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:
Jubilee Theatre: Test to Testimony, opened Tuesday-April 26, pictured.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra: Chamber Concert, 5 p.m. today at McIntyre Park.
Pegasus Theatre: Rehearsal for Murder!, today-April 5 at Addison Performing Arts Centre.
Ballet Papillon: Emerge ~ The Radiant Reveal, March 20 and 21 at The Grand.
Ghostlight Theatre Company: pool (no water), March 20 and 21 at Lewisville Grand Theater.
TITAS/Dance Unbound: BodyTraffic, Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.
Undermain Theatre: Staged reading: St. Miles, Friday-Sunday.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra:Alexi Kenney Plays Barber, Friday-Sunday.
FWSO Symphonic Series: Jane Glover Conducts FWSO Stars, Friday-Sunday.
Uptown Players: Pure Glitter, Friday-March 29.
Plano Symphony Orchestra: A Night in Paris!, 8 p.m. Saturday at St. Andrews Methodist Church.
ATTPAC Presents: In the Fiddler’s House with Itzhak Perlman, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Winspear.
Broadway at the Bass:Back to the Future, Tuesday-March 29.
WaterTower Theatre: Goodnight Oscar, Tuesday-April 12.
Onstage now:
Hopeful Theatre Project: Something Rotten!, through Saturday at MainStage 222.
MainStage ILC: Native Gardens, through Saturday, pictured.
Broadway Dallas:A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, through Sunday.
Dallas Theater Center: Where We Stand, through Sunday at Bryant Hall.
Repertory Company Theatre: Curtains the Musical, through Sunday.
Theatre Three: Penelope, through Sunday.
Upright Theatre Co.: Seussical, through Sunday.
Circle Theatre: King James, through March 28.
Pocket Sandwich Theatre: Arsenic and Old Lace, through March 28.
Rover Dramawerks: All’s Fair in Love and Theatre, through March 28.
Allen Contemporary Theatre: Escanaba in da Moonlight, through March 29.
The Firehouse Theatre: The Producers, through March 29.
Garland Civic Theatre: Rumors, through March 29.
Stage West: A Case for the Existence of God, through March 29.
The Core Theatre: Charley’s Aunt, through April 12.
Fever: SAW The Musical: The Unauthorized Parody of SAW, through April 12 at Theatre Too.
MusicalWriters.com launches Artist-in-Residence and Writer-in-Residence programs
On Thursday, the Dallas-based MusicalWriters.com announced the launch of two new national residency programs designed to support the development of new musical theatre: the MusicalWriters.com Artist-in-Residence and Writer-in-Residence programs.
For the inaugural 2026–2027 residency year, MusicalWriters.com has named New York–based composer, lyricist, and performer Alyssa Payne (she/her) as its first Artist-in-Residence, alongside Elle G. Tyler (she/her) and Ash (they/she) as the organization’s inaugural Writers-in-Residence.
The Artist-in-Residence program supports writers who create new musical theater and who bring their work to life through performance, storytelling and community engagement. The Writer-in-Residence program recognizes writers whose current work reflects a strong artistic voice and a deep commitment to the craft of musical theatre writing. Through the residency, MusicalWriters.com partners with these writers to support the continued development of their work while connecting them with its network of producers, directors, dramaturgs, actors and fellow writers.
All three residents will be featured at the 2026 Musical Writers Festival, July 23–26 in Frisco. Not only will their work be featured at the New Works Cabaret and New Musicals Spotlight performances, but they will also share their expertise through feedback workshops and masterclasses.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra extends contract for Assistant Conductor
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Music Director Fabio Luisi (Louise W. & Edmund J. Kahn Music Directorship) and Ross Perot President & CEO Michelle Miller Burns announced on March 12 the extension of Shira Samuels-Shragg’s contract as Assistant Conductor (Marena & Roger Gault Chair).
“I am delighted to continue working with Shira for the 2026/27 season,” said DSO Music Director Fabio Luisi. “She is a wonderful artistic partner, and I look forward to seeing the great things she will do in her career.”
