Rockwall Community Playhouse upcoming productions feature mti’s Broadway Junior Review, Footloose, and Dial M for Murder

Rockwall, TX (July 10, 2025) – What in the world is going on at Rockwall Community Playhouse? A lot of summer fun!

First off is Rockwall Community Playhouse’s (RCP) STAR Players presentation of mti’s Broadway Junior Review.  The STAR program is conducted for adults 16+ years with Down syndrome in the Rockwall-Rowlett-Garland area.  Each year the RCP STAR (Special Theater in Rockwall) Players produce a full-production musical! This group of unique actors spends two weeks rehearsing for a production and then they step out onto the stage to perform in front of an audience. The musical productions have one main goal in mind: to avoid the regular trap of either making the audience sympathize with or stare at those with disabilities. Over the years we have watched these young adults walk into the theater unsure of the outcome and then we watch them perform with such talent and desire to succeed.  Assisting the STAR Players are “The Buddies” who help the actors onstage with lines and movement. The experience for the ‘Buddies’ has been life-changing for many of them.  It is an amazing program.  This may be the best show you see all summer.  Come and enjoy the limited run on Friday, July 18 at 7:30pm and Saturday, July 19 at 2:30pm.

Next up is our teen production (performed by young people 13 – 19 years old) of Footloose. Get ready as one of the most explosive movie musicals in recent memory bursts onto the RCP stage. When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, he is prepared for the inevitable adjustment period at his new high school. What he isn’t prepared for are the rigorous local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, determined to exercise the control over the town’s youth that he cannot command in his own home. When the reverend’s rebellious daughter sets her sights on Ren, her roughneck boyfriend tries to sabotage Ren’s reputation, with many of the locals eager to believe the worst about the new kid. The heartfelt story that emerges is of a father longing for the son he lost and of a young man aching for the father who walked out on him. To the rockin’ rhythm of its Oscar and Tony-nominated Top 40 score (the soundtrack album reached number one on the Billboard charts and has sold over 17 million copies!) and augmented with dynamic new songs for the stage musical, Footloose celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people, guiding them with a warm heart and an open mind.  This marvelous show will run Friday – Sunday, July 25 – 27; and Thursday – Sunday July 31 – August 3.  Shows are 7:30pm except Sunday when it runs at 2:30pm.

RCP’s next mainstage show is Dial M for Murder.  Ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice wants to have his wealthy wife, Margot, murdered so he can get his hands on her inheritance. When he discovers her affair with Mark Halliday, he comes up with the perfect plan to kill her. He blackmails an old acquaintance into carrying out the murder, but the carefully orchestrated set-up goes awry, and Margot stays alive. Now Wendice must frantically scheme to outwit the police and avoid having his plot detected.  This 1954 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock has twists you won’t see coming.  The show will run Thursday – Sunday, September 19 – October 5.  Auditions will be held August 2 at 1:00pm.

All this information, and ticket sales, may be found at our website rockwallcommunityplayhouse.org

  community theatre, feature, RCP, Rockwall, Rockwall Community Playhouse, star players theater, youth theatre