Dragonly Fun!

At each of Main Street Theater’s public Theater for Youth performances, audiences and can meet the cast and get autographs after the show. Wee ones often get a thrill from this – see 5 ½ Madeline Strug in the attached photos with St. George (Roc Living) and a Townsperson (Jessica Knapp) from our current production of THE RELUCTANT DRAGON.

Tickets to Main Street Theater --- $20
Oufit to wear to the thearer --- $50
Lunch and shopping the rest of the day --- $100
The smile on a grandchilds' face during and after the performance --- PRICELESS
There are some things money can buy, watching children enjoy live theater -- now that is truly priceless! - Marian Strug, Proud Grandmother of Madeline and MST Board Member.

THE RELUCTANT DRAGON plays our Chelsea Market location Saturdays through April 4, 2009. For tickets, please call 713-524-6706.

And that's the word on the street!

The MST Q&A: Matt Tramel

Matt Tramel appears in our new Youth Theater production of THE RELUCTANT DRAGON, now playing at our Chelsea Market location. Get to know Matt a little more as he answers MST's Q&A ...


Full given name: Matthew Shane Tramel

Hometown: Mesquite, TX

Zodiac sign: Leo

Audition Monologue/Song: Haven't settled.

Special skills: Aquatic Sports (skiing/knee-boarding/tubing), Juggling, Running, Frisbee, Horseback Riding,Vehicle Maintenance, Whip Cracking, Hiking, Singing (Tenor), Swing Dancing, Basic Harmonica

First Houston show ever saw: I have a horrible memory.

Current show you have been recommending to friends: THE PIE DIALOGUES

Favorite show tune: Currently, "Purpose" from AVENUE Q.

MAC or PC? I own PC's, but I'm learning the ways of MAC.

Must-see TV show: Lost, 24, US of Tara, Firefly

Last good movie you saw: The Babysitters (more intriguingly interesting than "good")

Favorite board game: Balderdash or Apples to Apples

Performer you would drop everything to go see: Eddie Izzard

Pop culture guilty pleasure: Facebook

First stage kiss: I think it was when I was a freshman in college and played Anthony in THE HOUSE OF YES, but like I said before... I have a horrible memory.

Favorite post-show meal: A cold beer.

Worst onstage mishap: I'd have to say it was the time I was performing WORDS, WORDS, WORDS by David Ives with John Dunn at The Country Playhouse and he sliced open his hand on our tire swing (which was part of the set) while we were in the middle of a performance. He was a trooper though and saw it through until the end... clenching his fist the entire time with smears of blood painting the papers we used in our typewriters.

Worst costume ever: I once played a frog prince with an over-sized paper-mâché head that was lined on the inside with obituaries.

Favorite cereal: Honey Bunches of Oats

Who would play you in the movie? If not myself then maybe Tyson Ritter. I hear we look alike.

Worst job you ever had: I was not a big fan of mowing yards when I was growing up. Does that count?

TV or commercial gig you most enjoyed: Well, if we're sticking to only TV or commercial gigs and excluding film then I'd probably go with a Darque Tan commercial that I was featured in. No, I did not play the role of "before".

THE RELUCTANT DRAGON, from the book by Kenneth Grahame plays our Chelsea Market location Saturdays, now through April 4, 2009. For tickets, please call 713-524-6706.

And that's the word on the street!

Announcing the Cast of Awake and Sing!

I am pleased to announce the cast of AWAKE AND SING!, the final show of our 2008-2009 MainStage Season!

Myron Berger - George Brock
Bessie Berger - Luisa Amaral-Smith*
Jacob - Steve Garfinkel
Hennie Berger - Natalie Arneson*
Ralph Berger - Charles Swan
Schlosser - Walter Baker
Moe Axelrod - Jamie Geiger
Uncle Morty - Jack Young*
Sam Feinschreiber - Josh Morrison
*Member of Actors' Equity Association,
the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Directed by Cheryl L. Kaplan

AWAKE AND SING! plays our Rice Village location May 7 to June 7, 2009. For tickets, please call 713-524-6706.

And that's the word on the street!

A Second Look at The Pie Dialogues

THE PIE DIALOGUES, the world premiere now playing at MST's Rice Village location through March 22, 2009.

The production features two actors, Josh Morrison as Sean and Gwendolyn McLarty as Dawn, in a series of eight scenes that chronicle not only their relationship, but the life of their daughter, Pie, always talked about but never seen.

Scene 3 - The mercy rule




Scene 4 - Grandma’s sweater blue




Scene 5 - Perjury at the prom


Scene 6 - Malmsey






Scene 7 - The whistling groundhog


Scene 8 - Class

THE PIE DIALOGUES
Directed by Andrew Ruthven
Set and Properties Design by Liz Freese
Costume Design by Tiffani Fuller
Lighting Design by John Smetak
Sound Design by Janel J. Badrina
Photography by RicOrnel Productions

And that's the word on the street!

MST comes to you!

Through the generous support of the NEA and Arts Midwest, Main Street Theater is going on tour with Shakespeare for the third straight year. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is touring the Greater Houston region, and even beyond, for the rest of March and the top of April.

Josh Taylor as Demetrius, Kristen Trahan as Helena
and Steven Laing as Lysander.


Alan Hall as Bottom.

The tour of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM will continue through April 3rd. You can call 713-524-9196 x101 for information on how the show can come to you.

