Since 2001, Uptown Players has been unafraid to take chances. One of the nation’s leading LGBTQ+ theater companies, the Dallas-based theater company has produced world, Texas, and regional premieres like Silver Foxes, A Very Sordid Wedding, Soho Cinders, and Fun Home. It was also the first regional theater in the country to produce Next to Normal and The Boy from Oz following their Broadway runs.
“Reaching 25 years is incredibly meaningful to us because Uptown Players has never been built by just one or two people,” says co-founder and co-executive producer Craig Lynch. “It has taken hundreds of artists, staff members, board members, volunteers, donors, community partners, and, of course, the audiences who have supported us and trusted us to tell these stories.”
“For many LGBTQ+ artists and audience members, Uptown has been a place where their stories aren’t pushed to the side—they are placed at the center and told with honesty, dignity, and pride,” adds co-founder and co-executive producer Jeff Rane. “For audiences who may not share those experiences, theater gives us an opportunity to educate through the arts in a way that never feels like a lecture. When you connect with a character, laugh with them, and become invested in their journey, differences begin to feel much smaller.”
Audiences of all backgrounds will likely connect with Uptown’s first show in Dec. 2026, a stage adaptation of Designing Women by the sitcom’s original creator, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. Julia, Suzanne, Mary Jo, and Charlene tackle generational differences, political divides, and the enduring power of friendship with the same razor-sharp wit and humor that made the television series a cultural phenomenon. And, surprising some, the sassy Southern belles of Sugarbaker & Associates will not be portrayed by drag performers.
The company’s annual fundraising event returns in March 2027 with an all-new adventure that takes audiences across the globe without ever leaving their seat. B.J. Cleveland and Micah Green are the hosts of Broadway Our Way: No Passport Required, which flips classic and contemporary Broadway tunes on their head with a signature Uptown Players twist
Audiences will then travel to Gander, Newfoundland, in April and May for the musical Come From Away, which tells the remarkable true story of the 7,000 airline passengers diverted to Canada following the events of September 11, 2001. Nationwide, it’s the most-produced show of the season, according to American Theatre Magazine.
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Jon Morehous and Edson Montenegro in the Uptown Players production of Silver Foxes. Photo by Mike Morgan.
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The cast in the Uptown Players production of Broadway Our Way, Fractured Fairytales. Photo by Mike Morgan.
“Come From Away is a popular title this season, but every theater company brings its own heart and perspective to a production,” says Lynch. “For Uptown, the themes of acceptance, belonging, and finding community when you need it most connect naturally to who we are and the stories we’ve told for 25 years. There is also something very special about experiencing this show in the intimacy of the Kalita Humphreys Theater. The audience will feel close to the actors and become part of the story rather than simply watching it from a distance.”
July 2027 brings the Texas premiere of Jagged Little Pill, the musical inspired by Alanis Morissette’s iconic Grammy Award-winning album.
“Jagged Little Pill feels right for this season because it represents the kind of bold, contemporary storytelling that has always been part of Uptown’s identity,” says Lynch. “It deals honestly with issues people are facing right now, and it’s ultimately a story about people finding the courage to tell the truth, both about themselves and to one another. That feels especially meaningful at a moment when so many people are struggling to feel seen and heard.”
The season closes in August with the world premiere of Silver Foxes 2: Pride and Prejudice, only four years after the original debuted at Uptown Players.
“The original’s entire run sold out and audiences loved it, but it was incredibly special because we weren’t simply presenting a new show—we were helping bring a brand-new LGBTQ+ story to life,” says Lynch. “What’s so exciting about this new installment is that audiences are getting a much funnier, more chaotic ride that really raises the stakes for this chosen family. But alongside the laughs, Stan Zimmerman and James Berg have written something that deeply reflects today’s political climate, like facing a local mortuary that refuses to accept an LGBTQ+ person’s body.”
“The best part is that the entire original cast and design team are coming back to reprise their roles, so that wonderful onstage chemistry is already built-in,” says Rane. “Honestly, staging any world premiere is an exhilarating challenge, but doing a world-premiere sequel amplifies that energy because you’re building on a foundation people already love while pushing the story forward.”
Much like Uptown Players itself, which no doubt is building momentum for at least another 25 years.
—LINDSEY WILSON
