THE LARAMIE PROJECT to be performed at Holocaust Museum Houston June 24 thru July 24, 2010
THE LARAMIE PROJECT is based on interviews with the Laramie community after Matthew Shepard (a 21 year old gay student from the University of Wyoming) died after being severely beaten and hung on a fence to die. The two young assailants received life sentences. The incident became an international case about hate crimes. There was an outpouring of candlelight vigils across the county during Matthew’s short hospital stay, praying for his recovery. The interviews were conducted by members of Tectonic Theater Project, a theater company from NYC. The play has won all kinds of awards and has been produced internationally, at regional theaters, schools, colleges and universities. It was also made into a film, produced by HBO.
THE NEW CENTURY by Paul Rudnick, who is perhaps the best comedy playwright of this or any other century. Theatre New Wesdt produced his play THE MOST FABULOUS STORY EVER TOLD in 2002 and it was a huge hit, held over twice and ran for 3 months. The Houston Press named it the BEST GAY-THEMED PLAY of the year.
THE NEW CENTURY is a provocative and outrageous comedy with heart. It consists of 4 sections: the first PRIDE AND JOY, is a monologue given by Helene, a Long Island matron, the self proclaimed "most loving mother of all time to her three gay children, followed by MR. CHARLES CURRENTLY OF PALM BEACH, about an aging homosexual who is hounded out of New York by younger gay men, who finds his theatrical style a threatening throw back to an earlier, tougher time. Mr. Charles retreats to Palm Beach where he stars in his own cable show titled "Too Gay". The 3rd piece is CRAFTY, about Barbara Ellen, a Midwestern craftswomen who has lost a son to AIDS (sounds grim but is warm and humorous). The final section, THE NEW CENTURY, all the characters from the first 3 sections collide at a New Your City hospital, under surprising and comical circumstances, providing evidence of just where our our new century might be headed.
THE NEW CENTURY has a brilliant cast, starring: Taavi Mark (*Dirty Little Showtunes, Key West, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Bent, The Timekeepers) Josephine John (*One tit, a Dyke & Gin, Lost Redemption), Julie Oliver (*Women Behind Bars) and Rachel Moore (debut with TNW) *denotes previous production with TNW.
Location: Sirrom Studio
5570 Weslayan at Bissonnet (between Randalls & Walgreens, plenty of parking)
Opening March 3, then running Friday and Saturdays thru April 3, with no performances on March 5, and March 20, and a Sunday matinee on March
Curtain: Opening 7:30PM, Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00PM, Sunday performance @ 4:00PM
Tickets: $20, Seniors 62 and over and Students with ID $15 Groups of 20 or more tickets are $15
Reservations and Information 713-522-2204 contact: Joe Watts 713-522-2204 or 713-201-3961
The Reviews are in and we're a hit!
"Century finds laughs in gay identity, parental response...Theatre New West is presenting the play's Houston premiere...spirited...in it's good-humored performances...Joe Watts has directed the rendition with relaxed rapport and lively pace..." Everett Evans-Houston Chronicle
"As directed by Joe Watts for Theatre New West, the show holds together and is both amusing and tender...the characters are clever...the performers are clearly enjoying themselves and it's impossible not to smile at Rudnick's one-liners." Lee Williams-Houston Press
"Joe Watts has beautifully cast the Theatre New West production and he solidly directs his talented actors with precision and sensitivity...I wouldn't miss this divinely decadent dose of delectable theater if I were you." Buzz Belmont, Houston Chronicle Blog
"Kudos to director Joe Watts and the quintet of actors who shine throughout the play... The New Century was proof positive that laughter can cure heartache without hitting us on the head that love is the answer. Laugh. Cry. It's the new century. Seize it today." Donalevan Maines-OutSmart Magazine
SOME MEN by Terrence McNally
Venue TBA
TO BE RESCHEDULED
SOME MEN is Tony Award-winner Terrence McNally at is best. Often funny and sometimes touching. SOME MEN looks at same-sex life and love against a background of some of the events that shaped the last century.
“A chronicle of gay life in America over the past eighty years…a lively invaluable, fast moving history lesson that manages to instruct and entertain at the same time. Emotionally compelling, often quite funny…” Associated Press
