“…Under the guiding hand of T.J. Dawson, [3-D Theatricals] has delivered shows whose production values exceed many a touring company…, and which are as slick and professional as anything in New York City…” – Orange County Register
Welcome to 3-D Theatricals!
Mission Statement: It is our goal to increase arts awareness throughout the community and to nurture our youth with culture and education. We are committed to excellence, and bringing new life and demand to the arts.
The Dawson family (T.J., Gretchen & Daniel – the 3-D’s) set out to fulfill their dream of building a musical theatre company and bringing the Broadway experience to Southern California. Presented with the unique opportunity to build an audience from the ground up, 3-D Theatricals opened its first season in 2009 at The Orange County Pavilion (Now the campus of Orange County School for the Arts) to an amazing reception by OC theatergoers. In 2011, the company made the move to Fullerton’s Plummer Auditorium, and from there, 3-D Theatricals began expanding the business by producing stellar Broadway-caliber to the South Bay at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.
After six wonderful years in Fullerton and in Redondo Beach, 3DT was given the opportunity to become the exclusive resident Broadway Series producer at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in 2016. They provided excellent professional musical theatre productions to Cerritos and the surrounding communities as well as providing much-needed jobs to local professional actors, musicians, and designers.
3-D Theatricals has earned rave reviews from The Orange County Register, LA Times, Los Angeles Daily News, The Long Beach Examiner, the Spark OC Blog, and BroadwayWorld.com. Our 2013 season received fifteen Ovation Award nominations and five L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award nominations. Our production of Jason Robert Brown’s PARADE won Ovation Awards for Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Featured Actor, and Best Ensemble.
3-D Theatricals is a non-profit 501c3 company. We thank the support of our donors who believe in our work and help us in bringing the arts to the communities that we serve.
The 3-D Theatricals headquarters is in Anaheim and houses our front of house team, business offices, set and costume warehouse, as well as our rehearsal space. From this location 3DT hosts auditions, run rehearsals for our productions, and houses over 30,000 square feet of costume and set rental properties.
T.J. DAWSON
Executive Producer/Artistic Director
T.J. is thrilled to see where 3-D Theatricals has come in such a short time and hopes it’s the beginning of many more successful years to come. In a short time, 3-D Theatricals has been among the most awarded and critically acclaimed theaters in Southern California including many Ovations nominations and wins as well as the very prestigious Joel Hirschorn Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre by the LA Drama Critics Circle. The company received the most Ovation nominations of any theatre for the 2012-13 season next to Center Theatre Group. As a director, T.J. has received an Ovation nomination, as well as a L.A. Drama Critics Circle nomination for the critically acclaimed production of PARADE (winner of 4 Ovation awards for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Ensemble, and Best Musical) and for his production of RAGTIME. He has also directed for 3DT: THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, ALL SHOOK UP (both productions), THE SOUND OF MUSIC, A CHORUS LINE, AVENUE Q (Ovation Nomination), 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL, INTO THE WOODS, SIDE SHOW (Robby Award for Best Director and Musical), THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Staring Bronson Pinchot and Rachel York), BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE FULL MONTY and OKLAHOMA! Other Select producer/ director/ choreographer credits include: the Orange County premieres and critically acclaimed productions of SIDE SHOW, Lippa’s THE WILD PARTY, BAT BOY THE MUSICAL, CABARET, INTO THE WOODS and SEUSSICAL. He wants to thank the entire 3DT team for all their hard work and dedication to everything they do! Thanks to his mom and dad for encouraging him to chase his dreams and to dream big, his wife Jeanette for putting up with all the long hours and late nights, “you are my strength, my every breath and I love you more than words can express,” and lastly, above all, God, for being his constant love and inspiration. He and Jeanette have two handsome boys and a beautiful baby girl; Jude, Isaac and Haven! He is now tackling his most challenging but incredible role ever as “dad” and loving every second of it. “Thank you for checking out our website and please continue to support arts in your local community!”
