I watched 18 plays in 2022. I had tickets for a 19th but had to miss it because I was sick. Except for 2 performances on Vimeo, all of the plays were live events. The top theater companies were The Classics Theatre Project (4 productions), Shakespeare Dallas (3), Second Thought Theatre (2), Teatro Dallas (2), and Undermain Theatre (2). Every theater was a nonprofit organization. There was only one production out of the 18 that I truly hated, so overall, 2022 was a great year in local theater.

Since I think it is important for politicians, local governments, arts organizations, and other/potential donors and audience members to know such things, in 2022, with subscription/ticket prices, donations, fees, parking, and other miscellaneous add-ons, I put about $1400 into the local arts economy just with theater productions alone. Nobody needs to spend that much in order to make a meaningful investment in one’s local arts ecosystem. But this is a priority that my husband and I have committed to for the past several decades, as far back as the so-called culture wars of the early 1990s, sometimes to the detriment of other more financially sound choices. Regardless, the arts bring meaning to our lives, and we are happy to support them and consider it a privilege to be surrounded by such stellar artists and organizations. As disappointing as Dallas can be on so many levels, the local theater scene remains exceptional. I encourage everyone reading this to commit to supporting local artists, even if it’s only $140 or $14 or $1.40. And even more importantly, I urge you to elect local politicians who understand the value that the arts contribute to a city’s infrastructure and livability.

Some Top Productions

The Ochre House Theater production of St Ella was a phenomenal, cerebral, and entertaining look at the lead female characters of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire (hence St Ella/Stella) and Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull as they examine their own positionality as women within the male-dominated worlds of their respective plays. It was metafiction at its finest. Artistic director Matthew Posey is a genius for ever conceiving such a story. That he successfully pulled it off without it feeling the least bit like a tedious, overwrought graduate seminar is nothing less than a miracle.

The spare production by Second Thought Theatre of Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu’s Pass Over shone with outstanding actors Daniel Saunders and Vandous Stripling II, and with nuanced direction by Sasha Maya Ada, making this heavy play about the experience of Black men in America unforgettable. And their production of One Flea Spare by playwright Naomi Wallace and directed by Carson McCain was a revelation. I’m looking forward to having the time to read and study this play on my own.

Shakespeare Dallas produced an enjoyable and superbly cast A Midsummer Night’s Dream—a good way to spend a warm summer evening under the stars. I do, however, regret missing their all-female production of Hamlet.

The Classics Theatre Project excels in their mission of producing great modernist classics. Despite John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger maybe not standing the test of time, it was good to be reminded of this 1956 work that had something relevant to say when it first came out. And as I’ve come to expect, the acting by the fine cast of their production of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was exemplary. It was directed by Susan Sargeant.

Las Sillas by Teatro Dallas was a Spanish-language co-production with Mexico’s Teatro Gótico of Eugène Ionesco’s The Chairs. It is always a treat to watch Cora Cardona, one of the premier Theatre of the Absurd interpreters, perform in a classic work that seemed to be written especially for her.

Honorable Mentions

The Dallas Theater Center production of Alice Childress’ Trouble in Mind was directed by Tiana Kaye Blair. M. Denise Lee’s Wiletta and Candice Woods’ Millie were marked by subtlety and depth of range.

The Kitchen Dog Theater production of Adam Rapp’s The Sound Inside stood out for its set design by Will Turbyne as well as the fine acting by Karen Parrish and Parker Hill. Another script I wouldn’t mind spending some more time studying.

In conclusion, go see live theater and support your local artists.