Greg Dean News

Catastrophic Theatre has announced its 2020-21 season.

Block out the bad news with BroadwayWorld Houston's pick of the week! First, watch Catastrophic Theatre's THE HUNCHBACK VARIATIONS. Then join the playwright Mickle Maher, director and actor Greg Dean, actor Jeff Miller and more for an engaging Q&A talk back, moderated by the director of UH School of Theatre & Dance, Dr. Rob Shimko

Laiona Michelle, writer and star of the critically acclaimed LITTLE GIRL BLUE: THE NINA SIMONE MUSICAL, which enjoyed a record-breaking sold-out run in 2019, will return to George Street Playhouse for one night only on Thursday, March 19th at 7:30 pm. AN EVENING WITH LAIONA MICHELLE, at George Street's new home in the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, will celebrate the music of Nina Simone and classic Broadway.  

Rec Room Arts continues its fourth season with the Obie-Award winning play, Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Julia Oppenheim Traber. This riveting Houston premiere begins previews March 26, with an official press opening on Saturday, March 28, followed by an opening reception at Rec Room's Bar. Performances will run through April 18.

Singe/Writer/Actor Laiona Michelle, makes a triumphant return to the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ, for a one-night only concert, An Evening with Laiona Michelle. The concert will celebrate Black History Month and Women's History Month - and pay special tribute to the life and music of the High Priestess of Soul, Nina Simone. The evening will include a selection of Broadway classics and will highlight some of Nina's most iconic hits - from Feeling Good and My Baby Just Cares for Me to Little Girl Blue and more. Tickets for this special event, taking place on Thursday, March 19th at 7:30 PM, are currently available at www.georgestreetplayhouse.org.

Broadway veteran Laiona Michelle, writer and star of the critically acclaimed Little Girl Blue - The Nina Simone Musicala?"which enjoyed a record-breaking sold-out run in 2019a?"will return to George Street Playhouse March 19 for a momentous one night concert at George Street's new home in the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, celebrating the music of Nina Simone and classic Broadway.

Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company (MU) continues their 2019-2020 season with LADIES' NIGHT WITH SAMUEL BECKETT, January 9-18,2020 at Rec Room, 100 Jackson St. #130c, Houston, TX 77002.

The Alley Theatre's Alley All New Festival, January 16 - 26, 2020, features new plays from some of the most exciting voices in contemporary theatre. The Festival programming includes workshop performances, readings, and an Early Draft Preview.

The Alley Theatre's Alley All New Festival, January 16 a?" 26, 2020, features new plays from some of the most exciting voices in contemporary theatre. The Festival programming includes workshop performances, readings, and an Early Draft Preview.

Claire Barron's edgy comedy/drama centers on a small, slightly dysfunctional family and their problems, the biggest of which is a massive storm system moving relentlessly their way.

Broadway's Future Songbook Series - presented by Arts and Artists of Tomorrow - continues its 2019-20 season on Monday, November 25th in the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center located at 111 Amsterdam Avenue and 65th Street. Produced and Hosted by John Znidarsic, the evening spotlights the new musical - MANDELA. Show time is 6PM and ADMISSION IS FREE.

Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company (MU) continues their 2019-2020 season with LADIES' NIGHT WITH SAMUEL BECKETT, January 9-18,2020 at Rec Room, 100 Jackson St. #130c, Houston, TX 77002.

It wasn't the comedy of broadcasters who have absolutely no information to share but share it anyway that stayed with me, nor was it watching each of these characters disintegrate into their lowest common denominators as they desperately cling to order. It was instead in their attempts, on the last night of the world, to stay connected. They hold on to their microphones (quite literally) and to each other and their unseen audiences to their last coherent moment, 'speaking to keep loneliness at bay'.

Tamarie Cooper Directs The Catastrophic Theatre's Season Opener, TRAGEDY, A TRAGEDY 

Rec Room Arts' 201819 season wraps up with the spellbinding adaptation of Georg B chner's Woyzeck. Artistic Director, Matt Hune and exciting young writer, Maurielle McGarvey have re-invented B chner's 19th century tragedy into a jaw-dropping thriller set in modern suburbia. Performances begin July 17 and continue through August 3 (see schedule).

Mildred's Umbrella offers some interesting collaborations and some off-the-beaten path projects, as we continue our quest for a new permanent space. As you might have heard, the space we were calling home was sold to developers, leaving our little company homeless for the time being. However, we wouldn't let a little thing like that stop us from creating a season of projects that we think will keep our audiences engaged and our artists creating while we look for a new home. "We've been a gypsy company before" said Artistic Director Jennifer Decker. "We will not be doing as many full blown productions, but we can still create amazing art in different spaces while we look for a new home. Great art can happen anywhere."

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Take a moment, grab your coffee, and catch up on the latest Broadway news!

A private, invitation only industry reading of the new musical Mandela will be held on Thursday, March 14 and Friday, March 15, 2019. Mandela has music and lyrics by two South African composer/lyricists signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Greg Dean Borowsky and Shaun Borowsky, with a book by Laiona Michelle (Little Girl Blue: The Nina Simone Musical). This reading is directed by Schele Williams (Rent, Motown: The Musical), with music direction by Alvin Hough, Jr. (Once On This Island). Fifth Estate Entertainment (Nathan Gehan/Jamison Scott) serves as general manager for the reading. The reading will be attended by Nandi Mandela, Nelson Mandela's granddaughter, on behalf of the Mandela family who have officially partnered with the show.

Horse Head Theatre Co. (HH) is proud to continue our 9th Season with a free staged reading of ADVANCE MAN by Abe Koogler at Comedy Sportz (2201 Preston St., Houston 77003) on Monday October 8, 2018 at 8pm, directed by Rachael Logue. Featuring a cast of eleven actors; modern dancers from Frame Dance, choreographed by Lydia Hance; live original music and foley sound by Alli Villines (Horse Head's We're Gonna Die); and live lighting by J. Mitchell Cronin; Horse Head continues their 2018 experiment for what a staged reading could be.

Rec Room Arts opens their 2018 - 2019 season with Exit Strategy by Ike Holter. Set in Chicago, the play tells the story of a fictional public high school slated for closure at the end of the year. Despite funding cuts, bureaucrats run amok, apathy, and a rodent infestation, a small, multiracial group of teachers launch a last-minute effort to save the school, and put their careers, futures, and safety in the hands of a fast-talking administrator who may be in way over his head. The tenuous situation also raises fears and anxieties among students and within the volcanic neighborhood that surrounds the school.