What's On DFW Center Stages Now
The DINGDONG: Or, Take Me, I’m Yours!
The DINGDONG: Or, Take Me, I’m Yours!
Thu Nov 6, 2025 - Sat Nov 22, 2025
The Dingdong, or Take Me, I'm Yours!, by Mark Shanahan, adapted from Le Dindon by Georges Feydeau, directed by Penny Elaine (farce)
Vatelin is a faithful husband – mostly. Lucy is a faithful wife – kind of. But their “fidelity” is about to be put to the test when a series of importunate suitors and femmes fatales invade their cozy little world. Dive headfirst into the misadventures of one madcap night in a Parisian hotel in this new adaptation of Feydeau’s classic farce Le Dindon, and discover how opening the wrong door in the dark of night can lead to mayhem, laughter, and a few unlikely revelations about the secret to a happy marria
The Cat and the Canary
The Cat and the Canary
The Cat and the Canary
November 7–22, 2025 | Irving Arts Center
A Mystery by John Willard
Directed by Dennis Canright
Twenty years after his death, the family of Ambrose West arrive to his castle on the Hudson to attend a reading of his will at midnight. His will designates that Annabelle West is his sole heir if there is no indication that she suffers from insanity. Should she be unsound of mind, a second will is to be opened naming a different heir. The family endeavors to unbalance Annabelle with tales of lunatics, murders, and death strikes. Everyone among the possible heirs is suspected, but not until the final fall of the curtain is the extraordinary mystery solved. A chilling mystery unfolds for an eccentric family trapped in a night of terror and suspicion.
Goblin Market
Goblin Market
By Polly Pen and Peggy Harman
Directed by James Chandler
What lived under your bed when you were a kid? A brilliantly atmospheric, totally original musical which probes into the sexually charged fantasies of two sisters who relive their childhood experiences in an imaginary world peopled by seductive goblins.
A Christmas Carol
Dallas Theater Center’s A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol Bah Humbug! Embark on a magical Christmas Eve adventure with Ebenezer Scrooge as three otherworldly spirits whisk him away on a breathtaking journey of hope and redemption. From the nostalgic warmth of Christmases past to the stark truths of the present and the ominous shadows of the future, Scrooge’s journey is a spectacle of wonder. Prepare for dazzling visuals, enchanting melodies, and a heartwarming tale that celebrates the transformative power of the holiday spirit.
IT’S THE ONE WE WAIT ALL YEAR TO SEE!
All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914
All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914
On the front lines, a miracle of harmony
by Peter Rothstein
Vocal Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach
DEC 3–21, 2025
On Christmas Eve 1914 in the cold trenches of World War I, something miraculous happened. A lone soldier stepped into no man’s land, lifted his voice in song and began this remarkable true story. In that no-longer-silent night, troops from both sides laid down their weapons for an extraordinary holiday celebration of music, feasting, and camaraderie.
In this powerful musical recounting of shared humanity in dark times, a 10-man a cappella chorus weaves together soldiers’ letters, poetry, and period songs—ranging from trench tunes to holiday carols—into an extraordinary holiday gift that is not to be missed.
Regional Premiere
The Lion in Winter
The Lion in Winter
By James Goldman
Directed by Matthew Gray
To do list over the Holidays: Find perfect gift for your dad, get together with your siblings , conspire with your mother to overthrow the government! Seasons Greetings! The Lion in Winter is a modern-day classic dramedy – the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family, gathered over Christmas, who are locked in a free-for-all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom. Just like all families!
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn
Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn tells the story of Jim, who leaves the bright lights of show business behind to settle down on his farmhouse in Connecticut... but life just isn't the same without a bit of song and dance. Jim's luck takes a spectacular turn when he meets Linda, a spirited schoolteacher with talent to spare. Together they turn the farmhouse into a fabulous inn with dazzling performances to celebrate each holiday, from Thanksgiving to the Fourth of July. But when Jim's best friend Ted tries to lure Linda to Hollywood to be his new dance partner, will Jim be able to salvage his latest chance at love? Based on the classic film, this joyous musical features thrilling dance numbers, laugh-out-loud comedy and a parade of hit Irving Berlin songs, including "Blue Skies," "Easter Parade," "Steppin' Out With My Baby," "Heat Wave," "White Christmas," "Be Careful, It's My Heart," "Cheek to Cheek," "Shaking the Blues Away" and many more
The Game’s Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays
The Game’s Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays
It is December 1936, and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast members to his Connecticut castle for the holidays. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, Gillette assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. The danger and hilarity are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays.
Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings
FOREVER PLAID: PLAID TIDINGS
Dec 5 - 21, 2025 | Lyric Stage Studio | Rated G
Back for another holiday season! This classic by Stewart Ross! Presented at the Lyric Studios Space, with both general admission and reserved café tables. Share some holiday joy with your friends and family at Lyric Stage.
At first, Francis, Jinx, Smudge, and Sparky aren't sure why they've returned to Earth for another posthumous performance, but a phone call from the heavenly Rosemary Clooney lets them know that they're needed to put a little harmony into a discordant world. Sprinkled among the Christmas offerings are audience favorites, like their riotous three-minute-and-eleven-second version of The Ed Sullivan Show – this time, featuring the Rockettes, the Chipmunks, and The Vienna Boys Choir, as well as a Plaid Caribbean Christmas that puts the "Day-O" in Excelsis!
The production is rated G and is fun for the whole family!
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming "ding" of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves a champion!
Around the World in 80 Days
Around the World in 80 Days
Adapted by Mark Brown from the novel by Jules Verne
Directed by Mikey Abrams
Fearless adventurer Phileas Fogg has agreed to an outrageous wager that puts his fortune and his life at risk. With his resourceful servant Passepartout, Fogg sets out to circle the globe in an unheard-of 80 days. But his every step is dogged by a detective who thinks he's a robber on the run. A small cast of versatile actors portray all 39 characters across seven continents as Fogg races to win his bet.
Young Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein
PG-13
From the creators of the record-breaking Broadway sensation, The Producers, comes this monster new musical comedy Young Frankenstein! Grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "Fronk-en-steen") inherits his family's estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor (pronounced "Eye-gore"), and a leggy lab assistant, Inga (pronounced normally), Frederick finds himself in the mad scientist shoes of his ancestors. "It's alive!" he exclaims as he brings to life a creature to rival his grandfather's. Young Frankenstein is scientifically proven, monstrously good entertainment
Ride the Cyclone
Ride the Cyclone
Keep your soul inside the car at all times!
Music, Book, and Lyrics by Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond
A co-production with Theatre TCU
OCT 16–NOV 2, 2025
In this critically acclaimed cult musical, a freak roller coaster accident derails the lives of the entire St. Cassian High School chamber choir. Now dead, trapped in carnival limbo, they’re greeted by a mechanical fortune teller who proposes a talent show. The prize? One lucky winner will return to life.
Darkly comic, wildly inventive, and deeply moving, Ride the Cyclone is a genre-smashing musical about death and fate, and high school.
Regional Premiere
The Birds
The Birds
BY CONOR MCPHERSON
“This play is a standout, a thriller in its own right with intriguing characters, intense dialogue, and its own suspenseful storyline…The Birds is a stark and compelling view of human desperation in the face of dire circumstances.” -Marina Kennedy, BroadwayWorld
When killer birds start attacking, three strangers seek shelter in an isolated house. But as paranoia creeps in, they realize the biggest threat might not be coming from outside.
Based on Daphne du Maurier’s story (the inspiration for Hitchcock’s famous film), The Birds brings a chilling and suspenseful look at human nature in the face of societal collapse. This chilling stage adaptation will be directed by Amphibian Stage’s Artistic Director, Jay Duffer (The Handless King, The Visit, Spaceman, and Marie Antoinette).
Content warning: sexual situations, loud noises, moments of darkness in the play
The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer is a high-energy musical based on the beloved 1998 film starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Set in 1985 New Jersey, it follows Robbie Hart, a charming but heartbroken wedding singer who gets jilted at the altar and spirals into chaos—until he meets Julia, a waitress engaged to the wrong guy
The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show
Oct 10 - 26, 2025 | Lyric Stage Studio | Rated R
Let’s do the time warp again at Lyric Stage! In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.”
That “Sweet Transvestite” and his motley crew did the “Time Warp” on Broadway in a 25th anniversary revival. Complete with sass from the audience, cascading toilet paper, and an array of other audience participation props, this deliberately kitschy rock ’n’ roll sci-fi gothic musical is more fun than ever!
The production is rated R.
