Stage Notes: SMU honors B'way king Brian Stokes Mitchell; Circle opens noms for theater makers

Just ahead of Thanksgiving last week, SMU Meadows School of the Arts announced Brian Stokes Mitchell as the recipient of the 2026 Meadows Award. Stokes’ career spans more than 40 years in Broadway, television, film, recordings and concert appearances with the country’s finest conductors and orchestras. He was dubbed “the last leading man” by The New York Times for his Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award-winning turns in Kiss Me, Kate, Man of La Mancha, August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Ragtime and more.

The Meadows Award is given to a renowned artist at the pinnacle of a distinguished career. The Award includes an on-campus residency working with Meadows students and is presented to an artist in a discipline represented by one of the academic units within the Meadows School: advertising, art, art history, arts management and arts entrepreneurship, corporate communication and public affairs, creative computation, dance, film and media arts, journalism, music and theater.

As the award recipient, Stokes will complete an artistic residency in Dallas, including masterclasses for Meadows students, and performances alongside the Meadows Choirs and the Meadows Symphony Orchestra at the 33rd annual “Meadows at the Meyerson” benefit concert on March 31.

The musical theatre actor’s selection coincides with Meadows’ newly created Sexton Institute of Musical Theatre, with the first classes to begin in Fall 2026. Designed to prepare students for the rigorous demands and shifting landscape of the contemporary musical theatre industry, the Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre will offer intensive conservatory training in acting, singing, and movement, along with the well-rounded liberal arts education for which SMU is known.

“Brian Stokes Mitchell is a leader and iconic figure in the entertainment industry not only due to his incredible talent and dedication to the art form, but also on account of his legacy of supporting and giving back to the community throughout his career,” Samuel S. Holland, Professor of Music and Algur H. Meadows Dean of the Meadows School of the Arts said in the press release. “The Meadows School is pleased to honor Brian with the Meadows Award on account of his artistic and charitable contributions to the arts, through his spectacular performances on stage, screen, and film, as well as his support for his fellow artists, modeling for our students the importance of community involvement, especially in an art form as collaborative as the theater. We’re thrilled to welcome Stokes as our students are performing Ragtime with Dallas Theater Center, giving them the rare opportunity to take a masterclass with the originator of the role of Coalhouse Walker Jr.”

Circle Theatre now accepting Theater Makers nominations for its 2026 season of An Evening With

Circle Theatre announced the return of its An Evening With series for 2026. ‬Launched this year, the series is designed to honor the contributions of North Texas Theater Makers who have left a mark on the North Texas theater community. The company has opened nominations up for 2026.

The inaugural recipients for 2025 included Dallas Theater Center’s Jonathan Norton, Debbie Brown, Sheilah Walker and Rebecca Lowrey, pictued above.

There will be four recipients chosen to be honored in the 2026 season. Each recipient will receive an evening dedicated to showcasing them and their work as well as a commemorative piece.

At each event, guests can connect with the honorees, learn about their work, and experience their artistic journey in a meaningful way. Through cocktails, conversation, live performances and multimedia showcases, Circle aims to “highlight the profound influence these artists have had on the world of theater and beyond.”

To submit a nomination, click here. The deadline is Dec. 31.

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Stage Notes: SMU honors B’way king Brian Stokes Mitchell; Circle opens noms for theater makers

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