Theater Critic Picks

Spanish puppets + Shakespeare under the stars: 16 DFW shows for June

Shakespeare Dallas presents The Importance of Being Earnest

Shakespeare Dallas kicks off its summer season with Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest."

Photo by Jordan Fraker

We have all sorts of creatures and characters roaming Dallas-Fort Worth this month, from dancing cats and lions to Greek muses, heavenly workers, and Spanish-speaking puppets. You also get the choice of glorious air conditioning or spreading out your picnic blanket at Samuell-Grand Amphitheater to see Shakespeare under the stars. Summer theater season has begun!

Here are the 16 shows, listed in order of start date:

Cats
Casa Mañana, through June 8
Casa Mañana's Cats will have magic, mystery, and a Texas twist on the Broadway classic. This production of Cats maintains the original script and score while reimagining the setting in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

The Lion King
Broadway Dallas, June 4-July 3
Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the visual artistry, the music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular. Right across the parking lot, the American American Museum is hosting a special — and free — exhibition of masks and puppets from The Lion King.

Ain't No Mo
Soul Rep Theatre Company, June 5-8
This is the North Texas premiere of Fort Worth native playwright Jordan E. Cooper's work, which premiered on Broadway in 2022 and was nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Play. Through a blend of sketch, satire, avant-garde theatre and a dose of drag, Ain’t No Mo’ answers the incendiary question: What if the United States government offered Black Americans one-way plane tickets to Africa? This production kicks off Black Broadway Summer, a partnership between three DFW theaters to celebrate and promote recent Broadway plays by Black playwrights.

Xanadu
Theatre Three, June 5-July 6
This high-energy, roller-skating extravaganza brings the 1980 cult film to life on stage. Set in Venice Beach, California, the musical follows Sonny Malone, a struggling artist who encounters Kira, a beautiful Greek muse. With Kira's guidance and a touch of divine inspiration, they embark on a mission to revive a rundown roller disco and reignite Sonny's artistic passion.

The Fall of Heaven
Jubilee Theatre, June 6-July 13
Set in a captivating realm where celestial beings navigate the complexities of human existence, the enchanting The Fall of Heaven offers a fresh perspective on love, laughter, and the pursuit of happiness. As the heavenly bureaucracy faces a crisis of cosmic proportions, audiences are treated to a delightful blend of wit, wisdom, and wondrous imagination.

Open
Echo Theatre, June 6-21
Open is a one-woman show that asks the audience to believe in the magic of love. The Magician must perform the impossible to save the life of her partner, Jenny. The clock is ticking, the show must go on, and this magician’s act may offer our last hope against a world filled with intolerance and hate.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Broadway at the Bass, June 10-15
Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary film comes to life onstage, remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza. The production is a theatrical celebration of truth, beauty, freedom, and — above all — love.

The Importance of Being Earnest
Shakespeare Dallas, June 11-July 18
This witty romantic comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed in 1895, tells the story of two men who assume the identities of a fictional man named Ernest. This leads them to each fall in love and encounter an assortment of comical problems along the way.

An Iliad
Undermain Theatre, June 12-29
This encore presentation of a modern-day retelling of Homer's classic revives the landmark production from 2012 and 2019, all starring Bruce DuBose. The setting is simple: the empty theater. The time is now: the present moment. The lone figure onstage is a storyteller, possibly Homer, possibly one of the many bards who followed in his footsteps. He is fated to tell this story throughout history.

Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé
Stage West Theatre, June 12-29
It’s the eve of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, but her son, the playboy Prince of Wales, and French chef Auguste Escoffier have just turned up at 221B Baker Street in the thick of scandal and blackmail. Royal vice, priceless gems, and gourmet food abound in this new action-packed whodunit. Noted sleuth Sherlock Holmes reunites with his beloved Irene Adler and his partner Dr. Watson for their tastiest and most bizarre case yet.

SparkFest
Amphibian Stage, June 13-22
Amphibian Stage's SparkFest is annual celebration of live entertainment. This year, SparkFest shines a spotlight on the Native American and Indigenous community, offering an array of events, including theater, live music, storytelling, and poetry.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Dallas Theater Center, June 13-July 13
This classic Broadway musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice is based on the Bible’s Book of Genesis. It tells the journey of Joseph, son of Jacob, his 12 brothers, and his coat of many colors.

Othello
Shakespeare Dallas, June 18-July 20
In this Shakespearean tragedy, Othello is at the peak of his powers: not only Venice's greatest general but also husband to the noble and beautiful Desdemona. But he does not know that in passing over his servant Iago for promotion, he has created a deadly but brilliant enemy. This production is set in an alternate-history version of the 1990s in which the Venetian empire is the predominant political, military, and economic power.