The tour will also be presented to the general public on April 4th and 5th at our Rice Village location. Click HERE for information, or call 713-524-6706.

And that's the word on the street!

Main Street Theater's production is part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, a national theater initiative sponsored by
the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation
with Arts Midwest.

It's Later Than You Think

One theme in THE PIE DIALOGUES (now playing at our Rice Village location) is the song referenced in the play as "It's Later Than You Think". Sound designer Janel J. Badrina looked long and hard for recent versions of the song. Paul Reddick's recording was discovered right away, but was soon discovered to not be the old standard, but one of his own creation.

Unfortunately, there is no usable recording in recent times, and given the 80s - 90s soundtrack of the show, we could not include it in the show. But here is Doris Day's recording. Enjoy yourself!



THE PIE DIALOGUES plays our Rice Village location through March 22, 2009. For tickets, please call 713-524-6706.

And that's the word on the street!

And Now a Word From Our Audience

Here are just a few things our audience have been telling us...

"Once again you have spotted an amazing little play that deserves to be seen. The writing was so perfect!!! (I'm not ordinarily an exclamation point kind of guy.) Keep up the good work." - H.S.

"The Pie Dialogues was a real pleasure to see. Great acting, set design, and thoughtfully chosen '80s interlude music. Parts of this play really got to me, and I was quite impressed with the performance. Thanks to MST for a great show. Go see it!" - W.G.

"I gave up my Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang tickets to see [Pie Dialouges] instead!" - Friend of Board Member

Why don't you tell us what you thought? Leave a comment here on the blog!

And that's the word on the street! (Quite literally in fact!)

The MST Q&A: Josh Morrison

Josh Morrison as Sean and Gwendolyn McLarty as Dawn.

Josh Morrison plays Sean in MST's world premiere of THE PIE DIALOGUES, now playing at our Rice Village location. Get to know Josh a little more as he answers MST's Q&A ...

Full given name: Joshua Neal Morrison

Hometown: Baytown, Texas

Zodiac sign: Virgo

Audition Monologue/Song: Depends on the show

Special skills: I make the best omelettes like ever!

First Houston show ever saw: Angels in America/Alley Theatre

Current show you have been recommending to friends: The Pie Dialogues...duh

Favorite show tune: Aren't they all the same?

MAC or PC? PC, but I'd love a MAC

Most played song on your iPod: Elton John's All the Young Girls Love Alice

Last book you read: Yao Ming's autobiography

Must-see TV show: Heroes

Last good movie you saw: Burn After Reading

Favorite board game: Operation...I got mad skills

Performer you would drop everything to go see: Dancing monkeys

Pop culture guilty pleasure: I don't think I'm cool or young enough to know anything from pop culture

First stage kiss: Taming of the Shrew/High school

Favorite post-show meal: Firewater

Worst onstage mishap: My sword almost rolled into the audience during R and J at Miller

Worst costume ever: Any with lots of layers

Favorite cereal: Fruity Pebbles

Who would play you in the movie? That orangutan from Any Which Way But Loose

Worst job you ever had: Selling gas lamps door to door

TV or commercial gig you most enjoyed: Voice over for the University of Mexico...I spoke like the guy from Telemundo

THE PIE DIALOGUES plays our Rice Village location through March 22, 2009. For tickets, please call 713-524-6706.

And that's the word on the street!

The Music of Pie

When was the last time you went to a play and grooved to the mix of the scene changes? Audiences not only have loved to new comedy drama THE PIE DIALOGUES, now playing in the Rice Village, but they have come out literally singing the praises of the jamming soundtrack! Check out the play list on iTunes, or visit our Amazon Widget below!

Sound Design by Janel J. Badrina

And that's the word on the street!

Take a Look Back

Can you believe it is March already? Where did February go? It seems like only yesterday we were closing THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. Take a walk down memory lane with us and this spectacular production.

Set Design by Liz Freese.


The Company of THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.


Ross Chitwood as Fabrizio Naccarelli and Haley Dyes as Clara Johnson.


Jamie Geiger as Giuseppe Naccarelli, Ross Chitwood as Fabrizio Naccarelli and David Grant as Signor Naccarelli.


Ross Chitwood as Fabrizio Naccarelli, Jamie Geiger as Giuseppe Naccarelli and Christina Stroup as Franca Naccarelli.


Bob Boudreaux as Roy Johnson and Susan Shofner as Margaret Johnson.


Haley Dyes as Clara Johnson and Ross Chitwood as Fabrizio Naccarelli.


Susan Shofner as Margaret Johnson and Haley Dyes as Clara Johnson.


Jamie Geiger as Giuseppe Naccarelli, Luisa Amaral-Smith as Signora Naccarelli, Ross Chitwood as Fabrizio Naccarelli, David Grant as Signor Naccarelli and Christina Stroup as Franca Naccarelli.


David Grant as Signor Naccarelli and Susan Shofner as Margaret Johnson.


Haley Dyes as Clara Johnson and Ross Chitwood as Fabrizio Naccarelli.


The Company of THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA
Directed by Ron Jones
Musical Direction by Glenn Sharp with Steven Jones
Set and Properties Design by Liz Freese
Costume Design by Macy Perrone
Lighting Design by John Smetak
Sound Design by Bryan Nortin
Photography by RicOrnel Productions

And that's the word on the street!