Bishop Arts Theatre Center Opens Its 28th Anniversary Season With Franky Gonzalez' New Play

The Bishop Arts Theatre Center will open its 28th anniversary season with a world premiere production of Franky Gonzalez's new play, Before You Get Married. Gonzalez was recently named BATC's Playwright-in-Residence and will be primarily responsible for curating the season and developing workshops for local writers. The theatre produced an audio version of the play in February 2021, but this iteration will be held in person and staged in the arts business incubator center of the theatre that will be transformed into a hotel setting. The reconfiguration is designed to manage crowd control due to the global pandemic.

Before You Get Married is an immersive theatre experience that explores the relationship between two siblings on the night before the sister's wedding. With the passing night and flowing wine, both siblings struggle to understand what they mean to each other as secrets are revealed. The play features veteran actors Matthieu Myrick and Sasha Maya Ada Davis as main characters Jason and Alicia. Matthieu earned a BA in Theatre from UNT and frequently works in film, and Sasha earned a BFA in Acting and Directing at the Meadows School of the Arts. Davis also shows off her directing skills for the production.

Both Gonzalez and Executive Artistic Director, Teresa Coleman Wash, agree this is an exciting moment to experiment and reimagine what theatre looks like. Gonzalez comments, "People have said that the Theatre has been dying for centuries, if not millennia, yet she not only endures, but triumphs despite so many obstacles in front of her. Bishop Arts Theatre Center is demonstrating just how Theatre succeeds even in the most trying of circumstances. I am excited to bring audiences together, and pull them in just a little closer together through the story of Alicia and Jason and the shifting dynamics that overtake their world."

Executive Artistic Director, Teresa Coleman Wash comments, "One of the reasons why we have so much good TV now is because there are so many playwrights in writers' room. Franky Gonzalez is one such writer, and we're fortunate to have his work on our stage."

The performance will be held at the Bishop Arts Theatre Center located at 215 S. Tyler Street, Dallas, TX 75208. Limited seats are available and can be purchased online at www.bishopartstheatre.org or by calling the box office at (214) 948-0716, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Individual tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Discount tickets are available for groups of 15 or more and may be purchased by calling the box office.

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