Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music, dance, comedy and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information.
Stage Notes Calendar
Opening this week:
Echo Theatre: You Must Wear a Hat, opened Thursday-March 14 at the Bath House Cultural Center.
Eisemann Center Presents: Drum Tao, 8 p.m. today.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra: Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, today-Sunday.
FWSO Symphonic Series: Shakespeare at the Symphony with the Dallas Theater Center, today-Sunday.
Texas Ballet Theatre: Diversions, today-Sunday at the Winspear, pictured.
The Dallas Opera: Don Carlo, today-March 7.
Pocket Sandwich Theatre: Arsenic and Old Lace, today-March 28.
Casa Manana: Hairspray, today-March 8.
ATTPAC Presents: Rent in Concert, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Majestic Theatre.
Onstage now:
Bruce Wood Dance Dallas: WOOD/SHOP, through Sunday.
Lakeside Community Theatre: August: Osage Country, through Feb. 28.
Amphibian Stage: Bull in a China Shop, through March 1.
Art Centre Theatre: Suite Surrender, through Sunday.
Broadway Dallas: The Great Gatsby, through Sunday at the Music Hall at Fair Park.
Kitchen Dog Theater: POMPEII!!, through Sunday, pictured.
Theatre Arlington: Damn Yankees, through Sunday.
Theatre Denton: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, through Sunday at Point Bank Auditorium.
Theatre Frisco: Working: A Musical, through Sunday.
Bishop Arts Theatre Center: 2026 Banned Books Festival, through March 8.
Undermain Theatre: The Skin of Our Teeth, through March 8.
Dallas Theater Center: Where We Stand, through March 22 at Bryant Hall.
Theatre Three: Penelope, through March 22.
Upright Theatre Co.: Seussical, through March 22.
The Dallas Opera reveals four new-to-Dallas productions for its 2026/27 season
On Tuesday, The Dallas Opera (TDO) announced the programming for its 2026/27 season at the Winspear Opera House. The company’s 69th season will feature four mainstage productions, its annual events and two afternoon family operas. Subscriptions are available now for purchase.
“The 2026/2027 season spans the breadth of what opera has to offer the world,” says Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Emmanuel Villaume, who conducts three productions in TDO’s upcoming season. “You cannot beat the casts that The Dallas Opera has assembled. The season further introduces an exciting new generation of global talent, including Mirjam Mesak, Soraya Mafi, and Shannon Keegan, whose voices represent the future of our art form. This is a season built on excellence, depth, and discovery.”
The season kicks off this fall.
Oct. 9-17: The Elixir of Love, pictured: Directed here by Stephen Lawless, this colorful production is set in post-World War II Italy. British-Iranian coloratura soprano Soraya Mafi, 2022 Operalia winner Anthony León, Italian baritone Alessandro Corbelli, 2025 Operalia winner Mihai Damian, and 2025 TDO Lone Star Vocal Competition winner Kayla Nanto all star in their Dallas Opera debuts. Spanish conductor Guillermo García Calvo makes his house debut leading TDO Orchestra and Chorus in this production.
Oct. 17: The Bremen Town Musicians. An operatic version of The Town Musicians of Bremen. Eddie Pensier is a rooster who loves to sing, but his loud songs get him sent away from the farm. On the road to start his new band, he meets Barcarolle the dog, Dorabella the cat, and General Boom the donkey—all animals who feel unwanted and dream of something better. By working together, they become a band and discover that friendship, teamwork, and kindness make any journey easier—and much more fun.
Oct. 30-Nov. 7: The Cunning Little Vixen.This will mark the The North American debut of Australian director Barrie Kosky’s production. Revived here by director Catharina von Bülow and conducted by Villaume, this glitzy production stars Estonian soprano Mirjam Mesak in her US debut as the Vixen. American baritone Zachary Nelson and Hungarian American mezzo-soprano Shannon Keegan also make their house debuts in this production.
Nov. 8: The Little Prince. After two sold-out performances during the 2025/2026 season, the magic of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s children’s story returns to the stage in this charming adaptation by Rachel Portman, created for young audiences and featuring The Dallas Opera Orchestra. Watch the Little Prince and his pilot friend learn important lessons about caring and friendship from wondrous creatures, including a fox, a snake, and a chatty rose.
Jan. 30: Hart Institute for Women Conductors Showcase Concert. Since 2015, this signature TDO program (HIWC) has trained more than 60 women conductors and administrators. The Hart Institute will announce its second-annual Peak Fellowship recipient this spring.
Jan. 31: Titus Family Recital. This annual art song recital series will feature celebrated German soprano Christiane Karg and acclaimed pianist Andrew von Oeyen.
Feb. 12-20: Turandot: The classic Puccini opera get a new ending by Grammy Award®–winning video game composer Christopher Tin (Civilization IV) and playwright-screenwriter Susan Soon He Stanton (Succession). First premiered by director Francesca Zambello with Washington National Opera, this production will be revived in Dallas by Italian director Anna Maria Bruzzese, who directed TDO’s recent The Little Prince. Italian soprano Anna Pirozzi and Venezuelan tenor Jorge Puerta will make their TDO debuts.
Feb. 13: The Little Prince.
Feb. 21: The Bremen Town Musicians.