GRETCHEN DAWSON
Co-Founder
Gretchen Dawson is so proud of how far 3DT has come over that last decade and very grateful to the public for supporting it. What are the odds that all three D’s (siblings) would be passionate about theatre? The Dawson’s love it and are encouraged by their communities passion for the arts in Southern California. Broadway really is closer than you think! Recent behind the scenes credits include: Associate Director/Associate Choreographer for RUDOLPH THE RED NOISE REINDEER Tour (McCoy Rigby Entertainment), Associate Choreographer AMERICAN IDIOT (La Mirada Theater), Assistant Choreographer for SPRING AWAKENING (La Mirada Theater). Recent performing credits include: The Moho’s sketch comedy group starring the comedic legend Fred Willard, Lynnette “Squeaky” Fromme in ASSASSINS (Gem Theater), and Roxie Hart in CHICAGO (Gem Theater). She would like to thank you for taking an interest in 3DT and hopes you continue to come back and become a subscriber. Please help spread the word about 3DT by talking about your experience of our shows on social media. Word of mouth is the number one marketing tool! A special thank you to her wife, friends, and family for their love and support. See you at the theater!
DANIEL DAWSON
Co-Founder
Daniel Dawson is honored to be a part of something so spectacular as to be seemingly beyond his wildest dreams. Always having been very close to his family he feels very lucky to be able to work together at something they are all equally passionate about. His dream of being a part of the entertainment industry was jump started by encouragement from his brother to audition for the GLORY OF CHRISTMAS at the Crystal Cathedral. He was 11 years old and terrified of the thought of being on stage, but because of his brother’s tenacity, Daniel was thrust into the show and given the “Silent Night” solo; he has been addicted to theatre ever since. Along with his siblings, he attended the Academy for the Performing Arts in Huntington Beach and then he went on to receive his B.A. in Musical Theatre at the University of Northern Colorado.
Some of his favorite credits include: National Tour: CATS 2009-2010 “Tour of the Americas” produced by Troika (Male Swing covering: Munkustrap, Skimbleshanks, Rum Tum Tugger, Alonzo, and Plato/ Macavity), Regional: BAT BOY (Bat Boy) with Stages [Garland Award Nominee], ASSASSINS (Balladeer) with Still Hungry Theatre, JESUS’ KID BROTHER LARRY (Ernst/Julio) with International City Theatre, SEUSSICAL (Wickershim Brother) with Moonlight Amphitheatre, FOOTLOOSE (Willard Hewitt) and GREASE (Roger) with Musical Theatre West (MTW), CRAZY FOR YOU (Sam/Custus) both with MTW and Downey Civic Light Opera, SIDE SHOW (Buddy Foster), NO, NO NANETTE (Billy), ANYTHING GOES (Billy), JEKYLL AND HYDE (Spider), 42ND STREET (Bert Barry), A CHORUS LINE (Mike/Bobby/Larry), OKLAHOMA (Will Parker), JOSEPH… (Joseph), GREASE (Doody), CABARET (Emcee), and a few others.
He loves his family and friends and thanks them from the bottom of his heart because without them he wouldn’t be the happy person he has become.
JEANETTE DAWSON
Co-Founder
Jeanette is pleased to be a member of the producing family at 3-D Theatricals. Jeanette was present at the very first few meetings when T.J. decided it was time to start producing and hasn’t left his side since. Jeanette has been married to T.J. for over 15 years now and they have 3 children together. Jeanette has a certificate in Child Development and her own responsibility at 3D, is hiring and training the child wranglers for the shows that have child cast members. Jeanette also loves working with her husband whenever she can. They started and run WESTBEAT, the acapella group that 3D owns that mostly performs at Disneyland. Jeanette loves singing in the group as well. Jeanette enjoys being onstage at 3D as well sometimes. One Jeanette’s important passions in life is to always work with her husband doing what they love together. She advises him on as much as she can at 3D including choosing seasons, staff and casting choices to dressing room assignments to rehearsal schedules and so on. She also makes time for her and the kids to visit with patrons before and after shows as much as possible. Jeanette is thankful for the exciting life she gets to live and loves being co-workers with T.J. as well as being the love of his life!