LITTLE DAUGHTER’S ALL GROWN UP.  The reviews of Fort Worth Opera’s production of Daughter of the Regiment have mostly been ecstatic (Scott Cantrell:  “a hoot,” Wayne Lee Gay: “a sparking satire,” Olin Chism: “surely the company’s most laugh-inducing production in a long time”). Only the TheaterJones review was mixed. But even there, the praise for homegrown soprano Ava Pine was unqualified:  “Her vocal prowess is matched only by her charm and grace on the stage.” Hear her sing in our profile of Ava from last year.

AND MORE ‘GIRLS.’  Ditto for the mostly enthusiastic reviews hailing Lyric Stage’s revival of  Too Many Girls, the Rodgers and Hart musical from 1939, a blatant rip-off of the Gershwins’ Girl Crazy, but who cares with those great Rodgers and Hart tunes? Lawson Taitte: “It’s breezy, fun and romantic.” TheaterJones: “Too Many Girls should give fans of vintage musical comedies plenty to enjoy.”

A BANKER EXTOLS THE ARTS. Tom Frost III, senior vice president of Frost Bank, wrote a letter to the DMN this weekend, citing the reasons the Texas legislature should restore the 50 percent cut in the budget of the Texas Commission on the Arts:

Funding for the arts in Texas is an investment that not only fuels the economy, but also contributes to workforce development and retention, community revitalization and increased tourism … This investment will show exponential returns for the state. In the last decade, the arts and culture industries added more than 12 percent growth to the Texas economy, including millions generated locally through sales tax revenue.

Additionally, it’s our responsibility to provide our children with opportunities — inside and outside of the classroom — to develop the creative thinking skills they will need to succeed in nearly every industry.

ROUNDING OFF — The musical Giant, which was presented by the Dallas Theater Center last year, was a co-production with New York’s Public Theatre. And now that off-Broadway show  has earned a passle of Drama Desk Award  nominations, including best musical… The AT&T Performing Arts Center has chosen Pearl Cup Coffee to caffeinate the cafe  that’ll be part of the new Information Center/ticket booth going up between the Winspear and the Meyerson — making it the only Pearl Cup outlet designed by Sir Norman Foster … The DSO has appointed Jenny Shepard as vice-president of development, meaning she’ll be leading the fundraising efforts there.