Theater Critic Picks

These are the 5 can't-miss shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for July

UPDATE: MainStage Irving-Las Colinas' production of An Act of God has moved to an online streaming production. Tickets now start at $19 and you have 48 hours to watch the recorded production.

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Following phase III of Texas' reopening plan, "fine arts performance halls" are allowed to welcome back audiences at 50 percent capacity. And some theaters are on board, opening their doors to live performances for the first time since March.

Others are all for the live performances, but only outside and still with reduced crowd and cast sizes. There are also a few that are keeping their productions virtual, thanks to different ways of recording.

Here are five local shows to watch this month:

The Zoo Story
Arts Council of Fort Worth, July 10-25
Performing in the Fort Worth Community Arts Center's outdoor Courtyard Gallery, Jason Leyva and a troupe of Texas actors will introduce audiences to Edward Albee's absurdist, one-act play that examines isolation and the never-ending struggle to communicate and connect (timely, huh?). Tickets are limited to 30 guests per performance, and the audience will enjoy pre-show live music and shaded seating on the covered veranda. Tickets are $15 and available here.

Lone Star
The Classics Theatre Project, July 11-12 and July 16-19
In the backyard of a small-town Texas bar, one-time local high-school hero Roy and his little brother Ray work their way through a case of beer. Roy is back in town after a tour in Vietnam and is regaling Ray with tales of his love life and military exploits. With the arrival of Cletis, son of the local hardware store owner, Roy's world begins to collapse as truths come out about what happened during his time away. Director Joey Folsom is staging James McLure's one-act outside the Margo Jones Theater in Fair Park, to audiences of 35 and with all proper safety measures in place (masks, temperature checks, social distancing). Tickets are $10-25 and available here.

The True History of the Tragic Life & Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, the Ugliest Woman in the World
Amphibian Stage Productions, streaming July 16-30
Debuted by Amphibian in 2003 and then staged — in total darkness — in 2012, Shaun Prendergast's real-life tale is the perfect vehicle for an auditory-only production. Using only a 3-D soundscape engineered with the cinematic Dolby Atmos surround sound, the immersive listening encounter introduced audiences to Julia, a Mexican woman who was born with two genetic conditions now known as hypertrichosis terminalis and gingival hyperplasia, which caused her to grow excessive hair all over her body and enlarged her facial features. Often and unkindly referred to as the "Ape-woman," Julia was dragged across oceans by her husband and manager, performing in traveling circuses and sideshows and always searching for the love and beauty she believed life had in store for her. Tickets are $13 and available here.

I Am My Own Wife
WaterTower Theatre, streaming July 16-August 2
Originally scheduled to run in April, Doug Wright's Pulitzer Prize-winning play was already in pre-production, the set half-built and abandoned when theaters were ordered to close in March. But because this is a one-person show, where a single actor (Bob Hess) plays more than 30 characters, WTT and director Ashley Puckett Gonzales found a creative and safe way to film the production for online streaming. The play is based on the true story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, an elegant and eccentric 65-year-old German transgender woman who, against all odds, managed to survive both the Nazi onslaught of WWII and the repressive East German Communist regime occupations of her home. Tickets are $38 and can be purchased here or by calling 972-450-6232.

An Act of God
MainStage Irving-Las Colinas, July 23-August 1
Instead of presenting the large-scale musical Disaster!, MainStage is going with David Javerbaum's divine comedy about the Almighty (Sherry Etzel) and two devoted angels (Eric Criner and Alex Swanson). Seating in the Dupree Theatre will be very limited — about 60 of the 230 available seats — and the company says that all ticket buyers will be provided with safety protocols and measures no less than one week before their performance. Tickets are $29 and available here or by calling 972-252-2787.

Joey Folsom directs Lone Star for The Classics Theatre Project.

Photo courtesy of The Classics Theatre Project

Joey Folsom directs Lone Star for The Classics Theatre Project.

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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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