Matrix Theatre Company Will Present Reading of HOUDINI

In partnership with Eastern Michigan University (EMU), Matrix Theatre Company presents a lively staged reading of Muriel Rukeyser's play/musical, Houdini, Saturday March 26, 8 pm and Sunday, March 27, at 3 pm at Matrix Theatre Company, located at 2730 Bagley Avenue in the heart of Mexicantown. Houdini is supported in part, by a generous grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, EMU's Center of Jewish Studies and English Department, and in collaboration with YpsiWrites, the Riverside Arts Center, and Matrix Theatre Company. The show is performed by Eastern Michigan University's theatre students and directed by Director of Theatre Arts, Dr. Lee Stille. All performances are free-of- charge. Seating is limited. Make reservations online at www.matrixtheatre.org/houdini. For questions, call 313 967 0599. Masks are required inside the theatre and during
the performance.

About Houdini

The play, Houdini was first performed in 1973, with Christopher Walken as Houdini, and combines singing and dancing; comedy and pathos. It deftly explores the tension between the mythic escape artist, who could break any lock, and the man who was inescapably bound to his mother, his wife, Bess, and ultimately to the very myth he helped create. The musical, started in the late 1930s by Muriel Rukeyser, combines fantasy and reality and covers Houdini's dramatic transformation from Hungarian-born Eric Weisz, son of a rabbi, to the most celebrated escape artist of all times. It embodies the American dream of self-invention against all odds. The play challenges us to consider how we respond to gender inequality, racial bigotry, religious persecution, and the power of magic. Houdini's elaborate stunts in pursuit of freedom speak powerfully to our present moment, as the U.S. confronts its history of systemic racism and struggles to reaffirm the meanings of democracy and freedom.

About Muriel Rukeyser

Elizabeth Daumer, professor of English and women's and gender studies at EMU, says Rukeyser has been discovered, overlooked, and rediscovered multiple times over the years. Known for her political themes, which include World War II, as well as social, racial and environmental injustices in the U.S. and abroad, she took an early interest in social movements that sought to better the lives of people, around the nation and the globe. She protested the Vietnam War, became a crucial voice for feminist poets in the 1960s and 70s, and used her poetry as an active political force. "Rukeyser's commitment to social justice throughout her life and her works are ideal for Matrix Theatre's social justice mission," said Matrix Executive Director Kate Brennan. "We are honored to present her work."

About Matrix Theatre Company

Celebrating 30 years as a nonprofit community-based theatre, the award-winning Matrix Theatre Company is located in southwest Detroit and uses the transformative power of theatre to change lives, build community, and foster social justice. Go to www.matrixtheatre.org for further information. Matrix Theatre Company is funded in part by Detroit Industrial School Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, and the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Foundation.

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