Actor Spotlight

Annie Get Your Gun star comes full circle with Irving's Lyric Stage

If you’ve been paying attention to DFW theater over the past few years, a certain redhead might look familiar. Daron Cockerell has popped up everywhere from WaterTower Theatre in Addison to Runway Theatre Company in Grapevine to Theatre Three in Uptown. Now she’s returning to Irving to star in Lyric Stage’s concert production of Annie Get Your Gun.

Although it runs only one weekend (January 22-25), the show is a coup for Cockerell. Before she starts “doin’ what comes naturally,” she took the time to fill out our survey of serious, fun and sometimes ridiculous questions.

Name: Daron Cockerell

Role in Annie Get Your Gun: Annie Oakley

Previous work in the DFW area: The Desert Song, Too Many Girls (Lyric Stage); Bonnie & Clyde (WaterTower), Assassins (Theatre Three); Kiss Me Kate (Plaza Theatre Company); Great American Trailer Park Musical (Runway Theatre Company)

Hometown: Fort Worth

Where you currently reside: Fort Worth

First theater role: I think Gertie in Oklahoma in high school? Although my first role after school was ensemble in Annie Get Your Gun.

First stage show you ever saw: I remember seeing The Phantom of the Opera in NYC when I was about 8.

Moment you decided to pursue a career in theater: I haven’t really had that moment. I just keep auditioning for things, and it keeps working out. During the day I am VP of sales and product management at a dental software company.

Most challenging role you’ve played: I think I would say Mother in Ragtime.

Special skills: Twirling my hair.

Something you’re REALLY bad at: Housework. I’m awful at that.

Current pop culture obsession: I don’t think I have one. Is BuzzFeed considered pop culture? If there is a BuzzFeed list, I’m going to click on it.

Last book you read: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Favorite movie(s): Willow

Favorite musician(s): Stephanie J. Block

Favorite song: “Something Beautiful” by Flaherty and Ahrens

Dream role: There are way too many answers to this. Today, I’m going with Eponine in Les Miserables.

Favorite play(s): The Other Place. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was also excellent. And Noises Off.

Favorite musical(s): Sunday in the Park with George or Seussical or Ragtime or Next to Normal or Kiss Me Kate or Rent or Les Miserables. This question is too hard.

Favorite actors/actresses: For theater, I would go see anything with Adam Chanler-Berat or Audra McDonald in it.

Favorite food: Popcorn, air popped with coconut oil, pepper, turmeric and nutritional yeast.

Must-see TV show(s): Amazing Race, Orphan Black, The Office (BBC)

Something most people don’t know about you: I would tell you, but then everyone would know? I have no idea.

Place in the world you’d most like to visit: Ireland

Pre-show warm-up: I usually have to drive at least 30 minutes to get to whatever show I’m doing, so I warm up in the car using a random warm-up recording my sister made years ago. And I make random belty sounds, and I use rehearsal recordings to go over songs and lines. I usually have water and hot tea and an apple backstage, but it depends on the role.

Favorite part about your current role: Annie’s joy and her great songs.

Most challenging part about your current role: How much Annie sings.

Most embarrassing onstage mishap: The only thing I can think of was when I once forgot to under-dress my nightclothes in My Fair Lady and got (lovingly?) shoved onstage in my corset and bloomers because there wasn’t time to go get them.

Career you’d have if you weren’t a performer: I have no idea. I haven’t really gotten the whole “career” thing down.

Favorite post-show spot: Wherever the cast is going. For Lyric, that is usually Champps.

Favorite thing about Dallas-Forth Worth: Currently, it is the new expressways! Also, the growing number of vegan-friendly restaurants and local coffee shops. So much good food!

Most memorable theater moment: Today, I’m going with seeing [title of show] on Broadway in the second row. It was an unexpectedly amazing experience.

Gregory Lush, Sam Swanson, Cockerell and Bryan Lewis in Assassins at Theatre Three.

Theatre Three Facebook

Gregory Lush, Sam Swanson, Cockerell and Bryan Lewis in Assassins at Theatre Three.

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Dance Off

Texas ballet company turns Timothée Chalamet dig into genius promotion

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It was a shot fired from Austin that rang out around the art world: In a recent CNN/Variety Town Hall featuring actors Timothée Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet offered an assessment of ballet and opera that immediately went viral.

During the onstage conversation at the University of Texas at Austin, Chalamet said, "I don't want to be working in ballet or opera, or you know, things where it's like, 'hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.' All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership."

Chalamet immediately seemed to experience a twinge of regret, awkwardly adding, "But um...damn, I just took shots for no reason." He also sang a note and hid his face behind the cards he was holding.

Stars of the art forms, from Andrea Bocelli to Misty Copeland, immediately began to leap (jeté, if you will) to the the defense of opera and ballet.

In a genius marketing move, Austin's hometown ballet company is taking the unique opportunity to turn a hot topic into a promotion for its next production: Ballet Austin is inviting anyone named Timothée, Timothee, or Timothy to claim a free ticket to its upcoming world premiere of Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles, running March 27-29 at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

"Timothée… you were in Austin? We were literally down the street," a Ballet Austin post says. "Austin has brisket. Austin has music. Austin also has ballet."

All Timothées and folks with similar names will have to do to claim a ticket is send a message to Ballet Austin on social media and show identification. Everyone else who wants to see the supernatural show where "the line between victim and villain blurs" will have to purchase a ticket ($25-$125) at balletaustin.org.

Ballet Austin Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles Ballet Austin isn't afraid to add some edge to classic stories. Photo courtesy of Ballet Austin

Even if Chalamet's words were dismissive, he's obviously not wrong about the relative distribution of public interest between the classical arts and major films like Marty Supreme, the late 2025 film he stars in and is busy promoting. The film's commercially successful release set a record for A24, an already renowned studio.

Chalamet brought up ballet and opera in service of a larger point about pacing in movies. He said he exists in a middle ground as a consumer between wanting to be drawn in early and being more patient as a film progresses. Ultimately, he juxtaposed Barbie and Oppenheimer with the classical arts, pointing out that if the masses want to go see a film, they will "be loud and proud about it" organically, without needing performers to advocate for the seriousness of the art form.

Coincidentally, there couldn't be a better counterpoint to this argument than Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles.

As the title suggests, the story follows historical figure Marie Antoinette as she chooses to become a vampire, seeking "power, immortality, and vengeance," according to a press release. It takes a somewhat silly premise and gives it dramatic gravitas, with an original score by Austin composer Graham Reynolds, who is known outside of classical circles and sometimes composes for movie soundtracks.

"For Ballet Austin, the moment is an opportunity to remind audiences that ballet isn’t fading away," says a release about the new promotion. "It’s evolving, drawing new audiences and continuing to thrive in creative cities like Austin."

If Chalamet really does fall in the middle of instant and delayed artistic gratification, this sounds like the perfect production to draw him in.

And perhaps Ballet Austin should add people named Matthew to their promotion, since McConaughey threw the younger star a bone after his momentary walk-back, saying, "That's not a shot — I hear what you're saying."

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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this story.

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