In December, I mentioned that Infernal Bridegroom Productions, which had unfortunately shut its doors due to financial woes, had been reborn as The Catastrophic Theater. I’m pleased to announce that they are gearing up for the launch of their first season in Houston, and they’ll be kicking it off the good old-fashioned way with a launch party that sounds like it’ll be a lot of fun. From their press release:
After several months of busy planning, The Catastrophic Theatre – Houston’s newest and most exciting theatre company – will launch in late March with a celebration of the most ambitious programming ever from local artists Jason Nodler and Tamarie Cooper, whom the Houston Chronicle recently described as “two of Houston’s most intrepid pioneers of venturesome theater.”
BRACE YOURSELF…
It’s Going to Be a Wonderful Catastrophe!
On Friday, March 28th at 8 pm, The Catastrophic Theatre will celebrate its new beginning in the surreal warehouse space of Houston restaurant owner and personality Dawn Fudge. Packed to the ceiling with wedding gowns, golf carts, Mexican folk art, pick-up trucks, mattresses, a watermelon stand and the entire contents of a Chinese restaurant, Dawn’s warehouse was the subject of a multi-page spread in a recent issue of Paper City magazine, but the Catastrophic launch party will be the first time the eclectic space has ever been open to the public.
Survival kits will be handed out at the door. Protective gear will be encouraged. And great food, plentiful beer, wine and spirits, and wild performances will aid in the festivities. The launch party is being thrown by Catastrophic co-chief and party girl Tamarie Cooper – with the aid of co-chairs Paul Brockman, Marty Hricik, and Jennifer Elkins and Jack Waymire. And, as anyone who’s ever attended one of Tamarie’s parties in the past can attest, it will be one of the most fun, talked about events of the season. For more information contact Tamarie at (713) 880-5216 or tamarie.cooper@gmail.com.
I’ve got the rest of the release, which describes their initial productions, beneath the fold. I also have it and its companion release about their Austin production, called “Speeding Motorcycle”, as Word docs. I will note that Tiffany and I have signed on to the Host Committee for this launch party, so we’ll be there for the spectacle. If you want to know more, contact Tamarie Cooper as described above, or me. Thanks very much.
THE CATASTROPHIC THEATRE IS HERE!
TCT Announces Launch Party, Inaugural Production, Speeding Motorcycle in Austin
After several months of busy planning, The Catastrophic Theatre – Houston’s newest and most exciting theatre company – will launch in late March with a celebration of the most ambitious programming ever from local artists Jason Nodler and Tamarie Cooper, whom the Houston Chronicle recently described as “two of Houston’s most intrepid pioneers of venturesome theater.”
BRACE YOURSELF…
It’s Going to Be a Wonderful Catastrophe!
On Friday, March 28th at 8 pm, The Catastrophic Theatre will celebrate its new beginning in the surreal warehouse space of Houston restaurant owner and personality Dawn Fudge. Packed to the ceiling with wedding gowns, golf carts, Mexican folk art, pick-up trucks, mattresses, a watermelon stand and the entire contents of a Chinese restaurant, Dawn’s warehouse was the subject of a multi-page spread in a recent issue of Paper City magazine, but the Catastrophic launch party will be the first time the eclectic space has ever been open to the public.
Survival kits will be handed out at the door. Protective gear will be encouraged. And great food, plentiful beer, wine and spirits, and wild performances will aid in the festivities. The launch party is being thrown by Catastrophic co-chief and party girlTamarie Cooper – with the aid of co-chairs Paul Brockman, Marty Hricik, and Jennifer Elkins and Jack Waymire. And, as anyone who’s ever attended one of Tamarie’s parties in the past can attest, it will be one of the most fun, talked about events of the season. For more information contact Tamarie at (713) 880-5216 or tamarie.cooper@gmail.com.
BIG DEATH AND LITTLE DEATH
“Should I Go to College Out of State or Destroy the Universe?”
When Catastrophic honcho Jason Nodler directed Mickey Birnbaum’s Big Death and Little Death in Providence, RI, it was described by The Providence Phoenix as “a high point of [the] theatregoing year.” Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel led one of many wildly enthusiastic standing ovations. And Birnbaum described the production of his wickedly dark coming of age story, which received its premiere at Woolly Mammoth in Washington, D.C., as “definitive.” The play has since enjoyed extremely successful renditions in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Catastrophic’s production, produced in collaboration with The University of Houston’s School of Theatre and Dance, will be the Southwest premiere.
