HORSE HEAD THEATRE CO. PRESENTS

​EVOCATION TO VISIBLE APPEARANCE

​ by Mark Schultz

Directed by Jeff Miller
​​
​Chelsea Market Theater, 4617 Montrose Blvd. #100

Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 8pm

GALLERY

Not your typical staged reading, Horse Head dives into the void in this new black comedy with a striking lighting design, video, and a roaring heavy-metal!

You wanna know what the future looks like? Samantha does. Seventeen, maybe pregnant and hopelessly alone, Sam can’t fight the feeling that a dark force is pushing her towards disaster. Her dad means well but is literally (and figuratively) asleep -- her big sister doesn’t mean well and isn’t apologizing for it - and her boyfriend? He’s got a bright future that does NOT include Sam, or their hypothetical unborn child. Then Sam meets Hudson, a Satan-loving heavy-metal wannabe musician, who seems to understand her pain -- and more importantly, shares her crippling sense of impending doom. Clouds gather, lighting strikes and heavy metal rocks in this daring, new, and musically-charged play about the void in all of us.

"I began to think, what would it be to write a play that wasn’t about the Devil, but somehow was the Devil? [...] I was thinking about the various depictions of the Devil in literature. He’s often a very charming figure, seductive and witty, but I don’t think that gets it quite right. […] I think there’s another part that has to do with absence, a void — not in the sense of something that’s beyond our comprehension, but just nothingness.”  -- Playwright Mark Schultz, Humana 

Recommended for audience age 14 + for strong language and violence.

Evocation to Visible Appearance was commissioned by the Actors Theatre of Louisville and premiered at the 2018 Humana Festival. 

Horse Head is a proud participant in the Houston Arts Alliance CBI Resident Incubator program and is supported in party by grants from the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. 
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CONCESSIONS SPONSORED BY:

SUPPORTED IN PART BY:
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CAST

SAMANTHA … Tanith Albright
TREVOR … Ben Hudson
RUSSELL … Greg Dean
NATALIE … Rachael Logue*
HUDSON … Gabriel Regojo
MARTIN … Ronnie Blaine

PRODUCTION TEAM

DIRECTOR .... Jeff Miller
DRAMATURG & VIDEO DESIGN … Leah Short
LIGHTING DESIGNER … J. Mitchell Cronin
SOUND DESIGNER … Jon Harvey
COSTUME DESIGNER… Laura Moreno
STAGE MANAGER … Sydnee Davis
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & PRODUCTION MANAGER … Jacey Little

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

TANITH ALBRIGHT (Samantha) is a recent graduate of Sam Houston State University, Musical Theatre B.F.A. Her professional credits include Karlie in Luna Gale by Rebecca Gilman at Stages Repertory Theatre and Rhiannon in Lidless by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig at Horse Head Theatre Co. Some collegiate credits include Catherine in Pippin, Brooke in Noises Off, and Dora in Storytelling Ability of a Boy.

RONNIE BLAINE (Martin) A native Houstonian, Ronnie returned to his hometown in 2009 after spending five years in Los Angeles where he worked in film and television. Previously, Ronnie was a company member at both Stages Repertory and Main Street Youth Theatres in Houston. He is currently a teacher and director for HITS theatre. Prior theatre roles include: Trevor (Jerry), Tamarie For President (Book/Himself) and The University of Tamarie (Imperial System) at Catastrophic Theatre; SHREK the Musical (Bishop) at HITS Theatre; Full Bloom (Jesse) and 1946 (Freddie Fox) at Main Street Theatre; Lips (Andy) at Unhinged Productions; Quills (Fop) at Stages Repertory Theatre; The Judgement of Fools (Fool 4) Horse Head Theatre Co.; Twelfth Night (Duke Orsino) at Shakespeare by the Book Festival. Previous television credits include: CSI - Crime Scene Investigations (Guest); Alias (Guest); CUTS (Guest); J.A.G. (Guest); The Suite Life with Zack & Cody (Guest). Ronnie graduated from HSPVA and attended The University of Houston, School of Theatre.

