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    The Arthropologist

    A rollercoaster of a Road Show — with music: Tackling this Sondheim isn't for the timid

    Nancy Wozny
    nancy wozny
    Jun 20, 2013 | 2:19 pm

    Whenever I feel a little low in the theater enthusiasm department, I know it's time for a one on one with Kenn McLaughlin, the wild-eyed artistic director of Stages Repertory Theatre. We've had several chats over the years, on Panto, on my reactions to Mr. Marmalade, on Will Eno and on his Director's Lab to name a few.

    I always leave these conversations having learned something new about live theater, and more importantly, that it's a worthwhile endeavor to tell the tale of how anything gets on stage, at Stages and elsewhere.

    Mr. Big Chance

    Honestly, McLaughlin could convince me that doing a play with elephants is a great idea, he's that persuasive. So maybe elephants are not exactly a part of Road Show, the little known Sondheim musical that closes Stages' season (running through June 30), but taking on this much storied gem was not without risks.

    Road Show has been on a long road itself, from its 1999 workshop version called Wise Guys, followed by its 2003 Chicago premiere as Bounce. It's a play with a past.

    It's a rollercoaster of a play with a relentless pace, not unlike a real road trip, with a spirit of recklessness.

    Road Show chronicles a couple of drifter bros who set out to make a fortune and lose it a few times over. The true story of the Addison and Wilson Mizner is far from our consciousness. If you are a boomer like me, these are our grandparents' stories.

    They even begin their search for fortune in the Yukon, Alaska, the very place that my husband's grandfather made his livelihood. Then the brothers discover the next frontier, Florida! Addison's Boca Raton homes are still considered treasures.

    But do people still connect with this part of our American story? Also, this is the first regional theater production of Road Show. How's that for thinking big?

    All of these concerns would have kept me up at night, which is probably why I'm notrunning a theater company. But not for Can-Do Kenn.

    "To me it wasn't a risk," McLaughlin insists. "I loved the show and felt very strongly that it had something to say for Houston audiences, and that pretty much covered the bases for me.

    "Add in the fact that it is a 'new' Sondheim, and I really felt the show fit squarely within the kind of thing that Stages is best respected for, compelling, fresh and contemporary work."

    It's just the kind of underdog piece that gets him fired up. And if you haven't seen McLaughlin fired up, well, too bad for you. The man oozes love for live theater. When I attend his pre-show pep rallies, I leaving thinking, "Oh, right, that's why I'm here."

    Dos Road

    Road Show ended up on McLaughlin's desk via artistic associate Mitchell Greco, who directed the uber popular Life Could be a Dream earlier this season. "It's an intelligent musical with something to say about who we are," McLaughlin says. "It had some bite to it."

    As one of four brothers, a story about the Mizner brothers offered another way in for McLaughlin.

    If you haven't seen McLaughlin fired up, well, too bad for you. The man oozes love for live theater.

    I took my seat at Road Show with a modicum of apprehension, after all, it was a Sondheim, and I couldn't hum a single tune yet. The lights came on, a chorus of Sondheim sounds flooded the stage, and all I could do was strap myself in and hold on. It's a rollercoaster of a play with a relentless pace, not unlike a real road trip, with a spirit of recklessness. It just starts its engine and goes, without a single "send in the clowns" moment.

    The Mizner bros were a busy duo, dabbling in so many things, that it's no wonder that their lives became the stuff of theater. They lived epic lives and deserve a Sondheim musical.

    "I'm so glad you used the word 'rollercoaster' because the sense of being out of control is part of the driving metaphor," McLaughlin says. "The play felt like it is was going a 100 miles per hour. The story touches on that romantic notion of the frontier, the spirit of invention and the need to find unclaimed territory."

    "Are you a Sondheim freak?" I ask McLaughlin.

    "He's the greatest writer for theater alive in terms of the theatrical sophistication he brings to the table," he shoots back. "He gets inside how characters think and with magnetic music."

    Actually, this is Stages' first Sondheim. "I was waiting for the right play at the right moment to do it," McLaughlin says.

    Although this is not the largest production Stages has put on, it feels that way. Grey Gardens and the Pantos were larger overall.

    "It's the most fully articulated," McLaughlin says. "The investment in design is more thorough."

    Then there's the talent issue. "Houston has talent coming out of the woodwork, but I also had the budget to look outside of the city if I needed to," McLaughlin says.

    And indeed he did, when the New York City based actor Tom Frey joined the cast. Frey also performed in 2 Pianos 4 Hands earlier this season.

    "I had all the resources I needed to pull this show off," McLaughlin says. "I feel good about the show. I did all that I wanted to do."

