Houston’s best theater of 2018, so far
The first half of 2018 should have been a difficult year for Houston’s theater scene. We still feel the invisible toll of Hurricane Harvey, and arts organizations in the city continue to grapple with a projected three-year financial slump. Nevertheless, our city’s theatrical artists bounced back to life. Despite everything, they presented provocative, original work. They risked further budget strain by presenting potentially money-losing (but culturally important) endeavors. They thrilled and entertained us, made us laugh and think. They gave us either an escape hatch from the craziness of the outside world or a new pathway to connect to our community.
Theater, much of it presented by the city’s small to midsized organizations, has been really, really good this year. Not always. But often in unexpected ways. There has been so much work that didn’t have to be nearly as sparkling, original or downright entertaining as it has been.
With that in mind, here are the best theater productions of 2018 in Houston, so far:
“We Are Proud to Present …” — Stages Repertory Theatre
The best theater production of 2018 so far wasn’t just a challenging exploration of the problems that arise in telling a story about genocide. Directed by Alice Gatling and featuring Michelle Elaine, Chasen Parker, Joe Palmore, Camryn Nunley, Aaron Ruiz and Laura Menzie, “We Are Proud to Present …” was also a great showcase of performance. The six actors made the stage feel alive in an interplay of background and foreground while making all of us feel very, very uncomfortable (in a good way).
“Men on Boats” — Main Street Theater
What a wonderful, pure piece of storytelling. “Men on Boats,” directed by Philip Hays, gave the real-life account of the first government-sanctioned expedition into the Grand Canyon a larger-than-life, Indiana Jones-esque feeling without using any special effects. Celeste Roberts was terrific as John Wesley Powell, as were Mai Le, Candice D’Meza and Patricia Duran playing some of the other members of Powell’s ragtag group.
“The Strangerer” — Catastrophic Theatre
The Catastrophic Theatre restaged its 2008 production of Mickle Maher’s absurd take on George W. Bush at a time when absurdity feels especially appropriate in portraying American politics. Charlie Scott directed this three-man showcase of slapstick, dark humor and incomprehensible symbolism, featuring vivacious performances from Troy Schulze as a droopy-eyed John Kerry, Paul Locklear as a devilish and poetic George Bush and Sean Patrick Judge as the hilariously robotic Jim Lehrer.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” — Ensemble Theatre
The Ensemble once again validated its reputation as the reigning champion of August Wilson productions. Eileen Morris directed a knowing, confident production of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” that gave Timothy Eric, who played the 1920s trumpet player Levee, room to express a chemical brew of swagger, remorse, trauma and tragic masculine pride.
“Replica” — Stages Repertory Theatre
It takes a special kind of theater company to stage a lowbrow musical about strippers in Florida (“The Great American Trailer Park Musical”) at the same time as a sci-fi world premiere about the existential ramifications of cloning. “Replica” was the latter production, an exquisite thought experiment about identity and sacrifice directed by Seth Gordon and starring real-life identitical twins, Julie and Janna Cardia.
“An Iliad” — Main Street Theater
Main Street Theater’s continued partnership with Guy Roberts and the Prague Shakespeare Company is easy to get behind. Roberts’ performance as a narrator in “An Iliad,” directed by Rebecca Udden and Roberts, gave the classic story about the Trojan War an emotional heft and a rare sense of personal intimacy.
“Caught” — Landing Theatre Company
Christopher Chen’s “Caught” should be required viewing/reading for anyone interested in how American playwrights are reacting to our combustible, complicated modern world. Stephen Miranda directed this mind-bending intellectual journey that challenged the audience, act after act, to confront its assumed frameworks for truth and culture.