J. MITCHELL CRONIN (Lighting Designer) Horse Head Theatre: The Judgement of Fools; Main Street Theater: The Last Wife, Native Gardens, How I Became a Pirate (MATCH and Hobby Center),The Revolutionists, Duck for President, RFK, Red Hot Patriot, Harriet the Spy, Magic Tree House: A Night in New Orleans, Goodnight Moon, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse; Prague Shakespeare Company MST: Much Ado About Nothing, Venus in Fur, Twelfth Night; Stages Repertory Theatre: Honky Tonk Angels at Miller Outdoor Theatre (Assoc. Design), Panto Wonderful Wizard, Panto Snow Queen: Unfrozen; The Ensemble Theatre: Simply Simone, The First Noel, A Soulful Christmas; Catastrophic Theatre Company- Tamarie's Merry Evening of Mistakes and Regrets; Classical Theatre Company- The Bear/Proposal, The Ghost Sonata; A.D.Players: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Charlotte’s Web; Prohibition Theatre: Eat Me, The Jazz Age; Opera in the Heights: The Telephone and the Medium; DiverseWorks: What Shall We Do Next; Urban Souls Dance Company: Between Two Worlds, Three City Blocks; Sam Houston State University: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Much Ado About Nothing, Trojan Women, Waiting for Godot, Enron; (Dance Lighting Design) Spectrum: Drift; It’s Good to See You Again; Texas Dance Improvisation Festival. Education: B.F.A., Sam Houston State University, Theatre Design and Technology; Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas. www.JMCdesigns.com

SYDNEE DAVIS (Stage Manager) is a class of ’15 graduate from Hendrix College, where she studied Theater Arts with a concentration in Psychology. Her credits include the lead role as Abby in The Hourglass Project by Lee Blessing, and supporting role in the children’s play L’estrange Mysteriux by Ann Muse. Her technical credits include directing a short scene from Marisol by Jose Rivera, as well as writing and directing an adaptation of the Maya Angelou poem ‘Alone’. Outside of the theater she appeared in a silent short film Fleur, as well as the lead role in a mini-series “Nicole”. Her technical credits include Stage Manager for Mr. Marmalade by Noah Haidle, Redemption Series, This Is Modern Art by Kevin Coval and Idris Goodwin, Small Jokes About Monsters by Steven Strafford, and In Darfur by Winter Miller.

GREG DEAN (Russell) is an actor, director and designer in Houston, TX. Most recently, he directed Jim Lehrer, The Theater And Its Double, And Jim Lehrer’s Double, one half of The Catastrophic Theatre’s production of Mickle Maher’s The Lehrer Plays. In 2017, Greg directed the world premiere of Snow White, which he adapted from Donald Barthelme’s novel of the same name. Prior to that, he was seen as Jack in The Designated Mourner (which he also played in Catastrophic’s 2010 production of the play. Audiences also saw him as Tilden in Buried Child, as “Greg Dean” in Tamarie for President  and, prior to that, reprising the role of Quasimodo (Best Actor, Houston Press Theatre Awards 2015) in Catastrophic’s remount of Mickle Maher's The Hunchback Variations, which he also directed and designed. He appeared as Ray in the Hune Company production of David Harrower’s Blackbird, performed, directed and designed Wallace Shawn's one-man play, The Fever, produced by 14 Pews at La Colombe d'Or, and played Sid in the Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre/Two Star Symphony collaboration, Dance Macabre: The Constant Companion. Also with Catastrophic, he appeared Christmas in A Very Tamarie Christmas, as Morris the Hesitant in The Pine, Vladimir (for the third time!) in Waiting for Godot, "Greg Dean" in The Tamarie Cooper Doomsday Revue, Hamm in Endgame,  A (and scenic design) in Sarah Kane’s Crave, co-directed (and designed set, props and sound for) Richard Foreman’s Paradise Hotel, played Theo Van Gogh, et al. in Bluefinger, Richard in Hunter Gatherers (twice!), and Lewis in Our Late Night, for which he also served as scenic designer. Other work includes Davies in The Caretaker for Stagger Lee Presents, directing, designing and/or acting in Cloud Tectonics, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, Dracula, Things Being at the Worst, Foxfinder and The Flu Season, for Mildred's Umbrella and, for Infernal Bridegroom Productions, Endgame, Eddie Goes to Poetry City, Quartett, Samuel's Major Problems, Woyzeck, Guys and Dolls, and The Cherry Orchard among others.  He has also worked as an actor, director and designer with, the Houston Shakespeare Festival, the Classical Theatre Company, Horsehead Theater, the Alley Theatre, the West-Mon Repertory Theater, and the Urban Theatre Project. He appeared in the films Abide, Backroad, Dropa, Persistence of Vision, Urban Shakedown, Let It Come Down, and music videos for The Manichean's "Leopards," and Glass the Sky's "Touch."