March 5-13: Lohengrin: This new production of Wagner’s heroic myth is from director Louis Désiré, who created TDO’s 2026 Don Carlo. 2024 Operalia winner Kathleen O’Mara and Ukrainian-born American baritone Aleksey Bogdanov make their TDO debuts in this production.
March 12: The McCasland, Jr. Lone Star Vocal Competition. Hear rising opera stars from around Texas compete for cash prizes and the chance to boost their careers. Numerous prizewinners have gone on to star with TDO—and other companies—in mainstage productions.
WaterTower Theatre announces its lineup for season 31
On Friday morning, Addison’s WaterTower Theatre (WTT) revealed the four shows that will make up its 31st season for this and next year. Dates have yet to be announced for each show.
The season includes:
Fall 2026: Broadway by North Texas with Miriam-Teak Lee. This special concert event features the Olivier Award-winning star of & Juliet. Lee will perform an evening of Broadway favorites and contemporary musical theater highlights. This concert celebrates the artistry, talent, and vibrant connection between Broadway and the North Texas theatre community.
Winter 2027: Biloxi Blues by Neil Simon. Audiences follow the next chapter of Eugene Morris Jerome’s journey as he leaves Brooklyn behind for basic training in Biloxi, Mississippi, during World War II. The play captures the bonds formed among a group of young soldiers as they navigate the pressures of military life, first loves and the uncertainty of the future.
Spring 2027: Jeeves Takes Charge by P.G. Wodehouse. the brilliant and unflappable valet returns to rescue his well-meaning but hapless employer, Bertie Wooster, from a tangle of romantic entanglements and social disasters. Adapted from the beloved stories of Wodehouse, this fast-paced comedy marks its U.S. premiere.
Summer 2027: Honky Tonk Angels by Ted Swindley. This spirited, feel-good musical celebration of the trailblazing women of country music. Featuring the songs of legends like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette, the show follows three women who set out for Nashville in search of their dreams. Packed with humor, heart, and irresistible hits, this high-energy revue is a joyful tribute to friendship, perseverance, and the enduring power of country music.
Stay updated on date announcements and ticket sales at WaterTowerTheatre.org
Performing Arts Fort Worth announces the 2026/27 Broadway at the Bass Season
Buena Vista Social Club
Last Friday, Performing Arts Fort Worth, the nonprofit owner and operator of Bass Performance Hall, announced the nine Broadway tours coming to Fort Worth as
part of its new Broadway at the Bass Season presented by PNC Bank.
“Our new 2026-2027 Broadway season celebrates milestone anniversaries for several shows that we’re excited to welcome back to Bass Hall,” said Performing Arts Fort Worth President & CEO Dione Kennedy. “Additionally, we look forward to presenting new hit shows directly to Fort Worth audiences. This lineup has a mix of something for everyone – from well known classic and blockbuster titles to the latest offerings on Broadway. We invite everyone to join us for this season celebrating the shared experience of the performing arts and the power of storytelling.”
Season ticket holders can expand their package with two Season Add-Ons. Season ticket packages start at $257.40. A four-installment payment plan is also available to both renewing and new subscribers. Season tickets can be renewed online through March 31. New season tickets will be available for purchase beginning May 1.
Ticket sales to individual shows will be announced at a later date.
The 2026-27 Broadway at the Bass season includes:
Nov. 3-8: Jersey Boys. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But off stage was a very different story. Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony Award-winning musical.
Dec. 1-6: Mamma Mia! A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. This tale of love, friendship and identity is told through the timeless hits of ABBA. Season add-on.
Jan. 22-23: Waitress. Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. When a baking contest in a nearby county — and an encounter with someone new — show Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Season add-on.
April 20-25: The Sound of Music. This critically acclaimed North American tour brings the cherished musical to stages across the country to teach a new generation to sing.
May 4-9: Boop! The Musical: Betty’s dream of an ordinary day off from super-celebrity in her black-and-white world leads to an adventure of color, music, and love in New York City. Tony Award–winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray, La Cage aux Folles) brings Fleischer Studios’ Queen of the Screen to life with a score by Grammy winner David Foster, lyrics by Tony nominee Susan Birkenhead (Working, Jelly’s Last Jam), and a book by Tony winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom).
May 25-30: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. This timeless tale, filled with the romance and grandeur has been brought to life like with new sets and costumes marking Disney’s first North American touring production of the musical in over 25 years.
June 22-27: Buena Vista Social Club. It’s been years since legendary singer Omara Portuondo last entered a recording studio. Once known as the “Queen of Feeling,” her voice was celebrated throughout Cuba – until she vanished from the spotlight. But when an ambitious young record producer brings her a rare opportunity, the elusive diva must finally reckon with her past.
July 20-25: Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical. How did a dead body, a fake love letter, and — of all people — Ian Fleming turn the tide of WWII? It’s 1943 and the Allies are on the ropes. Luckily, they’re about to gamble our futures on a stolen corpse. Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, it’s the fast-paced, true story of the secret mission that won WWII.
Sept. 21-26: The Outsiders. Adapted from S.E. Hinton’s seminal novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s film, this musical features a book by Adam Rapp with Justin Levine, music and lyrics by Texas’ Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance). In 1967 Tulsa, Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade and their Greaser family of ‘outsiders’ battle with their affluent rivals, the Socs while they navigate a world that may never accept them.
–Rich Lopez
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