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    Creating a sanctuary under the rafters

    For August: Osage County, set designer Kevin Rigdon turns an Alley into a home

    Nancy Wozny
    nancy wozny
    Mar 5, 2011 | 1:38 pm
    News_Nancy_Kevin Ridgon_Behanding_3965
    Rigdon created the set for the Alley Theatre production of "A Behanding in Spokane"
    Photo by Jann Whaley

    How best to build a house for Violet Weston, the pill-popping anti-heroine matriarch of Tracy Letts' August: Osage County, now running at the Alley Theatre through March 13?

     

    The task falls to Kevin Rigdon, a leading designer who just happens to be based here in Houston.

     

    Rigdon's life has come full circle. After having served as Steppenwolf Theatre Company's resident designer from 1974-1996, he finds himself designing sets and lights for Letts' powerhouse family saga, which originated at the renown Chicago theater company and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play.

     

    "It's a fine piece of theater. When I saw it on Broadway, I had no idea I would ever be designing the show," recalls Rigdon. "It's a daunting task. These are the people I grew up with."

     

    Todd Rosenthal designed the original production, which featured a three-story half-a-doll-house construction.

     

    "Todd brilliantly followed the geography of the space, and his set worked well on Broadway," says Rigdon. "The Alley is a new production, directed by Jackson Gay. The space needs to be enclosed."

     

    Rigdon drew from the iconic clap board siding of prairie farm houses that conjure the Oklahoma landscape where Letts grew up.

     

    One look at Rigdon's set tells us that we are in store for a monumental family drama. It's largess matches Letts' scale. The Westons are not a junior league dysfunctional family, they are the real thing. Rigdon has created a home for this unruly brood that literally grows out of the cavity of the Hubbard Stage.

     

    "Letts' play is an expressionistic epic," says Rigdon. "I tried to support that in the scenery."

     

    "The horizontal lines combined with the set's massive three-story height created a visceral tension," I told Rigdon.

     

    "You are dead on. That was the idea," he responded. "I wanted a contained and more claustrophobic space."

     

    And that he did. We feel closer to the Weston family, whether we want to be or not. One of the marvels of Rigdon's design is the third floor room, which precariously hovers over the first floor. It's looming presence eventually beckons Violet in the last moments of the play.

     

    "It's the sanctuary under the rafters," says Rigdon. "It's a bit protective and off balance, like a cocoon."

     

    Indeed — spoiler alert! — the final image of the play with Violet curled in a fetal position while Johanna sings is exquisitely framed by the angled borders of this suspended room.

     

    Details lurk like clues in the Weston dwelling, from a mess of books stuffed under the stairs, to odd towers of books in other locales.

     

    "Outside of their wedding china, the house is devoid of any ornamentation," Rigdon adds. "There are books everywhere, and no family photos."

     

    Rigdon prefers to design both sets and lights. "It's more unified," he says. "There's more give and take. In August , the lighting makes it flow and keeps the play moving."

     

    "How do you begin?" I asked Rigdon.

     

    "By reading the script," he responds, laughing. "You would be surprised."

     

    Rigdon cracks me up with a story about a designer not knowing the names of the characters. He gets in a more serious mood when talking about the job of containing a work of art. "You must follow the ground plan of the play or it's not going to work," he says. "You have to create the world of the play."

     

    Rigdon has designed over 50 Alley productions and serves as the Alley Theatre's associate director/design. Most recently, he conjured that flop house hotel that made a perfect setting for Martin McDonagh's A Behanding in Spokane. "It was inspired by a flea bag hotel I stayed in once," quips Ridgon. Other recent Alley productions include St. Nicholas, Intelligence-Slave, Mrs. Mannerly, Our Town and Mauritius, a set Rigdon was particularly pleased with.

     

    Rigdon is also a professor at University of Houston's School of Theatre & Dance. where he is head of graduate design.

     

    Although he calls Houston home, the two-time Tony nominated designer works all over the globe. Rigdon has designed over 345 productions, including numerous plays on Broadway. Today, he regularly works with the top 10 regional theaters in America. He's just wrapped designing sets and lights for David Mamet's Race at Philadelphia Theatre Company. Before that it was Charming Billy at Round House Theatre, in Bethesda, Maryland.

     

    Last fall, he found himself back in his old stomping ground at Steppenwolf, lighting Lisa D'Amour's Detroit. With seven Joseph Jefferson Awards, four Drama Desk Award nominations, two American Theatre Wing Design Awards and The Drama Logue Award, let's just say he's one in demand guy.

