Seven Reasons to See Catastrophic Theatre’s Snow White

Photo credit: Anthony Rathbun

If you haven’t seen it yet, Catastrophic Theater’s production of Donald Barthelme’s Snow White only runs for two more weekends – April 27^th – 29^th, and May 4^th – 6^th! (Get your tickets here.)

1. Snow White by Donald Barthelme – this staging is the world premiere of any fully staged adaptation of Barthelme’s take on the classic fairy tale. Barthelme had begun to write an adaptation himself, which was shelved (okay, put in a drawer) before it could be finished.

2. The performances – as director Greg Dean put it, he “needed actors with a facility for language, that could ‘switch styles’ easily, and locate the feelings and the jokes that often lie just below the surface of the prose.” His cast delivers, making effortless shifts in tone and energy to match the acrobatic language of the script. Check out the Houston Chronicle and HoustonPress reviews for more.

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   Photo credit: Anthony Rathbun

   The New Yorker review — It’s been called a “protracted, adults-only act of mischief” by The New Yorker, in which the original text originally appeared. Read the magazine’s great write-up on Catastrophic’s staging here!

4. The Houston connection — the play officially opened on Barthelme’s birthday in recognition of the writer, who left an indelible mark on Houston and helped found our city’s literary scene. Barthelme had envisioned a “pedestrian loop” to revitalize the neighborhood where Snow White is staging its run in the MATCH.

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   Photo credit: Anthony Rathbun

   The Midtown Arts and Theater Center – up and running since October of 2015, the MATCH fills a huge gap in Houston’s arts and culture scene, providing a variety of flexible performance spaces where smaller companies and troupes can stage their work. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, it’s a gorgeous facility and a huge step towards fulfilling Barthelme’s vision for the area.

6. The Inprint connection – the play was produced by Catastrophic in partnership with Inprint, after a staging organized by Marion Barthelme with the Alley theater back in 1996. Of the staging, Inprint Director Rich Levy said, “The piece was so brilliant and funny and irreverent.” Known for its reading series, Inprint is a vital champion of literature and the arts in Houston.

7. The Catastrophic Theatre – Formed in 2007, the Catastrophic has already been recognized for its accomplishments: it was recently one of ten theatre companies in the country to receive The National Theatre Company Award, and has twice won prestigious MAP Fund grants to develop new work. Already a fixture of Houston’s vibrant arts scene, The Catastrophic relies on “pay what you will” pricing to ensure access to all theater-goers, so come support them!