THEATRE + COMEDY

Theatre Southwest presents the 15th Annual Festival of Originals. Produced by Mimi Holloway. July 20 – August 4, Fridays & Saturdays, 8 pm and Sunday July 29 at 3 pm.

5 previously unproduced plays by 5 playwrights with 5 directors and 5 casts. Always a delight!

This year's plays (in no particular order):

Instant Harmony by Joe Starzyk
directed by Jay Menchaca
What happens when love is left to the internet? No matter how many elements of compatibility are arranged can one truly find love online? Those are the questions that Instant Harmony explores. The audience is given an up close look at the foibles of online dating.

Sweet Jesus by George J. Bryjak
directed by Lisa Schofield
An Iraq/Afghanistan vetran new to the homeless life, and a long time street person prepare to spend a cool Novermber night in an urban park. Contemplating another cold winter on the streets, or the certainty of mulitiple sexual assualts in a homeless shelter, she makes an unusual and startling request.

Downtime by George Rapier
directed by Justin Holloway
A woman on a business trip meets a man at the hotel bar and asks him up to her room. But something else is going on, something deadly. She and another man plan a surprise for the hapless marketing rep. Why? A taut venture into mystery.

I Can Feel It Coming On by Carl L. Williams
directed by David Hymel
The exasperated wife of a hypochondreiac engages a psychologist to treat her husband and make him feel positive about life. The psychologist turns out to be far more attractive and encouraging than the wife anticiapted.

On by David Vazdauskas
directed by John Mitsakis
A woman has an appointment at a photographer's studio to video tape messages to her family in the case of her death. Both the photographer, the woman, and the woman's husband take turns surprising and being surprised.

Theatre Southwest continues to give new playwrights a chance to shine and Houstonians a chance to enjoy the work of up and coming authors and playwrights. In the realm of professional theatre, for years The Alley has been staging new plays before they hit Broadway, but did you know that Theatre Southwest, a local community theatre, is in it's 15th season of giving new playwrights a chance to have their work staged? Theatre Southwest's Festival of Originals is taking the best of local writers' plays and offering them a venue for new unproduced works. It's a wonderful stepping-stone. Some of the writers have gone on to having works produced Off-Broadway.

This is a perfect example of how all throughout Houston we are stepping up to help foster the arts in our community. It's what keeps Houston the most vibrant city in the US!

Now entering it's 15th year, we're very proud of our Festival of Orignials. Five original one-act plays, by five different playwrights with five different casts, are premiered on our stage each year. This eclectic mix never fails to please.