a meeting with the queen

Meet the monarchy at this rare British royal exhibit coming to Texas

Get ready, Texas, for art fit for a queen — when the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston welcomes royalty in the new exhibition "Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits from Holbein to Warhol."

The exhibition, spanning five centuries of royal portraiture, contains a treasure of painting, sculpture, and photography masterworks dating from the first monarch of the House of Tudor, Henry VII, all the way to Elizabeth II. When exploring this vast exhibition of 150 objects, visitors to the MFAH can expect a royal audience with the likenesses of King Henry VIII, King George I, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, and Prince William.

Fresh off the Hamilton tour of his lost colonies, King George III will also make an appearance, or at least Allan Ramsay’s majestic King George III portrait will honor Texas with its presence.

For the rarest of royal treats, spare a bow for her majesty Queen Elizabeth I, the masterwork “Ditchley Portrait” by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, which has never crossed the pond to journey to the United States, until now.

"Tudors to Windsors" will give viewers a history tour not only of the great faces of British power and aristocracy, but also an overview of some the art world’s greatest portraitists, from Hans Holbein, Sir Peter Lely, and Sir Joshua Reynolds, to the modern masters like Cecil Beaton, Andy Warhol, and Annie Leibovitz.

The exhibition draws from the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London, which has never before allowed such a large number of its masterpieces to travel.

“It is a privilege to partner with the National Portrait Gallery in organizing this landmark exhibition,” says Gary Tinterow, MFAH director, in a statement. “Their unique collection provides visitors an incomparable experience of Britain’s royal historical narrative and the opportunity to view these legendary personalities face-to-face.”

The MFAH has also secured additional loans for the exhibition from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Palazzo Barberini, Rome; the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid; as well as the Snowdon Archive and National Gallery, London.

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'Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits from Holbein to Warhol' will run October 7, 2018-January 27, 2019 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Cecil Beaton, Queen Elizabeth II, 2 June 1953, semi-matte cibachrome print, National Portrait Gallery, London.

MFAH Tudors to Windsors, Cecil Beaton, Queen Elizabeth II

Photo Courtesy of Cecil Beaton / Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Cecil Beaton, Queen Elizabeth II, 2 June 1953, semi-matte cibachrome print, National Portrait Gallery, London.

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Season Announcement

Kitchen Dog Theater unleashes immersive 2025 season in new Dallas space

Kitchen Dog Theater presents Safe at Home

Photo by Jordan Fraker

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Seven years after announcing it had purchased a building in the Design District, Kitchen Dog Theater is finally ready to move into its new home.

The third and final production of its 2025 season — the theater company's 34th — will take place all around the new "Doghouse." The other two productions will follow the immersive format at non-traditional performance spaces that was established last season.

With three fully produced events that each run the gambit from captivating and gutsy to heartfelt and hilarious, the monthly New Works Festival Staged Readings Series returns, as does the 23rd annual PUP Fest, nurturing high school talent from all over DFW.

First up is the area premiere of Will Eno's Wakey, Wakey, directed by KDT's artistic director Tina Parker and starring KDT co-artistic director Christopher Carlos.

"Is it now? I thought I had more time." These first words in Will Eno's play are spoken by Guy, a man who knows, like all of us on some level, that he is about to die. The play questions why we are here and the journeys that everyone takes to eventually get to the same place. Performances will take place at Expo Park, 840 Exposition Avenue, and run February 7-23, 2025.

Production No. 2 is full of mystery: The title and performance location will be announced soon and run in March/April 2025.

The Happiness Gymby Ken Weitzman closes out the season in August 2025 (exact dates TBA).

This regional premiere is a joyous, experiential event based on the science of well-being. Participants take part in a curated theatrical experience meant to boost their sense of happiness, joy, and feelings of connection. This one-of-a-kind project will be the soft opening to Kitchen Dog’s new theater and will take place all over the entire facility, giving patrons unparalleled access to KDT’s new home.

From March to July 2025, the 26th annual 2025 New Works Festival will showcase four-to-five staged readings of the newest and most exciting local and regional playwrights working in contemporary theater today. Each reading will feature some of DFW's most accomplished actors and directors and will take place at different venues across DFW.

For its 23rd annual event, PUP Fest will feature six staged readings of jury-selected plays written by DFW high school students, featuring student actors directed by area professional directors. PUP Fest is the culminating event of Dallas Playwriting Arts Collective (D-PAC), a partnership with Dallas ISD and Junior Players. Performance location is TBA, but the event will happen June 7, 2025.

For more information, visit kitchendogtheater.org or call 214-953-1055.

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