amonplay.com
It's no secret that one of our city's most revered and well-known founding fathers, Amon Carter Sr., wasn't a big fan of our neighboring city, Dallas. Ironically, Dallas Moring News columnist Dave Lieber would be the one to pen a stage play that brings this beloved Fort Worthian back to life. This five-year-old hit comedy/play, "Amon! The Ultimate Texan," will swing through the Texas Theater in Waxahachie at 110 W. Main Street in January for a four-night event. Tickets are already on sale.
"Still not in Dallas!" a promo for the show reads like a tongue-in-cheek rib at our neighbors to the east. Carter's dislike for Dallas is "played" up quite a bit as a backdrop for many of the jokes and asides in the play, written by "watchdog" columnist Lieber, who also serves as one of the show's producers. Since its 2019 premiere, AMON! has been performed 52 times in six Texas cities, none of them — Dallas.
amonplay.com
Taking on the titular role of this Fort Worth icon for his fifth year is Kelvin Dilks, a retired teacher and seven-year member of the Birdville school board. Dilks, who originated as Amon, hits close to the real thing, having starred in every one of "Amon's" 52 shows.
"The more he does it, the more he becomes Amon Carter. It's uncanny," Lieber says.
Former teacher Connie Sanchez, the director of the play, uses the tools of the theater to create a time-machine effect that helps audiences connect with Amon, Lieber says. Sanchez was also responsible for creating the stage and costume design and helping with script supervision.
Founding Producer Rick Blair says, "I am overwhelmed with comments from patrons begging us to carry this story forward. Never in our history have we seen such an outpouring of love and passion for a show."
Amon Carter Sr. was a media tycoon whose holdings include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, a radio station (WBAP-AM), and the first TV station, now KXAS/NBC5. Carter spent his life championing Fort Worth and luring a trillion dollars' worth of business to Cowtown. The always flashy, somewhat excessive, impulsive, and powerful Carter rubbed elbows with presidents and hobnobbed with celebrities. Almost at every turn, Carter fought his arch-rival Dallas. Legend has it that he carried a sack lunch to Dallas because he didn't want to spend any money there.
"I think he was our Alexander Hamilton, our most consequential figure who's been forgotten. No other city has an Amon Carter," Lieber says. "The play is a point of pride for Texans. And it'll change the way you think about Texas."
