Miss Laraj’s House of Dystopian Futures: What if Humans Weren’t in Charge?

It’s a post-apocalyptic world that humans have totally messed up and may no longer be in charge of. Instead Miss Laraj, the Mutha of the New World Order, comes to the fore.

Abraham Zeus Zapata plays the title character in Miss Laraj’s House of Dystopian Futures, a production written by Candice D’Meza and about to be on stage at — of course it has to be — The Catastrophic Theatre at MATCH. D’Meza and T Lavois Thiebaud co-direct.

Described as “a riff on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” the storyline comes complete with trees that talk and rocks that render judgments. “There’s a culmination of the Earth and the inhabitants of it needing this discussion.”

It is also told “through a very natural and queer lens,” says Zapata. He describes his character as “gender- fluid but very draggy. She doesn’t anthropomorphize herself very often but when she does, this is the form that she takes,” Zapata says.

He says the two-act show demonstrates “how queer and diverse nature actually is.” Asked to explain this, he says: “We have examples of that throughout the show. Queerness exists in different species. That there are same sex matings that happen. There are fish and animals that do switch gender. We’ve seen that in amphibians and fish and even in plants where if there is an overpopulation of a certain species, like an overpopulation of ferns, nature finds a way to scale that back.”

Other cast members include Dillon DeWitt, Indigo Dewdrop Ghonima, Jarred Tettey, Brandon McCormick and Magdalen Vaughn. D’Meza makes a voice and a digital appearance. Afsaneh Aayani is in charge of the set design and James Templeton is responsible for the video.

He auditioned for the show which involved him coming up with his own version of the Mr. Rogers opening theme song. They asked for me to create my own version of the Mr. Rogers opening theme song I pulled up all the musical influences that meant something to me. y the time I was done I just saw both of them [D’Meza and Thiebaud] with these huge smiles on their faces.”

Recounting how he got involved in theater to begin with, Zapata says: “It was my saving grace. I was born in Harlingen, Texas. Then I moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. At the time I was completely alone as far as someone like me. Theater is where I found a home and respite.

“The first time I got paid to do a show was Schoolhouse Rock Live! with the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. I had to be about 11 or 12. I’d always been singing; I was raised in the Pentecostal church so I’d always had a flair for singing and performance.”

Eventually he followed a brother who was living in Houston and over time has appeared in a number of productions in Houston in addition to the day jobs he’s held in administration.

He says Miss Laraj’s House of Dystopian Futures really asks the audience to see nature “as the driving force of everything. “What if humans were a link in this chain that we’re all connected by. Not the owner of the chain. What if we’re just a part of it?”

“There’s something calming and satisfying about that. I think that this will provide not only a distraction but comfort and new ideas and just something fun. I think there’s so much to be embraced by nature and queerdom.”

There are moments in the play where Catastrophic is asking for audience interaction, but plans are in place to make sure no one feels forced to contribute, Zapata says. “Whenever somebody comes in they’re going to be able to identify themselves ‘Hey I want to be a participant. I want to be an observer.'”

Asked why people should come see this, he says: “I think for one a respite from everything that’s happening right now. I think it’s going to be a fun but challenging way to view the world. What if this is the way the world saw us? What if we’re not the central focus. What if we are a part of a bigger consciousness?

“A thousand percent I think this is for everybody. There isn’t anybody I would not recommend this show to. We produce challenging work. This one there are challenging ideas but nothing violent, there’s nothing cruel. This is accessible to everybody. It’s just a new vantage point and something you may not have considered.”

Performances are scheduled for February 7 through March 1 at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays at the MATCH, 3400 Main. For more information, call 713-521-4533 or visit matchouston.org or catastrophictheatre.com. Pay what you can.