Photo Credit: Cypress StageEvents
Cypress Stage Prepares to Raise the Curtain on Gloria: A Life
Cypress Stage is preparing to raise the curtain on its inaugural production, Gloria: A Life by acclaimed playwright Emily Mann, opening October 2.
The production marks the first Houston-area staging of Gloria: A Life and gives audiences across Cypress and Northwest Houston an opportunity to discover Cypress Stage.
“We wanted our first production to reflect the kind of theatre we hope to bring to the community,” said Founder and Executive Director Janye Anderson. “At the heart of Cypress Stage’s mission is bringing audiences engaging, meaningful plays that are seldom, if ever, produced locally. Gloria: A Life is a perfect example of that.”
Directed by Deborah Hope, the play follows Gloria Steinem’s journey from journalist to one of the most recognizable voices of the women’s rights movement. Told with humor, warmth, and history, it also explores the women, friendships, events, and ideas that helped shape a generation.
The story has a particularly strong connection to Houston. Steinem was among the organizers of the historic 1977 National Women’s Conference, which brought thousands of women from across the country to the city.
But the evening doesn’t end when the scripted play does.
One of the most distinctive elements of Gloria: A Life is Act Two, when the traditional barrier between performers and audience disappears and the theatre becomes a place for conversation. Cypress Stage will feature a different accomplished woman as a Special Guest at selected performances, inviting her to reflect on how the story told that evening resonates with her own experiences and perspective.
“It makes every performance a little different,” Anderson said. “You see the play, and then you have the opportunity to hear from someone whose own experiences add another dimension to what you’ve just watched.”
Opening night on Friday, October 2, will also include an optional post-show reception, giving audience members an opportunity to meet the cast and celebrate Cypress Stage’s first production.
“Cypress has grown tremendously, and we believe there is an audience here that wants great live theatre close to home,” Anderson said. “Our hope is that Cypress Stage becomes a place where people can come together, discover something new, and leave talking about what they’ve experienced.”
Gloria: A Life runs October 2–18, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee October 18 at 3 p.m. A Pay What You Can preview will be held Thursday, October 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Performances will be held at the Cy-Woods High School Auditorium, 13550 Woods-Spillane Blvd. in Cypress.
Tickets are $35 for general admission, $30 for seniors, $15 for students, and $25 each for groups of 10 or more. Opening-night reception tickets are also available. Tickets and additional information are available at CypressStage.org.
Source: Cypress Stage