     

    "It's been an exciting year," he admits.

     

    A believer in hands-on learning, Ridgon has given many grad students a chance to work along side him. "They get to see what life is like for a working professional," he says. "I Iove teaching, witnessing those 'aha' moments and watching them mature before my eyes."

    Kevin Rigdon drew from the iconic clap board siding of prairie farm houses that conjure the Oklahoma landscape where "August: Osage County" author Tracy Letts grew up.

    News_Nancy_Kevin Ridgon_Alley Theatre_276
      
    Photo by John Everett
    Kevin Rigdon drew from the iconic clap board siding of prairie farm houses that conjure the Oklahoma landscape where "August: Osage County" author Tracy Letts grew up.
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    These are the 14 best things to do in Houston this weekend

    Craig D. Lindsey
    Jul 16, 2025 | 6:30 pm
    Goo Goo Dolls
    Photo courtesy of Goo Goo Dolls
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    This weekend, it’s all about music, comedy, celebration, and getting free chicken.

    The Goo Goo Dolls and Kam Franklin will have live concerts. Mo Amer and Kym Whitley will be doing back-to-back stand-up shows. Little Jewford will pay tribute to Kinly Friedman with a live show. Karbach Brewing is bringing back Frida Fest. And Nando PERi-PERi will salute Nelson Mandela Day by giving free chicken and fries to whoever donates some canned goods.

    So, let’s ease on down the road and see what’s popping this weekend.

    Thursday, July 17

    Little Jewford's Sentimental Journey: Remembering Kinky Friedman
    Little Jewford's Sentimental Journey will highlight songs from Kinky Friedman's catalog and the Great American Songbook. Little Jewford will also share a few of his favorite memories of Kinky and stories from their travels. Little Jewford was eight years old when he met Kinky Friedman at Echo Hill Ranch in 1958. They began a friendship and musical pairing that would last more than 60 years. Little Jewford is also an accomplished pianist with a unique, entertaining style all his own. 7 pm.

    River Oaks Theatre presents Film Strip: Barbarella
    Grimm and Ghoulia, headmistresses of The Sisterhood of Lili St. Cyr, present another monthly screening of a cult movie, preceded by a rotating cast of burlesque beauties. This time around, we have Jane Fonda starring in this erotic, space-age, comic-book adaptation from 1968, where she’s a space traveler tasked with finding and stopping the evil Durand-Durand. BTW, quoting and singing along with the film is encouraged. Surprise gags and performances may take place during the film. 8 pm.

    Goo Goo Dolls in concert
    You can go back to the 2000s this weekend, as rock band Goo Goo Dolls will be performing in Sugar Land's Smart Financial Centre. Currently on the road for their Summer Anthem Tour, the Grammy-nominated, diamond-certified rockers (best known for “Iris,” one of many millennial pop ditties guitar-playing frat guys played for sorority girls at parties back in the day) are also at work on their 15th studio album. Dashboard Confessional, another rock outfit who rose to prominence during the Bush II era, will be the opening act. 8 pm.

    Friday, July 18

    Nelson Mandela Day at Nando’s Peri-Peri
    In honor of Nelson Mandela Day on Friday, Nando’s Peri-Peri is turning compassion into action with a nationwide food drive, rewarding guests with free flame-grilled chicken and Peri Chips in exchange for non-perishable food donations. At the Houston locations in Post Oak and Katy, donations will go to Second Servings, the city’s only perishable food rescue organization. Second Servings is also collecting donations to support those affected by the devastating floods that recently impacted Central Texas. 3 pm.

    Mo Amer: El Oso Palestino Tour
    Palestinian-American stand-up comedian (and hometown boy made good) Mo Amer may have wrapped up the second and final season of his acclaimed Netflix show Mo this year. But that doesn’t mean the man hasn’t stopped bringing the funny. Before he heads off to do two back-to-back shows at the Dubai Comedy Festival, he’ll do an early show right here in H-Town, as part of his El Oso Palestino Tour. As of press time, only a limited number of standing room only tickets remain. 7 pm.

    Punch Line Houston presents Kym Whitley
    Kym Whitley knew she was blessed with the gift to make people laugh after Redd Foxx told her she had “the comedic goods.” The comedienne and former host of BET talk show Oh Drama! has appeared in such movies as The Nutty Professor and Next Friday. She’s also done guest shots on My Wife and Kids, Two Broke Girls, That’s So Raven, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, on an episode that saved a man from going to death row. She even appeared in a Netflix documentary about it. 7:30 and 9:45 pm (7 and 9:15 pm Saturday).

