and frustrated by celebrity, social media and viral videos. The play examines how male relationships change as boys grow into men and asks who speaks for a victim of bullying when he is no longer here to speak for himself. (Playing September 13 at 3:30 pm, September 14 at 2 pm, September 19 at 8 pm and September 20 at 4:30 pm) 

Commencing by Jane Shephard - The beautiful Kelli can't wait for the blind date her friends have set her up on, until it turns out to be one very disappointed lesbian named Arlin. Mutually appalled, yet appallingly intrigued, they proceed to pull the screws loose on both straight and gay women's culture, to find the common ground beneath in the search for love and self. (Playing September 13 at 2 pm, September 15 at 8 pm and September 20 at 6:30 pm)

Falling Man by Will Scheffer - Falling Man examines the lives of a diverse group of gay men from various backgrounds. Join Brandon Simmons in a tour-de-force performance as we meet a former drag queen, a young hustler who is taken over by the spirit of Tennessee Williams, the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer, and a former cha-cha champion who just wants to be remembered. (Playing September 13 at 8 pm, September 14 at 6 pm and September 18 at 8 pm)

Dysfunctional Divas written by Steven Jay Crabtree - Steven Jay Crabtree presents yet another evening in the lives of his “Dysfunctional Divas.”  This one man, multi-wig show, includes such outrageous characters as the drama queen of lip-sync, Trayla Park; the superhero, Warrior Woman, the bombastic screen vixen, Martini Glass; plus other of Steven’s weird alter egos!  Crabtree switches from boy to girl and boots to heels while playing his collection of kooky characters.  It’s an evening of adult rated fun and surprises, flash, trash and lots of laughs...you’ll have a gay ol’ time!  Rated R for adult language and humor. (Playing September 13 at 9:30 pm, September 14 at 4 pm and September 17 at 8 pm)

The festival will close on September 20 at 8 pm with a special presentation of Savage Love Live, featuring nationally syndicated sex advice columnist and author Dan Savage. A writer, TV personality, and activist best known for his political and social commentary, Savage’s sex advice column, “Savage Love,” is syndicated in newspapers and websites around the world. In his latest bestselling book, American Savage, Savage shares his insights on topics ranging from marriage and parenting to the Catholic Church and sex education.