The Strawdog Theatre Exterior | Heath Hays

Strawdog Theatre Company has announced their 31st Season, entitled “Bravery.”  The ’18 – ’19 season opens with MASQUE MACABRE in October, a world premiere immersive experience based on the stories of Edgar Allan Poe, adapted by Aly Greaves Amidei, John Henry Roberts and Cara Beth Heath. A nondisclosure agreement will be required for those who enter, in attempts to keep the secrets of the production from traveling. Lauren Gunderson’s THE REVOLUTIONISTS, directed by Denise Serna, plays November – December, exploring the role of artists during the French Revolution. HERSHEL AND THE HANUKKAH GOBLINS, a musical adaptation of Eric Kimmel’s Caldecott Award-winning children’s book by Jacob Combs and Michael Dailey, plays December through early January in a production directed by Jacqueline Stone. TAKE ME, a world-premiere musical by Mark Guarino and Jon Langford, closes out the season. It’s based on the true story of a woman who’s husband lapses into a coma. Voices she believes are aliens instruct her to move to Roswell, N.M. and build an amusement park in their honor. It plays May/June 2019 and is directed by Anderson Lawfer.

“Now more than ever, the world needs bravery,” said Co-Artistic Director Lawfer. “Strawdog’s new season, including three world premieres, explores what it means to be brave. From exploring a murderous Masquerade Ball on your own; starting a revolution; saving Hanukkah or dealing with loss; courage and bravery comes to us all in different ways. Each Strawdog production this year encourages audiences to find new ways to triumph over fear.”

All performances in the 31st Season take place at Strawdog Theatre, their new space at 1802 W Berenice Ave.

Strawdog Theatre Company’s 31st Season (from the press release):

MASQUE MACABRE
Written by Aly Greaves Amidei, John Henry Roberts, Cara Beth Heath
Directed by Janet Howe, Anderson Lawfer, and Eli Newell
October 4 – October 31

A new immersive theatrical experience from Strawdog is inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe and set in Prospero’s underground Masquerade Ball on the eve of the end of the world. Guests will be encouraged to follow stories of revenge and murder as they happen in real time or explore the fully realized open world as they desire. A nondisclosure agreement will be required before entry.

THE REVOLUTIONISTS
Written by Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Denise Serna
November 15 – December 29

Lauren Gunderson’s THE REVOLUTIONISTS tells the story of four women who made history during the French Revolution: Playwright Olympe de Gouge attempts to write something politically meaningful for which she will be remembered. Charlotte Corday plots to assassinate one of the Revolution’s most evil participants. Deposed Queen Marie Antoinette grapples with her recent losses. Marianne Angelle, free woman of color and Caribbean spy, waits anxiously to hear whether her beloved husband is dead or alive. When Gunderson puts these four women in the same room, questions arise about art’s ability to make meaningful change, whether violence is ever the right course of action, and what on earth a woman’s role can be in the midst of the madness.

HERSHEL AND THE HANUKKAH GOBLINS
Based on the book by Eric Kimmel
Adapted by Michael Dailey
Music by Jacob Combs
Directed by Jacqueline Stone
December 1 – January 5, 2019

A new stage adaptation of the classic children’s holiday book written by Eric Kimmel, this is the latest edition of Strawdog’s programming geared towards families and young audiences. The creative team is led by Emerald City Theatre Artistic Director Jacqueline Stone and will use live music to tell the fantastical story of Hershel defeating a series of goblins over the eight days of Hanukkah.

TAKE ME
Written by Mark Guarino
Music by Jon Langford
Directed by Anderson Lawfer
May 10 – June 22, 2019

TAKE ME is a world premiere musical and based on a true story by Mark Guarino and Jon Langford (The Mekons and The Waco Brothers) about searching into the vast universe for answers when they might be found inside. When her husband lapses into a coma, Shelly feels hopeless and turns to the sky for a reason to go on. She finds direction from voices she believes are aliens who instruct her to move to Roswell, N.M. and build an amusement park in their honor before awaiting further instruction. She follows their orders and what follows is a comic fantasia involving government conspiracy theories, deadly insect bites and idol worship.