Houston, Texas (September 13, 2012) 

The Catastrophic Theatre presents the World Premiere of

FLEAVEN

 by Miki johnson

November 2-17 at the Frenetic Theater

Wednesday through Saturday, 8 PM

All tickets Pay-what-you-can

"The mall is the town.  The town is the mall.  The mall is a disco mall."

 

Fleaven is the tale of Heaven, a disco professional laid low by the town's town villain Flame who was left behind as Heaven achieved international disco stardom with the band Denim Shorts.  Turning to hip hop and Rick James covers, Flame and his entourage terrorize the townspeople in an attempt to reunite with Heaven, leading (of course) to an epic disco-mall showdown.  Told in a startlingly original style, Fleaven explores the breaking up and reconciliation of a deep friendship gone dark.  

Fleaven is unlike any play you've ever seen.  It sings and plays, rhymes and raps, dances and roller-skates its way through a Seussian disco dreamscape.  Johnson's unique voice is whimsical and pithy, heartfelt and hilarious throughout.  Fleaven is a world unto itself, a joyride in the truest sense of the word.

Miki Johnson was recently honored by the Houston Press in their inaugural Houston Theater Awards as the Best Playwright for American Falls which received its World Premiere production by Catastrophic last May.

Performances begin on November 2 and run through November 17 at 8 p.m. at the Frenetic Theater, 5102 Navigation Boulevard, Houston, 77011. Pay-what-you-can tickets are available on The Catastrophic Theater website – http://catastrophictheatre.com or by calling 713-522-2723.   

About the Playwright

Miki Johnson has been writing and acting for years.  Raised in small-town Ohio, she received her terminal degree in Acting from Yale University in 2005 and acted in plays around the country before settling in Houston in 2007.  In the short time she’s been here, she has been named Houston’s “Best Actress” and “Best Playwright” by The Houston Press.  Her debut play, American Falls, premiered at The Catastrophic Theatre earlier this year, earning superlative reviews calling for Off-Broadway and even Broadway transfers.  The Houston Press said that Johnson had “captured lightning in a bottle” and that American Falls was “filled with humor, ablaze with insights and rocking with humanity.”  The playwright is a Catastrophic Theatre company member and has been widely praised for her performances in Endgame, Crave, Bluefinger, The Designated Mourner, Our Late Night, Spirits to Enforce, and Big Death and Little Death at Catastrophic and Mr. Marmalade and Oh! The Humanity at Stages Repertory Theatre. 

About the Ensemble

Fleaven features the most eclectic ensemble in Catastrophic history including local actors from Catastrophic and other local theatres; prominent local musicians; notable local dancers; and a hilarious assortment of weirdos to complete the carnivalesque atmosphere.

The play is directed by Catastrophic Artistic Director Jason Nodler with assistance and choreography by Associate Director Tamarie Cooper.  Joe Folladori, leader of popular local band The Mathletes, is composing an original score in collaboration with the playwright.

The design team includes Catastrophic favorites Laura Fine Hawkes (a finalist for best scenic design for Catastrophic’s Endgame), lighting designer Kevin Holden (artistic director of Horsehead Theatre), costume designer Kelly Switzer (a veteran of Catastrophic productions), local favorite Greg Dean on props, and sound designer Yezminne Zepeda (of The Alley Theatre and a welcome addition to the Catastrophic team).