The Dallas arts community has thrived for decades, but in 1993, a dearth, for both artists & audiences alike, of locally produced, professional musical theater inspired Steven Jones to create & establish Lyric Stage, Inc. — a 501c3 professional musical theatre company — with the mission of developing & preserving the musical. Since 1993, Lyric Stage has become one of North Texas’s most honored theatre companies, being locally and nationally recognized for its work. For over 30 years, Lyric Stage remained committed to the mission by producing 125 productions including 2 Off-Broadway shows; creating over 3,000 jobs in Dallas County by remaining committed to employing local artists, technicians & fabricators; developing & producing 21 world-premiere musicals; working with the R&H Organization, Jule Styne Estate, & Jerome Moross family to restore and produce full, orchestral productions of such classics as CAROUSEL, THE KING & I, SHOWBOAT, GYPSY, and THE GOLDEN APPLE (recorded by PS Classics and available as the first full-length recording); working closely with native Texans Harvey Schmidt (composer) & Tom Jones (lyricist), creators of THE FANTASTICKS, to produce and preserve their works; and honoring excellence in local, high school musical theatre since 2010 by sponsoring The Schmidt & Jones Awards. In 2017, after 24 Seasons at the Irving Arts Center, Lyric Stage moved to producing at Dallas’ historic Majestic Theatre, located in downtown Dallas, at 1925 Elm Street. The beautiful, 100-year-old Baroque-style vaudeville theatre was, and is, the perfect fit for Lyric Stage’s large-scale musicals, which always feature all local artists, actors, and the always live Lyric Stage Orchestra. In 2019, Catherine Carpenter Cox joined Lyric Stage as Producer and has remained committed to sustaining and growing Lyric Stage’s commitment to and legacy of producing high-quality, locally produced, professional musical theatre. Cox also continues to honor Lyric Stage’s mission by looking for ways to evolve and grow in the ever-changing landscape of the arts, so that future audiences and generations can experience the musical. In 2023, Lyric Stage Studios was opened, our intimate black box space in the Dallas Design District. This flexible venue allows year-round performances in our own space. In 2024, Lyric began a partnership with The Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District for our larger shows. These changes coincided with the new co-artistic direction team of Tricia and Scott Guenther.