    A.D. Players presents The Wizard of Oz
    Since we’re all still in a Wicked frame of mind, A.D. Players presents a stage version of the L. Frank Baum classic. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion, and Toto travel the universe of Dorothy’s imagination, crossing over the rainbow to the beautiful land of Oz. To find her way home, Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to find the Wizard. But the Wicked Witch of the West threatens to destroy these newfound friends as they make their journey. Through Sunday, August 10. 7:30 pm (2 and 7:30 pm Saturday; 2 pm Sunday).

    Saturday, July 19

    Houston Pets Alive! And Trust Guss Injury Lawyers present Puppy Palooza
    Houston Pets Alive! and Trust Guss Injury Lawyers team up for Puppy Palooza this weekend, at the Houston Pets Alive! headquarters. Houstonians are invited to a family-friendly adoption event where attendees can meet up to 50 adorable puppies of all sizes, breeds, and personalities, looking for their forever homes. The event not only offers a chance to welcome a new furry friend into your life, but also supports Houston’s local shelters by helping reduce overcrowding and giving at-risk pets a second chance.

    Moody Center for the Arts presents Summer Jam
    Moody's annual Summer Jam will feature art activities, galleries to explore, an indoor farmer’s market, local food vendors, and more. The event includes access to Figurative Histories and Collective Memories as well as programming with Black art/culture reference library The Reading Room. In addition to a scavenger hunt, face painting, and bubble play, Red Bird Press will lead a printmaking activity for the duration of the event. Noon.

    Karbach Brewing Co. presents Frida Fest
    Karbach Brewing Co. is bringing back its annual Frida Fest, a two-day celebration honoring art icon Frida Kahlo through art, fashion, and community. In partnership with nonprofit MuXerhtx, Karbach’s biergarten will transform into a vibrant cultural hub. Saturday’s festivities will include an art show, a fashion show, and a lookalike contest, while Sunday will have a mariachi performance, a flower-making workshop, and a DJ playing beats. Saturday attendees will get first access to exclusive Frida Fest glassware. 1 pm (11 am Sunday).

    The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston presents Iolanthe
    The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston, Houston’s longest-running opera company, will present Iolanthe, a hallmark of Gilbert and Sullivan’s signature satire that cheerily blends fantasy and pointed social commentary. It skewers the British legal system, the House of Lords, and Victorian sensibilities with clever wit and a charming score. Iolanthe (pronounced "eye-oh-LAN-thee") is a comic opera sung in English and is enjoyable for all ages. Through Sunday, July 27. 7 pm (7 pm Friday, 2:30 pm Sunday).

    Sunday, July 20

    National Ice Cream Day
    National Ice Cream Day is this Sunday, and these are just some of the several places around town marking the occasion with deals and specials. The Sunrise House in Montrose has both an ice cream-topped waffle and an affogato. Both locations of The Pit Room will take $2 off any creation made with Blue Bell ice cream. Asian American diner Agnes and Sherman will be serving root beer floats and banana splits. Houston-area locations of Lick Honest Ice Creams will donate 10 percent of sales to Buffalo Bayou Partnership. All four Houston-area locations of Jeni’s will add its new sundae fudge sauce for free to any scoop. (Times and locations vary.)

    The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore
    Marlee Matlin became the first deaf actor to win an Oscar for her performance in Children of a Lesser God. In this new documentary, she discusses her personal and professional struggles — including her meteoric rise to fame in a predominantly hearing industry, a tumultuous high-profile relationship, getting sober, and years of being overlooked by Hollywood. Through split-screen interviews with both deaf and hearing contributors, the film weaves a poignant narrative of Matlin’s career, highlighting her tireless fight for inclusion. 5 pm.

    Dan Electro’s presents Kam Franklin & Friends
    Kam Franklin and a bunch of her musical pals will be performing this weekend at Dan Electro’s. Best known for belting powerful vocals as the lead singer of Gulf Coast soul band The Suffers, this dynamic interdisciplinary artist is also a passionate activist for justice and equity — amplifying Black, queer, femme, and non-binary voices across the arts. She’ll be joined by Sergio Trevino, Louis Morales, Sara Van Buskirk, Uncle Tino, and Blacknintendo. 7:30 pm.

    Goo Goo Dolls
      
    Photo courtesy of Goo Goo Dolls

    Goo Goo Dolls will play in Sugar Land July 17, 2025.

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