Closing Notice

Jesus-themed musical His Story abruptly closes in The Colony after one month

His Story: The Musical opened on May 18.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

The Jesus-themed theatrical event His Story: The Musical announced it is closing today, Sunday, June 18, after the newly added 7 pm show.

The announcement was posted on the musical's social media channels shortly before 6 pm, stating that all tickets would be free for that evening's final performance with the code "Father's Day."

No other information was given to the public regarding why it was closing. The show had originally announced an open-ended run.

The cast and crew were first told last weekend that the show "may be closing soon," and this past Monday, June 12, they were given a closing notice, according to a member of the production.

"We were told 'we may still be open, but maybe not. Sunday may be your closing date,'" the person told CultureMap exclusively.

Below is the official closing notice that was provided to the cast, crew, and creative team on June 12 from general manager Michael Chase Gosselin.

Thanks to each and every one of you for your immense patience over the past few days as the producers and investors have discussed potential paths to keeping this beautiful show alive.

I am pleased to announce that the decision has been made that we will run His Story: The Musical at least one more week - through this Sunday, June 18*. This upcoming week's performance schedule will proceed as planned

-and we will also be adding one additional performance on Sunday, June 18 at 7PM.

There are still ongoing discussions surrounding solutions which would keep the show open beyond Sunday, June 18: however. in order to satisfy our contractual obligation to provide a week's notice in the event that we do close this coming Sunday, please accept this letter as official notice that His Story: The Musical will play its final performance at The Broadway tent at Grandscape with the 7PM Performance on Sunday, June 18th, 2023.

Again, discussions are ongoing, and the producers truly hope that a solution will be found to keep the show running beyond June 18. In this event, we will send a new notification letter that we are revoking the closing notice in advance of the final performance.

As of this moment, there has not been a decision to make a public announcement that the production will close, so we ask that you please keep this news confidential until (and only if a public announcement is made by the production.

Please know that we appreciate all of your immense dedication and contributions to His Story: The Musical, and we are working tireless to find a path forward.

His Story opened May 18, with previews beginning May 5.

The massive undertaking was first announced in late 2022, following a New York workshop.

Grandscape at The Colony housed the production with a 1,300-seat, fully air-conditioned theater tent, located next to the mixed-use development's Ferris wheel.

Written by Anna Miriam Brown, who was 17 when she first began working on it, His Story was directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Disney’s Newsies, Bonnie & Clyde).

Producers included Tony Award nominee Bruce Lazarus and Willie and Korie Robertson, the stars of Duck Dynasty.

The show was described in marketing materials as such:

"In this contemporary pop take on the the life of Jesus, a common man from an unknown family arrives in the big city and defies expectations. He performs miracles and speaks great wisdom, but chooses friends from the dregs of society and hangs out in the wrong part of town. Mocked by the establishment, he is adored by the people. Melding a youthful voice with a timeless perspective, the greatest story ever told is brought into the third millennium, reminding us of the universal power of love and redemption."

I covered His Story on opening night (in a joint review with Magic Mike Live, another production in a shopping center parking lot tent in nearby Frisco).

Those with tickets for future performances should return to their point of purchase to request a refund. Patrons who purchased through Ticketmaster will be refunded automatically.

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RIP Albert

Colorful and iconoclastic Dallas artist Albert Scherbarth dies at 70

Courtesy

Dallas artist Albert Scherbarth

Dallas artist Albert Scherbarth, known for his jubilant creativity which he displayed in a wide range of media, died on February 18; he was 70 years old. According to friends, he suffered a heart attack.

Scherbarth's myriad "canvases" ranged from printmaking to furniture to steel and metal working. He was a colorful presence in the Dallas art scene with a shock of thick hair that stood tall, definitive horn-rimmed glasses, and an unfiltered, no-nonsense personal style.

He was also a key figure in The Cedars district: an urban pioneer who settled in the area directly south of downtown Dallas in the early '80s when the neighborhood was a mostly-deserted collection of abandoned warehouses, before it became a major art nexus.

A post by Lee Harvey's, the Cedars District bar, said that "Some people don’t just live in a neighborhood — they leave their mark on it. Albert did exactly that. Through his art, his presence, and his time at our bar, he became part of the story here. We’ll miss him more than we can say. Rest easy Bert."

He was a real character, as well — a stocky physical presence (he played football in high school) who'd fix his stare upon you as if you were a critter to be studied.

One friend said, "I always feel that Albert is going to spring some meta shit on me every time i see him and he rarely disappoints. What a cool cat."

A native of Nebraska, Scherbarth moved to Dallas in 1979 to earn a master's in fine arts at the University of Dallas, Irving. After graduating in 1981, he began teaching in the community college district, including Brookhaven College, Northlake College, University of Texas at Dallas, and the Creative Art Center, as well as at Dallas' Arts Magnet.

Sculpture by Albert Scherbarth which appeared at the State Fair of Texas in 2018.Laura Walters/Facebook

After graduating from art school, he felt the need to do "real" work like his father, and took jobs in construction and woodwork, which helped shape the very physical nature of his art.

He was one of the early and many artists who resided in the Continental Gin Building, where he worked on his designs and commissions, fabricated other artists’ ideas, and helped galleries with installations, crating, and shipping.

Through the years he made furniture, got into fused and cast glass, poured concrete countertops, and painted, including a successful era of doing giant flower paintings. In his latter years, he acquired a welding machine and worked with builders, designers, and architects constructing screens, fences, furniture, and sculptures.

His works around town include a giant wine tree for Fleming Steakhouse in Frisco, and a sculpture named, "Cecil, age 12" up on Henderson Avenue at Capital Street which was was a finalists for the Henderson Art Prize. He also worked on the famed Bowler Hat sculpture in the Cedars.

In an interview with Voyage Dallas, he said, "I’m constantly looking for more meaning and more permanence in the work that I’m doing," and acknowledged that "I’ve been very, very fortunate to get a lot of really great commissions over the years. I’ve sold a lot of work and fallen into great studio situations – large spaces, cheap rent and wonderful landlords. Today, I think my ignorance of all the pitfalls ahead allowed me to storm through life and I have a certain stubbornness, a dogged determination to succeed."

"My grandfathers died before I came of age, my father died, my favorite uncle died so there was not much in the way of male guidance or perspective on how to be a man, so I’ve just kind of made it up on my own, stumbling through, winging it and I’m still alive, amazingly enough."

deaths artists