Mx. Justin Vivian Bond, 6 GUITARS and More Slated for Lott Entertainment Presents' 2016-17 Season

Lott Entertainment Presents' second season begins with a new home and a slew of new works guaranteed to raise the bar-and some eyebrows-in Houston's performing arts scene. Founders Kathryn Lott and Allison Lott have formed a unique alliance with the Alley Theatre, which allows them to present their entire second season in the Alley's Neuhaus Theatre.

"We are honored by this opportunity to present in one of Houston's most cherished spaces and to bring a new perspective inside the Alley Theatre," said executive director Allison Lott. Artistic director Kathryn Lott adds, "When Allison and I first started our new organization, we dreamt of one day being in a space like the Alley. Who knew it would be a reality in one short year?"

Dean Gladden, the Managing Director of the Alley Theatre, approached Lott Entertainment Presents after attending several inaugural season performances, and the booking arrangement came together seamlessly shortly thereafter.

"The Alley Theatre is thrilled to welcome Lott Entertainment Presents as the first outside presenter who has ever produced an artist series in the Neuhaus Theatre," said Gladden. "There is no doubt that Lott Entertainment Presents is bringing unique and important theatrical experiences to Houston audiences. I am so pleased that the Alley is able to provide a venue for them in our newly renovated space."

The two organizations will remain separate entities-Lott Entertainment Presents will present its season inside the Alley's Neuhaus Theatre, and the Alley Theatre presents its own 2016-2017 season using both theaters in its newly renovated building. Lott Entertainment will create more offerings in the Neuhaus Theatre as it is transformed it into an intimate cabaret-style space for its Joe's Pub Series, which will continue in the new season. "The versatile space is perfect for our needs," says Kathryn Lott. "It will allow us to present in multiple configurations with a larger inventory while still maintaining the intimacy that is so crucial to our programming. We're so thankful to MATCH for being an incredible partner during our first season, and we look forward to our future with the Alley."

---

Lott Entertainment Presents 2016-2017 Season:

October 20-21, 2016: Mx. Justin VivIan Bond - Love Is Crazy (Joe's Pub Series)
Mx. Justin VivIan Bond kicks off the season performing her original work, Love is Crazy, as part of the Joe's Pub Series in Houston. Mx. Bond, a Tony Award-nominated trans-genre performer, has enjoyed a longstanding career both on and Off-Broadway. Bond is coming off the final performances of the world-renowned Broadway show Kiki and Herb in its reunion at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater. Mx. Bond will debut her most popular solo work, Love is Crazy, for Houston audiences October 20 and 21, 2016.

November 4-5, 2016: Puddles Pity Party (Joe's Pub Series)
The 'Sad Clown with the Golden Voice' is back with a suitcase full of new emotional anthems and plenty of Kleenex! As with any Pity Party performance, it's not all sadness and longing. Puddles' set is peppered with a brilliant sense of the absurd, mixing lots of humor with the awkward, tender moments. With more than 164k fans on Facebook and over 32 million views on Youtube, including his acclaimed version of Lorde's Royals, Sia's Chandelier and other pop favorites, Puddles Pity Party has toured extensively in the U.S., including multiple sold out shows at Joe's Pub in NYC, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and other festivals around the world. The New York Times says, "His special effect is a textured voice laced with melancholy...what makes him transcend the trope is his vulnerability."

April 21-22, 2017: Martha Redbone's Bone Hill - The Concert (Joe's Pub Series)
Martha Redbone's highly anticipated new show, Bone Hill, was commissioned by Joe's Pub as part of its New York Voices initiative. In Bone Hill - The Concert, a new musical work for theater, the 8-member cast (two actor/singers and six musicians) become the characters from four generations of a family living high on a mountain top in Appalachia. In telling their stories, they take the audience on an epic, unexpected American exploration of family, history, and identity. Inspired by Martha Redbone's own life and the lives of the women from whom she is descended, the stories of the Bone family members are told in a communal narrative style interspersed with dramatic scenes and driven by songs that span a swathe of American music, almost telling a parallel history. The music is radically wide-ranging, from traditional Cherokee chants and lullabies to bluegrass and blues, country, gospel, jazz, Rock & Roll, Rhythm n Blues, and funk. Dark and violent at times, Bone Hill - The Concert is uncompromising in its desire to be honest about difficult subjects, especially race in America.

