The Festival of Originals is an annual occurrence, in which playwrights all around the world have an opportunity to submit a short play that they’ve written. There are some requirements that must be met, including that they’re supposed to be approximately 20 minutes in length for the performance.
Theatre Southwest selects 5 of these plays from the thousands that we receive each year. These five shows are assigned to different directors. Each of the directors selects their own cast. These 5 plays are then put together in a single show on the stage, and they are all performed back-to-back (with an intermission between shows 3 & 4).
Shows, playwrights, directors, and casts:
Bully
Written by Fernando Dovalina
Directed by Justin Holloway
A distraught father of a girl who has been bullied in school goes to the home of the bullies and confronts him and his parents with a gun.
CAST:
Sylvana McIntyre as DOROTHY TURNER
Joseph “Chepe” Lockette as PATRICK TURNER
Rylan Barr as EDWARD TURNER
Brian Heaton as DENTON
At The Drop of a Hat
Written by Priscilla Anderson
Directed by Pam Pankratz
A milliner seeks the help of a friendly wizard to find True Love. Along the way, she learns the value of what she already possesses and how to win love without losing herself.
CAST:
Abdullah Bitar as NARRATOR
Mackenzie Kelso as GLYN
John Patterson as ROLAND
Bloody Footprints
Written by Michael Yale
Directed by Shawn Havranek
Frank is struggling with memory loss after suffering a head injury. Returning home from the hospital he is slowly piecing life back together with the help of his devoted wife. When the grown son comes to dinner one evening things begin to take an unexpected turn.
CAST:
Jay Menchaca as FRANK
Janye Anderson as LINDA
Amal Abdallah as CHRIS
Two Couples
Written by Mindy Roll
Directed by Steve Carpentier
Two couples arrive at a restaurant to celebrate milestones. One is ambitious and arrogant. The other is not. What do the walls remember? What does it mean to make it?
CAST:
Haylee Feng as JENNIFER
Cesalina Davidson as NOR
Dolly Cruise as ELEANOR
Kenneth Barrett as ROBERT
Just for the Horror of it
Written by Stephen R. Stewart
Directed by Ashley N. Peters
A successful businesswoman interviews a high-priced call girl for the position of having an affair with her unknowing husband of many years.
CAST:
Michael Barrick as EDGAR
Molly Carnes as GLORIA
Keri Wolfe as LUCY
Joe Wendt as PHIL
Performances run from July 25 – August 9. Showtimes are Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm, and a Sunday matinee (July 27) at 3 pm.
Performances will be held at Theatre Southwest, 8944-A Clarkcrest. Tickets range from $20-$22 and can be purchased through www.tswhouston.com/tickets.
Since its founding in 1957, Theatre Southwest has delivered quality theatre to the Greater Houston community. For more information about upcoming shows, contact Theatre Southwest at 713-661-9505, visit www.tswhouston.com or follow Theatre Southwest on social media: www.facebook.com/TheatreSouthwest and Instagram @tswhouston.
