At first, the schoolchildren who are filing into Dallas City Performance Hall with wide eyes and the occasional giggly outburst might seem excited simply to be out of the classroom and on a field trip.
Texas is having an Alice boom with Ballet Austin performing Septime Weber’s Alice on May 12-14 at The Long Center and Texas Ballet Theater performing Stevenson’s Alice, May 19-21 at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, and June 2-4 at Winspear Opera House in Dallas.
What do we mean when we talk about Latina/o theater in Texas? This was the question I kept pondering at the beginning of yet another one of the wandering/mapping jaunts I occasionally take when I find myself yearning to exploring more Texas theater.
What is theater that doesn’t reflect contemporary realities? What kind of life can theatrical storytelling have if it doesn’t exist within the world it’s born into?
Experimental plays and intimate dramas set in homes typically belong in black box theaters. The nuance and detail of these productions cannot be captured in larger theaters.
What is an art gallery? No, really: What is an art gallery?
What is its purpose? What should it be allowed to do? Is it a fluid, flexible space to be filled with art for purchase? Art for interaction? What if that interaction is a party where drinks are served and live music is played? What makes an art gallery different from an event space? Does art only belong in a gallery?