Theater Critic Picks
These are the 12 can't-miss shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for March
If this spring weather has you feeling restless, then March's theater lineup is ready to follow suit. There are lots of very short runs happening this month, with some shows only playing a day or two.
That means you'd better be quick in catching those you want to see, and also that this is an opportunity to see many different shows in a short time span.
We are also heavy into society season, and as such there are three theater-related galas on this list as well. Two occur on April 1, a Saturday, so we're listing them here to make sure you don't miss out.
In order of start date, here are 12 local shows to watch this month:
On Your Feet!
Broadway at the Center, March 2-4
On Your Feet! is the inspiring true story about heart, heritage, and two people who believed in their talent — and each other — to become an international sensation: Gloria and Emilio Estefan. The musical features some of the most iconic songs of the past quarter-century, including "Rhythm is Gonna Get You," "Conga," "Get On Your Feet," "Don’t Want To Lose You Now," "1-2-3," and "Coming Out of the Dark."
Silver Foxes
Uptown Players, March 2-12
This world premiere comedy from James Berg and Stan Zimmerman, who wrote Golden Girls, is about an ensemble of queer men who rescue their best friend from a homophobic assisted living facility. The three older men plus their buddy’s younger twink lover navigate stray cats, online hook-up sites, and the real estate-ravenous lesbian couple next door to become a fabulous de facto family in an iconic midcentury Palm Springs house. There will be a special talk back with director Michael Urie and the playwrights after the March 4 performance.
Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience
AT&T Performing Arts Center, March 3-5
Potted Potter takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books (and a real-life game of Quidditch) into 70 hilarious minutes. The production has been updated with a refreshed set design, upgraded illusions, and all the latest hilarious insights into the wonderful world of all thing Hogwarts. It includes favorite characters, a special appearance from a fire-breathing dragon, endless costumes, jokes, songs, props, and a generous helping of Hogwarts magic, plus lots of mayhem.
La Fete Rouge et Violette
WaterTower Theatre, March 4
Immerse yourself in the spectacle of theater at the Red and Purple Ball, a night of fine dining, musical performances, acrobatic feats, specialty crafted cocktails, a luxe dinner by celebrity chef Blythe Beck, and more. Be the first to experience the future of WaterTower Theatre with stellar performances by Dallas-based professional musical theater artists and special guests.
Nuevo Mundo
Teatro Dallas, March 4, 11, 18
In celebration of the fresh new voices and performance styles blossoming across the global south, Nuevo Mundo, Teatro Dallas' first-ever bilingual new works festival, features three emerging directors and the plays they have selected for a staged reading series. Playwrights include Emilio Infante, Bella O'Brien, and Jaime Chabaud.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Casa Mañana, March 4-12
Before she was hit-maker Carole King, she was Carole Klein, a spunky, young songwriter from Brooklyn with a unique voice. From the chart-topping hits she wrote for the biggest acts in music to her own life-changing, trailblazing success with Tapestry, Beautiful takes audiences back to where it all began – and takes them on the ride of a lifetime.
Mind Over Murder!
Pegasus Theatre, March 9-25
Who murdered famed magician Marko the Magnificent? Could it have been his manager? Or his wife? Perhaps his assistant. All of the suspects and more are gathered at the mansion that was Marko’s home on the one-year anniversary of his death while performing the death-defying "bullet catch" for the reading of his will. Can Harry Hunsacker solve this crime before it’s too late? The production will be presented in RadioVizion, an alternative technique devised by Pegasus Theatre that focuses on evoking the experience and glamour of being in a live radio studio of the 1930s and 1940s. Live sound effects, actors at period-style live microphones, and costumes suggestive of the era complete the effect.
Menopause the Musical
AT&T Performing Arts Center, March 10-11
In Menopause the Musical, four women at a lingerie sale have nothing in common but a black lace bra and memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex, and more. The musical parody is set to classic tunes from the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Broadway Dallas, March 15-April 2
Welcome to a world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur, and glory, a world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment. 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.
Last Stop On Market Street
Dallas Children's Theater, March 18-April 1
On a Sunday after church in a bustling, ethnically and culturally diverse American city, CJ and his Nana board the public bus for their weekly trip across town to help out at a soup kitchen. Along the way, CJ notices the many differences among people and asks tons of curious question. With Nana’s fearless and compassionate guidance, CJ discovers that everyone and everything has a unique rhythm and purpose. This inspiring and imaginative play is based on the New York Times bestseller that won a Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and a Caldecott Honor.
cleaVage: The Front Story
Musical Writers Productions, March 19
The “real” story behind fake breasts, cleaVage is a larger-than-life musical comedy inspired by the doctors and patients who shaped the spectacular rise, fall, and rebound of silicone gel breast implants. This staged reading will be held at Dallas Children's Theater.
Annie
Broadway at the Bass, March 28-April 2
Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production.
The Mountaintop
Circle Theatre, March 30-April 15
The Mountaintop is a gripping re-imagination of events the night before the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On April 3, 1968, after delivering one of his most memorable speeches, an exhausted Dr. King retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel while a storm rages outside. When a mysterious stranger arrives with some surprising news, King is forced to confront his destiny and his legacy to his people.
Broadway Dallas 2023 Gala: Moulin Rouge
Music Hall at Fair Park, April 1
Celebrating the best of Broadway, the evening begins with a cocktail reception followed by a pre-show dinner. Following the full performance of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, with complimentary intermission cocktails, guests will then have access to the After-Hours experience featuring French-inspired fare, a full flowing bar, tunes spun by DJ Sheka, plus a special performance by Trap Opera Star Madelyn Brené and more sparkling surprises throughout the night.
Lastly, guests can enjoy a late-night snack from Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs food truck as they head home. The gala is headed by Honorary Chairs Ambassador Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall, along with Gala Chairs Jolie Humphrey and Gail Plummer.
Turtle Creek Chorale Rhapsody with Patti LuPone
Meyerson Symphony Center, April 1
Guests can spend an evening with a true Broadway legend as Patti LuPone explores — through indelible interpretations of classic Broadway showtunes by the likes of Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Jule Styne, Stephen Schwartz, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin — how her lifelong love affair with Broadway began and the unpredictability of the Great White Way.
The VIP Gala Experience offers an opening reception with open bar, seated dinner, complimentary valet parking, live auction, premium seating for the private concert by LuPone, and access to the after party with a live band and open bar.
Tickets are also available for the concert + after party only, which range from $75 to $400 and include reserved concert seating and access to the after party experience with a live band.