Regional Premiere of TROUBLE IN MIND IS is Coming to Main Street Theater in September
Funny, moving, and ultimately a shattering look at racism, identity, and ego in the high-stakes world of New York theatre.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Aug. 22, 2022
Main Street Theater will open its 47th Season with the regional premiere of Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress. Before it opened Off-Broadway in New York in 1955, one of the white, male producers made playwright (and director) Alice Childress change the ending, which she did - though she knew it was wrong - and of course, the end is the one part of the show the New York Times didn't care for. Then the play was optioned for Broadway IF Ms. Childress rewrote it to be more palatable for white people. For 2 years, she worked on it, trying to please the producers. But after reaching a point where she couldn't even recognize her own play anymore, Alice Childress stopped. And the play never made it to Broadway, that is until 2021 at the Roundabout Theatre in New York when Trouble in Mind made its triumphant Broadway debut. Now Main Street Theater is giving the play its regional premiere.
The production opens Saturday night, September 17 at 7:30pm and runs through October 17 at MST - Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd. Preview performances are September 11, 15 & 16. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3:00pm. Tickets are $35 - $59, depending on date, section, and availability.
All tickets are on sale via phone at 713.524.6706 or online at MainStreetTheater.com.
Please visit MainStreetTheater.com for current COVID protocols.
About Trouble in Mind
1957. Rehearsals begin on what everyone hopes will be Broadway's next big hit. But social norms and prejudices collide, and so Wiletta Mayer, a gifted Black actress, will finally get to play the lead role in a Broadway show if she's willing to compromise her principles. Funny, moving, and ultimately a shattering look at racism, identity, and ego in the high-stakes world of New York theatre.
Part of the Art Series Events (free and open to the public)
Tuesday, August 23 at 6:45pm: Join us for a free, first read-thru of Trouble in Mind at our Rice Village location, 2540 Times Blvd. You get to be a fly on the wall for the very first rehearsal, hearing the cast read the play aloud for the first time together. To RSVP, please click here. Following the CDC's current recommendations while taking into account that Houston is currently at a High Community Risk Level, masks are recommended.
Tuesday, September 27 at 6:30pm: Join us for our next DEBI Discussion (Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion) moderated by Tamara Siler, professional actor and Deputy Director of Admission, Access and Inclusion at Rice University. These discussions focus on the place of the arts in BIPOC community engagement. Panelists include local artists Denise O'Neal, Crystal Rae, Steven J. Scott, and Bryan-Keyth Wilson.
Sunday, October 9: Join us for a post-show discussion featuring some of Houston's outstanding Black actresses: Tamara Siler, Tené A. Carter, Ansonia Jones, Sloane Teagle, and more.
About the Production
Main Street Theater welcomes Michelle James as director of Trouble in Mind. The cast is Tené A. Carter, Rutherford Cravens, Alric Davis, Ansonia Jones, Manning Mpinduzi-Mott, Ginger Mouton, Rhett Martinez, Carl Masterson, and Tyler Rooney.
The production design team is James V. Thomas (Set Design), Edgar Guajardo (Lighting Design), Krystal Uchem (Costume Design), Janel Badrina (Sound Design), and Rodney Walsworth (Properties Design). Julie Paré is the production stage manager.
MST recently launched its BIPOC Fellowship Program. The inaugural class of fellows includes two working on Trouble in Mind: Brandi Alexander (Scenic Design) and Karla Martinez (Stage Management).
About Main Street Theater
Main Street Theater provides theater experiences for all ages. Founded in 1975, our MainStage produces professional, intimate, literary plays for adults and operates under an Actors' Equity Association union contract; our Theater for Youth produces professional, engaging productions based on children's literature for families and school groups, both in-house and on tour around Texas; and we offer Education and Outreach programs on-site and at satellite locations around the Greater Houston area for youth aged 4 - high school.
Main Street Theater is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for not-for-profit theaters, of Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (formerly ASSITEJ), the world theatre network of theatre for children and young people, and a founding member of Houston Arts Partners. Main Street Theater is funded in part by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
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