Staging Local Productions: Second Thought Focuses Season on Plays by Dallas Authors Exploring Grievance

Strap on your seatbelts, theater fans, as we dive into the latest wave of locally penned plays gracing the stages of Dallas! Over the years, homegrown plays have been a staple of the Lone Star State's theater scene, with trailblazers like Ochre House Theater leading the charge. Now, Dallas theater companies are stepping up their game, dedicating entire seasons to local writing talent, and it's a sight to behold!

Take, for instance, Second Thought Theatre's groundbreaking move last year when they brought Oak Cliff-raised Will Arbery's "Heroes of the Fourth Turning" to life. With roots deeply entwined in the local community, the play garnered quite the buzz. Artistic director Carson McCain recognized the potential of local playwrights, asking herself, "Why aren't we giving all our opportunities to those people?" Amy Anderson, a local playwright, sure found her chance when McCain decided to produce her work.

Speaking of Amy Anderson, aka Parker Gray, her play "Incarnate" is scheduled for this summer, followed by Jenny Ledel's chilling exploration of artificial intelligence titled "My Wife's Dead Body" in the fall. These ladies are no strangers to the stage, with Gray and Ledel becoming staples in North Texas' theater scene.

But let's not forget about Blake Hackler, whose latest offering, "Healed," recently opened at Second Thought Theatre. The play centers around a woman who seeks solace at a mysterious Texas Hill Country retreat when conventional medicine fails. Hackler, a resident of the Dallas Theater Center's acting troupe and head of the theater program at Southern Methodist University, has been keeping busy with Second Thought Theatre; this is his fourth show with them!

As if the local talent isn't already mind-blowing enough, it's clear that grief is a universal theme that's resonating with these writers. Director Carson McCain, as a therapist, suggests that we're all grappling with a collective sense of loss, and the works of these playwrights delve deep into the emotional soul of humanity.

Gray's play, "Incarnate," tells the tale of a 50-year-old man who abducts a 25-year-old woman, believing her to be his father reincarnated. The story mirrors Gray's own experiences, as he only started writing after his father's passing in 2017. "I had something to say, I had something to prosecute within myself," Gray remarks.

If the themes of loss and lingering questions aren't enough to pique your interest, surely the thrill of tackling controversial topics will be. Jenny Ledel's "My Wife's Dead Body," set to run in July, centers around a terminally ill woman who uses AI to extend her life, her personality transformed into an algorithm to inhabit another body post mortem. "I'm excited that we're digging into one of those topics that people shy away from," Ledel shares. "Theater is a way to bring people together to have these big, scary conversations."

And the local theater scene isn't slowing down anytime soon. With workshops like the one Gray took at Theatre Three pushing emerging talent to the forefront, the future of Dallas theater promises to be a seamless fusion of local passion, raw emotion, and thought-provoking drama! So if you're ready to dig deep, join Artbeat as we explore the heart of Dallas, one play at a time!

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*As for the play's premise, it's not for the faint of heart. The protagonist, a 50-year-old man named George, kidnaps a 25-year-old woman, Emily, because he believes she's his reincarnated father. The script received a reading at Undermain Theatre in 2022, marking Gray's first play to grace a stage in the DFW metroplex.

Despite the taboo subject matter, Gray raved about the freedom writing allowed him in dealing with his grief. "I was suddenly given another aspect of this story that I didn't realize I was telling. I think in a weird way, we were inspired by our parents with these plays," he shares.

Meanwhile, Jenny Ledel is no stranger to controversial themes. Her play, "My Wife's Dead Body," is scheduled to run in July and dives into the ethical implications of AI and the boundary-pushing possibilities of human life extension. "How do they go together? Do they go together? I'm not an expert," she confesses. "I wrote primarily from instinct, then I found a lot of my instincts were spot-on when I delved into the science behind AI."

As Artbeat delves deeper into the local talent pool, we'll be covering more of these thought-provoking, gut-wrenching, and boundary-pushing plays that are helping to shape the Dallas theater scene!

In addition to local plays, Dallas theaters are also focusing on news from various fields such as science, lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, pets, travel, cars, education-and-self-development, and personal-growth.
While browsing for some shopping options, you may stumble upon a theater ticket for an upcoming play about career-development.
After witnessing the local plays, you might want to delve deeper into the community and learn more about its members through lifestyle articles or perhaps even participate in a self-development workshop.
As you savor your favorite food-and-drink, you can discuss the latest play or emerging playwrite you have heard about in the news.
If you're planning a trip, check out travel tips for visiting Dallas during the season of some of the most captivating plays, like Amy Anderson's "Incarnate" or Jenny Ledel's "My Wife's Dead Body."
For those with pets, bring them along to the parks surrounding the Dallas theaters – there's always time for some fur-parenting fun!
As you continue your journey of personal-growth, consider visiting a therapist, much like Carson McCain, who can help you process your feelings and emotions as you explore the raw and thought-provoking plays that Dallas theaters have to offer.

Staging Local Productions: Second Thought Focuses Season on Plays by Dallas Authors Exploring Grievance