The lights go up on a thrilling night in Dallas theater tonight: Dallas Theater Center opens the regional premiere of “The Monsters,” playwright Ngozi Anyanwu’s acclaimed family drama, running October 9 through November 1, 2026, at the Wyly Studio Theatre in the AT&T Performing Arts Center.
The play arrives in Dallas fresh off a celebrated Off-Broadway run at Manhattan Theatre Club, where it earned a New York Times Critic’s Pick, plus stops at La Jolla Playhouse and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Directed by Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, it tells the story of Lil, a scrappy young fighter ready to step into the ring, and her brother Big, an accomplished local MMA fighter. Sixteen years after they were torn apart, the two siblings reconnect — and to earn her brother’s respect, Lil must master her stance, her strikes, and her stubborn streak. Together, they fight to mend a thorny past and find common ground in the sport they both love.
DTC company member Tiana Kaye Blair stars as Lil opposite Akron Watson (Broadway’s “Ragtime”) as Big, and both actors trained in real MMA to bring the choreography to life. The cast also features understudies Henry Okigbo and Tiana Shuntae Alexander. As part of the experience, every performance is followed by “Stay Late,” DTC’s post-show conversation with the cast and crew, led by Watson.
“The Monsters” is the latest offering in the 2026–27 season under Enloe/Rose Artistic Director Jaime Castañeda — and a warm, funny, heartfelt invitation for Dallas to come fall in love with live theater this fall.
Photo: Dallas Theater Center