May 4-7, 2017: Sex Tips for a Straight Woman from a Gay Man
This romantic comedy takes the audience on a hilarious and wild ride where no topic is taboo and the insider 'tips' come straight from the source: a gay man. The play is set at a local university auditorium where the English department holds its monthly meet the authors event. Robyn is the shy and studious moderator of the event and this month's featured author is Dan Anderson of Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man. With the help of a hunky staged assistant named Stefan, Dan aims to turn this meet the authors event upside down with a highly theatrical, audience interactive sex tip seminar. Will Stefan's muscles be used for more than moving heavy scenery? Will the power of Dan's tips prove too titillating for even Robyn to resist? As with everything at this event...that is for Dan to know, and you to find out!

May 12-13, 2017: 6 Guitars
Award-winning writer/performer Chase Padgett will premiere his original work, 6 Guitars, for Houston audiences May 12-17, 2017. 6 Guitars is a pitch perfect blend of music, comedy and characters. Chase Padgett delivers a virtuosic performance as he becomes 6 different guitar players-each with their own distinct voice, views and musical style (Blues, Jazz, Rock, Classical, Folk and Country). During this 85-minute show, each of the characters, ranging from a 19-year-old rock prodigy to an 87-year-old blues man, share their journey with music from discovery to mastery through songs and stories that leaves every audience laughing, crying and falling in love with music all over again. Co-written and directed by Jay Hopkins, 6 Guitars has won numerous fringe awards and has critics raving.

---

Lott Entertainment Presents' mission is to fill the void in the Houston performing arts scene by bringing shows from outside our city that push the boundaries of traditional theatre. With provocative, immersive and deliberately different works, we will provide Houstonians with a wide range of new experiences. Lott Entertainment Presents will bring shows from outside Houston that would not otherwise be seen in this city. Lott Entertainment Presents will utilize its traveling artists to enrich the lives of local artists by providing valuable educational programs such as audition workshops, singer/songwriter workshops and artist conversations. In addition, Lott Entertainment Presents is creating a National Network with partnerships in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin for developing artists. Our Artistic Advisors in each of those cities will help guide our students and provide connections to get them acclimated in a new city. For more information, visit www.lottentertainmentpresents.com.

The Alley Theatre, one of America's leading not-for-profit theatres, is a nationally recognized performing arts company lead by Artistic Director Gregory Boyd and Managing Director Dean R. Gladden. The Alley produces up to 16 plays each year in our newly renovated theatre, ranging from the best current work, to re-invigorated classic plays, to new plays by contemporary writers. The Alley is home to a Resident Company of actors. In addition, the Alley engages theatre-artists of every discipline - actors, designers, composers, playwrights - who work on individual productions throughout each season as Visiting Artists.
The current renovation of the Hubbard Theatre at the Alley was completed in October 2015 - and created a new 774 seat state-of-the-art performance venue. Matched with our 310-seat Neuhaus Theatre, the Alley offers nearly 450 performances each season. The Company reaches over 200,000 people each year through its performance and education programs. Our audience enrichment programs include pre-show and post-performance talks,events, and workshops for audience members of all ages. For more, go to www.alleytheatre.org.

Named for Public Theater founder Joe Papp, Joe's Pub at The Public opened in 1998 and plays a vital role in The Public's mission of supporting young artists while providing established artists with an intimate space and superior acoustics to perform and develop new work. Joe's Pub presents the best in live music and performance nightly, continuing its commitment to diversity, production values, community and artistic freedom. In addition, Joe's Pub features seasonal dinner and bar menus from acclaimed Chef Andrew Carmellini. As part of The Public's programming downtown at its Astor Place home, Joe's Pub showcases talent from all over the world, hosting approximately 800 shows and serving over 100,000 audience members annually. Joe's Pub also offers unique opportunities like New York Voices, an artist commissioning program that provides musicians (Allen Toussaint, Ethan Lipton, Toshi Reagon, Bridget Everett and more) resources and collaborators to develop new theatrical works; and PUB CLUB, the venue's new artist development program. For more information, visit www.joespub.com.

To post a comment, you must register and login.