![\"Theatre](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/2.-Natasha-Pierre-and-the-Great-Comet-of-1812.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIn May, Theatre Three was at a crossroads. The 64-year-old Dallas theater company announced it needed to raise $200,000 by the end of the month or it would be forced to shut down operations. Thanks to a $100,000 matching grant from an anonymous donor and the generosity of the community, Theatre Three raised the funds and announced a new season beginning in September.<\/p>\n
The challenges of producing theater in a post-pandemic world are not unique to Theatre Three.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the same thing every performing arts organization is facing right now. It\u2019s just figuring out how people choose to see theater, what they choose to see. Things are changing and all theaters are grappling with that and how to increase audience size and we\u2019re not immune to that,\u201d said Jeffrey Schmidt, Theatre Three\u2019s Artistic Director.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tJeffrey Schmidt<\/p>\n
\t\t\tJeffrey Schmidt<\/p>\n
Nick McGeoy and Bella Zambrano in last season’s production of Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.<\/p>\n
The theater also has the challenge of navigating a leadership transition following the 2015 death of Jac Alder, Theatre Three’s Executive Director-Producer, who led the theater for 54 years. In addition to the pandemic shutdown, Theatre Three has been operating in a construction zone as the Quadrangle shopping center in Uptown Dallas has been renovated and transformed into The Quad. The theater owns its space in a condo-style arrangement and facility fees have increased since the redevelopment of The Quad. Part of the redevelopment included a new lobby at Theatre Three.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re so grateful for having a bigger lobby. We can hold more people, we can do events there, but it\u2019s not something that we asked for. It\u2019s kind of like, \u2018You\u2019re getting this new lobby and guess what? Your fees are going up.\u2019 We present richer than we are,\u201d said Christie Vela, Theatre Three\u2019s Associate Artistic Director.<\/p>\n
In the spring, Theatre Three\u2019s staff and Board of Directors looked at the financial reality and contemplated the theater\u2019s future, calculating outstanding bills owed and how much money would be needed for the next couple of months.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s expensive. It\u2019s very expensive to be here,\u201d Schmidt said. \u201cIt\u2019s not like it just popped up. The Board made the decision, to instead of closing, to go public.\u201d<\/p>\n
The support was gratifying and after reaching the fundraising goal, the staff moved forward with announcing a new season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best decision we thought was actually to do the season because so much had already been put into place, everything from paying the rights,\u201d Schmidt said.<\/p>\n
The season reflects the theater\u2019s audience and artistic interests.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to serve those three As: the artists, the authors, and the audience. Because our audience is diverse and varied, it\u2019s eclectic. It\u2019s always been eclectic. It\u2019s eclectic again,\u201d Schmidt said.<\/p>\n
There are two new works, classics and musicals, along with challenging material and something fun. Shows in Theatre Too, Theatre Three\u2019s smaller downstairs space, will feature two-person casts. The first show of the season, Eleanor Burgess\u2019 <\/strong>The Niceties, will run in Theatre Too.<\/p>\n \u201cI love the shows downstairs because they are so challenging and the material is something actors can sink their teeth into and have fun with,\u201d Vela said.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tJeffrey Schmidt<\/p>\n \t\t\tJeffrey Schmidt<\/p>\n Pictured Left to Right: Andrew Briseno, Jocelyn Hansen, Lily Gast*, Madeleine Norton, The season on the Norma Young Arena Stage, the theater\u2019s main stage, begins with Matt Lyle\u2019s timely new work with a sports theme, The Trade: A Tragedy in Four Quarters.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the most exciting things is we\u2019re getting pretty darn topical, which is hard to do in the theater when you\u2019re selecting a season a year-and-a-half out,\u201d Schmidt said.<\/p>\n Besides producing, Theatre Three is renting its space to other arts organizations. Theatre Three subscribers receive discounts to these events, rental increases facility usage, and arts organizations have an additional performing space option.<\/p>\n \u201cSpace is at a premium. Organizations trying to find a place to perform, it\u2019s really hard. There are some city-owned facilities, but there\u2019s not enough and that all comes with its own challenges. It\u2019s expensive, and we\u2019re a good size for a lot of organizations. It\u2019s one thing to fill our house [approximately 242 seats]. It\u2019s another thing trying to fill Moody Performance Hall with 700 people,\u201d Schmidt said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we work with them. We don\u2019t charge everyone the same. We work with what organizations can do and we find a way for them to be here,\u201d Vela said.<\/p>\n Shakespeare Dallas, Junior Players, Verdigris Ensemble are a few organizations that have rented the space. The theater anticipates hosting Shakespeare Dallas, Uptown Players and Bare Book Club next season.