Slipstream Theatre Initiative Announces Upcoming Season

Slipstream Theatre Initiative has some exciting news! As many people know, this has been a season of stepping outside of the company's comfort zone and embracing new challenges; they did their first devised piece (Tales from the Mitten) and will be doing their first musical (Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill). Because of some very fortunate events, the not-so-young company has been able to expand its ventures even further and they are thrilled to announce the new line-up for the rest of the season.

The next show is still Othello, with both the titular character and Iago (and their respective partners) being gender-swapped. In a time parallel to ours, the first black female General is fresh from war and continuing to grow her career. Her jealous right hand, Iago, is desperate for the power Othello has and will stop at nothing to take her position. Throw in a Desmond running for political office and his gay campaign manager and you have a current take on gender bias in the military and politics, as well as racism running rampant throughout even the millennial crowd. Show dates are 5/4-5/27.

Slipstream has become known for their summer Pride shows, but this year they're changing it up a bit. To celebrate Pride Month's opening weekend, the company will present A Drag Race Eleganza, a parody of RuPaul's popular show, entering its tenth season. Manning Goldman stars as RuPaul and you'll see a wide array of your favorite queens and guest judges. For the rest of Pride Month, Slipstream will present a Michigan premiere of Andrew Kramer's St. Sebastian. The story centers around a gay white couple who buy a house in a culturally rich neighborhood in Detroit. A young neighbor boy takes an interest in helping them flip the house and paranoia about becoming gentrifiers leads to inadvertent racism, and an ultimate sacrifice. The production will star Richard Payton, fresh from Fordham David Wilson, and heading to Carnegie Mellon Drew Bos. Show dates are 6/15-7/8.

Fresh off a Kennedy Center National Playwriting award for A Night of Stars with Tennessee Williams, Maxim Vinogradov gives his new play, Lost in 3 Pines, its world premiere at Slipstream. The show is Chekhov meets Beckett meets Durang, and will take the audience on a wild journey. Starring company favorites Mandy Logsdon, Artun Kircali, Tiaja Sabrie, Kez Settle, and Ryan Ernst, this one is bound to be another success on Vinogradov's growing resume. Dates are 7/20-8/5.

In another first, Slipstream partners with Theatre Nova to remount A Night of Stars with Tennessee Williams. Many of the original cast returns, with some changes. Imagine Luna Alexander's Bette Davis and Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Payton's Truman Capote, and Jake Rydell's Brando. The remounted production runs 8/4-8/26.

And closing out the season of firsts, Rachel Biber directs Victoria Rose Weatherspoon in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, 9/15-10/7. So much change, so little time. Mark your calendar to ensure you are a part of these firsts, before they become traditions!

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