Let’s Murder Marsha
Let’s Murder Marsha
A happy housewife named Marsha, hopelessly addicted to reading murder mysteries, overhears her loving husband discussing her upcoming birthday surprise. To her ears, though, it sounds like they are planning to murder her! With the assistance of her next-door neighbor, she tries to turn the tables on them. When her own mother shows up for her birthday a day early, Marsha thinks she is in on the diabolical scheme. When her maid’s date, a policeman, shows up to take the maid out, Marsha thinks he is on to her poisoning attempt. Well, finally, just when you would think all this would be cleared up, Marsha’s intended victims discover what she has supposed, and decide to teach her a lesson by actually pretending to be murderers. This is a terrific show for family audiences who like their comedy broad, fast, and nons
The Trade: A Tragedy in Four Quarters
The Trade: A Tragedy in Four Quarters
By Matt Lyle
In this fast-paced, highly unauthorized, foam middle-fingered satire, the Dallas Mavericks are on the brink of greatness—so naturally, Nico slams the self-destruct button. With a Greek chorus narrating the tragic downfall, a Kiss Cam, “Luka Doncic,” “Mark Cuban,” and a cameo from “Anthony Davis’s Hernia,” THE TRADE skewers the madness behind the moves, the myth that millionaires and billionaires must know what they’re doing, and the heartbreak of loving something that doesn’t love you back.
In Dallas, tragedy wears Nikes.
Dracula {A Comedy of Terrors}
Dracula {A Comedy of Terrors}
In the treacherous mountains of Transylvania, a meek English real estate agent takes a harrowing journey to meet a new and mysterious client, who also just happens to be the most terrifying and ferocious monster the world has ever known: Count Dracula! As famed female vampire hunter Jean Van Helsing and company chase Drac from Transylvania to the British countryside to London and back, their antics are guaranteed to increase your pulse and cause bloodcurdling screams—of laughter.
Noises Off
Noises Off
Farce-tastic frenzy, laugh riot unleashed!
Witness the ultimate theatrical meltdown with Michael Frayn’s uproarious classic British comedy, Noises Off. This play-within-a-play plunges you into the chaotic world of “Nothing’s On,” a fictional touring production tormented by backstage romances and onstage blunders. From flubbed lines to slamming doors, witness the hilarious unraveling of a troupe of eccentric actors. Noises Off guarantees an evening of pure, unadulterated hilarity.
Don’t miss this beloved farce that The New York Times legendary theater critic, Frank Rich, called, “the single funniest play I ever saw.”
Going Wild
Going Wild
Going Wild, by Peter Snoad, directed by Glynda Welch (dramedy) SEASON BONUS!
When Meredith’s husband Beau is tired of keeping up with their lawn, she decides to let it go wild with a natural garden, much to the chagrin of the neighborhood homeowner’s association. But when she becomes a spokesperson for the environmental group Green Future, the last thing she expects is for the FBI to take notice! A partnership with Theatre Network of Texas and their TNT POPS!
The Niceties
The Niceties
By Eleanor Burgess
A young Black student of history. A middle-aged white professor of history. What begins as a polite clash in perspective explodes into an urgent debate about race and power. In a time when instead of listening we’re just waiting to give our opinion, this play takes an empathetic view of both sides of a conversation we all need to be ready to have.
You Can’t Take It With You
You Can’t Take It With You
This Pulitzer Prize winning comedy is one of the most popular and successful plays of all time.
The beloved story of the wacky Sycamores and the straightlaced Kirbys, two families – so unlike in manner, politics and finances trying to set aside their differences and find unity.
Double Cut
Double Cut
Double Cut, by Alfred Shaugnessy, directed by Sara Jones (thriller)
Diamond heiress Olivia Prescott is disturbed by an enigmatic stranger arriving at her villa, claiming to be her supposedly dead brother. He seems to know every trivial detail of their past family life, his papers verify his identity, but Olivia insists with mounting hysteria that he is an imposter despite his convincing everyone around them. Is Olivia going mad…or is she concealing something? And what about the £10 million worth of diamonds that have gone missing?
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of Jersey Lily" is a play that intertwines the wit of Oscar Wilde with the detective skills of Sherlock Holmes, centering around the actress Lillie Langtry and a case of blackmail.
Fat Ham
Fat Ham
Juicy’s got a lot on his plate - his mom just married his uncle. All he wants is to make his own way as a queer Black man in a Southern family. But here’s the rub - his father’s ghost just turned up at a backyard barbecue demanding vengeance. In this delicious and sizzling reinvention of Shakespeare’s masterpiece, a young man vows to break the cycles of violence in service of his own liberation and joy.
The Penumbra
The Penumbra
A team of Dallas-based creatives will present a workshop of the brand-new musical The Penumbra at the Bath House Cultural Center on August 20 and 21, 2025 at 7:30 pm. A combination of student and professional actors and musicians will perform the new musical, with music by composer/lyricist Ian Ferguson and libretto by writer Lauren LeBlanc. Admission is free and open to the public.
