5 new theater productions opening this weekend

by Shawn Parikh

This weekend has quite a few shows opening, so check one out before their expiration date arrives:

• Songs for a New World, presented by Repertory Company Theatre. The cast of 10 talented performers bring this new musical to life This show includes a wide range of musical genres (pop, gospel, jazz and classical). The show sits on the boundary between musical theatre and innovative song cycle. Call Box Office at 972-690-5029 for tickets ($10-12).
• Alicia in Wonder Tierra, presented by Cara Mia Theatre Company. In a loose retelling of Alice in Wonderland, follow the adventures of a bored young girl named Alicia, hopelessly aloof to the Mythology, Legends and Folklore of her own culture, who finds herself in a Mexican Curioso Shop. There she hits her head and is knocked clear into the Otherworld where she is beset by a cast of crazy characters including, but not limited to, A Sugar Skull, A Talking Goat Head, An Armadillo, A Horny Toad, the Severed heads of Pancho Villa, a Mambo King and Charo, not to mention the devilish army of the Cholas of the Dark: The Elviras! No credit cards accepted at the door. Call 214-946-9499 for more info or order tickets ($10-15) online.
• The Ladies of the Camellias, presented by Echo Theatre. An imagined meeting between famous divas Sarah Bernhardt and Eleonora Duse. An insightful examination of art, politics, and what it means to “Act” is cleverly woven into the farcical collision of towering egos, monstrous talents, and fanatical political ideals. Rapier wits (as well as actual rapiers!) are employed as these marvelous creatures of the theatre confront true anarchy and an even more terrifying specter: the impending arrival of the “director!” Purchase tickets ($0-25) online, by calling 214-904-0500, or by e-mailing echoreservations@att.net.
• Little Shop of Horrors, presented by Theatre Arlington. The hit musical about a down and out Skid Row floral assistant who becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon “Audrey II” grows into an ill- tempered R&B singing carnivore seeking global domination! Call 817-275-7661 for reservations ($20).
• Enchanted April, presented by Rotunda Theatre. When two proper English housewives rent a villa in Italy for a holiday to escape their bleak lives, they meet with two other very different English ladies to hare the costs. During their month at the Ligurian villa they all fall under the spell of the idyllic surroundings. Amid the sun drenched wisteria, they rediscover laughter and find the romance they had lost. For more information or tickets ($6-15), call Music and Arts at 214-220-2727, ext. 228 or order online.