Sixty years after it was established, the Dallas Theater Center has announced its latest season. The line-up mixes in the familiar and popular, such as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning musical, ‘In the Heights,’ which the DTC will stage about eight months before it’s released as a Hollywood movie, and ‘Ann’,  actress-playwright Holland Taylor’s portrait of the late Texas governor Ann Richards, which the Emmy Award-winning Taylor originated in Galveston. She’s performed it on Broadway and around the country and will now be in a co-production with Houston’s Alley Theatre.

There are also a number of women-powered shows, which, in addition to ‘Ann,’ includes ‘American Mariachi,’ a new musical about a female mariachi troupe that debuted last year at the Old Globe in San Diego; ‘Little Women,’ a new adaptation of the beloved Louisa May Alcott novel which will open off-Broadway in May and is written by Kate Hamill, who’s made a specialty of adapting Jane Austen novels; and ‘Pipeline,’ Dominique Morriseau’s drama of an African-American teacher trying to protect her son from the ‘school-to-prison’ pipeline that traps so many young black males. ‘Pipeline’ played off-Broadway in 2017.

The audience hoping to attend ‘The Supreme Leader’ next June at the DTC. Photo: Shutterstock.com

That emphasis not only on plays about women and by women but plays with strong female leads echoes the DTC’s current season, which began with ‘Steel Magnolias,’ continued with ‘Sweat’ and still has ‘The Wolves’ and ‘Real Women Have Curves’ coming up. The true oddity in all this – a potential wild card – is ‘The Supreme Leader,’ a world-premiere comedy about the early years of North Korean dictator Kim Jong- Un. Given the results of recent diplomatic negotiations, perhaps we’ll still be here to enjoy the play by Don X. Nguyen. ‘The Supreme Leader’ was part of the Alley’s New Play Reading Festival in January.

One difference between this season and the current one: There’s one less subscription show here. Also, there will be another Public Works Dallas show – but the title will be announced later.

The full release:

DALLAS THEATER CENTER

Announces 2019-2020 Season

Season Tickets Are On Sale Now Featuring

In the Heights, American Mariachi, Little Women,

the World Premiere of The Supreme Leader and more!

DALLAS (March 1, 2019) – 2017 Regional Theatre Tony Award^® recipient Dallas Theater Center announces titles for the 2019-2020 season, including In the Heights,  Lin-Manuel Miranda’s family-favorite musical; ANN, a no-holds-barred portrait of Ann Richards, the legendary governor of Texas; Little Women, a celebrated new adaptation by Kate Hamill of the beloved classic book; American Mariachi, the feel-good comedy filled with infectious music; Pipeline, a powerful drama about the state of American education; and The Supreme Leader, a world premiere fictionalized coming-of-age comedy about Kim Jong-Un. Productions will take place at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center and at the Kalita Humphreys Theater. Full season tickets are on sale now at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org and by phone at (214) 522-8499.

The full season will be presented as follows: in the Potter Rose Performance Hall at the Wyly Theatre, In the Heights; in the Kalita Humphreys Theater, ANN; in the Kalita Humphreys Theater, Little Women; in the Potter Rose Performance Hall, American Mariachi; in the Studio Theatre at the Wyly Theatre, Pipeline; and in the Studio Theatre, The Supreme Leader. A Christmas Carol in the Potter Rose Performance Hall is not included in season tickets, but will be available as a holiday add-on. Finally, Public Works Dallas will take place in the Potter Rose Performance Hall, with additional details announced at a later date. All titles and venues are subject to change.

Conceived and with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton-lovers will enjoy In the Heights, the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood. A place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music, it’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you and which ones you leave behind. In the Heights will be directed by James Vasquez and is the winner of the 2008 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Choreography and Best Orchestrations.

Written by Emmy Award^®-winner Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men) and starring Tony Award-nominee and Broadway, television and film actress Jayne Atkinson (Madame Secretary, House of Cards, 24), ANN is a no-holds-barred portrait of Ann Richards, the legendary governor of Texas. This inspiring and hilarious play brings audiences face-to-face with a complex, colorful and captivating character bigger than the state from which she hailed. A co-production with Arena Stage in Washington D.C., ANN takes a revealing look at the impassioned woman who enriched the lives of everyone she met.

