Theater Critics' Picks

Dallas-Fort Worth theater critics declare standouts from 2013-14 season

Members of the DFW Theater Critics Forum gathered September 6 to hash out their picks from the 2013-14 season in categories such as best direction, best actor and actress, and best new play. Rather than declare a single winner in each category, the critics dole out accolades to several deserving works.

With stellar seasons from Uptown Players, Jubilee Theatre, Dallas Theater Center and Kitchen Dog Theater, several contenders just missed the five-vote minimum for inclusion, which led to many impassioned pleas from individuals who fought for their favorites, says Lindsey Wilson, CultureMap contributor and critic for D Magazine. So expect to see more people and plays than these on end-of-year best-of lists.

Without further ado, these are the critics’ picks for 2013-14:

Direction

Liesl Tommy, Les Miserables (Dallas Theater Center)
Tim Johnson, Detroit (Kitchen Dog Theater)
Tre Garrett, A Raisin in the Sun (Dallas Theater Center) and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Jubilee Theatre)
Susan Sargeant, The Diaries of Adam and Eve and Happy Days (WingSpan Theatre Co.)
Daniel Aukin, The Fortress of Solitude (Dallas Theater Center)
Terry Martin, Dogfight (WaterTower Theatre)
Kevin Moriarty, Oedipus el Rey (Dallas Theater Center)
David Denson, Year of the Rooster (Upstart Productions)
B.J. Cleveland, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Uptown Players)

Actor

Steven Walters, Les Miserables (Dallas Theater Center)
Drew Wall, Nocturne (Second Thought Theatre)
Garret Storms, for his season of performances
Adam A. Anderson, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Jubilee Theatre)
Joey Folsom, Year of the Rooster (Upstart Productions) and Hank Williams: Lost Highway (WaterTower Theatre)
Alex Ross, The Boy From Oz (Uptown Players)
Jaxon Beeson, Stiff (Fun House Theatre and Film)

Actress

Tina Parker, Detroit (Kitchen Dog Theater)
Liz Mikel, A Raisin in the Sun (Dallas Theater Center)
Tiffany Hobbs, A Raisin in the Sun (Dallas Theater Center) and Spunk (WaterTower Theatre)
Allison Pistorius, Venus in Fur (Circle Theatre) and Clybourne Park (Dallas Theater Center)
Juliette Talley, Dogfight (WaterTower Theatre)
Janelle Lutz, The Boy from Oz (Uptown Players)
Sarah Elizabeth Smith, The Boy from Oz (Uptown Players)
Ashley Wilkerson, The Mountaintop (Jubilee Theatre)

Ensemble

Heroes (Stage West)
Barbecue Apocalypse (Kitchen Dog Theater)
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Uptown Players)
The Echo Room Presents: Her Song (Echo Theatre)

Creative Contribution

Coy Covington for his wig and makeup design for The Boy From Oz (Uptown Players) and wig designs for Pageant: The Musical (Uptown Players)
Gary James for his wig designs for Dogfight (WaterTower Theatre)
Clare Floyd DeVries for her set design for Detroit (Kitchen Dog Theater)
Jay Dias for his music direction of Nine and Titanic (Lyric Stage)
The design team for their season with Trinity Shakespeare Festival
Jeffrey Colangelo and Katy Tye for their movement design in Galatea (Prism Co.)

New Play or Musical

Stiff by Jeff Swearingen (Fun House Theatre and Film)
Booth by Steven Walters (Second Thought Theatre)
Barbecue Apocalypse by Matt Lyle (Kitchen Dog Theater)
Mania/Gift by Shelby-Allison Hibbs (Echo Theatre)
The Fortress of Solitude by Itamar Moses and Michael Friedman (Dallas Theater Center)

Touring Production

Evita (Dallas Summer Musicals)
Trick Boxing (Sossy Mechanics)
The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess (ATTPAC)
Peter and the Starcatcher (ATTPAC)

Special Citations

To Matt Tomlanovich for reviving the Margo Jones as a busy performance space; opening it to fledgling companies at a reasonable price; and making it available to small festivals, poetry slams, readings and dance groups.
To Lawson Taitte for his distinguished career in arts criticism.

Contributing critics:

Lindsey Wilson, D Magazine
Elaine Liner and Lauren Smart, Dallas Observer
Mark Lowry, TheaterJones.com and Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Martha Heimberg, Dallas Weekly and TheaterJones.com
Jan Farrington, M. Lance Lusk, David Novinski, TheaterJones.com
Alexandra Bonifield, Criticalrant.com
Punch Shaw, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Arnold Wayne Jones, Dallas Voice
Nancy Churnin, Dallas Morning News

The Fortress of Solitude at Dallas Theater Center.

Photo by Karen Almond

The Fortress of Solitude at Dallas Theater Center.

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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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