A Strange Loop
Circle Theatre, June 19-July 12
This is the regional premiere Michael R‭. ‬Jackson‭'s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, which also took home the 2022‭ ‬Tony Award for Best Musical‭. It ‬offers a bold and exhilarating dive into the life of Usher‭, ‬a Black queer musical theater writer navigating his identity‭, ‬creativity‭, ‬and personal challenges as he crafts a show about his own complex journey‭.‬

The Billy Club Puppets
Hip Pocket Theatre, June 20-July 13
A mixture of commedia del arte, flamenco dancing, and puppetry, The Billy Club Puppets (Los títeres de cachiporra) is a poignant farce by Federico Garcia Lorca. Will Rosita marry her love, Cocoliche, or be whisked away by the miserly Don Cristobol? The broad tragicomedy is told in Lorca's original Spanish with English translations.

The Addams Family
Broadway at the Center, June 26-28
Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man her parents have never met. And if that weren’t upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before: keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.

A Familiar Face

Dallas Theater Center names Jaime Castañeda as new artistic director

Photo courtesy of Dallas Theater Center

Jaime Castañeda is the Tony-winning theater's new artistic director.

The Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center has found its next artistic director: Jaime Castañeda, who has a long history with both DTC and North Texas, will become the regional theater's sixth artistic director beginning July 2026. The 2026-27 season will be the first chosen by him.

Jonathan Norton, DTC’s resident playwright, is currently serving as interim artistic director and will continue to lead the remainder of the 2025-26 season, which culminates in the world premiere of his play Malcolm X and Redd Foxx Washing Dishes at Jimmy’s Chicken Shack in Harlem in May.

“DTC is committed to artistic excellence and community engagement, and we believe Jaime’s experience, creativity, bold vision, and proven leadership, coupled with his dedication to innovation, will guide DTC into an exciting new chapter in the life of the theater," says board chair Lynn Pride Richardson in a release.

In 2012, Castañeda directed DTC’s production of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz. But he began his career more than 20 years ago in Dallas-Fort Worth by founding Firestarter Productions while still attending Texas Christian University. In addition to directing at DTC, other local theater credits include Kitchen Dog Theater, Amphibian Stage, and Circle Theatre. Castañeda is a recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Directing Fellowship, and holds a BFA from Texas Christian University and an MFA in Directing from University of Texas at Austin.

Most recently, Castañeda directed at such leading theaters across the country as American Conservatory Theater, South Coast Repertory, Huntington Theatre Company, and La Jolla Playhouse, where he previously served as associate artistic director from 2014-2018. He was also artistic associate at Off-Broadway's Atlantic Theater Company from 2009-2014.

"Jaime brings a bold, visceral artistic vision, a deep commitment to new voices, and a collaborative leadership style that inspires artists and audiences alike,” says DTC executive director Kevin Moriarty. “With his Texas roots and national experience, I am thrilled to welcome him home as DTC’s new Enloe/Rose artistic director. I have known and admired his work since 2007, when he was already one of the most exciting emerging directors in North Texas, and I later saw him create unforgettable work for DTC on the Wyly stage and at leading theaters nationwide.”

As artistic director, Castañeda will lead the theater’s artistic vision, direct and produce plays and musicals, oversee DTC’s Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company, and partner with Moriarty, the staff, and the board of trustees to advance DTC’s mission, vision, and values.

Castañeda joins a distinguished line of artistic leadership at Dallas Theater Center, including founding artistic director Paul Baker, Adrian Hall, Ken Bryant, Richard Hamburger, and Moriarty, who served as artistic director from 2007-2022.

“We are extremely pleased with a successful national search that brings Jaime to Dallas Theater Center,” says DTC board member Chris Luna. “His energy is contagious and he understands Texas and Dallas. We look forward to collaborating with Jaime as he continues his innovative approach to regional theater.”

Castañeda was selected for the role following a national search led by Management Consultants for the Arts. The search committee was co-chaired by Luna and Richardson, and included Moriarty, Norton, Jennifer Altabef, Diane Brierley, Lauren Embrey, Sam Holland (Dean, SMU Meadows School of the Arts), Sharron Hunt, Randy Kender, Julie Kosnik, Deborah McMurray, Sam Megally, Liz Mikel (DTC Brierley Resident Acting Company member), Andy Smith, Lily Weiss (executive director, Dallas Arts District) and Donna Wilhelm.

“Growing up in Texas, Dallas Theater Center was one of the first places where I saw what professional theater and excellence looked like,” Castañeda says. “I’m thrilled to come back and build on the history of artists and leaders who have been a part of this organization. I’m eager to join Kevin, the board, and our staff to create lasting theatrical experiences for our audiences.”

Dallas Theater Center's current production of A Christmas Carol runs through December 27 at the Wyly Theatre.

dallas theater center jaime castañeda kevin moriarty theater

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A Familiar Face

Dallas Theater Center names Jaime Castañeda as new artistic director