    The show has garnered some great national attention, but that wasn't the reason McLaughlin mounting it.

    "I wanted to do the show because it spoke to me deeply, and that is the most compelling reason for me always," he says. "I'm drawn to plays that speak to our responsibility to each other as a community — what do we owe each other? What is the social contract and why are we so darn determined to mess it up every single day?

    "Road Show asks those questions with great music. That's what turned me on to the play first and foremost."

    A scene from Road Show at Stages Repertory Theatre with Tom Freyand Bridget Beirne

    Bridget Beirne and Tom Frey in Road Show at Stages Repertory Theatre June 2013
      
    Photo by © Bruce Bennett
    A scene from Road Show at Stages Repertory Theatre with Tom Freyand Bridget Beirne
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    weekend event planner

    Here are the 15 best things to do in Houston this weekend

    Craig D. Lindsey
    Jun 18, 2025 | 6:30 pm
    Morgan Wallen
    Photo courtesy of Morgan Wallen
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    Juneteenth is on Thursday, June 19, which means those who want to celebrate will find plenty of events happening across Houston this weekend. We’re talking about such gatherings as the Children’s Museum Houston’s Juneteenth celebration, the Juneteenth 160 Fest, and Club Sienna’s Juneteenth Jubilee, just to name a few.

    But we also have the all-star return of Comicpalooza, live performances from a country bad-boy and a neo-soul legend, a YouTube show getting an early jump on celebrating DJ Screw Day, and the 20th anniversary of a movie that we wish we knew how to quit.

    Thursday, June 19

    Buffalo Bayou Partnership presents Underground Sounds: Sarah Grace Graves - “Three Names”
    All this weekend, the Underground Sounds series in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern returns, featuring Sarah Grace Graves performing her composition "Three Names," which is inspired by the vast, unique architecture of the Cistern and arranged especially for its natural acoustics. Graves is a composer and vocal performer working at the intersection between ritual and recital. She pulls inspiration from a variety of media, including classical literature and archival music recordings, to weave together stories through a blend of compositions and improvisation. 6 pm.

    Plot Swap Theater presents Pheromones
    Best friends Lucy and Vic slide into a downtown lounge, where Lucy unveils a slim vial she swears will make its wearer irresistible, putting their handsome waiter Danny in the crosshairs. Whether the pheromones ignite romance, trigger disaster, or expose deeper rifts between the friends is decided live by the audience. Pheromones is an intimately hilarious choose‑your‑adventure story, performed for only 10 guests per night. Through Thursday, July 24. 7 pm.

    The River Oaks Theatre presents When Houston Had the Blues
    When Houston Had the Blues focuses on the city’s rich (but sadly unheralded) history of great Black music. No other city can claim giants such as Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Mama Thornton, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Bobby Blue Bland, Albert King, and Albert Collins, plus Black-owned labels like Duke and Peacock. The doc features new interviews with Billy Gibbons, CJ Chenier, Grady Gaines, and others. Producer Drew Barnett-Hamilton and Houston blues artists Trudy Lynn and Steve Krase will be around for a post-screening Q&A. 7:15 pm.

    Friday, June 20

    Comicpalooza
    The three-day pop culture con Comicpalooza is back, featuring vendors from all over the galaxy, programming covering a multitude of fandoms, special attractions intriguing the curious minds, panels featuring this year’s guests, and other geeky entertainment. Celebrity guests will include Hayden Christensen, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, Anthony Michael Hall, Patton Oswalt, Ming-Na Wen, WWE wrestlers, the cast of Resident Alien (including Alice Wetterlund, who will be at Punch Line Houston this weekend), and more. 1 pm (9 am Saturday and Sunday).

    Asia Society Texas Center presents AsiaFest
    AsiaFest celebrates the rich diversity of Houston’s Asian and Asian American communities through performances, art-making activities, food, live demonstrations, and more. The event will feature Asia's different regions' traditions, cultures, and food. Guests will get to interact with a dragon boat display on their front lawn, tour Asia Society Texas' exhibition "Hung Hsien: Between Worlds," and more. 5 pm.

    Morgan Wallen in concert
    Country star Morgan Wallen may not have dug hanging around at Saturday Night Live a few months back (he quickly bounced during the goodnights and later posted “Get me to God’s country” on his Instagram page), but he’ll be sticking around in Houston this weekend. He’ll be performing not one, but two shows at NRG Stadium, in support of his new album, I'm The Problem. Well, at least the man knows he’s got issues. 5:30 pm. (Saturday, 5:30 pm).