<\/p>\n Now that the construction is complete, Theatre Three is hoping patrons will enjoy the new restaurants opening in the Quad, including Written by the Seasons, Two Hands, DomoDomo, Mamani and The Bread Club. CrushCraft, a favorite Thai restaurant, remains a staple in The Quad.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re a one-stop shop like the Quadrangle was 20, 30 years ago,\u201d Schmidt said.<\/p>\n The theater is experimenting with an earlier 7 p.m. start time for its Thursday night shows.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a trend nationwide. Broadway starts earlier,\u201d Schmidt said. \u201cIt\u2019s that whole thing of people not wanting to get off the couch. Well, maybe if we can get them back on their couch sooner, they\u2019ll come out.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tJeffrey Schmidt<\/p>\n \t\t\tJeffrey Schmidt<\/p>\n Pictured left to right: Benjamin Stegmair and Malcolm Stephenson* in last season’s production of Sleuth. *indicates members of Actors Equity Association.<\/p>\n The theater will also offer pay-what-you-can tickets on Thursday nights to make the theater more financially accessible. It is one of the ways the theater is trying to engage its audience.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the thing we\u2019re learning, and everyone is learning is that it\u2019s not the \u2018if you build it, they will come\u2019 model. That just doesn\u2019t happen. It\u2019s all about engagement and how we engage with patrons and potential patrons and that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to be working on,\u201d Schmidt said.<\/p>\n Vela is confident patrons will appreciate the theater\u2019s artistic vision.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ve got the artistic revival down. We are so confident in the kind of work we\u2019re doing and we know we\u2019ve got that down,\u2019 Vela said.<\/p>\n Theatre Three\u2019s 2025-2026 Season<\/strong><\/p>\n The Niceties\u00a0<\/strong>by Eleanor Burgess\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n September 18 – October 12, 2025 in Theatre Too<\/p>\n A young Black history student and a middle-aged white professor clash in a debate about race and power, offering an empathetic view of a vital conversation.\u00a0Directed by Sasha Maya Ada.<\/p>\n The Trade: A Tragedy in Four Quarters\u00a0<\/strong>by Matt Lyle\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n October 9 – November 2, 2025 on the Norma Young Arena Stage<\/p>\n In this fast-paced satire, the Dallas Mavericks face greatness as Nico hits self-destruct. A Greek chorus narrates the tragic downfall, complete with a Kiss Cam and cameos, critiquing the madness of sports ownership and unrequited love. In Dallas, tragedy wears Nikes. Directed by Matt Lyle.<\/p>\n Goblin Market\u00a0by Polly Pen and Peggy Harman\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n November 13 – December 7, 2025 in Theatre Too<\/p>\n This original musical explores the fantasies of two sisters as they relive childhood experiences in a world filled with seductive goblins.\u00a0Directed by James Chandler, Musical Direction by Vonda K. Bowling.<\/p>\n The Lion in Winter\u00a0<\/strong>by James Goldman\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n December 4-28, 2025 on the Norma Young Arena Stage<\/p>\n Not your usual holiday show! Set on Christmas Eve in 1183,\u00a0the Plantagenet family gathers to clash over ambitions to inherit a kingdom, mixing holiday cheer with political intrigue. Just like all families! Directed by Matthew Gray.<\/p>\n Deer\u00a0<\/strong>by Aaron Mark\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n January 29 – February 22, 2026 in Theatre Too\u00a0<\/p>\n Empty-nesters Ken and Cynthia hit a deer on the way to their weekend home. As their new pet takes over, they either rekindle their love or turn on each other in this dark comedy. Directed by Christie Vela.\u00a0<\/p>\n Penelope\u00a0<\/strong>Music and Lyrics by Alex Bechtel; Book by Alex Bechtel, Grace McLean, and Eva Steinmetz\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n February 19 – March 22, 2026 on the Norma Young Arena Stage<\/p>\n What has Penelope done since Odysseus went to war? She starts a band! This folk-inflected pop musical explores her identity and completeness, starring T3 favorite Cara Statham Serber. Directed by Sarah Gay, Musical Direction by Vonda K. Bowling.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Murder of Roger Ackroyd\u00a0<\/strong>adapted from the novel by Agatha Christie by Blake Hackler<\/strong><\/p>\n April 16 – May 10, 2026 on the Norma Young Arena Stage<\/p>\n In this new adaptation, King\u2019s Abbot is shaken when Roger Ackroyd is murdered after his fianc\u00e9e’s suicide. Poirot investigates in this thrilling mystery.\u00a0Directed by Jeffrey Schmidt.<\/p>\n Dirty Rotten Scoundrels\u00a0<\/strong>Book by Jeffrey Lane; Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n June 11 – July 12, 2026 on the Norma Young Arena Stage<\/p>\n In a French town, conmen Lawrence and Freddy compete to swindle a young heiress out of $50,000. A hilarious battle of wits ensues!\u00a0Directed by Vonda K. Bowling, Musical Direction by Cody Dry.<\/p>\n![\"Theatre](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/3.-Debbie-Does-Dallas.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Luke Weber in Theatre Three’s production of Debbie Does Dallas. *indicates members of Actors Equity Association<\/p>\n![\"Sleuth](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1.-Sleuth.jpg\")
<\/p>\n