Theatre Suburbia
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Theatre Suburbia is a non-profit community theatre company in northwest
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
. The company is the city's longest running all-volunteer playhouse, having presented a full season of performances every year since 1961.


History

Theatre Suburbia
was formed in the summer of 1961 and opened its inaugural season with
Philip Barry Philip Jerome Quinn Barry (June 18, 1896 – December 3, 1949) was an American dramatist best known for his plays ''Holiday (play), Holiday'' (1928) and ''The Philadelphia Story (play), The Philadelphia Story'' (1939), which were both made into ...
's, ''The Philadelphia Story'' on October 27, 1961. Tickets for the first show sold for $1.50 and the original building at 1410 W 43rd Street would not get air conditioning until its second season. The theatre remained on 43rd Street until 2008, when the theatre moved to a modern facility at 4106 Way Out West Drive. In 2020 the theatre moved to 5201 Mitchelldale Street, where it can be found today.


Program

Theatre Suburbia produces a 7-show season of modern classics, dramas, comedies and new plays. The annual season runs from September through August. A typical season includes a mystery (often a classic
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
or
Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
favorite), a Christmas holiday production, a play with a distinctive Texas theme or voice, a comedy, and a melodrama. Developing a strong local theatre community is a cornerstone of Theatre Suburbia's program. An effort is made to showcase at least one play by a playwright from within the local regional community. The theatre hosts an annual script contest in which prospective playwrights can submit an original script to be considered for the summer production. Several first-time playwrights have had their scripts produced on stage at Theatre Suburbia and then gone on to have their plays published or performed at other theatres.


Melodrama

Theatre Suburbia's annual production of a classic melodrama sets it apart from other community theatre companies. Every summer the company produces a classic melodrama. Elements of a classic melodrama include a plot-driven story with exaggerated stereotypical characters (invariably including a virtuous victim, an unequivocally evil villain, and a larger-than-life hero). Dialog is usually exaggerated, augmented by straightforward plot devices. Melodramas, while popular in the 19th century, are seldom taken seriously by modern dramatists.Singer, Ben (2001). ''Melodrama and Modernity: Early Sensational Cinema and Its Contexts''. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 44–53. More often, they are lampooned (or simply left to Dudley-Do-Right cartoons). In the hands of Theatre Suburbia's directors and actors, the melodrama takes on a very Texas style and flavor. Western frontier themes are favored in the scripts and wholesome hometown cowboys are typically the preferred hero. Theatre Suburbia calls its melodramas "summer mellerdramas", and for more than four decades, they have proven to be the most popular productions of the year among local Houston audiences. Additional weekend matinees augment the summertime schedule to better accommodate families with young children. Before each show, the audience is provided with tips for interacting with the performers: cheer for the hero, boo the villain, and always feel free to throw handfuls of popcorn anytime the villain should venture too close to the audience.


References


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suburbia, Theatre Theatres in Houston Theatre companies in Houston