HOUSTON: The Alley Theatre has announced its 75th anniversary season, with a planned return to in-person performances in October. The season will include three world premiere plays and one world premiere musical.
“I couldn’t be more excited to get back into the theatre with this fabulous lineup,” artistic director Rob Melrose said in a statement. “For the 75th anniversary and beyond, we are committed to being a theatre for all Houstonians.”
The season will begin with Lynn Nottage’s Sweat (Oct. 1-24), produced in collaboration with the Ensemble Theatre. The Pulitzer Prize-winning play follows three women through the years as their factory town faces layoffs and picket lines. Melrose will direct, with associate direction by the Ensemble Theatre’s artistic director, Eileen J. Morris.
Next up will be 72 Miles to Go… by Hilary Bettis (Oct. 15-Nov. 14), directed by José Zayas. The play, which was developed at the 2019 Alley All New Festival, follows a family over ten years as a mother is deported to Mexico and separated from her American-born husband and children.
Following will be Doris Baizley’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (Nov. 19-Dec. 29). The classic holiday tale will be directed by Brandon Weinbrenner.
The season will continue with the world premiere of Vichet Chum’s High School Play: A Nostalgia Fest (Jan. 21-Feb. 13, 2022), which was developed at the 2020 Alley All New Festival. The play follows a competitive high school theatre troupe whose choice of one-act play sparks community backlash. Tiffany Nichole Greene will direct.
Following will be the world premiere of Amerikin (Feb. 11-March 13, 2022) by Chisa Hutchinson. The play follows Jeff, a new father who joins a white supremacist group but gets surprising results from his ancestry test. Amerikin was developed at the 2019 Alley All New Festival. James Black will direct.
The season will continue with Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. The classic romance will run March 4-27, 2022 and will be directed by Adriana Baer.
Next up will be Dead Man’s Cell Phone (April 15-May 8, 2022) by Sarah Ruhl. The imaginative comedy follows a woman forced to confront her assumptions about mortality, redemption, and the need to connect. Weinbrenner will direct.
Following will be the world premiere of Born With Teeth (May 6-June 5, 2022) by Liz Duffy Adams. The play follows Shakespeare and Marlowe as they collaborate on a history play cycle in a totalitarian regime. Born with Teeth was also developed at the Alley All New Festival. Melrose will direct.
The season will close with the world premiere of the musical Noir (June 2-July 3, 2022) by Kyle Jarrow. Featuring music by Tony winner Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Jarrow and Sheik, Noir follows a heartbroken man who becomes obsessed with eavesdropping on his new neighbors. Darko Tresnjak will direct.
The 2022 Alley All New Festival will also run June 15-26, 2022.
Additionally, the Alley has announced that veteran Alley actors Melissa Molano and Christopher Salazar have been added to the resident acting company.
The Alley will continue to monitor Houston’s COVID-19 infection and vaccination rates to ensure the safety of all guests, artists, and staff, and will keep guests updated on safety protocols for reopening.
The Alley Theatre is committed to developing and producing theatre that is as diverse as the Houston community. The Alley engages theatre artists of every discipline and produces nearly 500 performances each season.
