CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC

Theatre Three returns to newly renovated space.

BY NANCY COHEN ISRAEL

Theatre Three derives its name from the symbiotic triangle of authors, actors, and audiences. Founded in 1961 by Norma Young, Jac Alder, Esther Ragland, and Roy Dracup, it is the second-oldest theater company in Dallas. It has been in its current space at The Quad (formerly the Quadrangle) since 1969. Following a major renovation, its signature splashy, red sign now glows brightly in the greatly expanded lobby. Adjacent to the relocated front door, the theater’s name is now emblazoned in black and white, echoing the signage of its original home in Deep Ellum. Entering its sixth decade and moving into its next chapter, the theater’s updated look creates visual continuity with its origins.

Young and Alder, who ran the theater until their respective deaths in 1998 and 2015, were trailblazers on many fronts. In 1960s Dallas, they insisted upon integrated casts. They presented new works by playwrights such as Harold Pinter, Edward Albee, and August Wilson. Actor Morgan Fairchild and Pulitzer Prize–winning playwrights Doug Wright and Beth Henley began their careers there. More recently, it served as a launchpad for actor Major Attaway before his move to Broadway. “We are an essential stepping stone not just for here, but for national stages,” says artistic director Jeffrey Schmidt.

Schmidt, who worked closely with Alder, assumed his role in 2016, following a national search. In 2019, fellow actor Christie Vela was named associate artistic director. The pair continues the vision set forth by Young and Alder. “Norma was so much about experimental and new work,” Vela explains. In addition to an enduring commitment to inclusion and equity, she and Schmidt continue to pursue a contemporary repertoire while still crafting new ways to tell old stories. As Schmidt says of their upcoming production, “The Elephant Man is a great example of a classic that we’ll bring new ideas to.” In this case, they look forward to experimenting with the show’s technical aspects. Similarly, the theater will present a new adaptation of Federico García Lorca’s The Butterfly’s Evil Spell, scheduled for later in the spring.

The artistic staff is complemented by director-inresidence Joel Ferrell. “It’s a vote of confidence to have him on board. Theatre Three is now his home, and he’s part of our artistic conversations,” Schmidt says. Vela adds, “Joel is invaluable in so many ways. He is always thinking, ‘How do we improve?’”

The forward momentum is also propelled by several incubators for playwrights. Once the downstairs Theatre Too reopens, the Monday Night Playwright program will return, offering writers an opportunity to read, rehearse, and develop new work. In The Festival of Bad Ideas, creatives may pitch their experimental work to Schmidt, which, if accepted, will be performed as part of a cabaretstyle event.

Between their apprenticeship program and their partnership with Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, the theater continues to mentor succeeding generations of performers. Through these programs, Vela says, “Students get full access to Theatre Three.” This includes attending rehearsals, performances, and master classes, as well as ultimately having an opportunity to perform with professionals on the Norma Young Stage. Schmidt continues, “You do everything as an apprentice here. We all wear so many hats.”

The playhouse’s unique layout recognizes its audience as another foundational component. “Theater-in-thesquare,” as Vela calls it, pulls the audience into the performance, creating an intimate experience. It was a configuration favored by local theater revolutionary and Young’s inspiration, Margo Jones. “The treasure of this space is not only the experience on stage, but to see how fellow patrons will react. It brings them into the story,” Vela adds.

Perspectives of its diverse audiences are further explored with the T3 Talks program. What began as an experiment, with a single facilitator through whom audiences could converse about their reactions to the work, has evolved in size and scope. “I expanded it to have more facilitators who look like our city. It’s always easier to open up and have difficult conversations when you see someone like you. It has been a great success,” Vela offers.

Finally, Schmidt says, “We want to honor the past, but we have to move forward.” As heir to the theater’s history, Schmidt is advancing the timelessness of the founders’ original vision while plunging it into the future. P