Samuels-Shragg began her tenure as DSO’s Assistant Conductor in the 2024/25 concert season. She has led the DSO in Youth Concerts, the summer Parks Concerts and the 2025 New Year’s Eve program. She also leads the Performance Prelude lectures, a presentation before each classical concert that gives audience members deeper insight into the music being performed.
In the 2026/27 season, Samuels-Shragg will lead the Performance Prelude lecture series through the 2026/27 season.
“I am thrilled to continue my work with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra,” Samuels-Shragg said in the press release. “I’ve learned so much from Maestro Luisi, the incredible musicians of the orchestra, inspiring guest artists and our dedicated patrons. It is truly a joy to call Dallas home for another season.”
Texas Ballet Theater’s next season revealed
Earlier this month, Texas Ballet Theater (TBT) declared “a year of daring premieres, timeless classics, and unforgettable artistry when the company dropped its 2026/27 season announcement.” The company announced its four performances for the new season that will be presented in both Dallas and Fort Worth. The new season begins in September.
“This season feels like a beautiful continuation of the work we’ve been building together,” Artistic Director Tim O’Keefe said in the announcement. “I’m incredibly proud of our dancers and excited to challenge them with choreography that stretches them stylistically—from classical foundations to contemporary storytelling that pushes them into new artistic territory. We are a storytelling company at heart, and this season offers stories that are joyful, thought-provoking, dramatic, and comedic. My hope is that every audience member, whether they’re drawn to bold contemporary works or beloved classics, finds something that speaks to them.”
TBT’s 2026/27 season includes:
Sept. 18-20: Casanova, pictured. Set against the opulence of 18th-century Venice, this visually stunning ballet blends Baroque grandeur with bold, cinematic movement. What emerges is not just a tale of seduction, but a portrait of a soul caught between indulgence and introspection. Performances held at the Winspear.
Oct. 2-4: Casanova. Performances held at the Bass.
Nov. 27-Dec. 6: The Nutcracker. This tradition allows Tchaikovsky’s signature score and Ben Stevenson, O.B.E.’s choreography awaken the holiday spirit. Performances held at the Winspear.
Dec. 11-27: The Nutcracker. Performances held at the Bass.
Feb. 19-21: Unbound. Two world premieres and a crowd favorite — each celebrating the breadth and brilliance of contemporary dance.Performances held at the Wyly Theatre.
Feb. 26-28: Unbound. Performances held at the Bass.
May 14-16: Coppélia. This comedy follows the spirited Swanhilda, her hapless sweetheart Franz, and the eccentric Dr. Coppélius in an adventure brimming with wit, warmth, and classical charm. Performances held at the Winspear.
May 21-23: Coppélia. Performances held at the Bass.
Season packages are available now on TexasBalletTheater.org. Individual sales will be announced at a later date.
Uptown Players seeking donations for Broadway Our Way auction
The men of Broadway Our Way for 2023 (Photo by Mike Morgan)
As the company readies for a premiere this Friday of Pure Glitter — read my feature on it in Friday’s paper — Uptown Players is also readying for its springtime fundraiser Broadway Our Way. The team is building up its auction and has put the call out for donations.
From Uptown Players:
We are currently seeking donations of gift cards, raffle items, and silent auction packages for Broadway Our Way, our biggest annual fundraiser.
Your contribution helps us create a fun, engaging, and successful event while directly supporting Uptown Players and our mission.
Gift cards make fantastic prizes, and unique items or experiences for our raffle and silent auction are just as valuable in helping us raise critical funds for our programming.
To donate, please contact us directly at 214-219-2718 or boxoffice@uptownplayers.org to coordinate drop-off or delivery.
If you would like a tax receipt, please include your name, address, and the value of your donation.
Thank you for your generosity and continued support of Uptown Players.
Contributions like yours help ensure we can keep bringing bold, entertaining, and meaningful theatre to our community.
The annual fundraiser returns with the new theme that turns “happily ever after” delightfully upside down. Broadway Our Way: Fractured Fairy Tales will run for one weekend only from April 30-May 3 at the Kalita Humphreys Theater.
–Rich Lopez
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