ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

As a founding member of New York’s Lion Theatre Company, he designed numerous critically acclaimed productions including MUSIC HALL SIDELIGHTS featuring Kathy Bates as Colette and K: IMPRESSIONS OF KAFKA’S THE TRIAL for which he received his first OBIE AWARD.

Forging a professional relationship with the legendary producer Joseph Papp of New York’s Public Theater he delighted critics and audiences with his designs for Len Jenkin’s NEW JERUSALEM starring Sigourney Weaver, JoAnne Akalaitis’ RED & BLUE, MY UNCLE SAM, Keith Reddin’s RUM & COKE, AMERICAN NOTES, James Lapine’s production of A WINTER’S TALE starring Mandy Patinkin and Christopher Reeve, Kevin Kline’s HAMLET, Tony Kushner’s BRIGHT ROOM CALLED DAY, PERICLES starring Campbell Scott, George C. Wolfe’s TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992 with Anna Deavere Smith, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and Vanessa Redgrave’s ANTONY & CLEOPATRA. It was in this period of his career that he received his second OBIE AWARD for sustained achievement in the theater.

In 1979 Mr. Arnone made his Broadway debut with James McLure’s LONE STAR/PVT WARS starring Powers Boothe and Jack Heifner’s, PATIO/PORCH starring Fannie Flagg.

At Arena Stage in Washington, DC, he and Garland Wright redefined theater in the round with productions of GOOD PERSON OF SETZUAN, THE IMAGINARY INVALID, HAPPY END, THE PIGGY BANK, and THE TEMPEST.

They continued their celebrated collaboration when Garland Wright became artistic director of the famed Tyrone Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis offering Minnesotans, MARAT/SADE, THE PIGGY BANK, FRANKENSTEIN, CANDIDE, K: IMPRESSIONS OF KAFKA’S THE TRIAL, and Rodgers & Hart’s BABES IN ARMS.

In 1984 he was introduced to Des McAnuff and their journey to Broadway began. Their collaboration at La Jolla Playhouse resulted in over fifteen productions ranging from Shakespeare, Moliere, Chekhov and new works. Their return to Broadway in 1993 with THE WHO’S TOMMY resulted in five Tony Awards including Best Set Design for Mr. Arnone. They followed with the revival of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING which won a Tony Award for its star Matthew Broderick.

After its successful run on Broadway, THE WHO’S TOMMY toured the United States, played London’s Shaftsbury Theater and was seen by thousands in Frankfurt, Germany. It then launched its UK and European tours with productions in Japan and Australia following in the year 2000.

Mr. Arnone’s set designs for THE WHO’S TOMMY, won for him every prestigious theater award including The Tony Award, The Drama Critics Award, The Outer Critics Circle Award, The Los Angeles Critics Award, Canada’s Dora Mavor Moore Award and an Olivier nomination.

Mr. Arnone’s designs for Broadway include THE WHO’S TOMMY, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES,1992, SACRILEGE with Ellen Burstyn, Tommy Tune’s productions of BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE GOES PUBLIC, the long running revival of GREASE with Rosie O’Donnell, Chris Durang’s SEX & LONGING starring Sigourney Weaver, Edward Albee’s THE GOAT, FORTUNE’S FOOL directed by Arthur Penn, THE FULL MONTY, MARLENE starring Sian Phillips, THE DEEP BLUE SEA with Blythe Danner, PATIO/PORCH, LONE STAR/PVT WARS, MINNELLI ON MINNELLI, Gore Vidal’s THE BEST MAN, Arthur Miller’s THE RIDE DOWN MT MORGAN, and LENNON, The Musical.

He has also collaborated with Tom Hulce on the adaptation of John Irving’s CIDER HOUSE RULES which received its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in 1998. Recently, he designed the ballet of OTHELLO for Lar Lubovitch at the Norwegian National Ballet and ARTEMIS for ABT. Mr. Arnone is co-authoring with Liza Minnelli a biography of Vincente Minnelli featuring his set designs for Radio City Music Hall and numerous revues with the Schuberts in the 1930’s.

Film design includes ME & VERONICA for Don Scardino, SEX, DRUGS, ROCK & ROLL for John McNaughton, PENN & TELLER GET KILLED for Arthur Penn, and DEAD END KIDS for JoAnne Akalaitis. He art directed the last fifteen episodes of THE DAYS & NIGHTS OF MOLLY DODD, TALKING WITH for Kathy Bates, URBAN ANXIETY for Bob Balaban, MONDO BEYONDO for Bette Midler, Kevin Kline’s HAMLET for Great Performances, HYDE IN HOLLYWOOD for Jerry Gutierrez, and TERRORS OF PLEASURE for Spalding Gray.

Shannon is the daughter of Doris Gleason, a victim of Chemirmir. Upon learning of the multiple elderly victims, Shannon and other victim family members came together and founded Secure Our Seniors’ Safety. Working with state legislators, SOSS has had success passing bills in Austin and looks forward to continuing to make a difference in senior living.

Shannon is a Dallas native, raised in Stamford, Connecticut. She returned to Dallas to attend ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business marketing. Shannon currently resides in Carrollton, Texas with her husband, Eric.

Shannon is a frequent guest on The Unforgotten: Unnatural Causes, an investigative journalism podcast about this case, created, written and hosted by ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ journalism professor Charlie Scudder.

