Out Of The Loop Lineup

Dallas' edgiest theater festival stages world premieres aplenty for 15th season

For its 15th season, WaterTower Theatre's Out Of The Loop fringe festival is presenting perhaps its most diverse lineup yet.

Performed in three venues on the Addison Conference Centre campus over 11 days, the festival encourages world premieres, multi-disciplinary shows, and experimental theater, dance, music, art, and spoken word performances.

This year, which runs February 25-March 6, has 23 artists/performing arts organizations on tap, including both a 24-hour play festival and a play reading from host WaterTower Theatre.

Acts are a mixture of local talent and performers from across the nation, and most shows are under an hour and presented multiple times to encourage patrons to view as many new offerings as possible.

"The festival has been host to more than 200 artists or organizations over its 15 year history," WaterTower Theatre's artistic director, Terry Martin, said in a release. "Loop has a proud history of presenting new works and, as a conservative estimate, over the past 15 years our festival has been home to approximately 75 world premieres. That's a pretty significant number and one of which our community can be very proud."

Festival passes, which are $65 and include one admission to each festival event, are currently on sale online, in person, or by calling 972-450-6232. Single tickets go on sale February 9, with each event priced at $10. Lobby performances are free.

The view the complete lineup, visit WaterTower Theatre's website.

Ebony Stewart in Hunger.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Diaz Photography

Ebony Stewart in Hunger.

theater festivals

Once More With Feeling

Addison's WaterTower Theatre finds new stage for its summer musicals

Photo by Paris Marie Productions

"Mary Poppins" was the big summer musical of 2024.

Following the announcement last fall that going forward, WaterTower Theatre will occupy less space in the Addison Conference and Theatre Centre, the theater company has found a solution to its venue problem.

It's launching WaterTower Summer Musicals, to be performed at the Dallas College Brookhaven Campus Theatre in Farmers Branch.

An email to newsletter subscribers sent on January 1 — and a Facebook post from WTT on December 31, 2024 — states that the first production will be Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock, set for summer 2025. It will be directed by JC Schuster, music directed by Cody Dry, and choreographed by Alli Betsill.

Both communications include a video that begins with producing artistic director Shane Peterman on the Brookhaven stage, spotlighting the venue's 650 very nice-looking seats.

He and several WTT employees go on to note the success of WTT's last two summer productions, Mary Poppins and the world-premiere Goin' Hollywood, as well as Brookhaven's plentiful free parking and spacious lobby.

"And as for the Addison Theatre Center, don't worry," says Brian Gonzales, director of audience and benefactor development, in the video. "The Addison Theatre Center is still our home, and our partnership with the town of Addison is still as strong as ever. Think of Brookhaven as an extension of the WaterTower family, allowing us to bring the summer musicals to an even bigger stage."

Also found on WTT's website is a job posting for an associate producing artistic director — the same position that Elizabeth Kensek was abruptly terminated from in August 2024.

At the time, WTT explained her layoff this way: "...modifications at the Addison Theatre Centre, directed by the Town’s leadership, have led us to consolidate roles and departments for greater efficiency. This unfortunately resulted in some layoffs and structural shifts."

Applications for the position will be accepted through January 17.

WaterTower Theatre is currently presenting The Play That Goes Wrong, co-produced with Stage West in Fort Worth. The show has recently been extended through January 19, a week past its original closing date.

musicals brookhaven college school of rock video theater