Theater Critic Picks

These are the 10 can't-miss shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for June

Dallas actors Bob Hess and Sally Vahle are coming to you, via the UK, in Dear Donald/Dear Hillary.

Photo by Noah Sargent

Grab your beach blankets, grab your lawn chairs, charge your phone, fire up the TV, or just get ready to sit in an air-conditioned theater space, because summer theater has started to arrive.

And it comes in so many forms this month: live and outdoors, pre-recorded, and even on TikTok. And, of course, there's plenty of Shakespeare.

In order of start date, here are 10 local shows to watch this month:

Hedda Gabler
Undermain Theatre, streaming through June 13
Blake Hackler adapted and directed this version of Ibsen's masterpiece, which tells the story of an extraordinary woman trapped in a conventional life of secrets and lies that fuel her own personal explosion. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here.

Dear Donald/Dear Hillary (Their Secret Correspondence)
Elaine Liner, streaming through June 27
Dallas playwright (and former theater critic) Liner penned this two-actor play as a reaction to the 2016 election, imagining if the two presidential candidates had been secret pen pals. Local luminaries Bob Hess and Sally Vahle star with direction by Noah Sargent. It was filmed at a Dallas theater as part of the lineup for the UK's Brighton Fringe (but can be viewed from anywhere). Tickets are £12 and can be purchased here.

Hamlet Project
Shakespeare Dallas, June 3-13
This one-person interpretation of Hamlet features two different actors every night, who will show you what's so rotten in Denmark in about 90 minutes using two different scripts written by Migdalia Cruz and Erik Ehn, that the actors won't see until showtime (a la White Rabbit Red Rabbit).

The Music Man
Theatre Three, June 3-July 4
Director Joel Ferrell and music director Vonda K. Bowling have reimagined Meredith Willson's classic musical about a con man who turns one town upside down into a boutique, outdoor, touring production. Kyle Igneczi leads a 10-person cast across three venues: outside the Coppell Senior Center, Union Coffee Shop, and the Texas Discovery Gardens.

Hammer Toe and The Adventures of Ability-Lad and Genius-Lass
Pegasus Theatre, streaming June 4-20
As part of its Fresh Reads program, Pegasus is streaming two new superhero-themed comedies for $10 each. The first, written by Tammy Green and directed by Ben Shroth, follows an incapacitated Thor's cousin Freya as she goes on an epic adventure. The second, written by Eric Palmer and directed by Joey Dietz, is set in Cityopolis, where the police commissioner and mayor have made all crime illegal — and put its two superheroes out of the job. Buy on-demand streaming access to The Adventures of... here, and Hammer Toe here.

23rd Annual New Works Festival
Kitchen Dog Theater, online June 4-26
To celebrate its 30th anniversary season, Kitchen Dog Theater has transformed its NWF Staged Reading Series into the New Works Festival Commission Series – In the Works. This year’s four commissioned BIPOC playwrights include Ruben Carrazana (Dallas), Tara Moses (Seminole Nation, Oklahoma), Erin Malone Tuner (Dallas), and Haygen-Brice Walker (Philadelphia). A full lineup for the festival, which includes the 20th year of PUP Fest, can be found here.

Much Ado About Nothing
The Classics Theatre Project, June 9-27
A rad 1990s nostalgia-filled adaptation of William Shakespeare's comedy is coming to the lawn at Addison Conference and Theatre Center, so bring your sand chairs and picnic blankets. When the AA baseball team the Aragon Soldiers arrives in town, its aces — the dashing Claudio and fast-talking Benedick — take their at-bats with the lovely Hero and fierce Beatrice. Claudio and Hero quickly fall in love, but Benedick and Beatrice (both sworn singles) match only wits. Meanwhile, the dastardly Don John threatens to destroy both couples in this fresh take on William Shakespeare's crowd-pleasing tale of outrageous characters, pranks, mistaken identities, and new love.

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Shakespeare Everywhere, June 14 & 21
Some of DFW theater's finest are assembling to put on this magical tale from the Bard, which includes fairies, love spells, and even some shape-shifting. The first performance is at Klyde Warren Park and the second is at Deep Ellum Art Co.

A Solitary Man: The Music of Neil Diamond
Casa Mañana, June 15-26
Hamilton's Darnell Abraham and American Idol winner Nick Fradiani star in this concert at the Reid Cabaret Theatre, which spans everything from "Sweet Caroline" to "America" while intertwining stories about one of the best-selling musicians of all time.