He received BA degrees in History and Russian Literature from Emory University, and an MA in Russian Culture from Duke University. His translation of Russian writer Oleg Kashin's novel Fardwor, Russia: A Fantastical Tale of Life Under Putin was published by Restless Books in 2016. He teaches courses on Publishing and Russian Literature at the University of Texas at Dallas and ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½.

Photo credit: Exploredinary

Prior to becoming a professor, Dr. Griffin helped produce television ad campaigns for Disney and Touchstone motion pictures, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit?; Dead Poets Society; Honey, I Shrunk the Kids; The Little Mermaid; Pretty Woman; Dick Tracy; and Beauty and the Beast.

Dr. Griffin teaches courses on the history of animation and on musicals - and often sings to his classes! He teaches a variety of other history/criticism courses from introductory to upper-division courses on film/media theory, as well as graduate seminar courses.

Harrison’s novel The Editors is inspired by the contributors behind a Wikipedia-like platform. This discussion will explore the accuracy of online information, the power struggles behind digital platforms, and the larger question: Can we trust what we read online? As AI-generated content and misinformation grow, who gets to decide what’s true—and what’s not?

Lagrone has been a community theatre actor/singer for nearly 40 years.  Whether performing in local theater productions, singing and playing music at sporting events or anything else in between, his love for the arts and his creative spirit have always been a part of who he is, even as he excelled in the world of engineering. After 10 years of volunteering in community musical theater, 25 seasons singing the National Anthem for MLB, and 35 years of playing in rock bands around Dallas-Fort Worth, he started down the path of being Santa.  

From designing cutting-edge aircraft at Lockheed Martin to bringing joy as NorthPark ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½’s Santa, Joel Lagrone blends his passion for engineering and the arts to create unforgettable holiday memories.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Dave is an accomplished author who has written 10 books.  His latest is Dandy Don Meredith – The First Dallas Cowboy.

He’s also a playwright with two hit plays. He also gave a highly acclaimed TED talk at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ on how to change the world through storytelling.

He’s a certified professional speaker with an emphasis on comedy and storytelling for business. He’s spoken to audiences across the U.S. and in Mexico and Canada.

His work has earned him numerous local, state and national awards, emphasizing his dedication to transparency, fairness and advocacy through reporting.

When he’s not speaking or writing, you can probably find Dave searching for his lost car in a parking lot because he can’t remember where he parked.

Melinda is also the go-to body language expert for TV news. You may have seen her segment on reading Luka Doncic’s body language after his surprise NBA trade, which has attracted hundreds of thousands of views nationally.

Melinda earned her Master Certification in Nonverbal Communications from the former Special Agent who trained the FBI. She received her M.F.A. in Mass Communications from ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and her B.S. with Honors in Psychology from Northwestern University. She is the author of the groundbreaking book on facial expressions, “Read the Zoom.” To see a sample book chapter, visit

Wilson’s latest project is an exploration of Mexico based on decades of travel across the border and will be exhibited at the Meadows Museum at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Methodist University in the fall of 2025. In 2022, The Writers: Portraits by Laura Wilson, was on view at the Harry Ransom ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ at the University of Texas in Austin. Comprised of over 150 photographs and inspired by the classic photo essays of Life Magazine in the 1940s and 1950s, the exhibition showed how 38 internationally acclaimed writers live and work. Another initiative, Making Movies, chronicles directors, cinematographers, and actors over the last twenty years.  

Wilson was elected to the Philosophical Society of Texas and is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters where she won the Carr P. Collins award. She is on the boards of the Harry Ransom ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ at the University of Texas, Austin; The Clements ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ for Southwest Studies and the Meadows Museum at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Methodist University. 

She was also awarded the Royal Photographic Society of England Book of the Year for Avedon at Work. Wilson was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 2019, which coincided with her exhibition there, Laura Wilson: Looking West. 

Wilson has three sons, Andrew, Owen and Luke Wilson. She is married to Scot Dykema. They live in Dallas, Texas. 

Education: Connecticut College. 

Awards and Honors: Texas Institute of Letters; Carr P. Collins Award; Philosophical Society of Texas; Cowgirl Hall of Fame inductee.  

Guest Lecturer: Harvard University; International ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ of Photography, New York City; San Francisco Museum of Art; University of Texas. 

Publications: New York Times Magazine; New Yorker; Vanity Fair; GQ Magazine; London’s Sunday Times Magazine; Wallpaper; Washington Post Magazine.  

Books: Watt Matthews of Lambshead 1989; Hutterites of Montana, 2000; Grit and Glory, 2003; Avedon at Work, 2003; That Day: Pictures in the American West, 2015; From Rodin to Plensa: Modern Sculpture at the Meadows Museum, 2018; The Writers: Portraits by Laura Wilson, 2022, Alliance Texas: 35 Years of Commerce and Community, 2024; Roaming Mexico, 2025. 

Selected Exhibitions:  

Roaming Mexico, Meadows Museum, Dallas, Texas 

The Writers: Portraits by Laura Wilson, Harry Ransom ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, University of Texas, Austin 

America, Land of Horsemen, Fomento Cultural Banamex, Palacio Iturbide, Mexico City; Santiago, Chile 

That Day, Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas; Phillips, New York, New York; Whitney Museum of Western Art, Cody, Wyoming; Briscoe Western Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas; Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, Georgia 

Grit and Glory: Six Man Football, Meadows Museum, Dallas, Texas 

Laura Wilson: Avedon at Work, Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas 

Behind the Lines: The Art of Texas Monthly, The Wittliff Collections, Texas State University, San Marcos 

Laura Wilson: Looking West, National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum, Fort Worth, Texas