THEATRE + COMEDY

Obsidian Art Space and Van Reipen Collective with an assist from Mildred's Umbrella present Tender Buttons: A Derriere-Garde Rock & Cooking Cabaret with lyrics by Gertrude Stein, a theatrical cabaret performance performed by Cassandra Victoria Chopourian and Tender Buttons (the band), on November 25 and 26, 2011 at 8pm, at Obsidian Art Space, 3522 White Oak Dr Houston TX 77007.

TENDER BUTTONS weds the seminal modernist text of the same name by Gertrude Stein with the avant-alt-art rock score it was always meant to have. TENDER BUTTONS has been workshopped in New York City at the storied Medicine Show Theater, and has been performed overseas in London and in Leipzig, Germany, Houston's sister city, in July of 2011, as well as London.

The Leipzig Volkszeitung called it “a sexy rock and cooking show... fun.. a comic nightmare... avant-garde with a wink... “ and said it sounded as if Gertrude Stein had, “even back then, counted on her words finding a fitting expression in the work of Patti Smith or maybe Laurie Anderson.”

Much of the music is written by Houston native Gary Heidt, who will be playing guitar. Heidt is cofounder of Mammals of Zod ("masterpiece of post-Beefheart jamming and ambient psychedelia" Village Voice, "Deeply moving"- Signal to Noise), genERAlhoSPItal ("Emmet Otter's Jug Band to the Riverbottom Gang of the Music Industry"-- The Aquarian), Fist of Kindness, and co-author, with composer Evan Hause, of the Defenestration Trilogy ("Engrossing" Leighton Kerner in Opera News).

He is a nationally published poet and a founding member of the performance collective Lovesphere, which is currently in the 17th year of a 67 year performance project. This will be his first gig in Houston in over twenty years, when he was frontman for the band Devil Donkey, (“Great”- Houston Press) which used to play the Axiom, Fitzgerald's, Pick and Pack, the Apocalypse Monster Club and other joints.

The Immortal CASSANDRA VICTORIA CHOPOURIAN stars as Alice B. They will be joined by Raymond Seraphim Porter, another cofounder of Mammals of Zod, and singer for legendary Austin band The Water Margin. TENDER BUTTONS will also feature set elements and costumes by internationally renowned textile artist Bayard. 

For more info, videos, photos and music visit www.tender-buttons.com.

Photos by Martin Esters.