Turkey and Bones and Eating and We Liked It
Leos Ensemble Theatre, online June 24-onward
Devising with actors in Texas and New Jersey, director Kelli J. Howard has reimagined Gertrude Stein’s 1916 text for the newest social media app: TikTok. Leos Ensemble is the first theater group in the U.S., if not the world, to conceive a theater show specifically for this platform, where the interaction with TikTok content is part of the show itself. You can view it online here, or watch a recorded version on YouTube and Instagram.

theater

A Familiar Face

Dallas Theater Center names Jaime Castañeda as new artistic director

Photo courtesy of Dallas Theater Center

Jaime Castañeda is the Tony-winning theater's new artistic director.

The Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center has found its next artistic director: Jaime Castañeda, who has a long history with both DTC and North Texas, will become the regional theater's sixth artistic director beginning July 2026. The 2026-27 season will be the first chosen by him.

Jonathan Norton, DTC’s resident playwright, is currently serving as interim artistic director and will continue to lead the remainder of the 2025-26 season, which culminates in the world premiere of his play Malcolm X and Redd Foxx Washing Dishes at Jimmy’s Chicken Shack in Harlem in May.

“DTC is committed to artistic excellence and community engagement, and we believe Jaime’s experience, creativity, bold vision, and proven leadership, coupled with his dedication to innovation, will guide DTC into an exciting new chapter in the life of the theater," says board chair Lynn Pride Richardson in a release.

In 2012, Castañeda directed DTC’s production of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz. But he began his career more than 20 years ago in Dallas-Fort Worth by founding Firestarter Productions while still attending Texas Christian University. In addition to directing at DTC, other local theater credits include Kitchen Dog Theater, Amphibian Stage, and Circle Theatre. Castañeda is a recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Directing Fellowship, and holds a BFA from Texas Christian University and an MFA in Directing from University of Texas at Austin.

Most recently, Castañeda directed at such leading theaters across the country as American Conservatory Theater, South Coast Repertory, Huntington Theatre Company, and La Jolla Playhouse, where he previously served as associate artistic director from 2014-2018. He was also artistic associate at Off-Broadway's Atlantic Theater Company from 2009-2014.

"Jaime brings a bold, visceral artistic vision, a deep commitment to new voices, and a collaborative leadership style that inspires artists and audiences alike,” says DTC executive director Kevin Moriarty. “With his Texas roots and national experience, I am thrilled to welcome him home as DTC’s new Enloe/Rose artistic director. I have known and admired his work since 2007, when he was already one of the most exciting emerging directors in North Texas, and I later saw him create unforgettable work for DTC on the Wyly stage and at leading theaters nationwide.”

As artistic director, Castañeda will lead the theater’s artistic vision, direct and produce plays and musicals, oversee DTC’s Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company, and partner with Moriarty, the staff, and the board of trustees to advance DTC’s mission, vision, and values.

Castañeda joins a distinguished line of artistic leadership at Dallas Theater Center, including founding artistic director Paul Baker, Adrian Hall, Ken Bryant, Richard Hamburger, and Moriarty, who served as artistic director from 2007-2022.

“We are extremely pleased with a successful national search that brings Jaime to Dallas Theater Center,” says DTC board member Chris Luna. “His energy is contagious and he understands Texas and Dallas. We look forward to collaborating with Jaime as he continues his innovative approach to regional theater.”

Castañeda was selected for the role following a national search led by Management Consultants for the Arts. The search committee was co-chaired by Luna and Richardson, and included Moriarty, Norton, Jennifer Altabef, Diane Brierley, Lauren Embrey, Sam Holland (Dean, SMU Meadows School of the Arts), Sharron Hunt, Randy Kender, Julie Kosnik, Deborah McMurray, Sam Megally, Liz Mikel (DTC Brierley Resident Acting Company member), Andy Smith, Lily Weiss (executive director, Dallas Arts District) and Donna Wilhelm.

“Growing up in Texas, Dallas Theater Center was one of the first places where I saw what professional theater and excellence looked like,” Castañeda says. “I’m thrilled to come back and build on the history of artists and leaders who have been a part of this organization. I’m eager to join Kevin, the board, and our staff to create lasting theatrical experiences for our audiences.”

Dallas Theater Center's current production of A Christmas Carol runs through December 27 at the Wyly Theatre.

dallas theater center jaime castañeda kevin moriarty theater