I was just returning a message from mikol13 when I realized I'd written out a pretty comprehensive description of our latest production, which we added to our season directly after the election. The very same day we announced it The New Republic posted an article calling for an "immediate production" of this play. I've added one of my all-time favorite plays, THE DESIGNATED MOURNER, onto our season at the last minute as a result of how I felt after the election. I made the decision that night but at least 5 people contacted me before I announced saying, in the days following the election, "Time for The Designated Mourner!" or something like it. It's a play by Wallace Shawn who's known as a beloved character actor (think "Inconceivable!" in Princess Bride - that short bald funny actor writes incredible plays too). Those others that called for it gave me the assurances I needed that it wasn't just me. And only hours after we announced it, this article posted in The New Republic, blowing our minds: https://newrepublic.com/article/139306/revisiting-designated-mourner-age-trump The play is about politics but not American, partisan politics. It's a mystery that tells of an imagined future and how things went down in that dystopian future and it transcends questions of liberal v conservative. It's equally welcoming to Democrats, Republicans, and anyone in between. It's a rather deep experience but it is also wildly funny. It's told in a fascinating way, through interconnected monologues and shared scenes between three characters who are each telling the story, from their very different points of view, and it touches on love and sex and all sorts of personal things. In fact, it's more personal than political. It's tremendously funny though also scary. A mystery that seems to promise a bad ending but the ending too is a surprise and can be taken in any way. This is a play so precious to me that since it was published in '96 it became a habit of mine after a night of hard drinking to invite a few of my drunken friends over to read it out loud with me. That might sound like the opposite of fun, at the end of a night of too many drinks, but it was ALWAYS fun. I don't drink anymore so I don't do that anymore. But we have managed to put together an even better production than our first to play in an extremely short run, Thurs-Sun, Jan. 5-15. All tickets Pay-What-You-Can and all ticket revenues go to raising artist fees in 2017. More info here: https://matchouston.org/events/designated-mourner I hope you can make it to this one if you're in town. It's a special one that we've worked straight through the holidays to bring to our audience. Here's a Houston Press preview article: http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/ca...cas-meme-how-could-this-have-happened-9046461 And here's one from the Chronicle: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/ent...s-call-for-staging-of-Mourner-at-10826652.php
Finally making one, Batman, and congratulations! Just hope that the friend I hope to see it with doesn't present a complication. He doesn't know that he's going, not yet.
If you're able to make it, I'd love that, Deckard. If so send message so I'll know which performance you'll be at so I can be there to meet you after all these years, IRL. I think this is one you would appreciate especially much.
Major congrats on getting this put together, Batman, and on the early reviews! Very happy for you and will be telling some Houston buddies about it. Cheers.
How are these as far as attendance? My budget is a little tight these days, so I'd prefer to pay about $20, but I don't want to take a couple seats from folk who are willing to pay more. (as in if there is a better day with more limited attendance, I'd go that route.) Does that make sense?
It does make sense but we want you to come whichever night is best for you. Every night we have people paying above and below $20 a ticket. That's what our ticketing system is all about. Not special nights for "Pay-What-You-Want" but "Pay-What-You-Can" every night. For some people $50 is a lot of money. For other people $5 is. We don't intend to be a discount theatre and we aren't one. But as long as people pay what they "can" we consider that amount to be generous and want you to have the same choices as those that can pay more (and those that can't afford $20/ticket too). We want everyone to have the same access. For the same reason our tickets are always general admission. The best night to come is the night that's best for you. Ask for Jason at the door. I always love to meet a Clutchfan.
Congrats, Batman. I've probably said this before, but I really do admire (and envy....) people who are able to do what they truly love for a living, especially when it involves the arts.
