Lone Star/Laundry and Bourbon
Pandora Theatre presented James McLure's Lone Star and Laundry and Bourbon, April 3-18, 2009 at Frenetic Theater. Lone Star was directed by Nicole Lawson Chelly and Laundry and Bourbon was directed by Sam Smith.
Stage Manager: Heidi Anderson
Featuring: Sam Smith, Ryan Kelly, David Anderson, Amy Warren, Melissa Mumper, Nicole Lawson Chelly
Featuring: Amy Warren, Rod Todd, Melissa Mumper, Jan Searson-McSwain, Sonia Kronberg, Sam Smith, and Ryan Kelly. Lighting design by Matt Wukman, sound design by Tony Martinez, video design by Ryan Kelly, and light operation by Andre Treiber.
Directed by Nicole Lawson Chelly
Wonder of the World
By David Lindsay-Abaire
Pandora Theatre Company presented the Houston indie theater premiere of David Lindsay-Abaire’s Wonder of the World, on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm from August 14th through the 29th at Midtown Arts Center.
Show Information:
Vox Feminina
August 27, 2009
New theater not afraid to mine Shrek playwright's quirky humor
Lots of contemporary playwrights do "quirky" but no one does it quite like David Lindsay-Abaire.
During the past decade, he established himself with a string of absurdist comedies popular off-Broadway and on regional stages -- notably Fuddy Meers, Kimberly Akimbo and Wonder of the World -- before leaping to greater fame with his more realistic 2007 Pulitzer Prize winner Rabbit Hole (seen at Stages earlier this year.)
Theater fans can experience Lindsay-Abaire's comic imagination at its zaniest in Pandora Theatre's current production of Wonder of the World, continuing through this weekend at Midtown Arts Center.
Review of Wonder of the World
Everett Evans at Chron.com
Heroine Cass, seven years into her marriage to bland, needy Kip, discovers a Horrible Secret in his sweater drawer and flees to honeymoon capital Niagra Falls (hence the title) seeking the life and love she's missed.
On the bus, Cass acquires a sidekick: suicidal Lois, a sarcastic alcoholic just thrown out by her husband. She's traveling with the barrel in which she hopes to shoot the falls. A wackier Thelma and Louise, these two forge ahead through encounters with crazy characters and a string of outrageous events as they search for some meaning or resolution.
Though the craziness is occasionally forced and Lindsay-Abaire seems stuck for the ideal ending, the writing generally maintains a high level of invention and wild humor. In this day and age, one wonders what "secret" he can possibly come up with for Kip that would so appall Cass. Rest assured, when it's finally revealed (at the close of Act 1), it's a lulu! Truly repugnant! Flee, Cass, Flee!
Wonder is the second outing for Pandora, one of those tiny new troupes that pop up like mushrooms. After an uncertain start, a couple of scenes into the proceedings, the cast hits its stride. From that point, director Nicole Lawson Chelly and her team usually keep the caper rolling with energy, goofy gumption and some choice delivery of the often scathingly sardonic dialogue.
Amy Warren makes an understandably bewildered yet insanely hopeful Cass; Melissa Mumper, a formidably sardonic and forever soused Lois. Rod Todd as pathetic Kip and Ryan Kelly as unflappably understanding Capt. Mike, Lois' new love, strike the right contrast as Cass' two men.
Sonia Kronberg and Sam Smith are a hoot as a quarrelsome married pair who turn out to be the incompetent detectives Kip has hired to find Cass. And Jan Searson is hilarious in a showcase progression of zany roles, including a marriage counselor who works costumed as a circus clown and does couples therapy in the format of TV's Dating Game.
Pandora's Wonder of the World is worth a look and listen. Remaining shows are at 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, at the Midtown Arts Center, 3414 LaBranch (713-304-4656 or www.pandora.theatre.com)
Posted by Everett Evans at August 27, 2009 10:42 PM
Eve Ensler's The Good Body
November 5-20
Midtown Art Center
"Ensler's stories are mighty persuasive when they're reflected through Pandora Theatre's faceted prism of actors." The Houston Press
February 5-13
Midtown Art Center
A collection of one-acts, monologues, and song dedicated to the female spirit!
Star Chamber
by Noel Coward
June 18-July 3
Frenetic Theatre
The show benefited the Friends For Life Animal Shelter. Check them out at: http://www.nokill1.org/
Vox Feminina 2
March 4-19, 2011
Obsidian Art Space
A collection of scenes and song dedicated to the female spirit!
