Getting Kinky Again

Dallas Summer Musicals stocks 2016-17 season with underwhelming titles

When Dallas Summer Musicals president Michael Jenkins was suddenly ousted in May, the board of directors and interim managing director David Hyslop promised a new direction for the 76-year-old institution. Not that new, apparently, as the 2016-17 season has been announced, and it's less than exciting.

It all begins with a quick stop November 25-27 from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The annual tour has played the Majestic Theatre for its Dallas stops in the past, but this year it's making its way to Fair Park instead. This will be an add-on to the main season, and also one of the four productions co-presented with Bass Hall.

Next up is "one of the most delightful and enchanting Christmas shows ever," Broadway Christmas Wonderland. The holiday revue promises leggy chorus girls, a dancing Santa Claus, and a song catalog bursting with traditional Christmas tunes. It plays December 6-18.

Proving that nothing is safe from a stage adaptation, 2017 begins with Cheers Live On Stage, January 6-8. Yes, someone made a live version of the classic sitcom, and no, it does not feature any new storylines or characters. Just reenactments of popular moments from the TV show. This is another add-on to the main season.

Perhaps the most anticipated of all next season is An American in Paris, the Tony-winning musical that Jenkins and DSM co-produced for Broadway. We knew long ago that this tour was coming, but it's still a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster lineup. Catch it January 31-February 12.

The stalwart musical Stomp is next, February 14-19, clanging its way to a percussive stop at Fair Park as another add-on. Running in some form or another since 1991, the theatrical experience makes rhythms out of everyday items.

The final add-on show is the return of The Illusionists, a magic extravaganza that stopped at Fair Park in spring 2015 before heading on to Broadway. Now it boomerangs back here, and the conjurers are actually pretty worthy of the gasps they elicit. If you missed it the first time around, see it February 28-March 5 in 2017.

Reliving the past seems to be a theme this year, as the next show is a "time capsule" of the Beatles at the height of their popularity. Let It Be is "a reunion that never happened" because of, well, the group's breakup and John Lennon's murder and other unavoidable events. But in this fantasy, the Fab Four is back for one night only and performing all their greatest hits. Wonder what local tribute band A Hard Night's Day thinks of this show, which is playing March 7-19.

Kinky Boots is back March 28-April 9, so soon after its visit in 2015. The last tour lacked the energy of the long-running Broadway production, but perhaps second time's the charm?

The oddly named Circus 1903: The Golden Age of Circus doesn't put nearly enough emphasis on its two most important components: Cirque du Soleil and the puppeteers from War Horse. Those two ingredients might mix up a thrilling theatrical experience from May 23-June 4, provided the final product is as pretty and mysterious as the promo shots.

Even Broadway diva Heather Headley couldn't save the stage adaptation of The Bodyguard when it premiered in London. But in the queasy tradition of Ghost, Flashdance, and Dirty Dancing, DSM is bringing the movie-turned-musical to Dallas July 18-30. This tour is starring Deborah Cox, whom you may remember from the abysmal tour of Jekyll & Hyde that played the Winspear a few years ago and starred Constantine Maroulis. Cox proved then that she's adept at "park and bark" — planting yourself in one spot and singing for all you're worth — so perhaps that'll translate well to some of Whitney Houston's greatest hits.

Performing Arts Fort Worth's Broadway at the Bass season will include Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (November 22-23), Cirque Dreams Holidaze (December 3-4), Annie (January 17-22), An American in Paris (February 14-19), Let It Be (March 21-26), Greater Tuna (March 29-30), Matilda (June 13-18), The Bodyguard (August 1-6), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (September 12-17), Rent (October 17-22), and Irving Berlin's White Christmas (November 14-19).

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., Ste. 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.

Let It Be reunites The Beatles.

Photo by Paul Coltas

Let It Be reunites The Beatles.

theater

Elon News

Dallas bookstore and publisher gets federal arts funding axed

Deep Vellum

Stack of books at Deep Vellum

A Dallas arts organization got its budget chopped by the federal government: Deep Vellum, the bookstore and publisher at 3000 Commerce St., lost a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant due to federal government budget cuts.

According to owner Will Evans, the award, which is granted annually, has been terminated as of May 31. The bookstore had received $20,000 for the past six years.

Deep Ellum started as a publisher in 2013 and opened their bookstore in Deep Ellum in 2015. Since then, they have become a center for literature lovers. Evans is a translator whose mission has been to translate the world’s best novels into English for American audiences.

Evans was notified on May 2 via an email that was reportedly sent to grant recipients nationwide. The note read:

"The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President. Consequently, we are terminating awards that fall outside these new priorities."

The new priorities included projects that elevate the Nation's HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions, celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster AI competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities, assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America healthy again, support military and veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities.

The Grants and Public Affairs departments at NEA did not respond to a request for comment. On Monday May 5, the Literary Staff was laid off, and the agency is facing possible elimination entirely, as part of the 2026 Discretionary Budget Request presented to Congress on May 2.

This year's grant to Deep Vellum was earmarked to fund the translation, publishing, and marketing costs of four books:

Carapace Dancer by Natalia Toledo, translated from Zapotec, published trilingually with Spanish and English translations alongside the original, translated by Clare Sullivan
Juvenilia by Hera Lindsay Bird of New Zealand, making her US debut, illustrated by Dallas artist Gino Dal Cin
Schattenfroh by Michael Lentz, translated from the German by Max Lawton, a 1001-page masterpiece and English-language debut
The Ruins by Ye Hui, translated from Chinese by Dong Li, the English-language debut from one of China's most distinguished and independent poets

The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency established by Congress in 1965 as a funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide anxd a catalyst of public and private support for the arts with the goal of advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, according to their website.

In their last stats document updated in November 2024, their FY’24 budget was outlined as $207M (representing 0.03 percent of the total federal budget), with 80 percent of their budget supporting grants and awards to organizations and individuals across the country. They typically offer over 2,000 grants each year.

"It’s been a strange few days for us, and for countless other nonprofit publishers, magazines, and arts organizations," Evans said.

Despite the cut, Deep Vellum plans to continue to promote literacy through unique books translated to the English language.

“This is not going to imperil our future but it’s something we need to consider as we move forward. These books are extraordinary, and they add so much for readers and culture. We just need to find additional revenue to fund them," Evans said.

Evans was first to reveal the funding cut but a number of organizations across Dallas and Texas have seen similar cuts including Ballet North Texas, Flamenco Fever, Dallas Theater Center, and Bishop Arts Theatre Center, as well as a number of groups in Austin.

closings books