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Theater & Dance

On The Boards: Theater Openings, Reviews, Happenings, And News For Aug 30-Sep 3

The Second City Does Dallas, the first show in the Dallas Theater Center's new season, goes into previews. Plus good work by Uptown Players and Stage West and a Frankenstein musical.
By Liz Johnstone |
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In honor of the Pocket Sandwich Theatre’s spoof and the presence of another Mel Brooks musical in town, here’s a clip from Young Frankenstein. Enjoy your weekend.

In Previews

The Second City Does Dallas at the WylyWith a decent number Dallas Theater Center regulars hanging out (well, okay, working) in Providence, RI, Liz Mikel represents Texas amid funny foreign invaders from The Second City in Chicago. Opening night, which is sold out, is next Friday. Also, per the DTC’s website, there are two different opportunities to hang out after each performance:

Each performance of The Second City Does Dallas we will feature one of two opportunities to enhance your theatergoing experience.  Patrons are invited to stick around for Dr. Pepper Snapple Group’s STAY LATE or an improv set performed by the show’s ensemble.  A complete schedule is listed below, or you may check the Performance Calendar to see which event will be offered after a specific performance.

STAY LATE
August 29-31
September 2, 7 (Opening Night), 8, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30

IMPROV SET
September 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18. 19. 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28

Opening This Weekend

Frankenstein: The Musical at Pocket Sandwich Theatre. Opens Friday, Aug. 31.

Newly Reviews/Ongoing

The Producers at Kalita Humphreys Theater. Uptown Players gives this oft-produced Mel Brooks‘ musical new shine, says our critic Lance Lusk, with a high-quality, nearly pitch-perfect production with plenty of unique touches. He recommends that you buy your tickets.

Around the World in 80 Days at Stage West. We made Lance travel for this one, but it sounds worth it. This adaptation of the Jules Verne novel is fast-paced and frenetic—five fine actors playing a whopping 39 roles. Damn.

Closing This Weekend

Level Ground Arts‘ production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd closes Sept. 1. Still time for one last shave.

Theatre Three‘s production of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter also closes Sept. 1.

Upcoming Seasons

Dallas Summer Musicals dropped their 2012-2013 season this week. Every musical is either Mary Poppins, Wicked, or based on a movie. It’s impressive. My friend Michael is a big Sister Act fan, so I immediately G-chatted him to theorize about musical sequels:

me: guess what
Michael: what
me: sister act the musical  comes to dallas in june of next year
Michael: haha nice
me: i wonder if they’ll make sister act II the musical
Michael: one can only hope
me: indeed
me: also waiting for cats 2: more cats
Michael: cats 2: cats and dogs
Michael: cats 2: catss

Undermain Theatre‘s 29th Season. It’s the “Season of the Myth” and a season full of regional premieres. Up first is An Iliad, a re-interpretation of Homer’s epic, The Illiad, written by Lisa Peterson and Russell Edgington Denis O’Hare. That opens on Sept. 29. Next, there’s Burying Our Fathers: A Biblical Debacle, Edna Walsh’s Penelope (Walsh is the Irish playwright who just picked up a Tony Award for his book of the musical Once), and August Strindberg’s The Ghost Sonata. One note: Penelope will not be performed in the Undermain’s usual space. It’ll be at City Performance Hall. I don’t know how I feel about this. That theater is just…too big.

Image: Promo image for the Second City Does Dallas, featuring the Chicago skyline.

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