In Plano, the holidays get hilarious with Theatre Britain’s annual panto production. This episode opens the curtain to a raucous family holiday treat. It’s a fractured fairy tale called the “panto,” and it’s performed every year by Theatre Britain in downtown Plano. The Plano theater company’s production features all the traditional elements – the dame who’s actually a guy, a ghostly cameo, and lots of audience participation. We go behind the scenes to hear from the director and meet some of the actors, plus, an extensive wrapup with performing arts critic Mark Lowry of TheaterJones, who weighs in on growing diversity of theater and arts productions in Plano.
Podcasts
Episode 11: Storytellers | Haunted Plano
Join us in a ghostly tour of haunted Plano. Let your imagination run wild as we introduce you to a few possible Plano ghosts, voiced by some great storytellers. Plano’s history dates back to the mid-19th century, and in some of our older buildings, there are rumors of hauntings. Come along as we investigate – if you dare!
Episode 10: Webb Traffic | Duncan Webb
Traffic. It’s what’s up in Plano and all of Collin County, TX. Are we destined for California-style gridlock? Collin County Commissioner Duncan Webb shares his vision and challenges on the plan to ease gridlock as we take a journey together into the year 2040. We wrap with a special Route 380 road trip to meet with Mayor John-Mark Caldwell and City Manager Derek Borg of Princeton, TX. Our conversation is where the rubber meets the road.
Episode 9: Top Achievers | Lawrence Mann
“If you play any game in life, if you don’t know the rules, you lose.” ~ Lawrence Mann, Founder of Top Achievers
Plano’s own Lawrence Mann shares his remarkable story that led to a lifetime dedicated to giving youth the skills for success- well beyond the basketball court. Through his Top Achievers Program and Foundation, work as a Plano ISD At-Risk Specialist, and his Man-Up/Young Women Incorporated programs his impact is far-reaching and deeply felt by his students. Meet Coach Mann, two of his three sons, and hear the tale of an extraordinary leader, character and mentor who has never taken his eye off the ball.
Episode 8 : Storytellers | Dog Days
Meet the three selected winners from our Storytellers / Writers call for entry. One student, one published author, and one blogger are featured, each reading their unique interpretation of Dog Days. A creative breath of cool air on a hot summer day, from some of the best Plano independent voices.
Episode 7: Mayor Harry LaRosiliere | City or Suburb
Is Plano a suburb of Dallas, or a city in its own right? Dallas Morning News columnist Jacquielynn Floyd says that Plano remains Dallas’ little brother, but Mayor Harry LaRosiliere counters with his own vision of “Plano 3.0.” We look at the word “suburb,” and all of its baggage, and how the question gets at the heart of how Plano defines itself going forward.
Episode 6: Aces of Suits
With the advent of “business casual,” fewer and fewer men are wearing tailored suits in Plano. But we found a few who continue to rock the suit with style. Find out how the trend toward casual has changed the way men shop in Plano, and meet our Aces of Suits.
Episode 5: Diane Reeve | Standing Strong
Diana Reeve, as the owner of a Plano karate studio, likes to say that she teaches courage for a living. She called on every ounce of her own courage when she learned that her longtime boyfriend had knowingly given her HIV — along with dozens of other women. Reeve shares her incredible tale of banding together with other women, taking the boyfriend to court, and winning.
Episode 4: Macy Hedrick | Plano Grown
How do you know you’re from Plano? Oklahoma State University student Macy Hedrick proposed “20 Signs You Grew Up in Plano” in an essay that’s gone viral. The Plano native shares those signs, along with her observations on growing up in Plano, the transition from Plano ISD to higher education, and why she misses the Purple Cow.
Episode 3: Skypony | Arts in Plano
The unlikeliest places can become spaces for artists to flourish. Just ask Douglas and Kiki Winters, owners of Skypony Studios. They’re directors of an artists’ village in Valley View Center, an aging mall that was virtually abandoned, until the Winters helped bring in artists’ galleries and studios. They share their vision for bringing art to Plano and parts north of 635.