Little Big Shots

7 ways to see the best teen pianists on the planet play in Dallas

Dallas, meet the Cliburn. The crown jewel of Fort Worth’s arts scene — named for famous late pianist Van Cliburn, who called Fort Worth home — has packed its pianos and moved east for its next big event, the Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival.

From May 31-June 8, Dallas becomes the center of the piano universe, as 23 of the most talented teenage pianists from 11 countries compete for cash, scholarships, and major international bragging rights. They're the ones who made the cut, after 230 hopefuls from 32 countries auditioned.

Former first lady Laura Bush serves as honorary chair of the competition. The most in-demand concert pianists in the world are judges. Press from France, Italy, Japan, Canada, and the UK will cover it. And, unlike Cowboys games or the last Ariana Grande concert at the AAC, the entire thing will be live-streamed, free and legally, via a Cliburn-produced webcast.

Lucky for Dallas culture vultures and keyboard geeks, the competition hosts are making it easy to attend performances in person, catch a live simulcast on a giant outdoor screen in Dallas' favorite park, or even take part in some of the events alongside the musicians. And a lot of them are free.

Whether you’ve always been curious about this Fort Worth event, have a budding musician in your household who needs inspiration to sit down and practice, or just want to hear a killer Chopin etude during dinnertime, here are some ways to get in on the competition action in Dallas — no talent required.

1. Sit in the audience. The contest takes place in four rounds. The first three are at SMU's Caruth Auditorium, and the preliminary round (May 31-June 1) is ticketed but free to attend. (Check the website or call 214-849-4376 for availability, though, as some concerts are sold out.) Quarterfinal tickets (June 2-3) are $10, and semifinal tickets (June 5-6) are $20. The final round is the biggie, and it takes place all in one day, June 8, at the Meyerson Symphony Center (prices range from $19-$99). The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will accompany three finalists on a complete concerto, with the awards ceremony to take place immediately after.

2. Enjoy it in the park. The biggest Cliburn watch-party ever assembled will be at Klyde Warren Park on June 8. From 2:30-7 pm, the finals will be broadcast live on a giant LED screen. After the competition, there'll be expert commentary and recap, and then the naming of the winners. The watch party is free to attend. (One will take place simultaneously at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, too.)

3. Show up for a pop-up concert. Throughout the competition — and even before it begins — the virtuosic teens will give recitals in locations around Dallas, and all are free to attend. Catch them:

Noon to 1 pm on May 30 at Main Street Garden Park downtown
11:30 am to 12:30 pm on June 1 at Dallas Museum of Art and NorthPark Center
Noon to 1 pm on June 5 at Klyde Warren Park
4-5 pm on June 6 at Dallas Museum of Art and NorthPark Center

4. Learn from the masters. For a next-level music education experience, join the 23 competitors and 14 other invited festival participants in master classes, seminars, and symposia. Check the website for list of master classes taught by some of the world's best pianists. Two symposia of note are Repertoire Planning, 10 am on June 4 (How to put a complete program together for a recital and more); and the Jury Symposium, 11 am on June 8 (Members of the Cliburn competition jury will discuss changes in piano training, technique, practicing, and more.) All events are at O'Donnell Recital Hall at SMU.

5. Get on the party bus. For those who live closer to the west side of the Metroplex and want to attend the final round without a drive to Dallas and parking hassles, the Cliburn is offering a ticket package that bundles a ticket to the concert and a round-trip ride on a party bus to the the Meyerson from downtown Fort Worth. It boards at 1 pm on June 8 and departs Dallas at 7 pm.

6. Tune in. Local radio station WRR 101.1 will broadcast many of the competition events, including the final round, with commentary from their on-air talent. They'll also air interviews with jurors, competitors, and more Cliburn folks throughout the competition. (Pro tip: Say, "Alexa, stream WRR," and she beams it right in.) So if you can't show up to watch the action, you can at least listen and visualize being there. Also, NPR's famous program From the Top will cover the competition in person for an hour-long documentary set to air in October on 220 stations around the United States.

