Rewarding Student Art

Budding photographers get into gallery groove at Design District awards party

Budding photographers from high schools around Dallas got a valuable nod for their work in the Retail as Art photography contest hosted by United Commercial Realty (UCR).

This annual competition showcasing photographic talent in Dallas-area high schools awarded 12 students more than $10,000 in scholarships in a ceremony and one-night exhibition on April 9 in the Dallas Design District. Dozens more students saw their entries hung for sale on a gallery wall; many were purchased by the end of the night.

Attendees such as Laura Schieber, Cynthia Smoot, Lea Ann Moshier Stundins, Elysa Ellis, Courtney Edwards, Allison Edwards, Lindsey Miller and Silver Hogue, as well as judges Evans Caglage, Sam Sano and Bernard Underwood, snacked on sandwiches from Bolsa Mercado and gelato from Paciugo.

Founded by UCR president and CEO Mickey Ashmore, the contest has seen increased participation culminating in this year's peak of 165 submissions.

First prize went to Abigail Chang of the Einstein School, whose photo depicted shellfish plopped in a scale, to be weighed and sold. Thomas Molash of Cistercian Preparatory School won second prize for his photo of men's dress shirts. Ashley Andrews of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Photography won third prize for her photo of vintage spoons.

Abigail Chang (left), with Sony Chang and Christina Kim, won first prize in the 2014 Retail as Art photography contest.

Travis G. Lilley

Abigail Chang (left), with Sony Chang and Christina Kim, won first prize in the 2014 Retail as Art photography contest.

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Season Announcement

Kitchen Dog Theater unleashes immersive 2025 season in new Dallas space

Kitchen Dog Theater presents Safe at Home

Photo by Jordan Fraker

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Seven years after announcing it had purchased a building in the Design District, Kitchen Dog Theater is finally ready to move into its new home.

The third and final production of its 2025 season — the theater company's 34th — will take place all around the new "Doghouse." The other two productions will follow the immersive format at non-traditional performance spaces that was established last season.

With three fully produced events that each run the gambit from captivating and gutsy to heartfelt and hilarious, the monthly New Works Festival Staged Readings Series returns, as does the 23rd annual PUP Fest, nurturing high school talent from all over DFW.

First up is the area premiere of Will Eno's Wakey, Wakey, directed by KDT's artistic director Tina Parker and starring KDT co-artistic director Christopher Carlos.

"Is it now? I thought I had more time." These first words in Will Eno's play are spoken by Guy, a man who knows, like all of us on some level, that he is about to die. The play questions why we are here and the journeys that everyone takes to eventually get to the same place. Performances will take place at Expo Park, 840 Exposition Avenue, and run February 7-23, 2025.

Production No. 2 is full of mystery: The title and performance location will be announced soon and run in March/April 2025.

The Happiness Gymby Ken Weitzman closes out the season in August 2025 (exact dates TBA).

This regional premiere is a joyous, experiential event based on the science of well-being. Participants take part in a curated theatrical experience meant to boost their sense of happiness, joy, and feelings of connection. This one-of-a-kind project will be the soft opening to Kitchen Dog’s new theater and will take place all over the entire facility, giving patrons unparalleled access to KDT’s new home.

From March to July 2025, the 26th annual 2025 New Works Festival will showcase four-to-five staged readings of the newest and most exciting local and regional playwrights working in contemporary theater today. Each reading will feature some of DFW's most accomplished actors and directors and will take place at different venues across DFW.

For its 23rd annual event, PUP Fest will feature six staged readings of jury-selected plays written by DFW high school students, featuring student actors directed by area professional directors. PUP Fest is the culminating event of Dallas Playwriting Arts Collective (D-PAC), a partnership with Dallas ISD and Junior Players. Performance location is TBA, but the event will happen June 7, 2025.

For more information, visit kitchendogtheater.org or call 214-953-1055.

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