Next Houston Equity Festival Production Opens Soon

The Houston Equity Festival is a collection of local professional actors, all members of the union Actors' Equity Association, each of whom is mounting her/his own show during the summer and fall of 2019. Actor Dain Geist spearheaded the creation of the Festival "While we may be individual artists," says Geist, "Together we help to build a community."

Every artist presenting a project is working and producing under the Equity Members Project Code, which entails abiding by certain union rules but also completely funding and producing the project from start to finish. "It's quite an undertaking to put up your own money and take the very public risk of putting on a piece," offers festival member and actor Shannon Emerick. "But when a play speaks to you so deeply that you just know you've got to put it out into the world, you take a deep breath and go for it."

Building on Geist's belief that individual arts working on their own project can benefit from being part of a unified mission, the festival producers regularly hold digital and in-person meetings to support each other's projects and to further the mission of the festival - and they hope that more Houston Equity members will take the plunge, start producing, and make the Houston Equity Festival a yearly offering. "We want other actors to know they can do this," urges fellow producing artist Pamela Vogel. "It's possible to make it happen." The group is grateful to and recognizes the work of local actor Tracy Ahern who was the trailblazer for Equity Member Projects, producing Motherhood OUT LOUD to sold out houses in 2017.

The Houston Equity Festival 2019 Lineup includes:

The Effect by Lucy Prebble

Presented by Dain Geist

Directed by Sophia Watt / Cast: Callina Anderson, Timothy Eric, Dain Geist, Carolyn Johnson

Venue: MATCH, 3400 Main St., 77002: May 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19

Hidden in my Heart by Ken Bailey

Presented and Performed by Patty Tuel Bailey

Venue: Saint Street Studio, 2613 Saint Street, 77027: May 23, 24, 25, 26

Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman

Presented by Jeff Wax

Directed by Sarah Sneesby / Cast: Sam Martinez, Julia Pourciau, Jeff Wax

Venue: Spring Street Studios, 1824 Spring St., 77007: August 17 - September 1

Wit by Margaret Edson

Presented by Pamela Vogel

Directed by Vance Johnson / Cast: Pamela Vogel and other TBD cast

MATCH, 3400 Main St., 77002: September 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15

Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan MacMillan, with Jonny Donahoe

Presented and Performed by Shannon Emerick

Directed by Rebecca Greene Udden

Venue: Main Street Theater, 2540 Times Blvd., 77005: September 18, 22, 25, 29, October 2, 6

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