7. Watch it on demand. In addition to the live webcast, the Cliburn will make performances available on demand for later viewing on their website, Vimeo, YouTube, and Facebook. The entire webcast will be a "show" hosted by the Cliburn's artistic expert Buddy Bray, joined by past Cliburn laureate Sean Chen for commentary and interviews with competition insiders. It'll also go backstage for an up-close look at the inner workings of the competition.

For more information, visit the Cliburn's website.

Competitor Ishan Loomba, 17, of the United States tries out a piano in Caruth Auditorium.

Ishan Loomba, Cliburn junior competition

Photo by Ralph Lauer

Competitor Ishan Loomba, 17, of the United States tries out a piano in Caruth Auditorium.

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Drama kings

Dallas theater lures new leaders away from Hollywood and Broadway

Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage

Malcolm Goodwin is an actor, director, and producer familiar for roles in Reacher, iZombie, and The Fall of the House of Usher.

Dallas theater company Lyric Stage has looked to Hollywood and Broadway for new leadership, hiring film and television actor and director Malcolm Goodwin and Broadway veteran Victor Hawks as the theater company's new co-artistic directors.

The appointments mark a new chapter for the company, which was founded in 1993 by Steven Jones, executive director Catherine Carpenter Cox says in a November 2 announcement.

Goodwin and Hawks are the co-founders of Team Vision Entertainment, a production company developing and producing film, television, and theater projects.

Their longstanding creative partnership will now extend to Lyric Stage, where they will work alongside Cox to develop programming, support new works, and strengthen the organization's connections to the broader entertainment industry, a press release says.

Goodwin is an actor, director, and producer best known for roles in Amazon Prime Video's Reacher and The CW's iZombie. Other credits include The Fall of the House of Usher, American Gangster, and Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna.

His new role at Lyric Stage brings him back to the art form that first inspired his career.

"Theater is where I first learned how to tell stories and where I discovered that I loved every part of the creative process, not just performing," Goodwin says in the release. "I was building theaters, working with lighting and sound, and learning how everything comes together to create something special for an audience. Being able to return to that world and help create opportunities for other artists is incredibly meaningful to me."

Hawks brings an extensive Broadway background to his new position, having appeared in the original Broadway company of Urinetown the Musical, the 2006 Broadway revival of Les Misérables, South Pacific at Lincoln Center, and The Producers national tour.

Victor Hawks, Lyric Stage Victor Hawks.Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage

"Musical theater changed the direction of my life," Hawks says in a statement. "I know firsthand what happens when someone gives a young performer an opportunity to learn, grow and be part of something bigger than themselves. That's what makes this next chapter so exciting. Lyric Stage already has an incredible history, and we want to build on that by creating great theater and opening doors for artists who are just beginning their journeys."

Over the past three decades, Lyric Stage has earned a reputation for its professional productions, world premieres, and restoration of classic Broadway works, with a big focus on musicals.

For Cox, the appointments are about bringing together artists who understand the importance of theater while offering the experience and relationships to help the organization grow.

"Steven Jones built something truly special with Lyric Stage, and we have a responsibility to honor what he created while continuing to move the organization forward," Cox says. "Malcolm and Victor have built remarkable careers in entertainment, but what I love most is that theatre is where both of their journeys began. They understand what the stage can mean to an artist, and they share my passion for creating opportunities for the next generation."

Cox also recently moved into a new role as director, making her directorial debut with Lyric Stage's production of the musical Godspell, which finished its run on October 25.

Upcoming Lyric Stage productions include A Very Lyric Christmas, A Chorus Line, Newsies, and Once.

Future planned endeavors for the company include Lyric Stage Academy, an educational program designed to introduce young people to the performing arts, as well as Children's Theatre, Summer Stock, professional training opportunities, a New Works Lab, and master classes.

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