Theater Critic Picks

These are the 10 must-see shows in Dallas-Fort Worth theater for July

Catch "Mamma Mia!" on tour at Bass Performance Hall.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Big names in concert, original plays, nostalgic musicals from childhood, and the off chance you might even see your neighbor onstage — it's all here in July.

In order of start date, here are 10 local shows to watch this month:

Ben Platt in Concert
Texas Trust CU Theatre, through July 11
Dear Evan Hansen star Ben Platt comes to Dallas in support of his new album, Honeymind. He'll be joined by special guest Brandy Clark.

La Maupin: The French Abomination
Prism Movement Theater, July 11-13
La Maupin is a tale of love and tragedy set in 17th-century France but wrapped up in a high-octane, punk-rock-meets-Vanity-Fair package. It is based on the true story of Julie D’Aubigny, the bisexual duelist and opera singer who was famous for dueling men and wooing their women. Through a beautiful mix of sword fighting and dance, the show details her journey to find happiness as a queer woman way ahead of her time. Part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project.

Disney's The Little Mermaid
Dallas Theater Center, July 12-August 4
This large-scale Public Works version of Disney's classic musical is a production uniquely created for the people of Dallas, with the people of Dallas, and by the people of Dallas. 200 community members of all ages, many appearing onstage for the first time, will come together with DTC’s professional artists to retell the beloved Hans Christian Andersen fairytale.

The Prom
Uptown Players, July 12-28
The regional premiere of the hit Broadway musical, an uplifting and heartwarming story that celebrates love, acceptance, and the transformative power of standing up for what is right. It follows Emma, a high school student who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom. However, when the school's conservative PTA board cancels the prom to avoid controversy, a group of eccentric Broadway actors decides to rally behind Emma and travel to her small town to help her fight for inclusion.

Lyric Under the Stars
Lyric Stage, July 13 & 20
This new series features Lyric Stage actors singing their favorite songs, everything from show tunes to popular music, all with live music. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chairs and a cooler with snacks and drinks for a night of music and fun.

Mamma Mia!
Broadway at the Bass, July 16-21
Set on a Greek island paradise where the sun always shines, a tale of love, friendship, and identity is beautifully told through the timeless hits of ABBA. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited decades ago.

Mary Poppins
WaterTower Theatre, July 17-28
Based on the books by P.L. Travers and the classic Walt Disney film, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins is a delight for both grown-ups and children — everyone can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that "Anything can happen if you let it." Mary Poppins is a mixture of an irresistible story, unforgettable songs, breathtaking dance numbers, and astonishing stagecraft with flying effects by ZFX.

Shrek the Musical
Broadway at the Center, July 18-20
“Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek….” And thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. McKinney native Casey Lamont, who had a memorable turn in the short-lived musical His Story, is part of the cast.

The Handless King
Amphibian Stage, July 26-August 18
The world premiere — inspired by real artifacts from 728 BCE — explores a timeless truth: move with the times or get left behind. Set during the Assyrian Empire, the play follows two humble government employees both tasked with tallying the dead in wake of a recent battle. The problem? Only one of them can keep their job. As the day wears on, truths are revealed, revolution draws near, and someone’s losing limbs before the sun is set.

Idina Menzel in Concert
Majestic Theater, July 31
Idina Menzel comes to Dallas as part of her "Take Me or Leave Me" tour. She'll showcase hits from across her celebrated career, including her latest album, 2023's Drama Queen.

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Season of Love

Dallas-Fort Worth theater stars release original holiday album

Cherish Love Robinson Love's Holiday album

Photo by Jordan Fraker

The album is out now.

Move aside, "Jingle Bells." Members of Dallas-Fort Worth's theater community have debuted a new holiday album full of original songs, all spearheaded by singer/musician Cherish Love Robinson.

"A few friends invite me to their annual Christmas parties, and I’m usually the last one to leave, hanging out at the piano with a group of others, singing holiday classics," she says. "Every year, I promise myself I’ll record a Christmas song, but either I remember too late or forget altogether. Then in January, after watching a documentary about Quincy Jones producing ‘We are the World,' I realized I’d been wanting to do this for years."

Titled Love's Holiday, the nine-song album was recorded, mixed, and mastered entirely in Dallas (in the digital liner notes, Robinson dedicates a special shout-out to Oak Cliff). Robinson fully composed and produced all the tunes, with rapper Cya Fix collaborating on the song "Better."

"I didn’t want to hassle with licensing or digging for public domain songs, so I made the decision to create original material instead," she says. "I just started writing like a madman and didn’t stop until June."

The song list spans comedic — "A Birthday Christmas," "Broseph & Mary" — to soulful with "I Pray" and sassy with "Slayeigh." Songs like "RSVP" and "Home" evoke classic Christmas vibes.

Frequent theatergoers will likely recognize many of the singers, including Justin Locklear, Lee Walter (as Jada Pinkett Fox), Brett Warner, Quintin Jones, David Lugo, and Dallas Theater Center Brierley Acting Company members Blake Hackler and Sally Vahle.

Area musicians like pianists Rebecca Lowrey and Cody Dry, guitarist Ian Ferguson, bassist Benjamin Brown, and fiddler Kat Glaze lend their talents as well, with Robinson herself accompanying several songs on keyboard and percussion.

"When I sat down to think about who I wanted to collaborate with, I was lucky that everyone I asked said yes," Robinson shares. "I didn’t just want to work with talented singers; I wanted to bring in musicians who really inspire me as well."

Cherish Love Robinson.Photo by Jordan Fraker

Some of Robinson's notable onstage work includes The Witch in DTC's production of Into the Woods, Doloris Van Cartier in WaterTower Theatre's Sister Act, the rock musical Hundred Days at Circle Theatre, and Theatre Three's original musical Solstice, which she also co-composed.

Robinson's voice and vocal production have been featured on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and HBO’s Big Little Lies, with superstars Erykah Badu and The Roots of The Tonight Show, and on The Colbert Show as a background singer. As a producer, she has crafted and arranged vocals for artists such as Elle King, The Texas Gentlemen, and Paul Cauthen.

"My favorite time of year starts with my birthday in October, and it spans all the way through the holidays until New Year's Day," Robinson says. "Those months are absolutely my favorite. I have to remind myself not to start listening to holiday music too early!"

Love's Holiday is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, and can be purchased for digital download here.

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