Big Death and Little Death is the story of Gary, Kristi and Harley – disaffected and traumatized teens with a taste in all things to do with death. Expect unhealthy doses of car crashes, pit bulls, sex, drugs, death metal and the end of the world as we know it.
According to director Jason Nodler, “Big Death and Little Death is one of the funniest, most irreverent, surprising and surprisingly moving scripts I’ve ever encountered. It has the flavor of a big budget, major motion picture but it’s as theatrical as any play I know. And, while it occupies very dark territory, it is also extraordinarily uplifting; it will break your heart in two before returning it to you better than new and sending you home with a renewed sense of hope.”
16 year old Gary smokes weed, sniffs meth, breeds pit bulls and weighs the pros and cons of destroying the universe (he knows how). His sister, 14 year old Kristi, hasn’t eaten in weeks. Her most prized possession is the photo album of car accident victims she got from her dad. Dad’s just back from the Gulf War and something’s not right with him. His day job is photographing car accidents, though it’s unclear whether he does so for money or some other reason. Mom’s a foul mouthed wreck; she can’t stop talking, in detail, about the affairs she had when Dad was away. And Gary’s ‘girlfriend’ Miss Endor is “the worst guidance counselor ever.”
Big Death and Little Death is directed by Catastrophic artistic director Jason Nodler and designed by John Gow (set and lights), Jodi Bobrovsky (props) and Chris Bakos (sound). The cast is a mix of U of H undergraduate and graduate students (John DeLoach and Elissa Levitt), Catastrophic company members (Tamarie Cooper, Walt Zipprian, Noel Bowers and Jeff Miller) and U of H professor Mikelle Johnson, who will make her Houston debut in Big Death before starring in Mr. Marmalade at Stages Repertory Theatre later this season.
Big Death and Little Death opens Friday, April 4 at 8pm, at The University of Houston’s Jose Quintero Theatre and runs April 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 and 20. For ticket information, call the U of H box office at 713-743-2929.
COMING SOON TO THEATRES NEAR YOU
Troy Schulze’s Splasher at DiverseWorks! The Tamarie Cooper Show at Stages!
What happens when anarchists and artists become embroiled in a turf war over who owns the streets? And how does society determine the winners and the losers?
When mysterious paint splatterings begin appearing around the city, targeting the work of prominent street artists, an ironic cat-and-mouse game threatens to expose the toxic truth at the heart of today’s graffiti culture. And a vigilante finds redemption and justice, but not the way he expected.
Based on true, recent events, The Splasher is a funny, intriguing and visually dynamic exploration of art, crime and punishment, by Troy Schulze, the award-winning writer/adapter/director of Me-sci-ah, Jerry’s World and Actual Air.
The Splasher opens Thursday, May 29 at 8pm, at DiverseWorks Artspace and runs May 30 and 31 and June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14. For ticket information, call The Catastrophic Theatre at 713-880-5216.
What can we say about Tamarie Cooper that hasn’t been said? How’s this for starters? She’s back at Stages Repertory Theatre with a brand show entitled (what else?) The Tamarie Cooper Show. More info to follow, but Tamarie’s shows always sell out fast so be sure to book tickets early and often. This show is sure to be the hit of the summer.
The Tamarie Cooper Show opens Thursday, June 19 at 8pm, at Stages Repertory Theatre and runs June 20, 21, 26, 27, 28; and July 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19. For ticket information, call Stages Repertory Theatre at 713-52STAGE.
SPEEDING MOTORCYCLE
Won’t You Change Me….
Speeding Motorcycle makes it’s Austin premiere at Zachary Scott Theatre Center NEXT WEEK!!!
Created and directed by Catastrophic artistic director with songs and concepts by Daniel Johnston, the Austin version stars Catastrophic company members Cary Winscott, Kyle Sturdivant and Joe Folladori in the role they originated in Houston. Zach’s also brought our old friend and yours, Anthony Barilla, all the way from Kosovo to direct the music.