In Little Women, written by Kate Hamill and based on the beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott, Jo March doesn’t want to be like other girls; in fact, she’s not even sure that she wants to be a girl. Jo is ambitious, rough around the edges, headstrong and yearns for a future she can’t yet articulate. As the nation is torn apart by civil war, Jo and her sisters’ struggle with what it means to grow up. Gender roles, political beliefs, poverty and even love itself threaten to break family ties, as the March sisters try to reconcile their identities with society’s demands. How do you stay true to yourself when the world wants you to become a perfect little woman?

Audiences of all ages will love the infectious live music of American Mariachi. Spending her days caring for her ailing mother, Lucha yearns to break out of her monotonous routine when she has a wild idea: an all-girl mariachi band! But in the 1970s, girls can’t be mariachis…or can they? As Lucha and her spunky cousin hunt for bandmates, dodge disapproving relatives, and bring Mom along for the ride, they wonder: will the band come together? Written by José Cruz Gonzalez and directed by Henry Godinez, American Mariachi is a heartwarming and hilarious comedy about family, progress and the freedom to dream big.

In the drama Pipeline, written by Dominique Morriseau, Nya is an inner-city public high school teacher committed to her students but desperate to give her only son Omari opportunities they’ll never have. When a controversial incident at his upstate private school threatens to get him expelled, Nya must confront his rage and her own choices as a parent. But will she be able to reach him before a world beyond her control pulls him away? With profound compassion and lyricism, Pipeline brings an urgent conversation powerfully to the fore with a deeply moving story of a mother’s fight to give her son a future — without turning her back on the community that made him who he is.

In the world premiere of The Supreme Leader, written by Don X. Nguyen, audiences follow Kim Jong-Un while in boarding school in Switzerland as he learns he’s next in line following his older brother’s career-ending trip to Tokyo Disneyland. Under the watchful eye of his minder, he sets his paintbrush aside to spy on his pretty American friend Sophie. Will “Oony” get the girl? Will he make his father proud? Set in the snow globe world of stinky cheese and mountain climbing, this coming-of-age comedy imagines Kim Jong-Un’s final throes of youth before his fateful return to North Korea.

As a holiday add-on, A Christmas Carol returns to the Wyly Theatre in a delightfully reimagined take on Dickens’ enduring classic. Written by Charles Dickens, adapted by Kevin Moriarty, and directed by Joel Ferrell, three spirits have come to visit the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge to take him on a fantastic journey through Christmases past, present, and future that annually delights audiences across North Texas. But will it be enough to save Scrooge’s soul? Brimming with joyful songs, magical spirits, and holiday cheer, Dallas Theater Center’s A Christmas Carol boldly reimagines Dickens’ classic tale of joy, redemption and the spirit of Christmas.

Finally, Public Works Dallas will return for the fourth year during the summer of 2020. Public Works Dallas is a groundbreaking community engagement and participatory theater project designed to deliberately blur the line between professional artists and Dallas community members. The production will feature 200 cast members, with only five being professional actors. Public Works Dallas is not a part of season tickets. Production details, as well as free tickets, will be offered to the public at a later date.

Dallas Theater Center’s season tickets are on sale now and include In the Heights, ANN, Little Women, American Mariachi, Pipeline and The Supreme Leader. Prices start at $162 with season ticket holders receiving additional benefits and discounts. To reserve the best seats at the best prices, season tickets can be purchased online at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org or by calling the Dallas Theater Center Box Office at (214) 522-8499.

For those who want to take their theater-going experience to the next level, DTC’s membership program, Patron Perks, offers patrons a variety of exclusive benefits, including special behind-the-scenes invitations, complimentary drinks, free parking and much more. Memberships start at $75. Visit www.DallasTheaterCenter.org/PatronPerks or call (214) 252-3915 for more information.

DTC will continue Come Early and Stay Late in the 2019-2020 season. Come Early is a free, 30-minute informative talk designed to enhance a patron’s play-going experience. Given one hour before every performance, a member of the cast or artistic staff will share details about the play’s origins and context, as well as share insight into the creative process behind the production. Stay Late is a free, brief, post-show conversation with a member of the cast about the show. Patrons will engage with the artists, learn about the production and be able to share their insights about the play in a lively discussion. Stay Late is presented by Wells Fargo.

