Market House Theatre to Debut HEAT LIGHTNING, a Play on Memory and Choices

Market House Theatre will present the world premiere of Heat Lightning, a new play exploring memory, choice, and the paths not taken. The production marks the first public staging of the work and continues the theatre's commitment to developing original plays.

Heat Lightning centers on the idea that the choices we make early in life-and the way we remember them-can shape who we become. Through an intimate and reflective lens, the play asks what might happen if the past were given a chance to speak back.

"There isn't a person who hasn't considered, 'What if I had taken a different path?'" said director Kathy Pingel. "Plays help us explore hopes and dreams from a safe distance. Heat Lightning gives insight into 'What if I had chosen another life partner?' It's a dangerous daydream, but one shared by many."

Playwright Michael Cochran said the play grew out of thinking about how memory evolves over time. "We often don't accurately remember the formative events of our lives the way they actually happened," Cochran said. "Many of us change those memories to fit our current narrative."

According to Managing Artistic Director Ben Grimes, producing new work is central to the theatre's mission. "Producing new work-especially premieres-is important to Market House Theatre right now because it speaks directly to who we are and where we're headed," Grimes said. "Paducah is not just a place where stories are told-it's a place where they begin."

The production adds to Market House Theatre's history of staging original works, including Something Dark (now published as Cries in the Night), Eternity, The Christmas Book, Unpacking Mother, and Riot: Asbury Park, as well as hosting new play readings and development opportunities.