Though it’s not been performed publicly yet, The Penumbra is already earning local acclaim as the 2025 grant recipient of the Donald Fowler Theatre Arts Memorial Fund, which awards seed grants to DFW artists who are creating innovative works of theater. The grant, named for a beloved member of the DFW theatre community, chooses one recipient per year by a committee of industry peers.
Based on LeBlanc’s unpublished young adult novel of the same name, The Penumbra is a supernatural thriller told in a three-part narrative: a teenage girl in a struggling family, a town reeling from an escalating pattern of missing children, and an ancient folktale of love and destruction.
Patron Magazine said, “The Penumbra appears to approach (familiar themes) with specificity and sharpness, grounded in lived experience rather than abstraction. The musical grapples with grief and identity without the gauze of metaphor: this is trauma before adolescence fully forms, where monsters might be real and even the grownups are afraid.”
The creative team comprises an experienced group of DFW theatremakers: Sasha Maya Ada Davis (Second Thought, Altr’d Playhouse) will direct; Cody Dry (UTA, Dallas Theater Center) will music direct and conduct the live orchestra; Leah Mazur will design (UTA, Circle Theatre, Dallas Theater Center); and Jenny Dang (Broadway Dallas, Dallas Theater Center) will stage manage. In addition to youth performers from Dallas and Collin counties, the cast includes Denise Lee (Uptown, Dallas Theater Center), Jeremy Landon Hays (Broadway: Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables), Finlay Stevenson (Theatre Three, Penguin Random House), Aubrey Ferguson (Theatre Three, Circle Theatre), and Sydnie Roy (The Today Show, Off-Broadway: The Pit). Licensed therapist and Second Thought Theatre Artistic Director Carson McCain will lead a free talkback after each performance. Patrons can reserve a free ticket at this link.
For more information about The Penumbra, visit whatisthepenumbra.com or instagram.com/penumbramusical
Sense and Sensibility
Sense and Sensibility
A story that follows the romantic lives of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne. After their father dies and leaves their family in financial ruin, the sisters must navigate the complex world of love and marriage. Austen's keen observations and wit illuminate the stark contrast between Elinor's practicality and Marianne's romanticism, offering a timeless exploration of love, reputation, and societal norms in the Regency era. The novel explores themes of societal expectations, the tension between reason and emotion, and the importance of finding a balance between the two.
Guys and Dolls
Guys and Dolls
A co-production with the amazing artists from Lyric Stage. Presented at The Moody Performance Hall with a full orchestra and large cast, Guys & Dolls is a true American classic.
Considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy, Guys and Dolls ran for 1,200 performances when it opened on Broadway in 1950. It received nearly unanimous positive reviews from critics and won a bevy of awards, including Tony Awards, Drama Desks, and Oliviers.
The production is rated PG.
The Last Five Years
The Last Five Years
THE LAST FIVE YEARS
BOOK, MUSIC + LYRICS BY JASON ROBERT BROWN
AUGUST 14 - SEPTEMBER 6, 2025 | REGIONAL PREMIERE
DRAMA DESK RECIPIENT | TONY AWARD-WINNING WRITER
We round out the Summer with a contemporary classic, one of the most beloved musicals about a tumultuous heartbreak to ever have been written. Fresh off its first-ever Broadway Run, starring Adrienne Warren and Nick Jonas, Circle Theatre will be the first to bring The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown back to the area!
The Last Five Years captivates its audiences with its innovative storytelling and beloved score. A powerful piece that speaks to the universal experience of love and loss, this critically acclaimed musical delves into the five-year romance between Cathy and Jamie, two aspiring artists, through a unique narrative structure: Cathy’s story unfolds from the end of their relationship moving backward, while Jamie’s perspective moves forward from the start.
Memorable melodies soar throughout the piece, which leave audiences considering all that can go wrong when two people collide - and all that could have gone right, had they ever truly seen one another.
*contains adult language and situations*
Be My Baby
Be My Baby
BY KEN LUDWIG
John, an irascible Scotsman and an uptight English woman, Maude, both in their late 50s, take on the journey of a lifetime. They are brought together when his ward marries her niece. Then, when the young couple decides to adopt a newborn baby, the older couple has to travel 6,000 miles to California to pick up the child and bring her safely home to Scotland. The problem is, John and Maude despise each other. To make matters worse, they get stranded in San Francisco for several weeks and are expected to jointly care for the helpless newborn. There they form a new partnership and learn some startling lessons about life and love.
