Regional Theater of the Week: Undermain Theatre in Dallas, TX!

By: Jennifer Smart and Lauren Smart

BroadwayWorld.com, the largest theatre site on the Internet, is excited to announce a new feature to its comprehensive regional coverage - the Featured Regional Theater of the Week! Each week, BWW will introduce its readers to a regional theater located in one of our (over 130!) coverage cities. By exploring these different venues, their history and showcasing the production seasons, BWW continues its commitment to expand our presence in communities and cities across the United States.

This Week's Featured Regional Theater: Undermain Theatre, Dallas, TX

Despite valiant competition throughout Dallas, Undermain Theater manages to maintain its status as "one of the best small theaters in America," consistently producing original and internationally acclaimed works. In recent years Undermain has shown work by contemporary playwrights such as Young Jean Lee and David Rabe as well as classic work by Samuel Beckett and August Strindberg.

Their combination of new plays and difficult classics makes Undermain unique in Dallas.

Undermain Theatre was founded in 1984 by a group of artists whose mission was and remains the production and performance of new and experimental works as well as original and world premiere productions while always maintaining close collaboration with playwrights as a top priority.

In its infancy the group transformed a warehouse basement under Main Street in Dallas’ historic Deep Ellum neighborhood into the most unique performance space in Dallas.

Soon after commencing performances in the space, Undermain’s reputation grew throughout the city as well as the world. The award-winning theater has since toured several countries and produced multiple plays in New York.

This year, for its 29^th season, Undermain is producing the season of myth, with four productions exploring mythic and poetic realms.

The season will begin with an adaptation of “The Iliad,” by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare. Artistic Director Katherine Owens will direct.

Following the season opener, Undermain will produce the regional premiere of “Burying Our Father: A Biblical Debacle,” starring Fred Curchak and Laura Jorgensen. The play is a fantastical tale interweaving Jewish, Christian and Muslim versions of the ancient story of Isaac and Ishmael meeting to bury their father Abraham.

Tony Award-wining playwright Enda Walsh’s play “Penelope” will have its regional premiere as the third show in Undermain’s season. In his latest play, Walsh borrows from Homeric legend in the form of Penelope, Odysseus’ patiently waiting wife. In this modern re-telling of the story, Penelope’s suitors are trapped in something similar to an episode of “The Bachelorette” while they try to win her affection.

The fourth and final show in Undermain’s exciting new season sees a return to the classics with a much-anticipated production of August Strindberg’s “The Ghost Sonata.”

Take a look back at 25 years of performances at the Undermain Theatre:

The Artistic Director is Katherine Owens, the Executive Producer is Bruce DuBose, and Associate Producer is Suzanne Thomas.

The Board of Directors include Johnette Alter, Graham Greene, Susan Kandell, Ashley Kinser, Angea Gieras, Katherine Owens, Linda Sanders, and Michael Standford.

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