Main Street Theater Examines Politics And The Corrosive Power Of Ambition in DAISY

Main Street Theater continues its 42nd Season with the Regional Premiere of Daisy by Sean Devine. "Daisy is a story that, through history's irritating tendency to repeat itself, resonates so deeply with our current moment that it should be required viewing for all registered voters." --Seattle Weekly

"It's a lens into our current world," says playwright Sean Devine. "I'm thrilled that Main Street Theater has found currency in this story as America prepares for its next rounds of mid-term and presidential elections in the era of Trump, Fake News, and the undiscovered enemies that lay temporarily out of sight. We must remain vigilant, and informed. As Edward Murrow said, 'A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.'"

Daisy has 4 preview performances: Sunday, March 25 at 3pm, and Wednesday - Friday, March 28 - 30 at 7:30pm. The production opens Saturday night, March 31 at 7:30pm and runs through April 29 at MST - Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd. There are no performances April 1 or April 28. There is an added performance Wednesday, April 25 at 7:30pm.

Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $36 - $45, depending on date, section, and availability. All tickets are on sale via phone at 713.524.6706 or online at MainStreetTheater.com.

More about Daisy

It is the fall of 1964. With a presidential election looming, a group of advertisers working for Lyndon B. Johnson unleash the most infamous political commercial ever conceived: the "Daisy" ad. It played only once, but it carved a scar deep into the American psyche. Based on actual people and events, Daisy explores the power of manipulation and the moment in television history that launched the age of negative ad campaigns -- and forever changed how we elect our leaders.

Winner of the BroadwayWorld Seattle Critic's Choice Award for Best New Play (2016). Nominated for Seattle's Gregory Award for Outstanding New Play (2016)

Part of the Art Series Events for Daisy

• Saturday, March 31 at 6:30pm: Opening Night Pre-Show Discussion with playwright Sean Devine. Free. RSVP to shannon@mainstreettheater.com
• Sunday, April 15 following the matinee: John Lienhard, originator of Engines of Our Ingenuity and Professor Emeritus of Engineering and History at the University of Houston will give a talk followed by a discussion with the artists and audience. Free and open to all. No need to RSVP.
• Free After-Parties every Saturday night following the performance.

About Sean Devine

Sean Devine is a Canadian playwright, actor, and artistic director of Horseshoes & Hand Grenades Theatre. His play DAISY premiered at Seattle's ACT Theatre in 2016, and has since been published by Dramatists Play Service and Talonbooks. His first play Re:Union was published by Scirocco Drama, played at Ottawa's Magnetic North Theatre Festival in 2015, and then got its US premiere at Yale Cabaret in 2017. His most recent play When There's Nothing Left to Burn won the University of Lethbridge's "Fiction at Fifty" playwriting competition, and got its premiere at the University of Lethbridge in 2017. Sean is a Program Officer at the Canada Council for the Arts, ad ran for office in the 2015 Canadian federal election. He lives in Ottawa with his wife Alexa and their four kids.

About the Production

Troy Scheid directs the production. Ms. Scheid most recently directed MST's production of Akeelah and the Bee. The cast is Rutherford Cravens (who recently had a role in Oscar-winner Get Out and was in MST's production of Enemies earlier this season at MST), Brandon C. Balque, Aaron Echegaray, Rachael Logue, Jonathan Gonzalez, and Rhett Martinez.

The production design team and crew include Jodi Bobrovsky (Set Design), David Gipson (Lighting Design), Paige Willson (Costume Design), Jacob Sanchez (Sound Design), and Rodney Walsworth (Properties Design). Debs Ramser is the production stage manager.

About Main Street Theater

Main Street Theater provides theater experiences for all ages. Founded in 1975, our MainStage produces professional, intimate, literary plays for adults and operates under an Actors' Equity Association union contract; our Theater for Youth produces professional, engaging productions based on children's literature for families and school groups, both in-house and on tour around Texas; and we offer Education and Outreach programs on-site and at satellite locations around the Greater Houston area for youth aged 4 - high school. We work out of 2 facilities: our Rice Village home on Times. Blvd., and as part of the MATCH (Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston) on Main Street.

Main Street Theater is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for not-for-profit theaters, of Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (formerly ASSITEJ), the world theatre network of theatre for children and young people, and a founding member of Houston Arts Partners. Main Street Theater is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, and the Texas Commission on the Arts. United Airlines is the official airline of Main Street Theater.

Photo: Bill Bernbach (Rutherford Cravens) and Louise Brown (Rachael Logue)

Photo by RicOrnelProductions