grounded
After years without a home, Catastrophic Theatre plans move to familiar Houstonarts space
Catastrophic Theatre cast members in the company's recent sold-out run ofFleaven.Photo collage by © George Hixson
Catastrophic has performed more than a dozen shows at the old DiverseWorksspace, but will get the keys to the theater all to itself on Jan. 1.
After five seasons of challenging, hilarious, irreverent, dark and consistently-engaging productions, the long-itinerate Catastrophic Theatre announced Tuesday that it will be putting down roots at the former DiverseWorks space in the northern reaches of downtown.
While a steady permanent home is sure to mark a new chapter for the company, the space itself is far from new to the Catastrophic team, which produced more than a dozen shows in the DiverseWorks before the arts organization relocated to Midtown.
" If we want to rehearse at 2 in the morning or something like that, now we can," laughed company co-founder Tamarie Cooper. "Ultimately, we hope it will allow for even more creativity."
Catastrophic will be leasing the theater potion of the former alt-arts locale for three years, kicking off renovations on Jan. 1 with plans for an official opening in time for the spring season.
"After being nomads for so long, it's wonderful for us to have a constant venue," laughed associate director Tamarie Cooper, who co-founded the theater company in 2007 and has emerged as one of the organization's leading on-stage personalities.
"While we've worked with so many great people and so many spaces, it would always be stressful having to coordinate where we'd perform next. With a place of our own, we'll have a lot more control. If we want to rehearse at 2 in the morning or something like that, now we can. Ultimately, we hope it will allow for even more creativity."
Managing director Kirk Markley told CultureMap the group — which, in its early days, featured none other than Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons — would remain focused on forging a close connection with its ever-growing fan base.
"We'll definitely continue to build on the work we've done so far. We'll always stay committed to offering unique and intimate experiences for our audiences."
