Kyle Sturdivant News

Tamarie Cooper's OLD AS HELL is meh. NOT! In fact, this year's offering in the cherished tradition of Houston theatre's summer line-up sparkles with clever wit and ebullient hilarity. This may only be my second summer to see a Tamarie Cooper musical, but in so many ways I found this one better than last year's raucously irreverent DOOMSDAY REVUE. Maybe with one Tamarie Cooper show under my belt, I had a better idea of what to expect. Maybe like a good wine Tamarie Cooper is only getting better with age. Or maybe it's both. Regardless, I sincerely wish I had been there to see them all.

The Catastrophic Theatre is currently reviving Mickle Maher's THERE IS A HAPPINESS THAT MORNING IS by popular demand. The show originally had its Houston premiere in 2009, and apparently was quite a sensation. At Friday night's opening night performance of this run, I instantly saw why.

The Catastrophic Theatre(TCT) opened their new season at their new Catastrophic Theatre space with an astounding production of Samuel Beckett's stark tragicomedy WAITING FOR GODOT. The company has used the performance space in the past in collaboration with DiverseWorks, but the 1119 East Freeway location is now solely theirs, giving them a fantastic home to present their fascinating work.

The Catastrophic Theatre has announced the first play of its 5th Anniversary Season: Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.

The Catastrophic Theatre has announced the first play of its 5th Anniversary Season: Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.

The Catastrophic Theatre's fifth anniversary season is also the twentieth anniversary of artistic director Jason Nodler and associate director Tamarie Cooper's first collaboration for the stage. And if that weren't cause enough for celebration already it is also Catastrophic's inaugural season in its new facility at 1119 E. Freeway.

It is the mission of The Catastrophic Theatre to destroy audiences with impressive and unique theatre. Unfortunately, the World Premiere of FLEAVEN only destroys audiences by sending them out into the world wondering what was missing. At 27 years old, I thought maybe it was not living through the Disco era that left me benumbed by the performance. However, it's disco era vibe pastiche is fleshed out with 90s inspired rap beats and cultural references from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Furthermore, my parents' eclectic tastes in everything pop-cultural ensured that I had a strong understanding of many things I did not live through. So, simply put, that wasn't it. The problem was that despite laughing out loud at a few outlandish and genuinely humorous moments, I simply was not moved in any emotionally tangible way. From beginning to end, I felt no emotional connection to this Grinchian tale? (Think of Grinchian as being similar to Faustian, but with Dr. Suess' Grinch.)

Tamarie Cooper's magnificent production of her fifteenth annual original piece, DOOMSDAY REVUE (the greatest musical ever!), proves that Houston has a wealth of artistic talent. Moreover, The Catastrophic Theatre in coordination with Tamarie Cooper is stacked with innumerable bankrolls of local talent.