Theater Review

A mystery's afoot as live indoor performance returns to Addison

WaterTower Theatre presents The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Colin Hodgkin stars as Christopher Boone.

Photo by Jerry Walker

We begin with the elephant in the room: WaterTower Theatre has been embroiled in a heated discussion regarding its casting for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

The cast and artistic team are all white or white-passing, and there has been outrage from the Dallas-Fort Worth theater community that this does not accurately reflect "modern-day London," as the theater's description of the show claims.

But this review is not going to tackle that issue. Yes, it is important to note and I personally am uncomfortable with such a homogenous presentation. And it's an important conversation that is still developing (or trying to) between WaterTower's artistic staff and the DFW community, but it's one that's happening offstage.

Onstage, Mark Haddon's bestselling novel of the same name (which was turned into a play by Simon Stephens) begins with a mystery. Someone has killed his neighbor's dog, and 15-year-old Christopher Boone, a neurodiverse young man with very specific limits around his life, is determined to crack the case.

On a versatile set designed by Kennedy Styron that places the audience on either side of the action, we get a glimpse into both Christopher's world and his mind. He's cared for by his laborer father (a tough but vulnerable John-Michael Marrs) outside London, having been told only a handful of months ago that his mother suddenly died of a heart attack.

His teacher, Siobhan (Megan Haratine, with a lovely, lilting Irish accent), narrates Christopher's adventures from the notebook he's recorded them in for school. It is through her that we see what Christopher can be capable of, as the mystery grows and morphs to include new discoveries about his family.

As the autistic teen, Colin Hodgkin is a revelation. The Michigan native has played the role before, honing Christopher's highly specific physical tics and vocal patterns and now inviting the audience into his reality with a masterfully raw edge.

Shannon McGrann is also a stand-out, one of six actors who make up the hard-working ensemble. Through Emily Scott Banks' specific direction, McGrann and company embody everyone (and everything) from neighbors to household furniture to frazzled travelers.

Lighting and projections from Adam Chamberlin likewise take us everywhere from a busy London tube station to Christopher's bedroom to even space itself. David Lanza's evocative sound design solidifies the time-bending transitions.

Though the drama happening with WaterTower Theatre does warrant further discussion, for now its drama onstage also deserves a closer look.

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WaterTower Theatre's production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time runs through July 25 in Addison.

theater reviews

Music and Fashion

Miranda Lambert's 'Velvet Rodeo' wardrobe stars in new DFW exhibition

“Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo” at National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame

Photo by Tyler Conrad

“Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo” will open on November 7 at the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame.

Country star Miranda Lambert is bringing a bit of Las Vegas glamour and bling to North Texas. Her one-of-a-kind wardrobe from her "Velvet Rodeo" residency will go on display at the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame in Fort Worth when its new Icons Gallery opens November 7.

According to a release, the exhibition, called "Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo," was created in collaboration with Lambert, and will feature costumes from the singer's Las Vegas residency, which ran from September 2022 to April 2024.

Lambert said her inspiration came from an earlier visit to the Fort Worth museum, where she spotted historic Western pieces that she photographed and sent to her stylist, Tiffany Gifford. They combined those influences with the glitz of Elvis Presley's heyday to create the "Velvet Rodeo" wardrobe.

“Seeing these pieces now have a life beyond the stage as part of the Museum’s new Icons Gallery feels really full circle and special,” Lambert said in a statement.

Visitors will now have the opportunity to study garments usually seen in motion and under stage lights, appreciating the details that help transform clothing into an essential part of a performance.

The Icons Gallery is part of the Museum’s 16,000-square-foot expansion, which introduces new galleries and experiences that explore the accomplishments and influence of women of the West. The $19 million expansion features a new entrance facing Dickies Arena, new galleries including a photography gallery, an event space accommodating up to 250, and the new Cowgirl Carousel.

Miranda Lambert, right, with rodeo queens onstage at the 45th Cowgirl Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon at Dickies Arena. Photo by Ashley Gongora

Lambert, who was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 2021, is an active mounted shooting competitor and horsewoman, giving her a connection to the West that reaches beyond her music. "Velvet Rodeo" brings together Lambert's identity as a cowgirl and her creative expression as a performer.

“Miranda’s confidence, determination and independence make her a wonderful representative of the women we honor,” says Pat Riley, executive director of the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame, in the release. “Opening our Icons Gallery with this collaboration celebrates her accomplishments while giving visitors a new way to connect with a cowgirl they know and admire.”

According to a museum spokesperson, the temporary exhibition will remain on display for at least one year; no specific end date was given.

In preparation for the expansion grand opening, the Cowgirl will be closed to the public beginning October 19 and will reopen November 7, with a members-only preview at 10 am and a public opening at noon.

celebrities country music exhibitions-visual-arts fashion miranda lambert museums music national cowgirl museum temporary exhibition