Dallas Theater Center

Dallas Theater Center is a professional theater company located in Dallas, Texas, founded by Paula Prentiss, Barbara Mauritzen, and Margo Jones. The company has a long history of producing high-quality theater, with a focus on American plays and musicals. Dallas Theater Center has been a member of the League of Resident Theatres and has worked with renowned directors such as Michael Greif and Jo Bonney. The company has also collaborated with other prominent theaters, including the Public Theater and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

● History

The Dallas Theater Center was founded in 1959 by a group of Dallas residents, including Paula Prentiss and Margo Jones, who were dedicated to bringing professional theater to the city. The company's early productions were held at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and is now a National Historic Landmark. Over the years, the company has produced a wide range of plays and musicals, including works by Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and August Wilson. The company has also been a launching pad for the careers of many notable actors, including Helen Mirren, Morgan Fairchild, and Taye Diggs, who have gone on to work with companies like the Royal Shakespeare Company and the New York City Center.

● Productions

The Dallas Theater Center has produced a diverse range of plays and musicals, including Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, and The Who's Tommy by Pete Townshend. The company has also premiered new works by American playwrights such as Beth Henley and Lanford Wilson, and has collaborated with other prominent theaters, including the Guthrie Theater and the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Recent productions have included The Mountaintop by Katori Hall, The Tempest by William Shakespeare, and Les Misérables by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, which have featured actors from companies like the National Theatre and the American Conservatory Theater.

● Venue

The Dallas Theater Center is currently housed in the Wyly Theatre, which is located in the Arts District of Dallas. The Wyly Theatre is a state-of-the-art facility that features a flexible seating arrangement and a wide range of technical capabilities, allowing the company to produce a wide range of plays and musicals. The theater is also home to the Dallas Black Dance Theatre and the TITAS dance company, and has hosted productions by companies like the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Martha Graham Dance Company. The Wyly Theatre is part of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, which also includes the Winspear Opera House and the Annette Strauss Square, and has been recognized as one of the premier performing arts centers in the United States, along with the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Center.

● Education_and_Outreach

The Dallas Theater Center has a strong commitment to education and outreach, with a range of programs designed to bring theater to underserved communities and to provide training and development opportunities for young actors and theater professionals. The company's education program includes workshops, classes, and residencies, and has partnered with organizations like the Dallas Independent School District and the Big Thought arts education program. The company has also launched a number of outreach initiatives, including a program to provide free tickets to low-income families and a partnership with the United Service Organizations to bring theater to military personnel and their families, similar to programs offered by the USO and the National Endowment for the Arts.

● Awards_and_Recognition

The Dallas Theater Center has received numerous awards and recognition for its productions, including several Tony Award nominations and a Regional Theatre Tony Award. The company has also received awards from the Dallas Theater Critics Forum and the DFW Theater Critics Forum, and has been recognized as one of the top regional theaters in the United States by Theatre Communications Group and American Theatre magazine, along with companies like the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Center Theatre Group. The company's productions have also been praised by critics from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Variety, among others.

● Artistic_Direction

The Dallas Theater Center is led by Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty, who has been at the helm of the company since 2007. Under Moriarty's leadership, the company has produced a wide range of plays and musicals, including several world premieres and regional premieres. Moriarty has also been recognized for his work as a director, with credits including productions at the Huntington Theatre Company and the South Coast Repertory. The company's Associate Artistic Director is Joel Ferrell, who has directed several productions for the company, including The Farnsworth Invention by Aaron Sorkin and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, and has worked with companies like the Public Theater and the La Jolla Playhouse.