JONATHAN HARVEY (Sound Designer) is a company member of both Mildred’s Umbrella Theater and Classical Theatre Company. He has previously designed sound for CTC in Enemy Of The People, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, The Barber Of Seville, The Bear & The Proposal, A Dolls House, Henry V, The Cherry Orchard, The Speckled Band: An Adventure of Sherlock Holmes, and A Christmas Carol. Jon did the sound design for the MU shows Dark Matter, Dry Land, Foxfinder, Notions of Right and Wrong, and Under the Big Dark Sky.  Jon also recently directed Ghost Sonata at CTC, and both The Maids and The Drowning Girls for Mildred’s Umbrella.  Jon was a founding member of the Fan Factory, and ran the August In August Strindberg Festival. He has worked professionally with sound for several performing arts organizations in the Houston area, including AD Players, Da Camera, Ensemble Theatre, Unity Theatre and the Alley Theatre. In 1996, Jon was a member of the Alley Theatre’s staff when the theatre received the Special Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.

BEN HUDSON (Trevor) is a 2018 graduate of Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, B.A. in Acting & Directing. His collegiate credits include: Peter in Peter and the Starcatcher, Vince in Buried Child, Wesley in Curse of the Starving Class, Macbeth in Macbeth, Joshua/Cathy in Cloud 9, Demetrius in Titus Andronicus, Angelo & Claudio in Measure for Measure, Florizel in The Winter’s Tale, Bo in Appropriate, Tom Griffon in Stand Up Tragedy, and Elliot in Mercury Fur.

JACEY LITTLE (Artistic Director & Production Manager) 2018 directing projects include We’re Gonna Die by Young Jean Lee and The Flick by Annie Baker with Horse Head. Her past directing projects includes Church by Young Jean Lee and co-created & directed the immersive experience preceding Church, Sensitive Guys  by MJ Kaufman (staged reading) the development and direction of The Whale; or, Moby-Dick by Timothy N. Evers, Philip Hays & Herman Melville (Houston Press 2015 “Best New Play” Winner) and Spaghetti Code by Abby Koenig (BroadwayWorld Houston 2014 “Best New Play or Musical” Winner) with Horse Head Theatre Co.; Feathers and Teeth by Charise Castro Smith and Dollface by Katharine Sherman with Mildred’s Umbrella (Houston Press 2016 “Best New Play”); the first workshop performance of Dialogues on Grace by Cressandra Thibodeaux at 14 Pews; and Ten Ways on a Gun by Dylan Lamb with The Landing Theatre Company. Jacey is the former Literary Manager and Dramaturg for the Alley Theatre. Highlights of her Alley dramaturgy credits include Warrior Class by Kenneth Lin, The Mountaintop by Katori Hall (Arena Stage co-pro directed by Robert O'Hara) and What We’re Up Against by Theresa Rebeck. As a freelance dramaturg, Jacey has worked with The Landing Theatre Company, Houston Shakespeare Festival, Mildred's Umbrella, Wordsmyth Theatre Company and Obsidian Theater. Jacey received her MFA in Dramaturgy and Theatre Historiography from University of Houston and her BFA in Dramaturgy with an English Literature minor from University of Oklahoma. Jacey is also a Mildred’s Umbrella Theatre Co. company member and was the Production Manager at the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO) from 2015-2018. 

