Stepping Down

Firehouse Theatre's artistic director resigns after COVID-19 show scandal

Derek Whitener.

Derek Whitener/Facebook

Artistic and education director Derek Whitener has resigned from The Firehouse Theatre in Farmers Branch, according to a notice that briefly appeared on the company's website.

The statement, which has since been removed and does not appear on social media, originally read:

"We are saddened to report that our Artistic and Education Director, Derek Whitener, has resigned. The Board of Directors accepted his resignation on November 5, 2020.

During his tenure with The Firehouse, Mr. Whitener elevated our theatre's artistic achievements. We are grateful for Mr. Whitener's work and dedication to The Firehouse during his time with us. He will be missed. Please join us wishing him the very best in his future endeavors.

We remain committed to our mission of presenting imaginative live performances and training through engaging artistic expression, and we look forward to doing so once we are able in the coming year. We are dreaming big for 2021!"

The announcement was dated two weeks after The Firehouse's production of Back to the '80s! was suddenly canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak, and the theater lost it Equity status from Actors' Equity Association.

However, the statement was not distributed to any media outlets — BroadwayWorld Dallas spotted the online posting at the end of December.

Whitener became artistic director in the latter half of 2016. In January, 2017, he was brutally assaulted outside of a Target store in Dallas during a run of the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The suspects were later identified and taken into custody.

CultureMap also covered Whitener's 2018 wedding to Victor Newman Brockwell, a local costume designer.

David Moore remains The Firehouse Theater's executive director, with Julie Bonneau as chairperson of the board of directors.

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Museum News

National Medal of Honor Museum offers preview at downtown Dallas event

AT&T

The AT&T Discovery District hosted a mobile museum pop-up.

A high-profile museum opening in 2025 offered a preview in downtown Dallas: It's The National Medal of Honor Museum, slated to open in Arlington, at Nolan Ryan Expressway and AT&T Way in the Stadium district in spring 2025.

To give folks a preview of coming attractions, the institution dispatched a mobile museum to make a visit to the AT&T Discovery District on November 20, during lunchtime when foot traffic is brisk.

Imagine the sense of wonder and amazement that downtown Dallas denizens must have felt upon the sight of a double decker bus, parked in the District, equipped with video and historical information about the Medal of Honor award, stories of the recipients, and a rendering of how the museum in Arlington will look.

The National Medal of Honor MuseumCourtesy rendering

The goal of The National Medal of Honor Museum is to inspire Americans by honoring and preserving the history of the highest military decoration awarded for valor in combat.

They hope it will serve as a national landmark, illustrating the historical thread of sacrifice and patriotism that runs through all U.S. military service members, past and present.

Beyond its state-of-the-art, interactive experiences, a critical part of the Museum’s mission will be to use the stories of Medal of Honor recipients to inspire their fellow Americans.

It will incorporate the AT&T Virtual Recipient Theater, an augmented reality experience where visitors can interact with with Medal of Honor recipients. The space will be equipped with cutting-edge conversational AI technology complete with voice recognition to allow museum goers to have a conversation in a 3D format with medal of honor recipients living and past.

It will also have AT&T Branded Wi-Fi throughput the museum.

Interior of the mobile Medal of Honor Museum.AT&T