Twenty-eight days won’t be sufficient to see all of the high-flying theater and stage exhibits Houston has to supply this month. From a mysterious dice to killer comedy and sci-fi world premieres to Irish dancing and award successful dramas, we’ve obtained loads of performing arts for each style.
The Foreigner at A.D. Gamers (now by February 23)
For those who’ve made a decision to snicker extra, do that award-winning basic ’80s farce. Via a set of outrageous circumstances, a shy British man named Charlie should fake to be an “unique” foreigner who doesn’t know English whereas visiting a rural Georgia trip lodge. As Charlie tries to get some a lot wanted relaxation amid a lodge-full of colourful characters, the misunderstandings and mistaken identities pile up. Lies and secrets and techniques are revealed to this harmless foreigner. An explosive comedian ending may simply result in a brand new life for all of the underdogs on this charming story. Timing is every little thing on the subject of fast-paced farce, so we’re trying ahead to seeing these Houston favs and skilled comedian gamers in motion, together with Kevin Dean, David Gow, John Johnston, Susan Koozin, Alyssa Marek, Jeff McMorrough, and Gabriel Mullen.
Cirque du Soleil: Echo at Sam Houston Race Park (February 6-March 23)
It’s been two years since we’ve seen Cirque’s swirly blue and white huge high in Houston, so we will’t anticipate this newest present, their twentieth Massive Prime creation. The thrills get squared as Echo includes a large dice for visible arts projections and as a towering setting for aerial feats. Cirque productions all the time maintain a story to border all of the astounding acrobatics and gravity defying artistry, and this present will probably be no completely different. Echo chronicles the wandering Future and her greatest pal Ewai, the canine, as they bump into an enigmatic Dice. They shortly learn the way actions have the ability to form their world. Echo’s idea creators say the present’s themes will discover the symbiotic connection between people and the pure world and the way human selections can ripple out to the animals and planet we treasure a lot.
Miss LaRaj’s Home of Dystopian Futures from Catastrophic Theatre (February 7-March 1)
The primary of this month’s two world premiere exhibits from native theater artists/playwrights comes from Candice D’Meza, who has additionally gained accolades for her movie and multidisciplinary work. When D’Meza collaborates with the Catastrophic artists, we all know we will count on a wild journey into their collective imaginations. For this manufacturing, a post-apocalyptic riff on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Fred’s lengthy since gone and Nature itself is now the principle character. Enter Miss LaRaj — the sensible and wisecracking MUTHA of the New World Order. Speaking timber, judgmental rocks, and all pure forces sing and transfer, making an attempt to information humankind again to true symbiosis and maybe a extra hopeful future.
The Wanderers from Mildred’s Umbrella (February 8-23)
The corporate that focuses on bringing ladies’s genuine tales to the stage begins a brand new collaboration with the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Neighborhood Middle to deliver this award-winning comedy to audiences. The story revolves round two contrasting marriages. Esther and Schmuli are Orthodox Jews navigating strictly outlined guidelines and roles, whereas Sophie and Abe are secular and free to make their very own selections. But, each {couples} are rising aside as they try to steadiness their particular person identities with the households they’ve created. As Esther checks the boundaries of her private freedom, Abe falls right into a correspondence with a film star that may shake the foundations of his marriage and profession. Mildred’s founder, Jennifer Decker, directs.
Seven Assassins Stroll right into a Bar at Essential Road Theater (February 8-March 2)
Houston actor and director Dain Geist takes on the position of playwright for this world premiere darkish comedy. In his personal phrases, the play is about “a bunch of hitmen (and girls) who collect to commiserate the passing of a colleague. As they swap tales and share complaints, every character brings with them their very own ethical compass and their very own causes for pursuing such a bloody occupation.” We’re anticipating some killer dramatic and comedian twists and turns, however Geist hopes his play, which he’ll additionally direct, will depart audiences pondering.
Seared at Alley Theatre (February 7-March 2)
Houston foodies ought to positively make a reservation for this one, because the Alley will get spicy with this well timed comedy from one of many firm’s BBF playwrights, Theresa Rebeck. Set in an up-and-coming restaurant, the 2 homeowners conflict over dueling culinary and enterprise philosophies. The motion and kitchen warmth up as one brings in an out of doors marketing consultant to shakeup – and maybe cube, skewer and grill – their restaurant world. The present will break theatrical olfactory traditions when the actors prepare dinner up actual dishes within the smaller and versatile Neuhaus theater house. Director and Alley affiliate creative director, Brandon Weinbrenner, desires his onstage kitchen to be so genuine that he’s bringing in famend Houston chef Justin Yu (Theodore Rex, Squable, Higher Luck Tomorrow) to seek the advice of and train the forged and artistic workforce the interior workings of a fast-paced, high-end restaurant.
Topdog / Underdog from 4th Wall Theatre (February 14-March 8)
Thought-about some of the ground-breaking performs of the early twenty first century, Suzan-Lori Parks’s drama concerning the emotional relationship between two African American brothers named Lincoln and Sales space has swept up virtually all current American theater awards, together with a Tony and Pulitzer. Because of 4th Wall’s intimate theater house, all their performances are up shut. We’re anticipating an electrical evening of theater with this manufacturing, particularly with Aaron Brown, head of the Musical Theatre Division at Texas State College, directing and two of Houston’s strongest native actors, Timothy Eric and Brandon Morgan, enjoying Lincoln and Sales space.
Blackbird from Dust Canines Theatre (February 21-March 8)
Maybe some of the emotionally devastating exhibits on our checklist this month, this Tony-nominated play shook audiences when it was on Broadway a number of years in the past. Center-aged Ray has a brand new identification and is attempting to place the previous behind him. Una, 27, thinks solely of the previous. When Una arrives at Ray’s new workplace unannounced, guilt, rage, and uncooked feelings run excessive as they reexamine the connection that they had 15 years in the past. By no means capable of reconcile the brutal reality of this abusive attachment, Una is searching for solutions and the results are shattering. When one confuses abuse for love, it will probably disrupt their total being.
The Glass Menagerie at Alley Theatre (February 21-March 16)
Alley creative director Rob Melrose provides us his imaginative and prescient for this true American basic by Tennessee Williams. Amanda, a light Southern belle, yearns for a greater life for her kids. Nonetheless, her daughter Laura would somewhat spend time alone along with her assortment of delicate glass animals. Her stressed son, Tom, spends evenings away in his try to flee the monotony of his present life. Caught in a bleak current, Amanda desires largely of the previous, and solely a “gentleman caller” for Laura may deliver the opportunity of change to the household. We hear that Melrose’s path will discover Menagerie as a reminiscence play together with its themes of escape and human connections.
Within the Night time from Houston Ballet (February 27-March 9)
The corporate leaps into early spring with this blended rep showcase of three beloved modern dances. HB creative director Stanton Welch’s fierce Maninyas holds important firm historical past because it was Welch’s first American fee for the San Francisco Ballet. Seeing its premiere impressed Ben Stevenson, Houston Ballet AD on the time, to ask Welch to create his inaugural piece for the corporate. Additionally within the lineup is Jerome Robbins’s magnificent Within the Night time. The piece is a poignant one-act ballet for 3 {couples}, set to 4 piano nocturnes by composer Frédéric Chopin.
One other viewers favourite within the combine will probably be Lila York’s Celts. A yr earlier than Michael Flatley’s Riverdance introduced Irish dance to international levels, Lila York was impressed by her personal Irish heritage to create the passionate and vibrant Celts.
