Mildred's Umbrella Theater to Present THE DROWNING GIRLS, 7/16-8/1

Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company (MU) is proud to present the regional premiere of The Drowning Girls, a modern interpretation and poetic retelling of the "Brides in the Bath" slayings in 20th century England. The work also examines the lengthy history of misogyny and domestic abuse in modern civilization.

Originally produced in Canada for the Edmonton Fringe Festival, the work will debut in Houston July 16, 2015, and will run for 11 performances through August 1 at Studio 101 in Houston's First Ward Arts District. In line with MU's mission to promote and support the work of women, the play, written by three female playwrights, illustrates how far women have come in the fight for equality in the past 100 years.

MU Company Member and Director Jonathan Harvey, former artistic director of The Fan Factory, will direct the moody, experimental production. "The blend of style, tone, and content can give a good piece wings to create magic on the stage," he explains. "For Mildred's, it should be dark, intelligent, and feature strong female roles for this theater company's impressive ensemble of actresses, and The Drowning Girls is a dramatic achievement on all fronts."

"Drowning Girls' story of three women (portrayed by Patricia Duran, Courtney Lomelo and Miranda Herbert) who have been murdered by their husband in the same grisly style, welcoming the audience into their purgatory to tell us their tale, is dark, unapologetic and challenges audiences to explore the shadows of our existence," Harvey says. "This is the kind of storytelling Mildred's excels at and for which we've come to be known."

The Drowning Girls is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company presents THE DROWNING GIRLS by Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson and Daniela Vlaskalic, running July 16- August 1, 2015 (Thursdays through Saturdays and Monday, July 20 all at 8pm. Sunday matinee, July 26 at 3pm) at Studio 101, 1824 Spring Street, 77007. Tickets: $20 general admission, $12 students/seniors/industry, Pay as you Can on Monday. For more information, email info@mildredsumbrella.com, go to www.mildredsumbrella.com or call 832-463-0409.

Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company (MU) is committed to repairing the gender disparity on industry stages by producing works by women, featuring strong female protagonists, and creating a counterscript for mainstream society. As Houston's premier female-focused theater, MU seeks to challenge audiences and theatre artists by creating and performing bold, innovative and fresh theatrical works grounded in the best traditions of the dramatic arts. Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company's 2015-16 season is supported by Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and The Brown Foundation.

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