Favorite Roles: It Is Magic (Deb), Happy Days (Winnie), Baby Screams Miracle (Carol), Toast (Beatrice), Small Ball (Female Reporter), Leap and the Net Will Appear (Simon), Song About Himself (Carol), Marieand Bruce (Marie), Hide Town (Miss Iva), Medea(Medea), A Soap Opera (Andrea), We Have Some Planes, Fucking A (Hester), Happy Days (Winnie), Guys and Dolls (Adelaide).
The United States of TamarieTamarie Cooper and friends
World Premiere
Performances
Jul 15, 2011 -
Aug 20, 2011
Cast & Personnel
Director
Music Direction
Choreography
Cast
- Noel Bowers
- Ivy Castle
- Tamarie Cooper
- Dennis Draper
- Sara Jo Dunstan
- Christian Holmes
- Seán Patrick Judge
- Elissa Levitt
- Richard Lyders
- Karina Pal Montaño-Bowers
- Rebecca Randall
- Vinicia Smothers
- Kyle Sturdivant
- Abraham Zeus Zapata
- Walt Zipprian
Band
Vocal Direction
Scenic Design
Costume Design
Lighting Design
Video Design
Sound Design
Prop Design
Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Booth Crew
Deck Crew
The Play
"The theatrical equivalent of a handmade gift"- Everett Evans, Houston Chronicle
For 13 consecutive summers, Tamarie Cooper wowed Houston audiences with an entirely original, full-scale, musical comedy extravaganza, filled to the brim with songs and gags and hi-jinx from some of Houston’s funniest theatre artists. Without question, her original plays have been among the most wildly popular summer offerings. Tamarie’s shows truly are a unique, and uniquely Houstonian phenomenon. And Houston audiences have loved her for it.
"It’s not really summer in Houston without a freshly cooked-up musical from Tamarie Cooper"- Nancy Wozny, Houston Arts Week
But last year was different. Tamarie took a time-out from this tremendous creative output to care for her newborn daughter, Rose. We can’t blame her for her choices, but it was a long, hot, and sad sad summer without the respite of a new Tamarie Cooper musical.
But now she’s back.
"Truly remarkable and engaging comedic writing"- Buzz Belmont, Chron Commons
Over the years, Tamarie has taken on everything from love to camping, speakeasies, time travel, domesticity, neuroscience, and cocktail parties. This time she turns her comic attention on, well, us.
The United States of Tamarie is an unflinching look at the inherent absurdity of our modern national identity. Protest culture, patriotic machismo, education, international affairs, pop culture, religion, jazz, conspiracy theories, political deadlock, and american nostalgia are all skewered by Tamarie’s signature zany wit.
The United States of Tamarie was written by Patrick Reynolds and Tamarie Cooper with original music and lyrics by Tamarie Cooper, John Duboise, Joe Folladori, DeWitt Gravink, and Patrick Reynolds.
Conceived, directed, and choreographed by Tamarie Cooper with music and vocal direction by Miriam Daly.
Featuring Catastrophic company members Kyle Sturdivant, Walt Zipprian, Noel Bowers, Seán Patrick Judge and Karina Pal Montaño-Bowers joined by Christian Holmes, Richard Lyders, Elissa Levitt, Ivy Rush, Sara Jo Dunstan, Rebecca Randall, Dennis Draper, Abe Zapata, and Vinicia Smothers. Chris Bakos, Cathy Power, Kirk Suddreath, and Miriam Daly comprise the band.
And, of course, starring Tamarie Cooper.
The Playwrights
TAMARIE COOPER
Tamarie is the Producing Artistic Director of The Catastrophic Theatre. She has been performing her entire life. She co-founded The Catastrophic Theatre in 2007 with longtime collaborator and dear friend, Jason Nodler. Originally trained in dance, she began working in theatre at HSPVA and helped to found Infernal Bridegroom Productions in 1993, where she worked for fourteen years. She is a seasoned actor, director, designer, choreographer, and occasional writer, with over 90 production credits with IBP and The Catastrophic Theatre. Tamarie is best known for her original musicals, which enjoy highly successful runs and a cult-like following in Houston. Tamarie has been featured in national trade magazine Stage Directions, named “Best Female Actor” in Outsmart Magazine‘s annual Gayest and Greatest Readers’ Choice Awards and has received various “Best of Houston” awards from The Houston Press and The Houston Chronicle for her performances, direction, and original work.
