Theater Critic Picks
These are the 13 can't-miss shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for November
Catch "Dutchman" November 11-26.
Before the onslaught of holiday shows begins — who are we kidding, they start right after Thanksgiving — take some time to check out a few new titles and old favorites.
In order of start date, here are 13 local shows to watch this month:
My Fair Lady
Broadway Dallas, November 1-13
Broadway at the Bass, November 29-December 4
Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed? The musical boasts such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” and “On the Street Where You Live.”
The Sound Inside
Kitchen Dog Theater, November 3-20
In the 17 years since she was last published, novelist Bella Baird has almost completely isolated herself from the world. But things change when she meets Christopher, a brilliant but enigmatic student in her creative writing class at Yale. Intensely intimate and deeply moving, The Sound Inside explores the stories we tell about ourselves, the stories that shape us, and the intersection of fact and fiction.
Gypsy
Mainstage Irving - Las Colinas, November 4-19
“Everything’s Coming Up Roses” with Gypsy, the ultimate tale of an ambitious stage mother fighting for her daughters' success while secretly yearning for her own. Set in 1920s and '30s America, when vaudeville was dying and burlesque was born, this landmark musical explores the world of two-bit show business with brass, humor, heart, and sophistication.
Here You Come Again: How Dolly Saved My Live in 12 Easy Songs
Casa Mañana, November 5-13
This rollicking and touching new musical is about a has-been-who-never-was comedian and his unusual relationship with his longtime idol, Dolly Parton. The show is a celebration of Dolly’s music and of the profound and funny things she has to say to us all about life, love, and how to pull yourself up by your bootstraps during the toughest of times — even if your bootstraps don’t have rhinestones.
Feeding on Light
Undermain Theatre, November 10-27
Nora is a curious writer who seeks to understand her friend and collaborator Katherine’s obsession with 20th-century French philosopher and activist Simone Weil. As their discussion deepens, Nora and Katherine embody scenes from Simone’s life in an attempt to communicate with her across time and space. Feeding on Light is based on playwright Lenora Champagne’s personal relationship and discussions with Undermain Theatre’s late founding artistic director Katherine Owens, to whom the play is dedicated.
Elf the Musical
Performing Arts Fort Worth, November 11-13
This is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.
Dutchman
The Classics Theatre Project, November 11-26
Taking place on a New York City subway car, the play is a two-character confrontation that begins playfully and flirtatiously between Clay, a young, middle-class, Black man, and Lula, a white woman, who approaches him. Their conversation builds rapidly in suspense and symbolic resonance until it becomes something else entirely, ultimately ending fatally.
Bravo Broadway!
Plano Symphony Orchestra, November 19
Featuring Broadway stars Scarlett Strallen, LaKisha Jones, and Hugh Panaro, the PSO’s ruby anniversary also commemorates Maestro Héctor Guzmán’s 40 inspiring years as the Symphony’s music director, and each concert in the season relates to his journey with the PSO. This concert includes songs from Tony Award-winning Broadway shows like Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Dreamgirls, and more.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical
Performing Arts Fort Worth, November 21-22
This musical features all the favorite characters from the classic TV special, including Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, Yukon Cornelius and, of course, Rudolph.
A Christmas Carol: A New Musical Comedy
Casa Mañana, November 25-December 23
Casa Mañana presents a new, fresh twist on a classic Dickens tale that will have children ages 4 to 100 laughing alike. A Christmas Carol: A New Musical Comedy features a contemporary pop score and current pop culture references that are guaranteed to have audiences dancing in the aisles. This show is suitable for all audiences.
A Christmas Carol
Dallas Theater Center, November 25-December 24
Dallas Theater Center presents their annual production of A Christmas Carol, a delightfully reimagined take on Dickens’ enduring classic. Three spirits have come to visit the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge to take him on a fantastic journey through Christmases past, present, and future that annually delights audiences across North Texas. But will it be enough to save Scrooge’s soul?
Crystal City 1969
Cara Mía Theatre, November 26-December 18
Written by David Lozano and Raul Treviño, this play is inspired by the little-known true story of Mexican-American students in South Texas who protested against racial discrimination, walked out of school, and into civil rights history.
Jesus Christ Superstar
WaterTower Theatre, November 30-December 11
The iconic rock opera, featuring award-winning music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes "I Don’t Know How to Love Him," "Gethsemane," and "Superstar."
