Art and Culture

Theatre Three's spooky prom night benefits arts and education programs

T3’s Night of Mystery: Prom Night, the prom-themed fundraiser, is Oct. 28

Jeffrey Schmidt

Theatre Three’s annual fundraising takes its prom theme from its current production of “Carrie: The Musical.” Jordan Lage plays the titular character.

Dust off those tuxedos and pull out those sequin dresses – it’s time to go to prom at Theatre Three.

T3’s Night of Mystery: Prom Night is Theatre Three’s annual fundraiser dedicated to supporting the Uptown Dallas theater’s artistic productions and community outreach programs. The event will feature a silent auction, exclusive previews of upcoming shows and the crowning of the 2024 Prom Queen of Dallas on Oct. 28 at Theatre Three.

“The goal of this event is to have fun with our patrons and artists to celebrate T3 and the work we do,” said Jeffrey Schmidt, Theatre Three’s Artistic Director.

Founded in 1961, Theatre Three has a long history of cultivating North Texas talent, including playwrights, directors, designers and actors. The theater aims to provide resources for the entire artistic community, from up-and-coming artists to seasoned theatre makers, to enable them to grow and thrive in their craft.

The annual fundraiser event will benefit educational programs like the Norma Young Advanced Acting Lab.

Proceeds from this event will benefit Theatre Three’s educational initiatives, including arts programming for local schools and opportunities for emerging artists  In addition to general support, contributions will fund programs like the Norma Young Advanced Acting Lab for high school students and the apprenticeships for recent college graduates.

This year’s fundraiser is the second time the theater has tapped into the magic of Halloween.

"We love Halloween, so launching an annual fundraiser event around this time felt on brand. Last year’s inaugural Night of Mystery featured a pop-up play, and this year, in honor of Carrie: The Musical, we’re leaning heavily into the prom theme– chocolate fountain and all!” said Kat Edwards, Theatre Three’s Managing Director.

Theatre Three's production of Carrie: The Musical with book by Lawrence D. Cohen, lyrics by Dean Pitchford and music by Michael Gore is now playing through November 3 . Based on Stephen King’s horror novel and integrating aspects of the 1976 film, the musical centers on Carrie, a lonely outcast teenager who discovers she has telekinetic powers. Dominated by her religious mother and relentlessly teased at school, Carrie unleashes her powers when her classmates play a cruel joke on her at the school prom.

Camila Escobar, Presley Duyck, Jordan Lage, Sofia Kirk, Criston Starks, Maya Fardad-Finn in Theatre Three's production of Carrie: The Musical.

The show features performances by local university students, including Southern Methodist University sophomore voice major Jordan Lage playing the titular character. Christie Vela, Theatre Three’s Associate Artistic Director, directs the musical, highlighting the horror classic’s portrayal of the darker aspects of high school life and delving into themes of bullying, power, and isolation.

“As artists, we are continuously unpacking experiences, events and images that were formative for us as kids. Carrie, the novel as well as the film, are two pieces of art that made a huge impact on me as a young person. Like so many people of my generation, the imagery and language of Carrie have become ‘tropes’ in my life that I have taken for granted. I never in a million years thought that I would be directing Carrie as a musical no less, at my age and still be gaining very new and personal understanding about myself. I think that speaks very highly for the source material. Plus, I love the songs,” Vela said.

Guests at T3’s Night of Mystery: Prom Night are encouraged to wear their best prom attire, creative costumes, or anything that feels like prom royalty. Tickets are $50 and include admission to the event, a specialty “Bloody Carrie” spiked punch, a keepsake prom photo, and of course, a scary good time.

Learn more: T3 Night of Mystery: Prom Night

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