Theater Critic Picks
DFW theater heats up with 14 must-see shows this February
Kitchen Dog Theater is opening its new performance space with a remounting of 'Pompeii!!'
It's cold outside but hot onstage, as evidenced by this extra-large list of plays and musicals opening in Dallas-Fort Worth this month. From theater festivals to one-night-only concerts, world premieres and returns to old favorites, there truly is something for everyone in February.
Here are 14 shows appearing in Dallas-Fort Worth theaters in January, listed in order of start date:
Hype Man: A Break Beat Play
Jubilee Theatre, through February 28
A pulse-pounding, thought-provoking work by Idris Goodwin that explores friendship, accountability, and the often-unseen creative forces shaping hip-hop culture. It follows three artists on the brink of a breakthrough: a rising rap star, his longtime hype man, and a gifted woman beat maker whose sound fuels their success. When an unexpected crisis erupts on the eve of a career-defining performance, all three must confront difficult truths about loyalty, responsibility, and whose voices are truly heard when the spotlight hits.
Gem of the Ocean
Soul Rep Theatre Company, February 5-22
Set in 1904, August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean begins the playwright's legendary Century Cycle with a spiritual journey toward freedom and redemption. Through the mystical presence of Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old spiritual guide, Wilson weaves a powerful meditation on memory, responsibility, and Black survival.
Pompeii!!
Kitchen Dog Theater, February 11-March 8
Opening their brand-new home in the Design District, Kitchen Dog Theater co-artistic directors Christopher Carlos and Tina Parker will direct a remounting of the company's first-ever company-created musical. Under the shadow of a volcano, the citizens of Pompeii sing, dance, and tell jokes in this zany vaudeville show. It's togas and tap shoes, centurions and sing-alongs in the timely satire of nationalistic hubris and narcissistic excess.
Medea/Liturgia
Cara Mía Theatre, February 12-22
This world premiere of a contemporary, multimedia adaptation of the Greek tragedy Medea is written and directed by Diego Fernando Montoya, Colombia’s 2025 National Playwriting Award winner. The production reimagines Medea through a modern lens that confronts imperialism, immigration, and rebellion.
22nd International Theatre Festival
Teatro Dallas, February 7, 14, 21
The festival takes place over three weeks, featuring three separate productions from Portugal, England, and Argentina.
Six
Broadway at the Bass, February 10-15
Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. From Tudor queens to pop icons, the six wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix 50 years of historical heartbreak into a euphoric celebration of 21st-century girl power.
Dallas Divas
Lyric Stage, February 11
This one-night-only event serves as a fundraiser for Lyric Stage, with some of Dallas' most talented voices singing songs that run the gamut from Broadway to pop.
Bull in a China Shop
Amphibian Stage, February 11-March 1
This is an explosive queer romantic comedy set amidst the fight for women’s rights. Galloping across four decades at Mount Holyoke, Mary Woolley and Jeannette Marks light fires in the classroom and in the bedroom. As their ambitions grow bolder, so do the cracks in their relationship.
The Skin of Our Teeth
Undermain Theatre, February 12-March 8
Thornton Wilder’s classic three-part allegory about the resilience of mankind centers on the Antrobus family of the fictional town of Excelsior, New Jersey. The epic comedy-drama follows the family through an impending Ice Age, a world war, and a devastating flood, all of which they survive by the skin of their teeth.
The Great Gatsby
Broadway Dallas, February 17-March 1
Based on the classic American novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this musical is an unforgettable journey of love, wealth, and tragedy that brings the Roaring Twenties to life onstage.
Penelope
Theatre Three, February 19-March 22
What’s Penelope been up to since Odysseus went off to war? She’s had a few drinks and started a band! So go ahead and grab a drink too, and listen to this ancient tale made new with a beautiful folk-inflected pop score about a woman wondering who she is if she’s alone, and discovering that she has, is, and will always be complete, with her husband by her side or otherwise.
Where We Stand
Dallas Theater Center, February 25-March 22
Your town stands at a crossroads. A neighbor, desperate and out of options, has struck a dangerous bargain. Now their fate lies in your hands. In this interactive play presented as a town hall gathering, the audience must choose: mercy or justice? Broadway actor and Dallas legend Liz Mikel plays a lone storyteller who weaves a world through music and magic. The play, making its regional premiere, is a co-production with Stage West.
You Must Wear a Hat
Echo Theatre, February 26-March 14
Two survivors of a climate apocalypse strive to preserve their humanity, and community.
Hairspray
Casa Mañana, February 27-March 8
Set in 1962 Baltimore, the musical follows Tracy Turnblad, a big-hearted teen with dreams of dancing on The Corny Collins Show. As she fights for a chance to shine, Tracy challenges outdated norms and pushes for a more inclusive future. RuPaul's Drag Race star Nina West plays Edna Turnblad.
