Patricia Duran News

Read Mildred's Umbrella artistic director Jennifer Decker and director Jon Harvey talk about the unique challenges posed by THE DROWNING GIRLS and the continued relevance of the story.

Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company (MU) is proud to present the regional premiere of The Drowning Girls, a modern interpretation and poetic retelling of the "Brides in the Bath" slayings in 20th century England. The work also examines the lengthy history of misogyny and domestic abuse in modern civilization.

Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company presents a reading of A HEROINE FREE SUMMER by local poet and playwright, Janet Lowery. The reading will be Monday, February 16, 2015 at 7:30pm at Studio 101, 1824 Spring Street, Houston, TX 77007. Directed by Chesley Krohn, the reading features Charles Krohn, Jennifer Decker, Patricia Duran, Christie Guidry, Elizabeth Seabolt-Esparza, Lyndsay Sweeney, Eddie Edge, and Darnea Olson.

Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company proudly presents the regional premiere of CLOUD TECTONICS by Jose Rivera, today, January 22 - February 7, 2015 at Studio 101, 1824 Spring Street, Houston, TX 77007.

Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company presents the regional premiere of CLOUD TECTONICSby Jose Rivera, January 22 - February 7, 2015 at Studio 101, 1824 Spring Street, Houston, TX 77007. The Show will be directed by Mildred's Artistic Director, and stars Patricia Duran, Greg Dean, and Darnea Olson.

CLOUD TECTONICS is an uncommon and complex love story.

Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company proudly presents the regional premiere of CLOUD TECTONICS by Jose Rivera, January 22 - February 7, 2015 at Studio 101, 1824 Spring Street, Houston, TX 77007. The Show will be directed by Mildred's Artistic Director, and stars Patricia Duran, Greg Dean, and Darnea Olson.

Provocative and prophetic, a puzzle waiting to be unraveled before the audience's eyes similar to a Gordian knot, the Boulevard Theatre on stage at Walkers Point Center for the Arts presents a limited run of Gideon's Knot, a Wisconsin premiere. Artistic Director Mark Bucher stages the play under the direction of Patricia Durante in this daring and unsettling view on the state of education in one small classroom set in Lake Forest, Illinois. Does a person cut this production's tragedies out of their thoughts or pull the answers to these probing questions in an attempt to understand perhaps this evolving microcosm of American education presented in the production.

Help celebrate Studio 101 Theatre Companies, Stark Nakes Theatre's and Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company's 2014-2015 exciting new seasons at Spring Street Studio's Throwback Thursday Event today, July 24th, 2014 from 5pm to 9pm!

Will Eno, who is currently enjoying his Broadway debut with THE REALISTIC JONESES at the Lyceum Theatre, won the 2010 Horton Foote Prize for Promising New American Play with his darkly comedic musings on the lives we lead between birth and death in his play MIDDLETOWN. With a solid Regional Premiere, The Catastrophic Theatre is gifting Houston audiences with a chance to experience the wry, philosophic work that celebrates the mundane.

The Catastrophic Theatre presents Middletown by Will Eno, running tonight, May 23 - June 14, 2014, Thursday - Saturday at 8pm. All tickets Pay-What-You-Can.

Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company has a successful history of presenting Houston audiences with bold and innovative theatre, offering patrons an altogether edgy theatre-going experience. In addition to their 2014-2015 mainstage season, Mildred's Umbrella has just kicked-off their four play series entitled The Women's Project with CASSANDRA by Katharine Sherman. The Women's Project will feature plays that are written by a female playwright, or contain thematic elements that explore the feminine perspective. Furthermore, a portion of proceeds from each of the productions in The Women's Project series will be donated to local charities dedicated to women's issues. Taking time out of her schedule, Artistic Director and Co-Founder Jennifer Decker, met with us to fill us in on what Houston Audiences can expect from Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company's 2014-2015 Season.

The Catastrophic Theatre presents Middletown by Will Eno, running May 23 - June 14, 2014, Thursday - Saturday at 8pm. All tickets Pay-What-You-Can.

If you have ever wondered what theatre by Chuck Palahniuk may be like, then ROME is definitely for you. If you're looking for interesting theatre that will give you plenty to mull over, then ROME is also for you. If you are looking for theatre that will discomfort you to the core of your being while making you laugh at things that you generally wouldn't laugh at, then ROME is for you too. All in all, the experimental ROME was a risk well worth taking.

Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company presents the WORLD premiere of Rome by John Harvey, March 6-22, 2014.

When attending a production at The Catastrophic Theatre, I always know I am in for a journey. My favorite aspect of this group is that each and every one of their productions is a risk-taking endeavor, guaranteeing Houston audiences access to fresh, cutting-edge presentations of theatrical craftsmanship. Their current production, the World Premiere of Mickle Maher's THE PINE was commissioned by The Catastrophic Theatre and funded in part by a grant awarded by The MAP Fund, a program of Creative Capital supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Unfortunately, THE PINE wasn't to my liking, but the opportunity to see something crafted with this company in mind is reason enough for anyone to attend a performance.

The Catastrophic Theatre is pleased to announce the world premiere of The Pine, a new play by the author of past Catastrophic favorites There is a Happiness That Morning Is, Spirits to Enforce, and The Strangerer, Mickle Maher. The Pine opens Friday, September 27 and runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 pm through October 19 at The Catastrophic Theatre, 1119 East Fwy, 77002.

For me, the appeal of avant-garde pieces of theatre is never knowing exactly what you're in for when the houselights dim and the show begins. For Houston audiences, Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company specializes in these kinds of productions, and their current presentation of Dawn King's FOXFINDER is no different. The play is set in a somewhat dystopian England. Heavy rains, floods, and illness have plagued the Covey farm for about six months and caused them to fall behind their government mandated production schedule. William Bloor, a foxfinder, is sent to the farm to investigate if Judith and Samuel Covey are suffering from contamination. What transpires during William Bloor's visit to the Covey farm invites audiences to explore the power of propaganda and belief as the characters' lives are permanently altered. The absorbing drama was the winner of the 2011 Papatango writing competition and earned Dawn King the Most Promising Playwright award at the 2012 Off West End Awards.

Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company presents the Houston premier of Foxfinder, by Dawn King, tonight, August 16-31, 2013. The production will be directed by Matt Huff and starring Patricia Duran, Michelle Edwards, Bobby Haworth and Kevin Lusignillo.