Directing credits: Tamarie's Texas Toast, Tamarie’s Totally True Revue, Tamarie Cooper’s Live In-Person Sticky Sweet Summer Show, Drama Squad, Tamarie Cooper’s Golden Jubilee!,Tamarie Cooper’s Holiday Super Show!, Tamarie Cooper’s 2020: Quarantine Edition!, Tragedy: a tragedy, Speeding Motorcycle (co-directed with Jason Nodler), Tamarie Cooper’s Field Trip, Small Ball (co-directed with Jason Nodler), Tamarie’s Evening of Mistakes and Regrets, Rhinoceros(2017), Trevor, Tamarie for President (Greatest Hits, Volume 2),The University of Tamarie, A Very Tamarie Christmas, Tamarie Cooper’sOld as Hell!, Tamarie Cooper’s Doomsday Revue, The United StatesofTamarie, Tamarie Cooper’s Journey to the Center of my Brain (in 3D!), The TamarieCooper Show, Twenty Love Songs, Uncle Vanya, Tamalalia X: The Greatest Hits Show, Tamalalia 9: Face Your Fears, Tamalalia 8: Tamarie Goes to Hollywood, Rhinoceros (2003), Tamalalia 7: The Love Show, Tamarie’s Gin Jar Jamboree, Tamalalia 2000, Tamalalia 4: The Campout, Tamalalia 3: The Cocktail Party, Tamalalia 2: The Bus Show, Tamalalia!
PATRICK REYNOLDS Patrick is a graduate of the Second City Writing Program in Chicago and holds a B.A. in History from the University of Houston. He co-wrote Tamarie Goes to Hollywood with Paul Locklear. He wrote the book for Tamarie Cooper: Journey to the Center of My Brain in 3-D!, The United States Of Tamarie: An All-American Revue (Made in China), Tamarie Cooper’s Doomsday Revue (The Greatest Musical Ever!), Tamarie Cooper’s Old as Hell, The University of Tamarie, A Very Tamarie Christmas, and The Tamarie Cooper Show: Field Trip! Additional credits for the Catastrophic Theatre include the St. Arnold’s Brewery promos.
DEWITT GRAVINK is proud and happy to once again perform with The Catastrophic Theatre. Dewitt co-produced and appeared in the original Tamalalia! Infernal Bridegroom Productions: In the Under Thunderloo; In the Jungle of Cities; Rhinoceros; Marat/Sade; Samuel’s Major Problems; Waiting for Godot; Guys and Dolls; Tamalalia 2; Tamalalia 3; Tamalalia 4; Tamalalia 6, and Tamalalia 10. For Infernal Bridegroom, he also underwrote Twenty Love Songs. With Catastrophic he wrote lyrics for and appeared in The Tamarie Cooper Show, wrote lyrics for and appeared in TCS: Journey to the Center of My Brain, and wrote lyrics for The United States of Tamarie.
JOHN DUBOISE is a composer, arranger and mulit-instrumentalist (saxophone, clarinet, guitar). He has performed with a variety of theatre companies and musical groups over the past decade. Theatres include The Catastrophic Theatre, Infernal Bridegroom Productions, Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre, Theatre Illuminata and the University of Houston.
JOE FOLLADORI has done, and will continue to do so.
In the Media
The Catastrophic Theatre – The United States of Tamarie
July 26, 2012 |
KUHA The Front Row
| Chris Johnson
Review: United States of Tamarie
July 20, 2011 |
Free Press Houston
| Alex Wukman
Theater Review: The United States Of Tamarie
July 19, 2011 |
Houston Chronicle
| Everett Evans
Renaissance Woman: The United States of Tamarie
July 18, 2011 |
Houston Press
| Jim Tommaney
Videos
"Like you're sitting at a party full of very funny people"
— Lee Williams, Houston Press
