Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company Announces 2017-18 Season

Featuring three Houston premieres by women playwrights and a returning collection of gothic shorts, Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company's 2017-2018 season promises to bring something for everyone to its stage.

The season opens this July with Lauren Yee's award-winning IN A WORD, followed by FEATHERS AND TEETH from acclaimed writer and actress Charise Castro Smith in the fall. In January the season continues with WELL from Tony-award winner Lisa Kron and then Don Nigro's collection of shorts selected from TALES FROM THE RED ROSE INN, which was previously produced by Mildred's Umbrellas in 2007. The season wraps up with the company's 10th annual MUSEUM OF DYSFUNCTION short play festival highlighting new works by emerging and established playwrights from Texas and beyond.

"For the upcoming season, we are getting 'back to basics' and featuring works that accentuate our unique place in Houston theater," said Artistic Director Jennifer Decker. "In other words, these productions feature all of the elements our audiences have come to associate with Mildred's Umbrella: sharp, quirky writing; unique characters and stories; and poetic, often surreal imagery and sound - all presented by our amazing pool of local artists who are second to none in the Houston area."

IN A WORD (JULY 27 - AUGUST 12, 2017)

By: Lauren Yee

Directed by: Troy Scheid

Where: STUDIO 101 - 1824 Spring Street, Houston, TX 77007

When: July 27 - 29, August 3 - 5, August 10 - 12 at 8 p.m.

Special matinee on August 6 at 3 p.m.

Pay-What-You-Can night on August 7 at 8 p.m.
Today is the two-year anniversary of Fiona's son's disappearance, and still, nothing makes sense to her. Not her blasé husband, the incompetent detective, or the neighborhood kidnapper who keeps introducing himself in the checkout line. As Fiona delves back into her memories of that fateful day, to uncover that crucial missing piece, grief and comedy collide, and ordinary turns of phrase take on dangerous new meanings. (From laurenyee.com.)

FEATHERS AND TEETH (OCTOBER 19 - NOVEMBER 4, 2017)

By: Charise Castro Smith

Directed by: Jacey Little

Where: STUDIO 101 - 1824 Spring Street, Houston, TX 77007

When: October 19 - 21, October 26 - 28, November 2 -4 at 8 p.m.

Special matinee on October 29 at 3 p.m.

Pay-What-You-Can night on October 30 at 8 p.m.
Home-sweet-home turns into a haunted house for thirteen-year-old Chris when Carol-her father's new fiancée-moves in. Struggling with the recent death of her mother, Chris is convinced Carol is evil, but she just can't persuade Dad. When a mysterious, potentially dangerous but kind of cute creature is found in the family's backyard, Chris assumes it's a sign from above to eliminate Carol once and for all. This imaginative, bone-chilling, and wildly funny play brings the notion of dysfunctional family drama to sensationally scary heights. (from dramatists.com)

WELL (JANUARY 18 - FEBRUARY 3, 2018)

By: Lisa Kron

Directed by: Bree Bridger

Where: STUDIO 101 - 1824 Spring Street, Houston, TX 77007

When: January 18 - 20, January 25 - 27, February 1 - 3 at 8 p.m.

Special matinee on January 28 at 3 p.m.

Pay-What-You-Can night on January 29 at 8 p.m.

Well is a funny and touching comedy about mothers and daughters, mind over body, social activism and theatre itself. Lisa, the onstage playwright, attempts a memory play about her force-of-nature mother, Ann, who though constantly ill manages to heal a community. Besides Lisa and her mom, the show presents doctors and fellow patients at the hospital to which Lisa goes when she finds herself beset by the same sort of disabling allergies as her mother. We are also introduced to residents of the Lansing area, which Ann Kron organized to become a community. (From stageagent.com)

DARK MATTER (MARCH 29 - APRIL 14, 2018)

By: Don Nigro

Directed by: Jennifer Decker and Miranda Herbert

Where: STUDIO 101 - 1824 Spring Street, Houston, TX 77007

When: March 29 - 31, April 5 - 7, April 12 - 14 at 8 p.m.

Special matinee on April 8 at 3 p.m.

Pay-What-You-Can night on April 9 at 8 p.m.

This darkly humorous anthology of plays focused on female protagonists by Don Nigro includes Tales from the Red Rose Inn, Lucy and the Mystery of the Vine-Encrusted Mansion, Higgs Field, The Malefactor's Bloody Register, Darkness Like a Dream, Wharburton's Cook, Things that go Bump in the Night, and Uncle Clete's Toad.

MUSEUM OF DYSFUNCTION X (JUNE 21 - 30, 2018)

Various Playwrights

Directors: TBD

Where: STUDIO 101 - 1824 Spring Street, Houston, TX 77007

When: June 21 - 23, June 28 - 30 at 8 p.m.

The 2017-18 season will wrap up with the tenth annual showcase of original shorts: MUSEUM OF DYSFUNCTION X. This year submissions will be sourced from both emerging and established playwrights, with a portion of the slots reserved for high school and college level playwrights to highlight the newest talent our region has to offer. The plays will be read blind by local authors and directors and 20 with the highest scores will be selected by the Mildred's Umbrella artistic team to be performed by the professional actors of MUTC. As always, this summer festival of new works is pay-what-you-can.

Tickets and Umbrella Pass subscriptions go on sale May 15, 2017 at www.mildredsumbrella.com. For more information, call 832-463-0409 or send an e-mail info@mildredsumbrella.com.

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