The Catastrophic Theatre Will Present BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS DISORDER World Premiere

The Catastrophic Theatre will present the world premiere of Beautiful Princess Disorder, a new play written by Kathy Ng and directed by Jason Nodler, running November 21–December 13, 2025, at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH).

Described by Ng as “a fuzzy-headed sibling drama for the only child,” Beautiful Princess Disorder is set in the parking lot of Heaven, where Triangle Person lives alongside Mother Teresa and Tilikum—the infamous killer whale from SeaWorld. God lives next door but never visits. Between conversations about the nature of existence, secrets, and the bureaucratic delay of the afterlife’s “processing,” these improbable companions reveal what they’ve learned about love, guilt, and time.

The production stars Amy Bruce as Mother Teresa, Kyle Sturdivant as Tilikum, and T Lavois Thiebaud as Triangle Person.

“The rules that govern Ng’s theatrical plane are expansive and unencumbered, allowing for freer association of impulses and ideas,” wrote The New York Times. “A queer sensibility in both form and content is evident throughout.”

Ng said of the collaboration, “I suppose one of the main reasons I write is because I cannot afford to believe that adventure is dead. Getting to work with Catastrophic and having that be my introduction to Texas—specifically Houston—has been a massive gift, and already one of the great adventures of my life.”

Director Jason Nodler added, “First it was Kathy’s voice—the strange collection of characters, the way the ground kept shifting beneath my feet. Laughter until my face and belly ached. It made me feel forgiven. If that’s not your scene, come for the wildness. You’ve never been to the sky before.”

CREATIVE TEAM

Scenic design is by Matt Fries, costume design by Macy Lyne, lighting design by Roma Flowers, properties by Lauren Davis, and original music, sound, and video design by James Templeton. Charlie Scott serves as assistant director and dramaturg. Matt Fries and Moon Papas provide scenic construction, with stage management by Tabitha Bounds and production management by Tamarie Cooper.

ABOUT KATHY NG

Kathy Ng (she/they) is a playwright, director, and teacher from Hong Kong whose work explores “stretchy human-adjacent spaces” and the creation of new theatrical languages. Her plays include Kingdom, Sky Rats, and happy life, which premiered at Walker Space in 2022. Ng is a New Georges Affiliated Artist, an alum of Clubbed Thumb’s Early-Career Writers’ Group, and a Friend of The Hearth. She holds a BA and MFA in playwriting from Brown University. https://kingyam.hotglue.me | Instagram: @animal_swimmer

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Performances take place at Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH), 3400 Main St.

• Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.

• Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.

• Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

• Special Monday performance: December 1 at 7:30 p.m.

All performances are Pay-What-You-Can! The production is recommended for ages 12 and older.

Houston Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. BRIGHT STAR (Spark Theater)

7.2% of votes

2. ROCK OF AGES (Standing Ovation Theatre)

6.2% of votes

3. THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA (The Sankofa Collective)

5.7% of votes

Vote Now!