RACHAEL LOGUE* (Natalie) is thrilled be back working with Horse Head again where she was last seen as Jordan/Katie in their reading of Sensitive Guys. Select acting credits include: TUTS - White Christmas, The Shoemaker and the Christmas Elves. Stages Repertory Theatre - The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On (World Premier, Original Cast Album), Dollhouse (Houston Press Best Actress Nomination), Grey Gardens, Steel Magnolias. The Ensemble Theatre - Stick Fly, and most recently, the Regional Premier of Daisy at Main Street Theatre. Other directing credits include: Rogue Productions’ upcoming I Love You Because (Director/Choreographer); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for HSMT at Miller Outdoor Theatre (Director) The Great Society at The Alley Theatre (Asst. Director); American Idiot at TUTS (Asst. Director); and The Marvelous Wonderettes at both Geva Theatre Center and St. Louis Rep (Asst. Director). She holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Sam Houston State University and also studied acting and writing at The Barrow Group in NYC. She is the author of a one woman show called Jack, Johnny, and Jesus that has had developmental readings in both New York and Houston. Rachael is the founder and co-artistic director of Rogue Productions. www.rogueproductionshtx.com

JEFF MILLER (Director) is very excited to be working with Horse Head.  He has been a fan since he saw his good friend Troy Schultz performing in Horse Head's very first production the amazing Red Light Winter in 2009.  Jeff has been a core actor, director and musician with the Catastrophic Theatre since its inaugural production of Big Death and Little Death in April of 2008.  Prior to that since 1996, he was a company member with Infernal Bridegroom Productions.  Latest roles at Catastrophic include Male Reporter in Mickle Maher's Small Ball, Hogo in Donald Barthelme's Snow White, Oliver in Nick Jones's Trevor and Ludwig Van Beethoven in Mickle Maher's The Hunchback Variations.  Jeff also directed Catastrophic's Buried Child for their 2016/2017 season.  Other credits include Arthur in Feathers and Teeth at Mildred’s Umbrella (directed by Horse Head's own Jacey Little) and as Satan in Gravity Player's inaugural production of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis.   Other fairly recent credits include Ten Ways On A Gun with the Landing Theatre Company (also directed by Jacey) and Small Mouth Sounds with Stark Naked Theatre Company.  Jeff's next project will be directing Sam Shepard's Curse of the Starving Class to kickoff Catastrophic's 2018/2019 season at the MATCH.  

LAURA MORENO (Costume Designer) is a graduate of the University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance with a BFA in Acting. She has appeared in numerous productions both through the university as well as within the Houston Theatre community. She is also a costume, makeup, and wig designer, and her designs can be seen all around Houston from middle school productions all the way to the Houston Shakespeare Festival. Laura continues to wear many hats in the theatre. Beyond her passion for acting and theatre aesthetics she has been known to stage manage, stagehand, build sets, and run lights and sound for numerous theatres within Houston. After a year of teaching, she discovered her interest in directing and set her path to gain more experience. She is also on the task force of the Sin Muros Latino Reading Festival where she is part of the selection process as well as planning and executing the festival with Stages’ staff and crew. This past spring she started a Women in Theatre organization to help women in the Houston theatre community connect and collaborate and this fall she’ll be headed back to the University of Houston to pursue her Masters in Theatre Studies.

GABRIEL REGOJO (Hudson) is a Houston native, he attended and completed training at UH School of Theatre and Dance in 2015. Previous credits include: Unity Theatre: Becky's New Car (Chris), Leading Ladies (Butch); Rec Room: Sender (Jordan); Stage's Rep: My Manana Comes (Jorge), and the Sin Muros festival; Catastrophic Theatre: Blackest Shore (Stuart); Alley Theatre: Oskar and the Colorful Clash, Oskar and the Big Bully Battle pt. 2,  and Oskar and the Last Straw; Obsidian Theatre: El Nogalar (Lopez); Next Iteration Theatre: The Baby ( Charlie); and Mildred's Umbrella: Dry Land (Victor). Heroin Free Summer ( Rory).

LEAH SHORT (Dramaturg & Video Design) holds a B.F.A. from University of the Ozarks in Theatre and Sociology and an M.A. in Theatre Historiography from University of Houston. Professional credits include dramaturgy at the Alley Theatre, Catastrophic Theatre, Houston Shakespeare Festival, Horse Head Theatre Company, and Black Lab Theatre, with directing and design credits at Clarksville Children's Company in Clarksville, AR, and stage management credits with Berkshire Theatre Festival in Stockbridge, MA and Horse Head Theatre Co. Leah is Company Manager of Horse Head Theatre Co. as well as a Theatre teacher and program director in AISD.

*Actors Equity Association actor