In which Neil Patrick Harris once again proves he’s the best host of anything ever.

Former DTC artistic director Adrian Hall, Rep. Kay Granger of Fort Worth, Maxwell Anderson of the DMA – it was practically a parade of North Texans getting happy ovations from the assembled theater artists at the TCG national conference.

At the national theater conference’s opening day, with hundreds of artists wandering around the Arts District a Texas howdy, some performances, a party and an award.

The Tonys are this weekend, but a handful of highschoolers have already grabbed their big prizes in local competitions. And they’re dreaming of the big time.

This Sunday’s Tony Awards presentation has some Texas roots to root for among the nominees.

Today in the roundup: The sights and sounds of ‘Sister Act,’ a new novel from the long-dead Pearl S. Buck and a UNT professor’s new photo app.

Starting today, Dallas is the epicenter for national theater. That’s because hundreds of people from theater companies across the country are in town for a conference. That adds up to a great opportunity for local theaters to strut their stuff. It’s also a good time for the rest of us to take in a show.

A former SMU teacher and DSO player gets a big honor. Plus, critics check in on Fort Worth’s new drive in and WaterTower’s wedding play.

Watch Traces jump, fly and flip with this Big Deal.

Cara Mia Theatre has embarked on its most ambitious project: a trilogy of plays called The Dreamers about Latino immigration into the U.S. And the company is researching and writing the plays themselves – including interviewing Dallas refugees who fled gang violence.