Theater Critic Picks
These are the 8 can't-miss shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for May
There's a nice mix of classic big Broadway and shows with international flair this month, touching on Mexico, Russia, and Africa (beyond Mean Girls).
In order of start date, here are eight local shows to watch this month:
Mean Girls
Broadway Dallas, through May 15
Do you even go here? Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.
Orígenes/Origins
Cara Mía Theatre, May 5-7
A collab with Mexico City’s Laboratorio de la Máscara, this workshop production focuses on youth immigration and will be performed mostly in Spanish with English supertitles. After each performance, audiences are invited to contribute ideas to further flesh out the play in a discussion with the actors and creators.
Macbeth
Fair Assembly, May 5-15
This interdisciplinary performance at Arts Mission Oak Cliff uses live sound, original music, and dance to tell Shakespeare's story of power, greed, and hauntingly bad decisions.
Michael Cavanaugh: The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John
Eismann Center for the Performing Arts, May 6
Michael Cavanaugh scored his big break when Billy Joel handpicked him for the lead in Broadway’s smash hit Movin’ Out. The role garnered him rave reviews and accolades, culminating with Grammy and Tony Award nominations. In this one-night-only concert, he will lead his band through the biggest hits by Joel and Elton John.
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
Lyric Stage, May 12-15
Set in Ancient Rome, this musical laugh-fest combines the 2000-year-old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville, all backed by an 18-piece orchestra directed by Vonda K. Bowling.
Waitress
AT&T Performing Arts Center, May 10-15
Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. When a baking contest in a nearby county — and a satisfying encounter with someone new — show Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Featuring an all-female creative team and original music and lyrics by eight-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles.
Sex, Guns & Vodka
The Classics Theatre Project, May 20-June 11
In a work that remained untitled and went undiscovered until 1923, two decades after his death, Anton Chekhov turns a farcical eye to a Russian retelling of the story of Don Juan. It wouldn't be Chekhov without parties, suicide attempts, and affairs, blended together in a tragi-comedy.
If Pretty Hurts, Ugly Must Be a “MF”: An African Folktale
Jubilee Theatre, May 27-June 26
Combining West African folklore and contemporary American culture, this show follows four teenage girls — Kaya, Massassi, Adama and Akim — all in their respective internal wars with the societal definitions of beauty and how it makes them feel. Set in the fictional village of Affreakah-Amirrorkah, the young women are given an opportunity to live in a society where their individual beauty can reign supreme. But that high stature also brings heart-wrenching pitfalls they must deal with to keep their souls sacred.
