Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music, dance, comedy and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information. Sorry for the absence the past couple of weeks, but Stage Notes should be back on track.
Stage Notes Calendar
Opening this week:
Sammons Cabaret: Cabaret & Cabernet Fete, 7:30 p.m. today.
Verdigris Ensemble: Re:Transmit-Betty’s Notebook, today-Sept 29 at the Eisemann Center.
Theatre Three: The Niceties, today-Oct. 12 in Theatre Too, pictured.
Allen Philharmonic: String Pops, 7 p.m. Friday at Heritage Ranch.
ATTPAC Presents: Mariachi Herencia with Leonardo Aguilar, 7:30 p.m. Friday at Strauss Square.
Vocal Majority: 50 Years of Gold, 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Eisemann Center.
Texas Ballet Theater: Peter Pan, Friday-Sunday at the Winspear.
Grand Prairie Arts Council: Rent, Friday-Sept. 23 at Uptown Theater.
Stolen Shakespeare Guild: A Murder Is Announced, Friday-Sept. 28.
Rockwall Community Playhouse: Dial M for Murder, Friday-Oct. 5.
Shakespeare Dallas: The Taming of the Shrew, Friday-Oct. 19 at Samuell-Grand Park.
Broadway at the Bass: Life of Pi, Tuesday-Sept. 28.
The Cliburn: Charles Yang and Peter Dugan, 8 p.m. Wednesday at Tannahill’s Tavern and Music Hall.
Onstage now:
Ochre House: Opera Box, through Sunday.
Reid Cabaret Theatre: The Music of Neil Diamond, through Sunday at Casa Manana.
Theatre Off the Square: Something Rotten, through Sunday.
Upright Theatre Company: City of Angels, through Sunday.
Hip Pocket Theatre: Heartbreak House, through Sept. 28, pictured.
Broadway Dallas: The Wiz, through Sunday.
Arts Mission Oak Cliff: Hair, through Sept. 27.
Echo Theatre: El Rey del Pollo, through Sept. 27 at the Bath House Cultural Center.
Pocket Sandwich Theatre: The 39 Steps, through Sept. 27.
Rover Dramawerks: Double Cut, through Sept. 27.
The Elevator Project: MacMurder! by Pegasus Theatre, through Sunday.
Lewisville Playhouse: Old Town Neighbors, through Sept. 21 at Lewisville Grand Theater.
Theatre Arlington: You Can’t Take it with You, through Sept. 28.
Theatre Denton: Carrie the Musical, through Sept. 28.
MusicalWriters.com Productions and Lakeside Community Theatre to reveal some major cleaVage
MusicalWriters.com Productions, in collaboration with Lakeside Community Theatre (LCT), will present the world premiere of cleaVage, a new musical comedy about the rise, fall, and rebound of silicone gel breast implants. The show will run Oct. 3-18 at Lakeside Community Theatre in The Colony.
Conceived by Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. Ron Friedman and co-written with Laura Goodenow, cleaVage takes the little-known history of breast implants and blows it up to larger-than-life proportions through song, dance and comedy.
The musical was first conceived after Friedman after he saw Hamilton in 2019 and realized that the fascinating but untold history of silicone gel implants had never been given the full musical treatment. During the pandemic, he wrote, orchestrated and recorded 36 demos chronicling the No. 1 plastic surgery operation performed worldwide.
In 2022, Goodenow joined the project, bringing a woman’s perspective to the
libretto.
“This pair of cleaVage writers is beyond grateful for the support of Lakeside Community Theater, MusicalWriters.com, and our amazing cast, crew and musicians. With their talent and dedication, our cleaVage is really coming together,: Freidman and Goodenow declared in the release.
“We are excited to be partnering with MusicalWriters.com to bring this one of a kind musical to the LCT Stage. Our theatre is well known for its unique and edgy productions that some theaters shy away from. We strive to break through the norm and inspire audiences to have conversations after the show. We are proud and honored to give light to this humorous and touching production!” LCT Artistic Director David J. Wallis added.
The premise and background may come off with a wink and a nod, but MusicalWriters.com CEO and cleaVage director Rebecca Lowrey assures there is a message to be found here.
“On the surface, this show might seem superficial, but it’s incredibly heartfelt and surprisingly
educational. I am so proud of the cast and creative team we’ve assembled to bring cleaVage to the stage. It has been a joy to shepherd its development right here in DFW through two table reads and a staged reading, and now, finally, to this world premiere.” she mentioned.
In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, cleaVage will partner with
Women Rock, a North Texas nonprofit dedicated to supporting breast cancer survivors. or more information, click here.
Oh l’amour – The Erasure Musical announced for development
The Tulsa-based Tanninger Entertainment announced this week its new development of Oh l’amour – The Erasure Musical, a new theatrical work featuring music and lyrics of the British synth-pop duo (and queer faves) Vince Clarke and Andy Bell of Erasure. The production is being developed in partnership with Sony Music Publishing.
