HOUSTON: The Alley Theatre has announced its 2018-19 season, which will be the first since the controversial departure of longtime artistic director, Gregory Boyd, amid allegations of misconduct.
“In times of transition, we all are drawn to the familiar, traditional, productions—the timeless classics like Twelfth Night and the family-friendly The Three Musketeers,” said interim artistic director James Black in a statement. “Yet, the upcoming season also asks audiences to go beyond the more recognizable titles and engage with work that represents the population around us.”
The season will being in the summer with Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (Aug. 15-Sept. 2), about a group of strangers who find themselves trapped in a boarding house during a snowstorm with a murderer afoot. Black will direct the production.
Then in the fall, the Alley will produce Skeleton Crew (Sept. 5-30), by Dominique Morisseau, about a family of co-workers who must brave the Great Recession in one of Detroit’s last auto stamping plants.
Next onstage will be Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (Oct. 10-28). Jonathan Moscone will direct the play.
Following will be A Christmas Carol–A Ghost Story of Christmas (Nov. 18-Dec. 30), by Charles Dickens, adapted and originally directed by Michael Wilson.
Next will be the world premiere of The Carpenter (Jan. 23-Feb. 10, 2019), by Texas playwright Robert Askins, a comedy about a wedding between a blue collar Houston groom and a wealthy Dallas bride. The play was developed during the 2016 Alley All New Festival.
Following will be the Texas premiere of Quack (Feb. 13-March 10, 2019), by Eliza Clark, about a daytime talk show host’s fall from grace after a take-down piece of journalism is published. The play was developed during the 2018 Alley All New Festival and is produced in association with Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles.
Next will be The Humans (March 6-24, 2019), by Stephen Karam, about a family who gather for Thanksgiving in Lower Manhattan’s Chinatown. Brandon Weinbrenner will direct the production.
Following will be Crimes of the Heart (April 17-May 5, 2019) by Beth Henley, a dark comedy about three Mississippi sisters who find a way to laugh through the tragedies of life. Theresa Rebeck will direct the play.
Finishing out the season will be Constellations (May 8-June 2, 2019), by Nick Payne, about a repeated encounter between a boy and a girl. Leslie Swackhamer will direct the production.
The Alley produces up to 16 plays each year ranging from re-invigorated classics to new plays by contemporary writers.