I’m Proud of You
I’m Proud of You
Based on Tim Madigan’s book I’m Proud of You, My Friendship with Fred Rogers, this delightful new play chronicles male friendship at its finest and most powerful.
You’re never too old to learn life lessons from television icon Mr. Rogers.
Rock of Ages
Rock of Ages
PG-13
Set in the late 1980s on Hollywood’s iconic Sunset Strip, Rock of Ages tells the story of aspiring rock star Drew and small-town girl Sherri. As they chase their dreams at one of the Strip’s last legendary venues, German developers threaten to turn the area into a strip mall. Can they save the Strip with the power of rock ‘n’ roll? Featuring hits from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, and more, this musical promises a rocking good time!
Murder at the Orient Burlesque
Murder at the Orient Burlesque
Thu Jul 31, 2025 - Sat Aug 16, 2025
Murder at the Orient Burlesque, by Carol M. Rice, directed by Eddy Herring (mystery/comedy)
When Russian princess Katherina Anastasia Faberge Antoinette joins the cast of the burlesque at Christie’s Orient Palace, the trouble begins, so it’s not a surprise when she turns up dead after only one performance. As Detective Red Flannegan quickly discovers, everyone has a motive, and the Czarina was not only shot, but also poisoned, stabbed, electrocuted and strangled. The question then becomes not who did it, but who did what, and is there anyone who didn’t? The return of this smash hit from seasons past!
The Heart Sellers
The Heart Sellers
by Lloyd Suh
“A joy to watch, filled with heartfelt humor and high-running emotions that captivate… excellent writing…as eye-opening as it is entertaining.” -Harry Cherkinian, Milwauke’s Shepard Express
Friendship (and wine) can make any place feel like home.
Thanksgiving, 1973: Jane and Luna are new to America, a bit lost, and definitely homesick. When they meet by chance, a simple grocery store run turns into a night of laughter, wine, and instant connection. From a botched frozen turkey to dreams of Disneyland, The Heart Sellers beautifully captures the highs and lows of new beginnings.
One of the Top 10 produced plays in the US in 2024, Lloyd Suh’s new comedy uplifts the importance of community, the immigrant experience, and the paths we take to make a new home.
Special Performance Dates
Friday, August 1st – Devonian Opening Night
Saturday, August 2nd – Members Night
Friday, August 8th – AAPI Community Night
Saturday, August 9th – Under 40 Community Night
Runtime: 90 minutes with no intermission
Disaster!
Disaster!
By Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick
Directed by Neale Whitmore
Music Direction by Joey O’Reilly | Choreography by Amy Cave
A group of New Yorkers attend the opening of a floating casino-discothèque that quickly succumbs to multiple calamities, hilariously reprising 1970s disaster films from sinking ships to earthquakes to piranhas. Following the 70s theme, the musical numbers feature hit songs from the decade. Hum along to familiar tunes as these hapless characters careen from one catastrophe to another. Will everyone make it out alive?
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Inspired by true events, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie celebrates acceptance, belonging, and a mother’s unconditional love through the inspiring story of Jamie New, a 16-year-old from Sheffield who dreams of becoming a drag queen.
Photo by Mike Morgan
Noises Off
Noises Off
NOISES OFF
Jul 18-Aug 2, 2025 at Irving Arts Center
By Michael Frayn
Directed by B.J. Cleveland
Sardines! Sardines! Called “the funniest farce ever written,” Noises Off takes a fond look at the follies of theatre folk, whose susceptibility to out-of-control egos, memory loss, and passionate affairs turn every performance into a high-risk adventure. This play-within-a-play captures a touring theatre troupe’s production of Nothing On in three stages: dress rehearsal, the opening performance, and a performance towards the end of a debilitating run. Frayne gives us a window into the inner workings of theatre behind-the-scenes, progressing from flubbed lines and missed cues in the dress rehearsal to mounting friction between cast members in the final performance. A side-splitting backstage farce with slamming doors, falling trousers, and flying sardines!
Something Rotten!
Something Rotten!
SOMETHING ROTTEN RCT on Coit
July 18- August 3
Fr/Sat 7:30, Sun 2:00
RCT, 770 N Coit, Richardson
Two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway.
Welcome to the Renaissance … and the outrageous, crowd-pleasing musical comedy, Something Rotten! Created by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Wayne Kirkpatrick, and blockbuster screenwriters Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell, Something Rotten has been lauded by audiences and critics alike, receiving several Best Musical nominations and hailed by Time Out New York as "the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years!"
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