Theater Critic Picks

These are the 11 can't-miss shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for September

It's still festival time in both Dallas and Fort Worth, along with a few familiar titles from a certain ALW (that's Andrew Lloyd Webber to most). Some recent Broadway hits are also making their way to local stages in regional productions, as are one or two brand-new works showcasing native talent.

Here are the 11 shows to see in order by start date:

Cats
The Firehouse Theatre, September 5-22
Set among a larger-than-life junkyard playground, Cats is alive with purr-fect felines, including Rum Tum Tugger, Mr. Mistoffelees, Macavity, Jennyanydots, Old Deuteronomy, Skimbleshanks, and Grizabella. The all-singing, all-dancing Tony-winning musical spectacular has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and additional material written by Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe, and is based on Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot.

Fort Worth Fringe Festival
Fort Worth Community Arts Center, September 6-8
Fourteen different shows over three days on two stages. Bump from Buckle Up Theatre is the headliner, supported by performances from Proper Hijinx, The Maverick Theatre Company, Drag Strip Courage, and others.

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
Casa Mañana, September 7-15
Don your black-rimmed glasses and celebrate Buddy Holly's meteoric rise to fame and the top of the record charts with the "World's Most Successful Rock Musical." Set during the golden days of rock 'n' roll, Buddy Holly will have audiences dancing in the aisles to rousing hits such as "Peggy Sue," "That'll be the Day," and "Rave On." The last half of the show re-enacts his last night 60 years ago: the concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, complete with performances from Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.

Pete: A New Dance Musical
Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, September 12-15
Conceived and choreographed by internationally award-winning choreographer and founder of DCCDUSA Joshua L. Peugh, this original 90-minute dance musical is inspired by J. M. Barrie's iconic novel Peter Pan. Responding to the narrative of the classic story, Pete: A New Dance Musical takes an adventurous, playful, and creative approach to not only explore the intersecting themes of childhood, freedom, and mortality, but to reflect on issues of race, gender, sexuality, and privilege.

First Date
Stage West and Theatre TCU, September 12-October 13
When tightly-wound Aaron (Seth Womack) is set up with laid-back Casey (Amber Marie Flores) on a blind date, a casual drink turns into an uproarious high-stakes dinner. As the date unfolds, this mismatched pair's inner critics take on a life of their own, as other patrons transform into supportive best friends, manipulative exes, and protective parents.

First Impressions Mainstage Showcase
Imprint Theatreworks, September 13-29
Three local plays from the 2018 and 2019 First Impressions Festivals were chosen to be mounted as full productions, led by three new directors from the Director Development Program.

Red Chariot
Undermain Theatre, September 18-October 13
What if tarot cards could actually affect your future? And you could use that tarot deck to control other's destinies as well? And what if the Internet created that tarot deck? This world premiere science fiction thriller is set amid the downfall of civilization after the Internet has created a mysterious tarot deck that, when read, can actually affect the past, present, and future. Gordon Dahlquist takes us on a journey though time as we explore the chaotic effects of new technological advancements and the role humans have, or haven't, played in stopping that chaos.

In the Heights
Dallas Theater Center, September 21-October 20
Conceived and with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights is the universal story of a vibrant community in New York's Washington Heights neighborhood. A place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music, it's a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams, and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you and which ones you leave behind.

Evita
Lyric Stage, September 20-22
This seven-time Tony Award-winning musical tells the passionate and unforgettable story of Eva Duarte de Perón, and her meteoric climb from the slums of Argentina to one of the most powerful women in the world as the first lady of Argentina. The international hit musical is by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

The Phantom of the Opera
Broadway at the Bass, September 24-October 5
Cameron Mackintosh's spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical makes its triumphant return to Fort Worth, boasting new scenic and lighting designs, new staging, new choreography, and the legendary chandelier.

What We Were
Circle Theatre, September 26-October 19
This world premiere from acclaimed local playwright Blake Hackler is done in collaboration with Dallas' Second Thought Theatre. It tells the story of Carlin, Nell, and Tessa, three sisters who suffered a childhood of abuse. Now adults, each lives in some degree of denial, but the lies are starting to become more unbearable than the truth.

Dallas Theater Center presents Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights.

Xavier Cano and cast of Dallas Theater Center's In the Heights

Photo by Karen Almond

Dallas Theater Center presents Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights.

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Dance Off

Texas ballet company turns Timothée Chalamet dig into genius promotion

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It was a shot fired from Austin that rang out around the art world: In a recent CNN/Variety Town Hall featuring actors Timothée Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet offered an assessment of ballet and opera that immediately went viral.

During the onstage conversation at the University of Texas at Austin, Chalamet said, "I don't want to be working in ballet or opera, or you know, things where it's like, 'hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.' All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership."

Chalamet immediately seemed to experience a twinge of regret, awkwardly adding, "But um...damn, I just took shots for no reason." He also sang a note and hid his face behind the cards he was holding.

Stars of the art forms, from Andrea Bocelli to Misty Copeland, immediately began to leap (jeté, if you will) to the the defense of opera and ballet.

In a genius marketing move, Austin's hometown ballet company is taking the unique opportunity to turn a hot topic into a promotion for its next production: Ballet Austin is inviting anyone named Timothée, Timothee, or Timothy to claim a free ticket to its upcoming world premiere of Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles, running March 27-29 at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

"Timothée… you were in Austin? We were literally down the street," a Ballet Austin post says. "Austin has brisket. Austin has music. Austin also has ballet."

All Timothées and folks with similar names will have to do to claim a ticket is send a message to Ballet Austin on social media and show identification. Everyone else who wants to see the supernatural show where "the line between victim and villain blurs" will have to purchase a ticket ($25-$125) at balletaustin.org.

Ballet Austin Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles Ballet Austin isn't afraid to add some edge to classic stories. Photo courtesy of Ballet Austin

Even if Chalamet's words were dismissive, he's obviously not wrong about the relative distribution of public interest between the classical arts and major films like Marty Supreme, the late 2025 film he stars in and is busy promoting. The film's commercially successful release set a record for A24, an already renowned studio.

Chalamet brought up ballet and opera in service of a larger point about pacing in movies. He said he exists in a middle ground as a consumer between wanting to be drawn in early and being more patient as a film progresses. Ultimately, he juxtaposed Barbie and Oppenheimer with the classical arts, pointing out that if the masses want to go see a film, they will "be loud and proud about it" organically, without needing performers to advocate for the seriousness of the art form.

Coincidentally, there couldn't be a better counterpoint to this argument than Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles.

As the title suggests, the story follows historical figure Marie Antoinette as she chooses to become a vampire, seeking "power, immortality, and vengeance," according to a press release. It takes a somewhat silly premise and gives it dramatic gravitas, with an original score by Austin composer Graham Reynolds, who is known outside of classical circles and sometimes composes for movie soundtracks.

"For Ballet Austin, the moment is an opportunity to remind audiences that ballet isn’t fading away," says a release about the new promotion. "It’s evolving, drawing new audiences and continuing to thrive in creative cities like Austin."

If Chalamet really does fall in the middle of instant and delayed artistic gratification, this sounds like the perfect production to draw him in.

And perhaps Ballet Austin should add people named Matthew to their promotion, since McConaughey threw the younger star a bone after his momentary walk-back, saying, "That's not a shot — I hear what you're saying."

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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this story.

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