The talented cast of MainStage Irving-Las Colinas skillfully navigated the complex emotional terrain of Tennessee Williams’ classic play, “The Night of the Iguana.” Based on a short story which was later expanded into a full-scale play, “The Night of the Iguana” offers an evocative journey through the rabid mind of the former priest, Reverend Lawrence Shannon. After enduring expulsion from a Virginia-based ministry over his sexual misconduct and blasphemy, Rev. Shannon flees to the west coast of Mexico to serve as a tour guide.

It was apparent from the sea of “Pink Ladies” shirts, scarves, poodle skirts, leather jackets and throwback hairdos that the sold-out crowd at Fort Worth’s Casa Manana arrived ready to pay homage to the much-cherish, iconic musical, “Grease.”

Firehouse Theatre’s production of “The Boy Friend” ignites the stage with a vibrant, high-tempo, well-rounded performance. Backed by exceptional vocal talent and dynamic choreography, this cast crafts a superb, must-see show for theatre enthusiasts across the DFW area.

Wandernook Theatre brought Oscar Wilde’s, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” to life with well-crafted dialogue, authentic costuming and grace which paid homage to this beloved tale highlighting the absurdities of courtship, class--and earnestness--in Victorian-era high society.

“The Manufactured Myth of Eveline Flynn” at Theatre Three took the audience on an emotionally-charged, whirlwind journey through the shifting life, and mind, of self-described daydreamer, Eveline Flynn, played by the vibrant Lauren LeBlanc. This production not only traverses some uncharted waters, but it also does so with a unique flair and fresh perspective which breathes life into its characters in an accessible way.

Created by talented Dallasites Michael Federico and Ian Ferguson, “The Manufactured Myth of Eveline Flynn” places the audience inside the imaginative mind of a woman searching for meaning and connection while slipping in and out of a turbulent inner world. At first, we believe she’s an eccentric escapist but quickly come to discover that there’s much more to her story.

Garland Civic Theatre’s production of “The Buddy Holly Story” delivered a high-energy, immersive journey exploring the formative years of rock-and-roll as viewed through the bespectacled eyes of legendary Texas musician, Buddy Holly. With lively musical stylings and dynamic character portrayals, this supremely-talented cast took the audience on a surging, head-first adventure down Buddy’s path to break new ground in a music industry hell-bent on resisting change. Although hard to fathom, we’re now nearing the 60th anniversary of the musical pioneer and Lubbock, Texas’ native’s death, February 3rd, 1959.

In her Disney-inspired dinner series, “12 Months of Disney Dinners,” foodie, blogger, adventurer and culinary mastermind, Katie-Rose Watson, not only crafts inspired recipes, but she incorporates elements of her background in the Arts to infuse dinners with a sense of magic. Her blog, The Rose Table, is the canvas she uses to paint an exquisite landscape to help us all learn more about taking time to savor life’s pleasures.

What do you get when you cross the diverse talents of a top-tier improv comedy troupe with a world-class symphony orchestra? You get a dynamic and entertaining performance which peels back the thin veneer of stuffiness and intellectual snobbery associated with the symphony to reveal the rich textures of humanity beneath.

In “The Second City Guide to the Symphony,” conductor Case Scaglione paired the superb musical talent of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) with comedic powerhouses from Second City. Together, they delivered a performance which carved out distinctive and uniquely-entertaining territory equally appealing to both classical music buffs and improv comedy fans alike.

This past year was a benchmark for OnStage Blog with us starting to review the fantastic theatre scene in Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

Our critic, Shawn Stalter, was able to see multiple great productions and what follows are his top five for 2018. We cannot wait to see what 2019 will bring.

The historic Plaza Theatre in Garland, Texas served as the picture-perfect venue for Company of Rowlett Performers’ (CORP) engaging presentation of the nostalgic holiday classic, “White Christmas”.

The holiday season is officially upon us. ‘Tis the season to celebrate the joys of time spent with friends and family, bake cookies, wrap gifts, roast chestnuts, hang stockings…have a nervous breakdown in the middle of a department store while desperately trying to subdue your screaming child after standing in line for two hours to enjoy a 30-second visit with Santa just so your five year old can ask for an $800 iPhone for Christmas.

Award-winning illusionist Trigg Watson’s one-man show, “Wine and Magic,” at Checkered Past Winery in downtown Dallas delivered an intimate and truly-magically entertaining performance. Although wine and magic do not often enjoy a close association, Trigg capitalized on the unique features of this cozy, upscale wine bar venue to forge a connection to his audience and unleash a wide range of unique illusions from his deep bag of tricks. From conjuring wine bottles out of thin air to exploring the mysteries of time travel and more, Trigg Watson firmly demonstrated how he earned titles including Dallas’s Performing Artist of the Year as well as Dallas’s Magician of the year.

Fresh off the heels of a Thanksgiving spent with friends and family comes an energetic and heartwarming holiday romp through New York City on Christmas eve courtesy of the talented cast and crew of Casa Manana’s “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” With uptempo, high-energy fueled song and dance, it shook the audience out of a Black Friday-induced commercialized stupor for a glimpse into the heart of what makes the holiday season the most wonderful and magical time of the year.

Casa Manana kicked off their 60th season of bringing Broadway and children’s theatre to Fort Worth with a captivating, high-energy performance of the 14-time Tony Award-winning classic, Hello, Dolly!, based on Thorton Wilder’s 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers.

Rockwall Summer Musicals’ production of the cherished classic, The Music Man, directed by Barbara Doudt, transported a Dallas, Fort-Worth-area audience away from the complex demands of modern life to an era of simple, sincere pleasures through lively song and dance celebrating turn-of-the-century America. Through this production’s passionate jubilee, talented performers, both young and old, took us on a spirited journey to find redemption through acts of love and kindness.

Dallas’ intimate dinner theater venue, the Pocket Sandwich Theatre, recently served up a lively dish of sea-salty swashbuckling action with “Captain Blood-The Pirate Melodrama”.

This three-act comedic spoof play, written by one of the theatre’s late founding fathers, Joe Dickinson, and directed by Michael Speck, takes the audience on an energetic high sea swashbuckling adventure with lively song and dance, sword fights, and, of course, pirate mischief and romance.

Art Centre Theatre’s performance of the musical “Cats”, currently running through 21 July, offers audiences an eye-opening glimpse into the diverse and complex inner world our feline companions inhabit.

This production’s meticulous attention to scenery details and stage construction instantly transports the audience to the Jellicle Cats’ junkyard kingdom. Once its inhabitants discover the presence of a human audience, they launch into a delightful procession of songs and dances explaining the world through their eyes. The mischievous, the brave, the magical and glamorous cats of yesteryear parade before the audience in a feast for the senses.