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Dallas Theater Center

2019-2020 Season

IN THE HEIGHTS

9/21/19 – 10/20/19

Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Book by Quiara Alegria Hudes

Conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Directed by James Vasquez

Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Potter Rose Performance Hall

In the Heights tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind. In the Heights is the winner of the 2008 Tony Awards® for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Choreography and Best Orchestrations.

ANN

10/15/19 – 11/10/19

Written by Holland Taylor | Starring Jayne Atkinson | Directed by Kristen Von Ginhaven

Kalita Humphreys Theater | Co-Produced with Arena Stage

ANN is a no-holds-barred portrait of Ann Richards, the legendary governor of Texas. This inspiring and hilarious play brings us face to face with a complex, colorful and captivating character bigger than the state from which she hailed. Written by Emmy® Award-winner Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men), ANN takes a revealing look at the impassioned woman who enriched the lives of her followers, friends and family.

LITTLE WOMEN

2/7/20 – 3/1/20

Written by Kate Hamill | Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott

Kalita Humphreys Theater

Jo March doesn’t want to be like other girls; in fact, she’s not even sure that she wants to be a girl. Jo is ambitious, rough around the edges, headstrong, and yearns for a future she can’t yet articulate. As the nation is torn apart by civil war, Jo and her sisters struggle with what it means to grow up. Gender roles, political beliefs, poverty, and even love itself threaten to break family ties, as the March sisters try to reconcile their identities with society’s demands. How do you stay true to yourself when the world wants you to become a perfect little woman?

AMERICAN MARIACHI

3/14/20 – 4/5/20

Written by José Cruz Gonzalez | Directed by Henry Godinez

Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Potter Rose Performance Hall

Spending her days caring for her ailing mother, Lucha yearns to break her monotonous routine. Here’s a wild idea: an all-girl mariachi band! But it’s the 1970s, and girls can’t be mariachis…or can they? As Lucha and her spunky cousin hunt for bandmates, dodge disapproving relatives, and bring Mom along for the ride, they wonder: will the band come together? American Mariachi is a heartwarming and hilarious comedy about family, progress, and the freedom to dream big that will send your heart soaring and put a bounce in your step with a wave of vibrant, infectious live music.

PIPELINE

4/3/20 – 5/10/20

Written by Dominique Morriseau

Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Studio Theatre

Nya, an inner-city public high school teacher, is committed to her students but desperate to give her only son Omari opportunities they’ll never have. When a controversial incident at his upstate private school threatens to get him expelled, Nya must confront his rage and her own choices as a parent. But will she be able to reach him before a world beyond her control pulls him away?  With profound compassion and lyricism, Pipeline brings an urgent conversation powerfully to the fore. Morisseau pens a deeply moving story of a mother’s fight to give her son a future — without turning her back on the community that made him who he is.

THE SUPREME LEADER

WORLD PREMIERE

6/3/20 – 8/2/20

Written by Don X. Nguyen

Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Studio Theatre

While in boarding school in Switzerland, Kim Jong-Un learns he’s next in line following his older brother’s career-ending trip to Tokyo Disneyland. But he must prove himself. Under the watchful eye of his minder, he sets his paintbrush aside to spy on his pretty American friend Sophie. Will “Oony” get the girl? Will he make his father proud? Set in the snow globe world of stinky cheese and mountain climbing, this coming-of-age comedy imagines Kim Jong-Un’s final throes of youth before his fateful return to North Korea.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

HOLIDAY ADD-ON

Written by Charles Dickens | Adapted by Kevin Moriarty | Directed by Joel Ferrell

Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Potter Rose Performance Hall

‘Tis the season to be jolly when Dallas’ favorite holiday tradition returns to the Wyly Theatre! Three spirits have come to visit the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, and to take him on a fantastic journey through Christmases past, present, and future that annually delights audiences across North Texas. But will it be enough to save Scrooge’s soul? Brimming with joyful songs, magical spirits, and holiday cheer, Dallas Theater Center’s A Christmas Carol boldly reimagines Dickens’ classic tale of joy, redemption, and the spirit of Christmas.

PUBLIC WORKS DALLAS

7/31/20 – 8/2/20