When you think of summer, you think of food, but rarely do you immediately think of thespians and theater. But why is that? Theaters are cool and dark, and they often seem like great places to escape the heat. In Houston, most theater companies run a season between September and May, and they leave the Summer open for light fare or things that are extras on their subscription packages. It’s almost like the movie industry in that a lot of June, July, and August are what you could call the more “fun family fare,” by contrast to the rest of the year. A prime example is THE WIZARD OF OZ, playing at the George, produced by AD Players. But don’t think that means other Houston theaters are not dishing up some really interesting performances that you do not want to miss! Here are some of my gourmet picks for July, August, and the very first week of September!
It’s never summer without Tamarie Cooper, who honestly embraces food like no other actress in town. She has written entire songs about egg rolls and Whataburgers, so it’s no surprise this time of year is her domain. Currently running at the MATCH is ANOTHER DING DANG TAMARIE SHOW, which is a musical sketch comedy showcase that dives into the world of how Tamarie creates a full-blown world premiere every year in Houston. Currently, she is at 29 and holding cooking up these plays! That is mind-boggling to consider how prolific she is! Tamarie is the cheeseburger of summer, always.
Next up, opening on July 11th, is Alley Theatre’s production of Agatha Christie’s Mirror Crack’d. Now, Agatha Christie is a standard summer tradition like ice cream for this company, but this time out, Hercule Poirot or Doyle's Sherlock Holmes is nowhere to be found. Instead, we have a spine-tingling mystery starring Miss Marple, and Houston icon Susan Koozin will be the master sleuth this time. Susan is always a scrumptious treat onstage, and I can’t wait to see her play cat and mouse in a stylish murder mystery. Whip out the tea and scones, everybody! The Alley company cast rounds out the usual suspects, and this one should be deliciously devilish. If you get a chance, watch the 1980 film adaptation either before or after this one, and let’s see how Susan compares to Angela Lansbury. The story has two rival actresses going at each other, so the Alley will savor this one like a hot dog with relish!
If you are looking for some Italian, the Sankofa Collective is bringing LIGHT AT THE PIAZZA to the stage on August 8th. This one is a special version that will feature an all-black cast bringing to life the lyrical vacation of a lifetime. It’s about a wealthy Southern woman and her daughter who visit Florence in the 1950s. This production will be running only for one weekend at the Spring Street Studios and features some of the best singers the city of Houston has to offer. It will be like pasta cooked to perfection!
A brand new theater company called The Phoenix Group is going to take on Young Jean Lee’s PULLMAN, WA. They will run it at the MATCH starting on August 14th, and it is a play about a self-help seminar that goes REALLY wrong. This is a regional premiere for this script as well as the company’s debut production. This should be a hilarious and thought-provoking outing, and so I liken it to a deep-dish pizza with so many ingredients you can’t even list them all.
But the main course I am awaiting happens right near the end of Summer, when we get to September 2nd. Houston Broadway Theatre is bringing AMERICAN PSYCHO to the Hobby Center for its regional premiere. This show has music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik and a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and BOTH are going to be involved in this production to help workshop it a little before they take it back to London. This will be the chance of a lifetime to end your summer dining with the always elegant psychopath, Patrick Bateman. Houston Broadway Theatre knows how to throw a killer dinner party that will make you want to go back to school.
These are my picks for the summer in Houston, but true to our city of dining options, you have tons of other fare to choose from. Don't forget THE WIZARD OF OZ hits AD Players on Friday, July 11th, Main Street Theatre has THE 39 STEPS for July 12th, Art Factory cranks out HAIRSPRAY starting on July 25th, and LEGALLY BLONDE appears at Playhouse 1960 starting on August 1st. It’s an endless buffet of theater around here, and this is the perfect summer to enjoy it. All of these houses have plenty of air conditioning, cold beverages, and even snacks to tide you over in the second act. Who needs the beach when there are spotlights to chase?