HOUSTON: Catastrophic Theatre has announced its 2020-21 season, which will experiment with a variety of new media and include a production that will bring theatre to the lawns of Houston residents—all within social distancing guidelines.
“Do-it-yourself, site-specific, and experimental theatre are in our DNA,” said co-founders and artistic directors Jason Nodler and Tamarie Cooper in a joint statement. “And we began as a company that encouraged, nurtured, and championed local playwrights. In each of those ways, we’re looking at this season as a return to our roots. It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention, and that is more true of this season than any before it.”
The season will open with the world premiere of The Drama Squad (fall 2020 and spring 2021), created by Afsaneh Ayani, Ronnie Blaine, Brittny Bush, Karina Pal-Montaño Bowers, Tamarie Cooper, Bryan Kaplún, Alli Villines, and Abraham Zeus Zapata. This production will dispatch troupes to bring original works from Houston artists to the front lawns of Houston residents.
Next will be the world premiere of Herzstück (Heart Play) (fall 2020), a short film by Greg Dean. A project nearly 10 years in the making, Dean’s film deconstructs black-and-white silent film comedies through the story of a pair of clownish musicians who are constantly interrupted as they try to perform a violin and piano duet.
Following will be the world premiere of Tamarie Cooper’s Holiday Super Show! (winter 2020), by Tamarie Cooper and friends. A mix of satire, Santa, and musical numbers, Cooper will connect with audiences through an episode of her new digital series this holiday season.
The season will continue with We’re Gonna Die (spring 2021), by Young Jean Lee, a revival of the Horse Head Theatre production. Performer Alli Villines shares real-life stories about tragedy, isolation, and mortality, in this production that is somewhere between a play and a concert.
Up next will be the world premiere of Candice D’Meza’s 30 Ways to Get Free (spring 2021), a series of short films based on the work of D’Meza, a Houston-based actor, writer, and activist.
The season will conclude with another world premiere from Tamarie Cooper and friends, Tamarie Cooper’s Golden Jubilee (summer 2021), in which Cooper and friends will use new episodes of her online series to celebrate Cooper’s 50th year of life and riff on the theme of “50.”
Formed in 2007, the Catastrophic Theatre is a creator and producer of new work for the theatre in Houston.