With a book by Paul Lavoie and creative consultation by Tony Award-winning producer Nick Demos, Oh l’amour follows Sam, a wide-eyed college student who leaves the safety of home to pursue his dreams amidst the chaotic promise of 1987 San Francisco. In a city pulsing with desire, romance and heartbreak, Erasure’s electrifying, nightclub-inspired catalog surges alongside Sam’s journey of self-discovery and survival among an ever-expanding family of choice—at a time when love itself was an act of defiance. The story unfolds through a continuous mix of Erasure’s chart-topping hits including “A Little Respect,” “Always,” “Chains of Love” and the title song, published by Sony.
“I have been staggered by Paul Lavoie’s tenacity, force of will and dogged determination which is exactly what a production of this caliber requires, and I am thrilled that Tanninger Entertainment has had the foresight and courage to invest in his vision,” Bell said in the press release. “This is not a jukebox musical. The way the story intertwines with such sensitivity and power is like experiencing a living tapestry of song, sound and vision, and I cannot wait to see it on stage. I am thrilled to be working with Tanninger Entertainment on Oh l’amour – The Erasure Musical, and I’m very much looking forward to working with them to bring the show to the stage.”
A developmental workshop is slated for December 2025 in partnership with the University of Oklahoma’s acclaimed Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre. The development creative team includes Brooklyn-based director and writer Hunter Bird, Tony- and Emmy-nominated composer/orchestrator, Dominic Fallacaro (& Juliet co-orchestrator/music director).
A date for the industry workshop presentation is expected tol be announced soon, as the production targets first-class commercial launch on Broadway and internationally.
Cara Mia Theatre celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with Latinidades Festival
La Razón Blindada by 24th Street Theatre of Los Angeles will play as part of this year’s Latinidades Festival by Cara Mia Theatre. (Courtesy photo)
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Cara Mía Theatre will launch its 2025–26 season with the 6th annual Latinidades Festival & Symposium. The Latinidades Festival features six mainstage productions and various second-stage performances spanning theatre, dance, music, and poetry to highlight diverse Latin American voices. The event will open Sept. 27 and runs through Oct, 12 at the Latino Cultural Center.
This year’s lineup includes the Chicano theatre of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (San Antonio), Venezuelan artists from Chicago, and a play written and directed by Latin American writer Arístides Vargas. Additional performances will showcase artists from Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Dallas.
Returning is the Latinidades Arts Symposium: How Our Arts Will Thrive in Times of Change. The event is designed to explore how the arts can thrive during turbulent times.
“How well we sustain our arts depends on the strength of our community,” David Lozano, Executive Artistic Director of Cara Mía Theatre, said in last week’s announcement. “The Festival and Symposium give our community the chance to experience world-class theatre, dance, and music, while creating space for artists to connect locally, nationally, and internationally to innovate and sustain our work in this contemporary moment.”
The Latinidades Festival and Symposium schedule:
Sept. 27: Free Festival Kickoff: The Festival begins with a free community celebration featuring an open market, live music and performances by Los Escultores del Aire (Barcelona, Spain) and Cara Mía Theatre, followed by DaVerse Lounge Bilingüe, an open mic experience of spoken word, live music, and dance-theatre. The evening is hosted by Will Richey and Alejandro Perez. 6-11 p.m.
Oct. 2-5: The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon by Water People Theater of Chicago. Inspired by real events, this acclaimed play tells the story of Paulina, a Mexican journalist who survives a brutal attack while seeking justice for femicide victims. A powerful exploration of memory, trauma, and resilience.
Oct. 2-3: Latinidades Arts Symposium: How Our Arts Will Thrive in Times of Change. Featured topics include trends in arts funding, AI and the arts, and collective dreaming toward new possibilities.
- Opening Celebration with keynotes by Teatro Dallas Co-founder Cora Cardona and Arts Mission Oak Cliff Executive Director Avery-Jai Andrews. Oct 2 at 1 p.m.
- A full day of plenary and breakout sessions on mentorship and networking, funding trends in the arts and more. Oct. 3 from 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Oct. 3-4: El Pachuco for Prez by Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center of San Antonio. Rodney Garza’s political satire follows a zoot-suited lecturer as he dives into “American politricks” with flair and fire.
Oct, 9-11: La Razón Blindada by 24th Street Theatre of Los Angeles . Arístides Vargas’ dark comedy follows two political prisoners who retell Don Quixote through absurdist and physical comedy, offering a poignant testament to resistance and imagination.
Oct. 11-12: Yemayá Flamenco featuring Dallas companies Cara Mía Theatre and The Flame Foundation with The New Orleans Original Buckshot and Mexico’s Mulato Teatro. A world premiere dance-theatre experience directed by Michelle Gibson. This transnational collaboration is inspired by the Yoruba goddess Yemayá, tracing the African roots of Spanish, Latin American and New Orleans dance, music and song.
Festival and symposium tickets are available at CaraMiaTheatre.org. A Festival Pass and FLEX Pass provide multi-show access at discounted rates. The Sept. 27 Kickoff Celebration is free and open to the public.
–Rich Lopez
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