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theatre

What it is to be an Active Witness: T Lavois Thiebaud and Jason Nodler Talk Collaboration and the Catastrophic Theatre’s ‘4.48 Psychosis’

Posted on January 8, 2022

I first learned of the playwright Sarah Kane through Houston’s Catastrophic Theatre and founder Jason Nodler in 2011, just a few months after I embarked on a dance theater collaboration with a contemporary ballet and dance theater company I had followed avidly for many years. I was running off the high of what the best collaborative relationships can be. It was through that collaboration that I would meet and date one of the actors cast in the Catastrophic Theatre’s production…

The Alley Theatre’s ‘1984’ is Ghastly. It’s Also Necessary Viewing.

Posted on March 17, 2020

A photo of the Alley Theatre's production of 1984.

There is no doubt that the events of George Orwell’s magnum opus 1984 speak volumes in today’s political climate. The trouble is that both sides of the aisle will claim that the other is Big Brother and that they, the people on either side, are poor Winston. It is for this reason that out actor Todd Waite, who plays one of the party members in the Alley Theatre’s stage adaptation, offers a coy societal explanation. “For the LGBTQ community, there…

‘Shenandoah’ at Serenbe: Out Theatre Director Brian Clowdus’ Civil War-Era Drama is a Triumph

Posted on April 4, 2019

Out theatre director and immersive experience extraordinaire Brian Clowdus doesn’t ask how before laying down a grand plan. The Atlanta-area theatrical pioneer first entered the national spotlight for using an actual helicopter in Serenbe Playhouse’s production of Miss Saigon; he then graced Spectrum South in August 2018 when he sank the set and sent actors plummeting beneath the waves in Serenbe’s Titanic.…

Breaking the Silence: ‘Azul’ Centers Queer Cuban Experience in New Orleans World Premiere

Posted on April 2, 2019

Telling stories about the nuances of queer female sexuality is the core of playwright Christina Quintana’s craft. In an essay about her play Scissoring, Quintana writes: “I love women, I love lesbians, I believe in stories about queer women of color more than anything.” This passion is precisely where Quintana draws inspiration for her latest play, Azul, which receives its world premiere at Southern Rep Theatre in New Orleans from March 27 to April 14, 2019. The production is a…

Photo Recap: Spectrum South Sunday at ‘Bootycandy’

Posted on March 1, 2019

A photo of Spectrum South at Bootycandy.

The Spectrum South Sunday performance of Robert O’Hara’s Bootcandy was held on February 24, 2019 at The Catastrophic Theatre. Autobiographical in nature, Bootycandy uses O’Hara’s experiences growing up Black and queer to dramatize the story of Sutter, a young gay man who takes us on a whirlwind journey through the homes, churches, dive bars, motel rooms, and nursing homes that marked his childhood. The subversive comedy is a fast-paced, eclectic memory piece in which scenes, sermons, and sketches from Sutter’s childhood come together to comment on how being Black…

Veer Queer Episode 22: Getting Sweet with Bootycandy

Posted on February 14, 2019

Mai and Julien sit down with the Catastrophic Theatre to talk about Bootycandy, a production that is loosely based on playwright Robert O'Hara life and explores the complicated layers of growing up Black and queer.…

Growing Up Black and Queer: The Catastrophic Theatre Presents Robert O’Hara’s ‘Bootycandy’

Posted on February 5, 2019

Recent years have seen a rise in mainstream discussions centered on queer Black masculinity. Frank Ocean’s lyrics hinted at his queerness before the rapper opened up about the subject. Actress and writer Issa Rae’s Insecure questioned how women view Black men who have had sexual experiences with other men. Jaden Smith disrupted traditional notions of masculinity by playing with gender presentation before ultimately coming out as queer in 2018. And, perhaps the most landmark cultural production about the subject, director…

Photo Recap: Spectrum South Night at Stages ‘Swimming While Drowning’

Posted on October 18, 2018

The Spectrum South Night performance of Emilio Rodriguez's Swimming While Drowning was held on October 17, 2018 at Stages Repertory Theatre.…

Let’s Get Kinky, Houston: Halloween Magic’s Queer Political Satire Returns

Posted on October 17, 2018

It was 1988 and the AIDS crisis had not yet peaked. The future was uncertain and frankly, terrifying. While some might freeze when faced with such unimaginable adversity, others organize. Houston owes it to the minds of those like Tori Williams, who, in 1988, helped conceptualize Halloween Magic. What began as a dinner party in the late 1980s would grow into a large theatrical production in the early 1990s—an endeavor that has since raised over $1 million toward fighting HIV/AIDS…

Flipping The Script: Playwright Emilio Rodriguez Centers Queer Marginalized Stories

Posted on September 14, 2018

A photo of queer playwright Emilio Rodriguez.

Out playwright Emilio Rodriguez is from everywhere and nowhere. His youth was spent all over the United States, as his father’s position in the military uprooted the family every few years. He shares experiences with so many—but his roots are nowhere to be found.…

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