Here Comes Wicked

Expect familiar titles and few surprises in Dallas Summer Musicals' 2015-16 season

Fresh off its 75th anniversary season, Dallas Summer Musicals announced an upcoming year's lineup that's heavy on tried-and-true titles — with one or two welcome surprises thrown in. Pairing once again with Performing Arts Fort Worth, which presents shows at Bass Performance Hall, the two organizations will co-present three productions.

The first will start DSM's season, a "brand new" stage adaptation of The Sound of Music. Since it appears to use the famous score, which includes songs like "Edelweiss," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "My Favorite Things" and "Do-Re-Mi," it's unclear how brand-new this version actually will be. It seems the decision to revisit this classic was influenced by the popularity of NBC's live telecast of the show in 2013, and that it's the film's 50th anniversary this year. It runs November 3-22.

Next up is Elf, which played Bass Hall last November and stops this year in Dallas from December 8-20. Yes, this is the musicalized stage version of the Will Ferrell movie. No, he's not in this tour. Yes, there is a song in the show titled "Sparklejollytwinklejingley." No, I will not sing it for you.

February 2-14, 2016, just in time for Valentine's Day, comes The Bridges of Madison County. Another musicalization of a film, but this time the lush, Tony-winning score is by Jason Robert Brown, which makes the story of a lonely war bride and the traveling photographer who awakens her passion seem even more sad and romantic.

Dallas Summer Musicals produced a new version of Disney's The Little Mermaid in 2014, and now it's coming back from March 11-27, 2016, in a co-production with Performing Arts Fort Worth. You might remember reading about the cool flying effects that visually stunning production introduced.

Also returning, this time for a good long stretch from April 20-May 22, 2016, is the mega-hit Wicked. This show isn't part of the regular DSM subscription season but can be easily added on. Easily, that is, if you can beat the hordes of girl-power fans for tickets to this popular musical.

Though it won a handful of Tony Awards back in 1996, Ragtime doesn't seem to tour quite as often as other shows. Perhaps that's because it's an epic, sprawling tale of America at the dawn of a new era, though some companies have proven that a stripped-down approach also conveys the show's message. Whether this tour version is large or intimate, it's still nice to see it out in the world again. It will be in Dallas from May 24-June 5, 2016.

You might be more familiar with the film Bullets Over Broadway that its musical version, but you can get acquainted when it plays the Music Hall at Fair Park from June 14-26, 2016. The show played a few months on Broadway last year with Zach Braff in the John Cusack role.

The final show of the season is another co-production with PAFW. 42nd Street, the ultimate backstage musical, is being directed by co-author Mark Bramble and choreographed by Randy Skinner, the team who staged the 2001 Tony Award-winning best musical revival. Are your tap shoes ready? You know, just in case you get your big break when they need you to go on.

In Fort Worth, the Broadway at the Bass season will include The Book of Mormon (December 1-6), Motown the Musical (January 13-17), The Little Mermaid (March 29-April 3), The Wizard of Oz (June 7-12), 42nd Street (July 12-17), The Sound of Music (August 17-21) and The Phantom of the Opera (October 20-30).

Dallas Summer Musicals tickets are available by calling 214-346-3300, visiting the website or in person at the box office, located at 5959 Royal Ln., suite 542 in Dallas.

Tickets for Broadway at the Bass in Fort Worth are available over the phone at 817-212-4280, online or in person at the Bass Hall box office.

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Theater News

Dallas' Kitchen Dog Theater unveils powerful 2026-2027 season lineup

Photo by Cameron Cobb

Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas will put on three mainstage productions for their 2026-2027 season.

Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas has revealed the lineup for the 2026-2027 season, featuring a slate of plays that boasts power players like kings, prime ministers, space force commanders, and would-be presidents.

According to a release, the theater company's 36th season — their "most powerful yet" — will consist of three mainstage productions at its new permanent home in the Design District, as well as the annual New Works Festival, featuring a readings series and the 26th annual D-PAC PUP (Playwrights Under Progress) Fest.

The season will start with The Absentee by Julia Doolittle, running September 10-October 4, 2026. The play was the winner of the 2019-2020 Woodward/Newman Drama Award.

Far out in the Milky Way, “Beacons” serve as lighthouses for warping spaceships around the galaxy. When a U.S. Space Force ship explodes in the galaxy, the Operator finds herself alone in deep space, with only her ship’s AI for companionship. That is, until a persistent canvasser calls, desperate to convince her to vote absentee in the 2088 election.

As the Operator waits for the clean up to be over, she finds she has to come to terms with her isolation, grief, and her political voice.

The season's second production comes four months later, with Equivocation by Bill Cain, running February 4-28, 2027. In 1605 England, a terrorist plots to assassinate King James I and blow Parliament to kingdom come. Shagspeare (after a contemporary spelling of the Bard's name) is commissioned by the prime minister, to write the “true historie” of the plot. And it must have witches — the king wants witches.

But as Shag and the acting company of the Globe investigate the plot, they discover that the king's version of the story might, in fact, be a coverup. Shag and his actors are confronted with the ultimate moral and artistic dilemma. Speak truth to power and perhaps lose their heads? Or take the money and lie? Is there a third option? Equivocation?

A high-stakes political thriller with contemporary resonances, Equivocation gallops from the great Globe to the Tower of London to the halls of Parliament to the heart of Judith, Shag's younger daughter, who finds herself unexpectedly at the very heart of the political, dramatic and — ultimately — human mystery.

The final mainstage production of the season comes at the 2027 New Works Festival with Black Republican by KDT Artistic Company Member Jamal Gibran Sterling, running June 3-27, 2027.

Originally featured as a Staged Reading in the 2026 New Works Festival, the ambitious first play by Sterling centers on a Black Republican candidate on the national stage who finds his campaign threatened by an activist who challenges everything he claims to stand for. Their battle exposes uncomfortable truths about race, politics, and the stories we tell ourselves.

In addition to Black Republican, the 2027 New Works Festival will showcase four staged readings of some of the newest and most exciting Texas-based playwrights. Each reading will feature accomplished Dallas-Fort Worth actors and directors to highlight the breadth of talent in the area.

The final part of the festival is D-PAC PUP (Playwrights Under Progress) Fest, featuring six staged readings of jury-selected plays written by Dallas-Fort Worth high school students and featuring student actors directed by area professionals. PUP Fest is the culmination of Dallas Playwriting Arts Collective (D-PAC), a partnership with Dallas ISD and Junior Players.

Kitchen Dog Theater offers two season subscription packages for their inaugural season in their new facility. The Kitchen Dog package includes a ticket to all three mainstage productions for any performance date for $90+ $8 fees for adults and $75 +$8 fees for students and seniors (ages 65+). The Saver Dog package includes a ticket to all three mainstage productions for Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays only. It is $60 + $8 fees for adults and $45 + $8 fees for students and seniors.

Both packages grant full access to the Staged Reading Series and PUP Fest. Subscribers also receive premium reserved seating for in-person performances, as well as subscriber-only discounts on additional single tickets, 2026 special events, and KDT merchandise.

Subscription packages are on sale now, and single tickets for each show will go on sale on Monday, August 24, at kitchendogtheater.org.

design district kitchen dog theater new works festival performing-arts plays theater