Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was a transcendent American architect, writer, and interior designer who helped to design more than 500 completed projects throughout the United States. Practicing organic architecture, he relied heavily on harmony, humanity, and their relationship to the environment. Wright was recognized in 1991 by the American Institute of Architects as the “greatest American architect of all time.” The Norton Center, originally opening in 1973, is a renowned example of Wright’s innovative structures and holistic design method.
Founded in 1959, Dallas Theater Center (DTC) was one of the first regional theaters in the United States and was marked by the building of the Kalita Humphreys Theater, designed by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright. Dallas Theater Center was founded primarily as an educational institution under the leadership of Paul Baker, who envisioned DTC as a conservatory with a well-rounded resident company of writers, directors, designers, and actors. During Baker’s tenure, DTC became one of the
nation’s leading producers of experimental interpretations of classics and world premieres, with 35 plays premiering on the Kalita Humphreys Theater stage during his time, including The Latent Heterosexual, Shadow of an Eagle, Blood Money, and Preston Jones’ A Texas Trilogy.
In 1982 as Baker transitioned out of the theater, Mary Sue Jones, his longtime creative partner, served as Interim Artistic Director. The sole female ever to hold this position, Jones took the reins for one year to lead DTC in the search for Baker’s replacement.
With the arrival of Adrian Hall in 1983, Dallas Theater Center was transformed into a fully professional theater with a resident company of actors. During this time DTC built the Arts District Theater, a dynamic, flexible space in downtown Dallas designed by scenic designer Eugene Lee (the space was closed in 2005 in preparation for construction of the Wyly Theatre). With access to three separate
performance spaces (the basement of the Kalita Humphreys was also used as a theater), Hall produced an eclectic array of work ranging from classics to world premieres, such as his adaptation of Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men. During Hall’s tenure, DTC also began its annual production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Adrian Hall’s tenure at DTC was followed by the leadership of Ken Bryant, who tragically died in 1990 before completing his first full season as Artistic Director. Although he was Artistic Director for less than a year, Bryant’s contributions had informed the artistic life of DTC since 1984, when he joined the staff as a stage manager.
Following a series of guest directors, Richard Hamburger joined Dallas Theater Center as Artistic Director in 1992. Hamburger’s 15-year tenure saw some of DTC’s most provocative and important productions to date, as well as the introduction of The Big D Festival of the Unexpected and the new works series FRESH INK/Forward Motion. Under Hamburger’s leadership, DTC’s educational outreach flagship program Project Discovery celebrated its 20th consecutive season in 2006-2007. More than 200,000 middle and high school students from across North Texas have attended mainstage
productions at Dallas Theater Center through this outstanding program. Hamburger was named DTC's first Artistic Director Emeritus in 2007.
In September 2007, Kevin Moriarty joined Dallas Theater Center as the organization’s sixth Artistic Director. Since then, DTC has seen significant growth and change, including the move into the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the fall of 2009; the creation of the Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company; an extensive series of new play productions, workshops and commissions; an expanded commitment to producing musicals, including the launch of summer musical theater programming; community collaborations with North Texas Food Bank, Dallas Holocaust Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, Sixth Floor Museum, and most of the region's theater companies; national collaborations with Public Theater and Playwrights Horizons in New York, Goodman Theatre in Chicago and Alley Theatre in Houston; educational partnerships with Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts, South Oak Cliff High School and SMU Meadows School of the Arts; and the launch of Public Works Dallas.
DTC continues to grow in stature as one of the most exciting regional theaters in the country, whileremaining fully responsive to the time and place in which we live; to the issues that shape our lives andthoughts; and to people who populate our diverse community.
For close to 60 years, Dallas Theater Center’s innovative, dynamic programming has made a significant mark on the Dallas community as well as the American theater at large. From classic scripts to new plays, from epic to intimate, DTC continues its tradition of excellent theater well into the 21st century.