    Maxwell in concert
    The last time ‘90s neo-soul pioneer Maxwell performed here was in October, as his tour (which celebrated the 15th anniversary of his 2009 comeback album BLACKsummers’night) made a stop at the Toyota Center. Now, he’s returning to H-Town territory, preparing to rock the house over at Sugar Land’s Smart Financial Centre. So, if you conceived children while listening to his baby-making jams (or if you were conceived during a Maxwell song and you just wanna see what the hype is all about), Maxwell will be here to give you a little sumthin’ sumthin’. 8 pm.

    Saturday, June 21

    River Oaks District presents Motor Mornings with Post Oak Motor Cars
    River Oaks District invites car enthusiasts, collectors, and industry insiders to its Motor Mornings – presented by Post Oak Motor Cars – to see an extraordinary lineup of supercars and hypercars, including bespoke Bentleys, roaring Lamborghinis, and sleek Bugattis. Automotive aficionados can come together to enjoy a curated collection of some of the most coveted vehicles in the world to connect over shared passion and engineering perfection. This event is open to the public and will offer live music and complimentary coffee for attendees. 8 am.

    Kroger 70th Anniversary Celebration
    The nationwide grocery chain will mark 70 years of Houston operations with a party at its store in the Heights (1035 N. Shepherd). The first 70 customers through the door at 10 am will have the opportunity to buy seven items for just $0.70 each. Everyone else will enjoy wine tastings, gift card raffles, Winfield's Chocolate Bar giveaways, an appearance by the Texans cheerleaders, and activities for kids. To mark the occasion, Kroger will donate $35,000 to the Houston Food Bank. 10 am.

    Morgan Wallen
      
    Photo courtesy of Morgan Wallen

    Morgan Wallen is performing Friday and Saturday.

    Spin the Block at Screwed Up Records and Tapes
    Spin the Block, the new YouTube show where DJs and influencers take over a local Houston space and have a nice little kickback, will be at Screwed Up Records and Tapes this weekend, just in time for DJ Screw Day next weekend. Rock/hip-hop duo Blaze x Black will be performing as well as hosting, along with King Borris. DJ Pablo Barre will provide the beats, and food trucks and other vendors will be outside. Noon.

    Nate Jackson: Super Funny World Tour
    Stand-up comedian, actor, and viral sensation Nate Jackson is taking his signature high-energy comedy on the road with the Super Funny World Tour. His blend of sharp wit, relatable humor, and unmatched physical comedy has made him a favorite both on social media and in live performances, where he sells out comedy clubs and theaters across America. See him before his first Netflix special drops in July. 7 pm.

    Houston Symphony presents Disney and Pixar’s Up in Concert
    In Up, the quirky duo of Carl, a cantankerous 78-year-old balloon salesman, and Russell, an adventurous 8-year-old stowaway, embark on a laugh-out-loud and touching journey to a hidden world full of thrills and surprises. The 2009 Disney/Pixar tearjerker will be projected on a massive screen, accompanied by the Houston Symphony performing Michael Giacchino’s Academy Award-winning score live. 7:30 pm (2 pm Sunday).

    Sunday, June 22

    Laura Rathe Fine Art presents "A World Within" opening reception
    "A World Within," a group exhibition featuring Lucrecia Waggoner, Carly Allen Martin, Audra Weaser, and Sandrine Kern, is that quiet, internal space we all carry. A place shaped by memory, emotion, and the small moments that do not always have language. A world where past experiences and passing thoughts live side by side, building emotional landscapes that feel intimate and vast at the same time. Each artist offers a different entry point into this space, a glimpse into their inner world. Through Monday, August 4. Noon.

    The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents "From India to the World: Textiles from the Parpia Collection" opening day
    A celebration of artistic mastery and cultural exchange, "From India to the World: Textiles from the Parpia Collection" showcases the Museum’s recent acquisition of Indian textiles from the holdings of New York-based Banoo and Jeevak Parpia, who have assembled one of the most significant private collections of its kind outside India. This exhibition offers a rich cross-section of India’s textile traditions, from intricate court silks to boldly patterned cottons, dazzling tie-dyes, and masterfully woven ikats. Through Sunday, September 14. 12:30 pm.

    Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra presents Brokeback Mountain: 20th Anniversary
    Winner of three Academy Awards including Best Director, Brokeback Mountain is a sweeping epic that explores the lives of two young men, a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy, who meet in the summer of 1963 and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection. The complications, joys, and heartbreak they experience provide a testament to the endurance and power of love. The late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal deliver emotionally charged, remarkably moving performances. 6 pm (9:30 pm Sunday).

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