The Catastrophic Theatre Opens Season With SPIRITS TO ENFORCE By Mickle Maher

A group of telefundraisers attempt to raise money for an upcoming production of Shakespeare's The Tempest, to be performed by local superhero team "The Fathom Town Enforcers."

Things aren't looking good at the phone bank. They haven't raised a dime, rehearsals are a disaster, and they haven't sold a single ticket. How far will they go to pull off this seemingly doomed-for-sure production? Why do they even want to?

And what do Shakespeare, superheroes, and fundraising have to do with each other? Well, you've obviously never seen a Mickle Maher play. Better get on that.

Spirits to Enforce creates a cacophonous symphony of language. A riotously funny, tender tale of memory, loss, and finding the way back home.

Catastrophic revisits its rich repertory with a return to Mickle Maher's Spirits to Enforce, which was first produced by the company in 2008, during its inaugural year. Maher wrote last season's It Is Magic and such Catastrophic favorites as There Is a Happiness That Morning Is; The Hunchback Variations; Song About Himself; The Strangerer; Jim Lehrer, The Theatre and Its Double, and Jim Lehrer's Double; and Catastrophic commissioned world premieres of The Pine and Small Ball, the latter of which was co-produced by former Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey.

Founding Artistic Director, Jason Nodler directs with Catastrophic core artist Charlie Scott serving as Assistant Director and Dramaturg. The play's ensemble features actors Noel Bowers, Raymond Compton, Tamarie Cooper, Jovan Jackson, Bryan Kaplún, Jenna Morris-Miller, Karina Pal Montaño-Bowers, Rebecca Randall, Kyle Sturdivant, Clarity Welch, Abraham Zeus Zapata, and Walt Zipprian. The company is thrilled to work on its third collaboration with visual artist Matthew Fries and Moon Papas Art group on set design and construction.

About Mickle Maher

Mickle Maher's plays have been produced Off-Broadway and throughout the world. Catastrophic has produced a whopping 8 productions of his plays. Maher is a co-founder of Chicago's Theater Oobleck and has taught playwriting and related subjects at The University of Chicago, Columbia College, and Northwestern University. His plays are published by Hope and Nonthings.

"Maher [is] one of the most original voices in American theater today." - Houston Chronicle

SPIRITS TO ENFORCE runs September 20 - October 12, 2024 at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH). Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at matchouston.org or by calling the MATCH box office at 713-521-4533.

Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Special Monday Night performance on September 30th at 7:30pm and TALKBACKS following the matinees on September 29 & October 6. Children under 10 not permitted.

Tickets to all performances are PAY-WHAT-YOU CAN!

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